Adoption in Ukraine

We work with a few Hague-accredited adoption agencies in US, they are reputable, experienced and popular. Please contact us and we will refer you to one of our partners.

There were changes in US adoption laws and since July 2014 all families planning to adopt internationally should use Hague-accredited adoption agencies for their process, it’s not possible to use a local agency if it’s not Hague accredited. There is a way to use the local agency as a primary provider but then you will still need a Hague accredited agency as a supervisor. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Open Heart Adoption plays an active role in the adoption process in Ukraine. In our work, we are dedicated to assisting parents in their journey to become parents for Ukrainian child.

Whether you are considering becoming an adoptive parent, you are already in the process of adopting, or just interested in learning more, we hope that you will find this site to be a useful resource about Adoption in Ukraine. The information you will find here is intended to provide you with an overview of Ukrainian adoption process. Throughout our site, you will find varied information that touches upon many different aspects of the adoption process in Ukraine.

We are working as adoption coordinators and facilitators in Ukraine since 1999 and have huge experience in Ukrainian adoption process and solving problems. Many facilitators do not have the vast knowledge needed to perform each and every step. Adoption process is complicated and each case is unique and different. In our team there are experienced interpreters and translators who help facilitate your adoption process in Ukraine. We work mostly with the families from the US, Canada and a few from European countries. We may help you with advice, Ukrainian dossier requirements and other issues regarding adoption in Ukraine. We will give you a service invoice (can be downloaded on fees page) after your adoption process which means your expenses will be tax deductible. We would be happy to assist you with our services and make your trip to Ukraine as pleasant as possible!

We offer an inexpensive adoption program in Ukraine which covers all expenses regarding the process. We understand what an important decision this is for you. We would like to assure you that our team is one that really cares about the children and wants to do everything possible to find them a loving family. At the same time we are a professional organization in Ukraine that has stood the test of time and has excellent results and relationship with the old NAC and DFC. If you require references from some of the families we worked with, do not hesitate to contact us for this information. Once again we appreciate your interest and consideration of adoption in Ukraine. We hope that you will enjoy your adoption in Ukraine and look forward to the opportunity of serving you in the future.

Our Team

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We have studied the adoption laws in different countries and are completely aware of what we are doing. Also I am an owner of this website and created it myself, so all the information here will be updated periodically due to the current events in adoption situation in Ukraine. I hope you find this website to be useful and informative.

There are experienced interpreters and regional facilitators in our team occupied in international adoption and they all have experience in adoption process in Ukraine. Since 1999, we have helped facilitate nearly 900 adoptions. I take and manage every adoption as my personal case, so you can be sure you are in good hands.

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In Ukraine, hundreds of children in orphanages are waiting for loving and caring parents. Many have never experienced the warmth and joy that comes from a forever family because they were abandoned after birth and others were neglected or abused by their biological parents. Mostly children are placed to orphanages due to parental neglect or physical abuse. They are regular children who unfortunately had to be removed from their families; the only difference is that these children have experienced much stress and difficulties in their lives. By adopting a child, you not only help the child grow up in a loving and caring environment, you form a bright and positive future. Adoption is a blessing for the child’s life and yours as well.

Every child has a right to have a loving and caring family. And we should always strive to improve the current situation and give homes to children. We all know that children are the flowers of life. Ukrainian orphan children are very special, vulnerable, they already had much experience despite the fact that they are kids. They need love, care, attention and the most important - they need a family!

Ukrainian Adoption Criteria

Children available in Ukraine:

• Five years and older, with Caucasian appearances. Sibling groups available. The amendment exempts children with certain special needs, relative adoptions, and sibling adoptions.
• It's forbidden to adopt a single child under 5 y.o. but if the child under 5 y.o. is in the sibling group, then it's possible, for instance, one child should be older than 5 y.o. and the other one or two child/ren may be under 5 y.o. Some younger children are available classified with serious medical conditions from about 6-9 months (list of diseases here)
• Travel to Kiev for an interview in the Ministry where family will receive photos and information on available children. Some information on waiting children may be available prior to travel (not officially).
• Some children will need medical and/or developmental intervention.
• More boys are available than girls.

Eligibility criteria:

• Parents must be flexible.
• Couples should be married.
• Adoption can be completed with one parent only.
• Singles are not eligible.

Length of process:

• Preparation of adoption dossier takes 2-3 months.
• It takes a couple of weeks to get dossier filed in Ukraine.
• Parents make first trip approx. 1,5-2 months later after the dossier was submitted.

Travel Requirements:

• Two or one trip to Ukraine required.
• First trip will be approximately 3-4 weeks, family comes home for 2 weeks, then one parent returns to Ukraine for about ten days.
• Alternatively, family can stay and complete the adoption process in one trip which is approx. 50-65 days.

What We Offer:

Our agency is based in Kiev, Ukraine. We are able to offer an inexpensive program from 9,000 to 11,000 depends on the age, health and the region where a child is placed. We work with adoptions since 1999 and it is our goal to give you the best adoption experience you can find. Our team is experienced in legal matters and we have much knowledge needed to see your journey through the end. We will always put your interests and needs as well as children's interests first.

• Our team includes lawyers, interpreters, regional facilitators and we offer an affordable adoption program
• We will give you a service invoice after your adoption, this means your expenses will be tax deductible
• We have US partners - adoption agencies that work with adoptions for many years, are Hague-accredited, reputable and honest
• We work with adoption in Ukraine since 1999 and completed about 1000 adoption processes
• Translation and notarization of your full dossier will take 2-3 days only
• We guarantee timely update on every document if there are any changes in the adoption law
• We can provide references from the families who used our team for adoption since 1999. References available under request

Please Note - US citizens

Ukraine is a non-Hague country (not a party to Hague Adoption Convention) and adoption process is cheaper and faster. Since July 2014 the United States of America made changes to the laws and under new requirements all adoptive parents should hire Hague-accredited agencies in the USA to start the process of international adoption and home study. We have contacts with a few partner US agencies that work with adoptions for many years, are Hague-accredited, reputable and honest. For more information contact us

Ukrainian laws haven’t changed and independent adoptions continue to work in our country. We are licensed to provide legal services in Ukraine and are able to do adoption processes in a legal way (not a private facilitator). For your information, a US adoption agency can’t do adoption process in Ukraine, as no US agency is authorized in our country.