Ukraine: Archived Adoption Updates
January 31, 2006
01/31/06
Extensive Q and A adoption processing in Ukraine can be accessed here.
01/12/06
On January 12, the Rada (Ukraine’s parliament) passed law 8680 giving interim authority over adoptions to the Ministry of Education’s National Adoption Center (NAC) until the new adoption authority is legally established under the Ministry of Family Youth and Sports. The law will come into effect as soon as it is signed by the President, who has up to 15 days to review it. As soon as the law is signed by the President, the center should be reopened.
01/11/06
From U.S. Embassy, Ukraine
Dear Members of the American Adoption Community Interested in Ukraine:
A new law came into effect on December 22, 2005, transferring authority over intercountry adoptions in Ukraine to the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports, which will establish a new central authority called the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Children.
Unfortunately, since the former central authority (the National Adoption Center under the Ministry of Education) no longer had jurisdiction over adoptions as of December 22, and the new adoption authority under the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports had not yet been established, a jurisdiction and processing gap was created, with no Ukrainian ministries’ having the authority to handle adoptions.
The Embassy has raised the U.S. Government’s concern about the sudden stoppage of adoption processing and has asked the Government of Ukraine to take steps so that families can conclude their adoptions in the best interests of the children and families affected. According to the information we have learned, a legislative solution is required under Ukrainian law to resolve this issue. The Ukrainian parliament (Rada) is scheduled to review a draft law on this subject that would allow the NAC to retain interim authority over adoptions until May 1, 2006, at which time the new authority is expected to be in place. The Ukrainian version of the draft law is available on the official Rada website:
Please continue to monitor the Embassy’s web page for the current status of adoption processing in Ukraine:
The Embassy will continue to track this and other adoption-related issues closely, and provide updates as appropriate. Any American adopting parents who are currently in Ukraine and affected by this abrupt closure are requested to e-mail the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine: (
adoptionskiev@state.gov ) and provide your points of contact, if you have not already done so.
American prospective adoptive families who have January appointments to travel to Ukraine should not do so until such time as the Embassy has confirmed to the extent possible whether you will be able to complete the adoption process and return to the U.S. with your children in a timely manner.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Adoption Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Kiev if you have any additional questions.
Sincerely,
Adoption Unit/Immigrant Visa Section
Consular Section
American Embassy
Kyiv, Ukraine
Tel: 38-044-4904422
Fax: 38-044-490-4570
09/21/05
On September 21, 2005 the Government of Ukraine informed the U.S. Embassy in Kiev that the National Adoption Center (NAC) of Ukraine was suspending the acceptance of new adoption dossiers from U.S. citizens and citizens of several other countries. According to the NAC, the decision to stop accepting certain dossiers as of September 19 was based in large part on the past non-compliance of some families with post-adoption reports, which are required by Ukrainian law.
