ADOPTIVE FAMILY PROCEDURES



TIME TO TRAVEL! PROCEDURES IN UKRAINE

First Trip Travel Information

1. You will need to send the facilitator fee ($9000 for one child) to Open Door prior to travel or alternately we will discuss with you carrying the fee with you for travel. At this turbulent time in Ukraine’s history wiring funds is very difficult. For other costs, such as the apartment fee, your facilitator will collect this money from you on your first day likely once you arrive at your apartment. We will invoice you via email for fees due prior to travel, as well as to try and help you better estimate your in-country costs ahead of time so you know what amount of cash to bring. You may carry cash USD ($), and we suggest that you divide the amount between you and your spouse. You will also need money for ground transportation and lodging while in the country – see the Travel Expenses sheet for more details. Take only “clean currency” which means it is clean, new issue/latest design, unmarked, un-written on, un-torn cash. $100’s are preferred to save space. You may have to prearrange with your bank to order money for you that fits this description. It does NOT have to be brand new, just in excellent condition. If you take money that has pen marks, teller stamps, or is torn, when it is exchanged for HRYVNIA, (Ukrainian money) 20% is kept as a penalty for giving "bad money". This is NOT America; it is a foreign country. Remember, while in Ukraine, do as the Ukrainian’s require/do.

USA to Ukraine

2. Fly to Kiev, Ukraine. When booking your tickets, we suggest that you use a travel agency experienced with adoption flights. Our two top recommendations are Adoption Airfare () and Golden Rule Travel (). Each of these agencies can advise you on making sure you tickets are changeable, an important characteristic of adoption travel because travel dates can never be guaranteed. They are also able to look into getting you mission based airfares. Please confirm all dates with your adoption consultant prior to booking. Make sure to send your flight details to your adoption coordinator prior to your travel!

3. Many airlines/countries are not requiring an entry declaration any longer, but if you receive one, complete a customs declaration of all monies and valuables taken in. Without these records, customs officials can confiscate your cash and valuables upon departure. This has loosened up considerably, but is technically a possibility. Do not declare any gifts that you intend to leave there. You will leave the plane and go through passport control to get your passport checked and stamped. Then you will need to pick up your luggage and go through customs. A customs official will check and stamp your declaration and may ask how much hard currency you are carrying.

4. An Open Door representative (typically our team driver, Sasha) will be waiting past immigration and customs with a sign showing your family's name. You will then be taken to your apartment or hotel.

5. At your apartment your representative will help you to get settled in. You should be given the wifi password at the apartment and a phone for use in Ukraine if you would like to use one (see travel expenses, the cost is $100). They will tell or show you where a nearby grocery store is as well as a restaurant if you’d like. All the apartments they use are centrally located in Kiev. We do suggest that you check the wifi is working by logging in while your representative is still with you, and also check that your phone is working.

6. Typically, you will arrive on the day prior to your SDA appointment. Occasionally families arrive more than one day ahead, and the following day they will relax and visit sites in Kiev they might be interested in. This decision can be made according to pricing, personal preference, or weather-related travel concerns (for instance, winter travel might be more prone to flight delays).

7. On the day of your SDA appointment, your representative will pick you up about ½ hour prior to your appointment. They will escort you to the appointment and translate the information for you about your child. We suggest you dress nicely for this appointment. You don’t need to wear a suit and tie, but nice trousers and shirt or skirt/dress are recommended.

8. The SDA appointment typically is fairly short, unless there is some kind of unusual circumstance. An SDA employee will locate your child’s file and provide information for you on the child. You won’t be taking the written information with you at this time, but you are encouraged to take notes. Ask questions if you have them. Our experience is that the information that the SDA has about the child is not as complete as what you will receive at the orphanage during meetings, but it is still wise to take notes.

9. Late that same afternoon, or occasionally the following day, you will collect the official referral matching you with your child. You will return to the SDA office to collect this document with your representative.

