Crossroads works with the Government of Ukraine to place children into adoptive homes.
We are pleased to announce that in January, 2007, Crossroads became a registered agency with the Government of the Ukraine.
The government body, the Ministry of Education Center of Adoptions, maintains a data base of children waiting adoption. Dossiers of prospective adoptive parents are reviewed, approved and matched with a child from the data base.
OVERVIEW: State Department for Adoptions and Protection of the Rights of the Child (SDAPRC), has stream-lined their process in the last couple of years. They prefer to place their children with married couples. There are no other arbitrary requirements. The dossier of the adoptive family is sent to the SDAPRC. That office reviews and approves the adoptive couple and sends them a notice indicating a date they can arrive in the Ukraine. Both parents must travel to complete the adoption process. The child presented will be a minimum of 12 months of age. A typical age range is 12 – 24 months. Families adopting a young child must be open to adopting either a boy or a girl. A family is notified of their approval and given an appointment date at the SDAPRC--it is at this appointment that the referral of a child will be given to them. The next day they meet the child and start the adoption process and appear in court. The length of stay in the country is 2 - 3 weeks. The family then returns home and waits for the court to release the adoption documents which takes place after the mandatory 30 days after legal adoption. Once the legal papers have been released, one or both adoptive parents return to the Ukraine for the child. The length of stay of this trip is 1 - 2 weeks. Please click through the tabs across the top of this page for further information .
Blond-haired, blue eyed as well as dark-haired and dark eyed boys and girls over the age of 15 months are available for adoption. They reside in state-run orphanages and generally are well-cared for. Families travel by invitation from the government to the Ukraine. During their appointment, they will be shown a photo and description of a child. If the child meets the criteria set forth in their home study, the family will travel to meet the child. While traveling, families can take digital photos and e-mail them along with medical data of the child they meet to an international clinic in the United State. When they are satisfied with the information they will sign a letter of intent and the adoption program will begin.
Crossroads has no arbitrary restrictions such as age, income, marital status, religion, or family size.
The Ukraine will work with married couples who have been approved by Crossroads.
Adoptive parents must be under 45 years of age to adopt an infant.
Pysanka, the Ukrainian Easter egg, comes to mind when we think of this country, but it has ancient cathedrals, churches and other architectural and artistic treasures. Kiev, the capital, has history going back 1500 years.
Adoptive families will “become a part of Ukraine” as their daily accommodations are in a local hotel or with an Ukrainian family as the adoption process is completed. The time in Ukraine is 8 hours ahead of CST.
You will have basic information about your child before meeting him or her which will add to your anticipation of the moment when s/he becomes real. You are encouraged to ask questions, take photos and videos of your child. The orphanage staff are pleased that one of their children will have a family. Most adoptive families will either obtain the services of a doctor in Kiev or make arrangements for e-mail dialogue with one of the international clinics in the U.S. to assist them in assessing their child. A family’s goal is to assure themselves in the best way possible that their child’s birth mother did not use alcohol during pregnancy and therefore give her child the legacy of alcohol fetal syndrome or affect. When this is ruled out (usually within 24 hours) the family proceeds with the adoption.
As soon as the adoption is finalized in court, the family returns to the United States. Time in Ukraine during the first trip is 2 - 3 weeks. When the court releases the child's paperwork (30 days after the legal adoption) the family returns to Ukraine for their child and then goes to the U.S. Embassy in Kiev where they obtain the child's U.S. visa. Travel time the second trip is typically is 1 - 2 weeks.
Families from the Midwest will fly to Kiev via Amsterdam, arriving in late afternoon. You will have one day of rest and then you will meet with the government officials who will link you with a child.
Travel to your child’s city is by car or by train. If you are going as far away as the Crimea region it will be an overnight train ride. After arriving in your child’s city, you will have time to settling into your accommodations and then meet your child.
As soon as the adoption is finalized in court, the family returns to the United States. Time in Ukraine is 2 - 3 weeks. When the court releases the child's paperwork (30 days after the legal adoption) the family travels to the Ukraine for their child and then goes to the U.S. Embassy in Kiev where they obtain the child’s U.S. visa. Travel time is 1 - 2 weeks.
The Government of Ukraine requires that the adoptive family register their child with the Ukraine Consulate upon their return home. The family sends annual reports and letters until the child reaches the age of 18.
Your adoption counselor will visit you within the first few weeks after you return home. Your adoption counselor will gather a copy of your child’s legal documents which include a copy of his/her Ukrainian passport showing the photo page and the US visa page. You will also be given instructions on how to register your child with the Ukraine Consulate as well as proceed with obtaining a Minnesota birth certificate or, if you live in Wisconsin, instructions on how to proceed with re-finalization. If you live in a different state, Crossroads will assist your agency as needed in this area. Hearing about your travel experience and the happy moments when your child was first placed in your arms is always a priority. Your adoption counselor will also help you with the adjustment and bonding of your newly adopted child.
Crossroads will notify you each year when your report is due. A format and a reminder of how many photos are required will be sent with the notification. Crossroads will collect the report and photos and forward them to the proper department in the Ukraine as well as to the Ukraine Consulate.
Submitting the paperwork for registration, post placement reports, and photos is very important. Fulfilling these requirements in a timely manner is important to Crossroads and confirms to the Government of the Ukraine our satisfaction with their program and respect for their rules and requirements.