We are currently seeing individual children 8+ years old coming home. However, it is also common to see children under 5 with significant medical special needs, or younger children as part of a sibling group are also common. We also see sibling groups of all ages coming home. Common needs in Ukraine are sibling groups, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, HIV, and complex syndromes.

Ukraine is a blind referral process. Families are not matched with a child until after arriving in country for the first trip and completing an appointment with the central authority.

The process of adopting from Ukraine is estimated to take approximately 12-24 months.

Families will travel to Ukraine on three required trips. The first trip is approximately 10 days where families complete an appointment with the central authority, receive a referral and meet the prospective adoptive child. Trip two is approximately 1 week and the family must be present for a court appointment. The final trip is approximately 2-4 weeks depending on the child’s region and the family will complete legal documentation and visa paperwork.