10. Once you have collected the referral matching your family with your child, then you can travel to the region. Travel will take place according to where you are going within Ukraine. Longer distances will frequently travel via train. Shorter distances can be made by bus or driver. Nastya’s team will book your transportation for you and will escort you to the train or bus station as needed. Someone will be waiting for you at your destination to take you to your child’s orphanage. Fares are typically cheapest by bus. Train travel generally runs approximately $100 for both parents, though this will vary of course by the distance. Hiring a driver will be the most expensive option, at $.60/km traveled. Bear in mind, a driver is not necessarily the most comfortable way to travel. The traffic rules are different in Ukraine, and in more remote places the roads are not in good condition.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR CHILD’S REGION

11. When you arrive in region, your in-region facilitator will meet you and take you to your child’s orphanage. There you will meet with many people: the orphanage director or deputy assistant director (depending on availability), the doctor of the orphanage, other possible caretakers, the attorney, and the district court caseworker. The order and schedule of these meetings can vary greatly according to the situation. You will also meet with your child, of course. Ultimately, several things must be accomplished during this long time period (typically 2-4 days if you have met the child previously, or a bit longer if you have not met your child). First, multiple documents will be signed by various authorities, giving you permission to move forward with the adoption and set up a court date. Your child must sign a consent statement indicating that they wish to be adopted by your family. The court caseworker must sign off on paperwork, as will the attorney.

12. Next, this is the time period to meet with caretakers who know your child or who know about your child. This is your opportunity to better understand your child’s history as much as possible. You will meet with three important people during this visit: the attorney (who will give you a background of your child’s legal situation), the orphanage director (who will also share your child’s file with you and might be able to provide additional information about your child), and the orphanage doctor (who will provide you with a history of your child’s medical information). Everyone in Ukraine will have what they call a “medical card”. This card documents all medical information and history such as immunizations, hospitalizations, doctor visits, health issues, etc. Your child will have one as well, and the doctor will cover what is written in your child’s medical card. You will be given the medical card on the third trip, once you pick your child up after the waiting period after court. Sometimes you’ll need to remind the director to give you the card, as some are prone to forgetting. The card can be translated at $10 per page if you wish, while you are in Ukraine. Alternately, you may wish to have it translated yourself once you’re back in the United States. These cards are frequently between 40-50 pages or more. Please plan to take notes! Please ask questions about the information as you have them.

13. During these visits, we ask that you continue working on the “Child Health Issues” document (just following this section) with the assistance of your in-region facilitator which we will provide for you prior to travel. This document provides information about your child’s medical, educational, social, and psychological history. Please print and carry this document with you to Ukraine. You may simply take notes, and then transfer the information into this document, or write directly on the document, your choice. Again, please ask questions about this information if you have them. It’s not uncommon that the in-region staff may not have all of the information on the form (for instance, your child’s APGAR scores) but please ask in case they do have the information. You are required to sign the document stating that you have received the information. You should return home from this trip with a copy. Please scan and email a copy to your adoption consultant.

14. One additional option for you to consider is the request to have your child evaluated by an outside medical doctor. Nastya/Alex’s team can arrange for this evaluation if you would like. The doctors are former doctors who worked for the United States Embassy evaluating children for their visa medical. Please let Nastya/Alex’s staff know if you would like to have your child seen by an external doctor and they are happy to arrange it. The cost is approximately $500.

15. Take some time to consider what you and your child would like in terms of changing or keeping their birth name. Many families keep their child’s first name, sometimes changing the spelling to more easily blend with American names. Some will add a special middle name for the child. Some families change children’s names completely. Whatever you decide to do, we suggest that you do this with discussion, input, and consent from your child. Decisions will need to be made prior to court, and depending on the court district, may need to be made this first trip.

16. Once all meetings have taken place and paperwork has been signed you are free to return to Kiev. Your facilitators will file all documents at the local district court within a few days afterwards. This initiates the court process to adopt your child. During the in-region period you can expect to do some local travel when meeting with various officials. This can vary depending on the situation and the region, so while we can’t describe exactly where, when, or how often you will travel for meetings, do expect to do some driving around.

17. A few notes about travel with your in-region facilitator. First, during the travel to meetings: if you hire a driver the cost is $.60/km for all driving. Next, if you stop for a meal with your facilitator, please do pay for their meal. (One other note, we suggest that you pack some snacks every day in case you are rushing around and don’t have time to stop for a meal.) And finally, if your facilitator does not live in the area, you are expected to pay for their accommodation. They will not expect to stay in luxury accommodations, and may stay in a less expensive hotel than you are staying in if one is available. Facilitator travel costs can vary from one family to another depending on the region to which you are traveling. Nastya and Alex sometimes have local staff in the area who do not need accommodations. They try to arrange this when possible, but it is not always possible. Occasionally your facilitator will need to stay in your child’s region for a day or two longer than you stay in order to take care of adoption paperwork to schedule the court date. In this case you are expected to cover the cost of accommodation in this situation as well. Especially in situations in which the family is trying to limit their time in Ukraine, and take care of the first trip business as quickly as they can, the in-region facilitator may have to remain in the region just a bit longer to complete paperwork on behalf of your family.

