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Ukraine is opened to American families for adoption.
European Children Adoption Services or (ECAS) is registered with the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Rights of the Child (SDAPRC) in Ukraine to place children into adoptive homes in USA.

About the Program
Adoption from Ukraine continues to be a popular choice for families that hope to adopt a young child. This unique program offers adoption opportunities from entire country of Ukraine. Our personnel in the U.S. and abroad have extensive experience in assisting families with adoption from Ukraine since 1997. Since then we have successfully united hundreds of children from Ukraine with families from all over the US.

Thousands of children are waiting in Ukrainian orphanages for loving and devoted parents. These orphanages are managed by regional governments who are desperately trying their best to provide for all basic needs of the children in their care. The majority of children we place from Ukraine are Caucasian infants less than 26 months old, in good health, that are thriving in their new families in America. The State Department for Adoptions and Protection of Rights of the Child (SDAPRC) in Ukraine is the legal Ukrainian authority for adoptions. It maintains a data base of children waiting to be adopted, for a period of one year. Ukrainian citizens have priority over all foreign adoptions.

In order to be approved for the adoption adoptive family must complete an adoption study in the US with ECAS or with any adoption agency in the state of residence. They must also obtain BCIS approval from the US immigration office. Adoption documents must then be submitted to the SDAPRC for approval. After the adoptive family documents are approved the adoptive family is invited to travel for an appointment at the SDAPRC office in Kiev, Ukraine for a child selection. All adoptions are finalized in Ukraine. The majority of our adoptive families finalized their adoption from Ukraine within 8-12 months after completing their adoption home study and obtaining BCIS approval from the U.S. immigration office. All children adopted from Ukraine receive citizenship upon arriving in the U.S.

Our experienced coordinators in Ukraine assist families during their adoption trip and each step of their adoption process in Ukraine. Our role is to make sure your adoption process is going as smooth as possible from the beginning through the successful completion of your adoption.

Advantages of the Program
• Infants from 16 months old and young toddlers are available for adoption.
• Photos and medical history of the child are provided for review with the referral.
• Eligible applicants can request specific ages and gender of children they wish to adopt.
• Families are allowed to adopt more than one child at the time.
• Short waiting before traveling to adopt (2-6 months after adoption documents are approved by the SDAPRC).

Who can adopt
• Adoptive parents from 25-55 years old.
• Adoptive parents who are no more than 45 years older than the adopted children.
• Couples must be married at least for a year.
• One prospective parent must be U.S. citizen.
• No restrictions regarding previous divorces or number of children in the home.
• Adoptive parents without major disabilities, terminal illnesses and in good mental and physical health.
• Families working with licensed agencies from any state utilizing their foreign sources.
• Families who meet AGENCY, STATE and FEDERAL requirements for adoption abroad.
• Ukraine accepts only married couples and heterosexual applicants.

Children available from Ukraine
• Children and siblings ages from 14 months to 16 years old.
• Majority of the children are of Caucasian decent and few are Eurasian or of Gypsy decent.
• Most infants have been relinquished at birth by unwed mothers due to unwillingness to raise the child.
• Others have been removed from their homes as a result of poverty, neglect or abuse.
• All children are tested for HIV, Hepatitis A, B, and C, Tuberculosis, and Syphilis prior to their initial placement at the orphanage and again prior to the adoption court hearing.
• Personal and health history with inoculations are provided if available.

Traveling abroad
Both adoptive parents are required to travel to Ukraine in order to complete the adoption of a child in Ukraine.

At the present time the family may choose between one longer or two shorter trips (for approximately 25-35 days total). The first part of the trip is approximately 14-20 days long and begins with the selection of the child at the SDAPRC office in Kiev. In the SDAPRC office the adoptive family is presented with profiles of children available for international adoption within the specified age range and gender that the adoptive family has requested.

After selecting a child at the SDAPRC office the adoptive family must travel to the orphanage to meet with the child. In the orphanage the adoptive family is presented with the child’s medical history and when available with the personal data. ECAS maintains a list of international adoption clinics located in the U.S. Western trained physicians in Ukraine are also available for evaluation of the child. After the commitment to adopt the child is made, adoption documents are submitted to the regional court and adoptive parents are scheduled to attend a court hearing in the region. The court decision is issued the day of the hearing, but becomes effective 10 days later, when the adoptive family is granted legal custody for the child. After the court hearing, the adoptive parents may stay for another two weeks to complete the adoption process or return home.

If the adoptive parents would choose to return home then one or both of them, varies by region, must return back to Ukraine two weeks later for approximately 5-8 days to complete processing of the adoption decree documents in the region and obtaining the US entrance visa for the adopted child in Kiev. The family usually spends the last 3 nights in Kiev. The second trip culminates in bringing your child home. Only one parent is required to accompany the adopted child to the U.S. Time in Ukraine varies according to the orphanage location. Experienced coordinators assist families during their adoption trip and each step of their adoption process in Ukraine.

Post adoption requirements
All children adopted from Ukraine must be registered with the Ukrainian Consulate in the U.S. no later than one month upon arrival in the U.S. The adoptive family is required to file annual reports accompanied by photographs of the adopted child with Ukrainian Consulate in the U.S. until the adopted child reaches age of 18. The adoptive family is also required to notify the Ukrainian Consulate in the U.S. about any home address or phone number change within one month upon the change of the family residence.

About the country
Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe and is located between Poland and Russia. It is slightly smaller than the state of Texas. Much of the southeastern part of the country borders the Black Sea. Ukraine has a population of about 47 million people. An estimated 68 % of Ukrainians live in urban areas, with over three million inhabitants in the capital Kiev, the largest city. Ukrainians make up more than three-fourths of the population; there are a significant minority of Russians (around 22%). The official language is Ukrainian. Many speak Russian as a first or second language. Although Ukraine has a long relationship with Russia and the former Soviet Union, it claimed its independence from Russia in 1991. With great natural beauty, a rich culture, and warm and hospitable people, Ukraine is a wonderful place to visit.

For more information about our Ukrainian program, please contact our agency at:
E-mail: info@ecasus.org
Phone: 763-694-6188
763-694-6131
Fax: 763-694-6104
Website: www.ecasus.org

Monthly information meetings are scheduled at our office every second Tuesday evening.
Must e-mail or RSVP by phone.

European Children Adoption Services
6050 Cheshire Lane North, Plymouth, MN 55446
Phone: (763) 694-6131 / Fax: (763) 694-6104 / E-mail: info@ecasus.org

Please note: All of the children pictured on this website have already been adopted.