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Ukraine Adoption Alert

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Notice: New UAA Country Specific Guidance for Ukraine (July 14, 2014)

The Department of State recently provided new country specific guidance for intercountry adoptions from Ukraine. This guidance reflects that as of July 14, 2014, the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA) affects the provision of adoption services in non-Convention adoption cases, including those from Ukraine. The published guidance explains the impact of the UAA on adoption cases in Ukraine, taking into account the role of Ukrainian public authorities in the intercountry adoption process. More information is available on the UAA Country Specific Guidance page and the country information sheet for Ukraine. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alert: Update on New Adoption Referrals for Ukraine (May 16, 2014)

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has received new information from the Department of Families and Children that the Ukrainian Government is considering a resolution to temporarily suspend adoption referrals to Donetsk and Lugansk regions for the duration of the ongoing anti-terrorist operation. Cases already in process in Ukraine should not be impacted by this proposed temporary suspension of new referrals. The Embassy is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to provide updates.


The U.S. Embassy remains open and is providing full consular services including issuance of immigrant visas to adopted children. Consular officers at the U.S. Embassy are actively engaged and in direct communication with those adoptive parents who may be affected by the current situation.


U.S. families in Ukraine completing an intercountry adoption are encouraged to communicate directly with the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv at KyivAdoptions@state.gov. Additional questions regarding intercountry adoption may also be directed to the Office of Children’s Issues at AskCI@state.gov. For more information regarding the current situation in Ukraine and the latest travel warning please visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website at travel.state.gov.

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Notice: Update on the Status of Intercountry Adoptions from Ukraine (March 11, 2014)

The Department of State is not currently aware of delays in the intercountry adoption process in Ukraine following former President Yanukovych’s February 22 departure from Kyiv and the Ukrainian Parliament’s establishment of a new government on February 27. The Department has received information from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that it remains open and that delays are not currently expected in the issuance of Ukrainian passports to adopted children beyond the normal 10 day processing timeline.


The U.S. Embassy remains open and is providing full consular services including issuance of immigrant visas to adopted children. Consular officers at the U.S. Embassy are actively engaged and in direct communication with those adoptive parents who may be affected by the current situation.


U.S. families in Ukraine completing an intercountry adoption are encouraged to communicate directly with the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv at KyivAdoptions@state.gov. Additional questions regarding intercountry adoption may also be directed to the Office of Children’s Issues at AskCI@state.gov. For more information regarding the current situation in Ukraine and the latest travel warning please visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website at travel.state.gov. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alert: SDA resumes processing adoptions in Ukraine (July 14, 2011)'

On July 14, 2011, the presidential order which extends the State Department on Adoption’s (SDA’s) authority to process adoptions was published in Ukraine. We have been informed by the SDA that they have resumed processing adoption applications. As described in a previous alert, the SDA will have the authority to continue processing adoptions until the Ministry of Social policy is ready to take over as the new adoption authority in Ukraine. The Ministry does not yet know when they will be prepared to take over adoption processing.


The SDA also informed the embassy that the new amendment to the Family Code is now in effect. This requires orphans to be registered on the central adoption registry for one year and to be at least five years old before they are eligible for intercountry adoption. The amendment exempts children with certain special needs, relative adoptions, and sibling adoptions. Please note that the Ukrainian government is in the process of updating the definition of special needs, a process which by law should be completed by October 11, 2011.


We will continue to encourage the Ministry of Social Policy to protect adoptions where U.S. prospective adoptive parents have already been approved by the SDA to adopt a particular child. We will also be following new developments closely to understand how they will affect the families currently in process and will be posting relevant updates.


Source: [1]