18. Once your in-region business is complete, you will travel back to Kiev and then return home! Depending on your location and the time/day of your travel, you might return to the original Kiev apartment you were in previously, or you might opt to stay in a hotel very near the airport on your final night in Ukraine. If you have an early morning or middle of the night flight, we suggest that you stay in the airport hotel so that you can take the shuttle to the airport and save time and sleep over the extra travel time needed to get from the center of Kiev.

Acknowledgment and Understanding of Child’s

Social, Medical, and Psychological Health History

Ukraine

We understand and agree that it is extremely important to cover our child’s history to better understand their Social, Medical, and Psychological background. We have had the opportunity to meet with the SDA to cover our child’s file, to speak to our child’s orphanage director, and to speak with the Orphanage doctor and district attorney. We have been able to ask questions about our child’s file and history.

While receiving our child’s medical card is not possible until after we collect our court decree, we understand that we are entitled to receive this information. We can opt to have it translated here in Ukraine at extra cost ($10/page) or we can opt to take it with us and have it translated in the United States at our own cost.

However, we have received a summary in English of the information contained in our child’s file and on the medical card.

Child to be Adopted: ________________________________________________

Child’s DOB: _______________________________

_________________________ ______________________

Adoptive Father Date

__________________________ _______________________

Adoptive Mother Date

The following health information was covered in regards to our child and we were able to ask question regarding the following information:

Child’s Weight at Birth: ________ Length at Birth: ________ Head Circumference: _______

Type of Birth: Caesarean or Vaginal Prenatal Care: __________ Apgar: _____________

Child’s Current Weight: _____________ Height: _________________

Date Child Entered into Care (Orphanage): _______________ Location: ___________________

Date of Termination of Parental Rights: ___________________

Intermediate Placements (guardianship, foster, other orphanage) and dates: _____________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Legal History of Child: ___________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Social History and Background of Family: ____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Developmental Status or Other Changes in the Child Since Child Entered into Care: _________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Physical Health and Special Needs: _________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Prior Hospitalizations or Significant Illnesses: ________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Education and Cognitive/Learning Issues: ___________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Psychological and Behavioral History: _______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

____________________________ _____________________________ ___________

Adoptive Father Adoptive Mother Date

TIME TO TRAVEL, TRIP TWO

Second Trip Travel Information: Court!

1. After you return from your first trip, you will generally hear about the date of your court appointment within about 1-2 weeks on your return home. Occasionally you will get your court date while you’re still in Ukraine on your first trip, but this is unusual. More likely, you will hear the news from your adoption consultant once you’re back in the United States. Typically the court date is about 4-5 weeks after your SDA appointment.

2. Once you have your court date you will travel to Ukraine. Almost always, there will be only one court date needed. You will typically fly back to Kiev and then travel to your child’s region for the court date.

3. There are no specific paperwork documents that you need to bring for your court appointment. However, do please read over your home study to be familiar with how you were described as a family, in particular regarding your employment, home, and finances. Sometimes these types of questions are asked about in court, and others they are not.

4. If you are staying through until the end of the process, then you need to go on this trip also prepared with your immigration paperwork. If this is the case then you will have another phone call with your caseworker to discuss adoption paperwork and go over the documents needed for the embassy prior to your court date. If only one parent is staying on, then you’ll need to go to Ukraine with the immigration paperwork, and also make sure that the parent who is returning home early has signed two immigration documents in front of a notary. Talk with your adoption consultant about the specifics of embassy paperwork.

5. The Court Session: Dress nicely for your court date. While you don’t have to wear a full suit and tie (men), we do suggest a dress shirt and no jeans. For women either dressy trousers or a skirt and blouse, or a dress will be fine. Your choices might vary according to the season, with trousers more preferred in the winter months.

