Ukraine Adoption
Ukrainian Crisis and Adoption
Many people with a heart for orphans and particularly Ukrainian orphans have called us asking us how they can help?
So we would like to address this question and its responses in this article. Most of our input and our opinion on this topic is taken from the guidance that the US Department of State issued on this topic on March 25, 2022.
Can Ukrainian Children Come to The US Temporarily for Safety?
Many people have contacted us, in an effort to help. We admire their desire to help, and we wish we could help them.
However, we are writing this article to help understand that though they may want to help, and agencies like ours may want to help, there is a set of international laws that govern international adoption.
These laws have not changed because of the war. Our guess is that they likely won’t change. They may. But they have not yet.
Changing these laws and regulations is not upto us, or in our opinion, upto any agency.
it is upto government.
The US Department of State has not, at this time, made any changes to the existing rules.
Currently, the Ukrainian government has confirmed they are not approving children to participate in host programs in the US at this time according to this US Dept of State Guidance.
You can also see See the Department’s March 9, 2022 Ukraine Adoption Update and the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy’s March 19 Statement on the Evacuation of Children in Institutional Care for additional information.
How Can I Adopt a Urkainian Child from Poland?
Ukraine’s Ministry of Policy Statement on Intercountry Adoption confirms that adoption in Ukraine is not possible at this time.
It is true that many Ukrainian kids are finding refuge in Poland and Polish orphanages. However, this does not necesserily mean they are orphans.
In order to adopt a child, there are certain requirements that have to be met that ensure that the child is indeed an orphan in need of a permanent family.
Even in cases where a child’s parents may have died because of the war, the child may still have relatives who are willing to take care of them.
The government’s role in the adoption process, for the protection of the kids, to ensure that a child truly meets the definition of being an orphan before they can be adopted internationally.
The US has very similar requirements, for the safety of the children.
At this time, these requirements are not being changed, lessened, or bypassed.
The folks who have to the authority to “bypass” these laws, or change them, are governments, not agencies.
It would be upto the US Government and the Ukrainian Government to work out a deal to help, and such deal has not been worked out at this time.
So be careful what you hear on social medial, fakebook groups, and other chatter, because in your desire to help, you may be lead down a wrong path. What we are saying, though it may be not what you want to hear because of your desire to help, is written write here on the US Department of State’s site.
What is the US Dept. of State Doing To Help?
According to their site, they are working with families who had their legal documents ready right before the war started. They can’t promise that even those cases will be allowed to finalize.
However, when it comes to new cases, they say that “intercountry adoption cases in process are not expected to move forward in the near term”.
On March 13, 2022, the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy issued a statement confirming that adoption is not possible in Ukraine at this time. See the Department’s March 21, 2022 Notice for more information.
What Else Can I Do?
Maybe you can consider helping another orphan. What is happening in Ukraine at this time is terrible. War is terrible. It is true Ukrainian people and Ukrainian children need help.
But, life isn’t too much easier if you are an orphan in Bulgaria, even though there is no war in the country. Maybe God used the situation in Ukraine to get you on the path to something else.
We encourage you to consider saving an orphan from Bulgaria. If you have questions about how to do that, we are standing by to talk to you.
Call or text. 704 527 7673.
See Waiting Children
Let us be clear, in case you didn’t read the info above. These are not Ukrainian children. They are not in Ukraine or ones who fled to Poland. These are children from Bulgaria. Currently, Ukrainian kids are not able to be adopted. Hopefully, this will change in the future, but in reality such “change” may take years. Bulgarian children also need homes.
The process of adopting a waiting child is greatly expedited.
It typically takes about 12 to 15 months from start to finish.
For more info, call or text. 704 527 7673.
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