Establishing Paternity In Ukraine

"Paternity acknowledgement" is a voluntary process when an unwed father becomes legally recognized as the biological father for child support purposes. This acknowledgement does not establish a legal, court-recognized paternity, unless it is then taken to the Rayon level. Once the Rayon court recognizes the paternity, the father then has legal, enforceable visitation rights, and, of course, the financial support responsibilities as well.

Establishing paternity can be complicated without the help of a legal expert. It may be initiated in several ways:

1. upon application of both the mother and father of the child;
2. upon application of the man who claims to be the child's or children's father; or