6. Expect a typical court set up. There will be a judge, a defense attorney and a prosecutor. The timing, the level of questions raised, the attitude, and other items can all vary very widely depending on your region and your judge. Typically the prosecutor does not interfere with the adoption process. They may raise a few questions, or may just ask about the situation. Generally your child will be asked to state their feelings about being adopted, but again this can vary. We tend to hear different accounts from different families about the court process. These range anywhere from “it lasted about 20 minutes and it was a total breeze and formality” to “the judge seemed very grumpy” to “someone had some questions about our home but they were smoothed over and did not impact the court decision”. So go to court knowing your experience could vary from another family’s. However, trust that your in region facilitator will help you through the process, and is experienced with handling whatever situation arises. They will translate the proceedings for you and help you answer any questions that arise.

7. Once the court session is complete you are done! You will return to the US until it’s time to pick up your child from the orphanage. Due to some legal changes in Europe, the waiting period after court changed from 10 days to 30 days. Once the time period is up, the court decree then has to go to Kiev for a signature by the SDA. Thus, the time between your court date, and returning to Ukraine to pick up your child can range from about 35 days after court to 45. For those adopting older children (14 and up), our facilitators are now trying to process some of your paperwork for you prior to your arrival in order to save you some time in country. Their ability to do this can vary from one region of Ukraine to the next, and for that reason, talk with your adoption consultant about specific travel time periods.

Third Trip through the Final Process

8. Once your 30+ day waiting period is complete, you will be able to start the final process. You will return to Ukraine and arrange to pick your child up from the orphanage.

9. Your next step is applying for and getting your child’s new birth certificate with your last name. According to Ukrainian law, this has to happen in your child’s place of birth. Most children are residing in an orphanage close to where they were born. However, a few children are in an orphanage far away from their place of birth. This requires the adoptive family to travel to the place of birth to obtain the new birth certificate. **It’s this step that our facilitators are working to do for families adopting a child over 14, to save overall time in country. This ability will vary depending on the region and circumstances.

10. Once you have your child’s new birth certificate you can collect your child from the orphanage. It can be an emotional time to say goodbye to all your child has known. Some families will throw a party for the orphanage when this is possible. Your facilitator can advise you.

11. When you are picking your child up from the orphanage, your orphanage donation ($1000) is fully due. Some families prefer to pay half of this amount at the time of court, and the other half at the time of pick up. Others opt to pay the full amount at pick-up. Place the money in a thank you card to give to the orphanage director.

12. Once you have the new birth certificate and your child, you will need to apply for an ID card if the child is 14 or older. This process can take a while to obtain.

13. After the ID card is secured (for children 14 and up) you can apply for the passport. The passport will be Ukrainian, not American. You will apply in your child’s region. The cost can vary from one region to the next from $100-500. The payment is to expedite the passport.

14. After applying for the passport, you will return to Kiev to get the medical done for your child. This takes place at a specific medical clinic approved by the US Embassy. This will include a general check-up and evaluation, as well as a skin test or Chest X-ray for TB. The results of the exam are to be provided to the US Embassy and are essential for obtaining your child’s visa.

15. You will wait in Kiev for the passport to be ready. Younger children may be able to have their passports delivered to Kiev via a train, but older children are likely to travel back to the region to collect it.

16. Once you receive your child’s passport, you are nearly ready to return home. Make sure that you have submitted the DS-260 prior to your final Embassy appointment!

17. At this point, make sure you have all of your immigration documents completed if you haven’t done this already. Refer to the documents required for the US Embassy pages for complete information. If you have any questions, you can also ask your Ukraine facilitators or email your US program coordinator.

Services of Our Representative In Ukraine:

• Accompanying, representing and “hand-holding” the adopting family THROUGHOUT the adoption process, insuring the family’s security in Ukraine, protecting family's interests at state, governmental bodies and court authorities. Expediting the entire process as possible. Insuring family’s expectations are fully met while understanding individual needs and preferences of each family

• Meeting the adopting family at airports/railway stations in Ukraine during all arrivals/departures

• Arranging in advance all accommodations for the adopting family throughout the adoption process according to family’s preferences (in Kiev and during regional travel). Sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment can be arranged at additional cost.

