Ukraine Adoption

The new ministry--but when??

This letter was sent today from the US Embassy in Kiev to the American adoption community. From what I can tell, the process has stopped abruptly while they change from the National Adoption Center (NAC--which no longer has any authority) to this new central government authority, which isn't quite ready to operate. Let's hope the new organization is up and running very, very soon and honors everything that has already been processed by the NAC, including appointments and families in Ukraine who are in limbo. I'm fairly certain that I hear a collective sigh from here to the land across the ocean...

Dear Members of the American Adoption Community Interested in Ukraine:

On December 20, 2005, President Yushchenko signed the law transferring authority over adoptions from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports. This law came into effect on December 22, 2005, upon its publication in Parliament's official newspaper "Holos Ukrainy".

According to the new law, the Family Code of Ukraine will be amended to give authority over domestic and international adoptions to the Ministry for Family, Youth and Sports. The new central authority will be called the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Children, under the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports.

According to information from the National Adoption Center (NAC), although the NAC under the Ministry of Education has not yet been dissolved, the Ukrainian Supreme Court has determined that the NAC no longer has legal authority to process adoptions. This decision effectively creates a processing gap, with no Ukrainian ministries' having the authority to handle adoptions at this time.

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 already in Ukraine can conclude their adoptions and return home. Although officials at the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports have indicated that they wish to find an interim solution for the families caught in the balance, any such resolution will likely not be approved until mid-January of 2006, after the Ukrainian holidays. (All Ukrainian governmental organizations will be closed from January 1 to January 10, 2006, for the New Year and Orthodox Christmas holidays.)

The Embassy also has asked for clarification on the status of the referral appointments that the NAC had scheduled for January 2006. As soon as the Ukrainian authorities respond, the Embassy will issue a follow-up notice with that updated information. Please monitor the Embassy's web page for the current status of adoption processing in Ukraine: http://kiev.usembassy.gov/

The Embassy will continue to track this and other adoption-related issues closely, and provide updates as appropriate. American adopting parents who are currently in Ukraine and are affected by this abrupt closure are requested to e-mail us (adoptionskiev@state.gov ) and provide your points of contact

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 us 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
adoptionskiev@state.gov

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