The international adoption process in Ukraine is quite a bit
different from that of other countries. First, Ukrainian law does
not allow pre-identification of children for international
adoption. In other words, unlike other countries, you will not
receive a child referral before traveling. Instead, you will be
invited to travel to Ukraine after your dossier and paperwork have
been received and processed. Once in Ukraine, you will be shown
several children to choose which child to adopt.
The State Department of Adoption and Protection of Child's
Rights (SDAPCR), a part of the Ministry of Social Policy of
Ukraine, is the only legal Ukrainian authority for adoptions. It
maintains a database of children available for both domestic and
international adoptions. SDAPCR is involved in the international
adoption process from the moment prospective parents apply for
registration until an adoption hearing is held in court. It has a
policy of maintaining direct contact with