• Accompanying the adopting family to the State Department of Adoptions (SDA) to select the child(ren) to be adopted. Provision of moral support, essential in this emotional process

• Collecting the documentation necessary from the State Department of Adoptions to travel to the region and meet the child(ren)

• Reserving/preparing of all travel arrangements to go to the region of adoption (train/air/car/bus transfer to region, car and driver in region, apartment rent in region, etc.). Done as soon as possible to avoid last minute rush

• Accompanying the adopting family to the regional State Services for Children for preliminary meetings and documentation clearances required by law

• Obtaining the necessary referral from State Services for Children to meet the child at the orphanage where she/he is residing

• Accompanying the adopting family to the orphanage (where orphans are domiciled) and assisting in all communications with the director of the orphanage, senior staff, children caregivers, medical staff, the child(ren)

• Working with the Regional Department of Children Services (inspector and director of department) to expeditiously prepare and sign all documents (10 to 20 documents!) required by SDA

• Helping the family to prepare and legalize necessary written petitions to local and national government institutions confirming parents would like to adopt the child they were referred to

• Working with orphanage senior staff to expeditiously prepare and sign all documents required from the orphanage by SDA

• Immediately notarizing, transferring to Kiev and submitting to SDA documents prepared in the region. Adopting parents do not need to travel to Kiev for this purpose

• Receiving documentation clearances from SDA allowing to proceed with the adoption process and initiate the court hearing

• Preparing for court. Doing everything possible to schedule the court hearing on the first available day after SDA approves all documents received from the region. Accompanying adopting parents to the court hearing and providing translation during the hearing. Ensuring the court decision is in favor of adopting parents!

• Petitioning the court to issue the court decree. This takes a minimum of 30 days after your court date, but the actual time between the 2nd and 3rd trip may vary from 30-45 days depending on the age of your child. For families adopting older children, the facilitator will typically file for the child’s birth certificate, and ID on behalf of the child prior to the family arriving in Ukraine for the third trip in order to save the family time in country

• Immediately signing off, translating and notarizing all after-court documents

• Applying for and expeditiously obtaining new birth certificate for the newly adopted child(ren). As necessary, expeditiously obtaining individual tax code and citizenship document for the adopted child(ren) (required in some regions).

• Applying for and expeditiously obtaining child(ren)’s passport (travel document)

• Reserving/preparing all travel arrangements to go to the region of adoption (train/air/car/bus transfer to back to Kiev, car and driver in Kiev, apartment rent in Kiev, etc.). Done as soon as possible to avoid last minute rush. Accompanying the adopting parents and child(ren) back to Kiev

• Legalizing birth certificate and the court decision in Ministry of foreign affairs of Ukraine, if necessary

• Translation of all post-adoption documents (to include court decision, new birth certificate, adoption certificate (if necessary), medical records, etc.

• Organizing (in advance) and accompanying parents to the medical consultation and testing for the newly adopted child(ren) by a U.S. Embassy-licensed medical center. We cover part of the cost of the medical examinations from the standard country fee you pay us, the family pays $250 per child.

• Scheduling an appointment in advance and visiting U.S. Embassy in Kiev to receive an immigrant entry visa for the child/children, facilitating this process and ensuring safe departure from Ukraine

• Logistical preparations for departure to United States

• Advising the family of the necessary steps of post-adoption obligations with regard to U.S. and Ukrainian governments

• In addition to covering all above work and fees, the standard country fee also covers: 1. translating and notarizing ALL documentation coming up during the adoption process; 2. honorarium of manager and facilitator of adoption process (at least two people are needed to work efficiently and to ensure the process goes as fast as possible and the family does not feel dependant on one person).

Please, note the family is responsible to cover the following expenses: Cost of food (note: individual wishes of family rather than coordinator will be the priority in selection of places to eat; Cost of housing (note: individual wishes of family will be the housing selection priority - we have from very economical all the way to luxurious housing accessible for daily rent); Cost of transportation (note: individual wishes of family will be the selection priority - we have representative and economy class vehicles, but all are safe with experienced drivers); Costs of U.S. visa for adopted child(ren); Donation to the orphanage. The family covers $250 of the cost for the medical examination per child.

Our representative works with a team and has eighteen plus years of relevant experience to ensure that adopting families have wonderful memories of their successful adoption journey to Ukraine!

Documents Required for U.S. Embassy Exit Interview

That You Provide:

The following documents must be presented at the American Embassy in Kiev in order to obtain your child’s Immigrant Visa. If you are adopting more than one child, be sure that you have the proper documents for each child. Some of these documents you will receive from the court. Make a copy of all documents so that you can retain a copy with translation. You will bring others with you from home. Be sure to go over these documents with your adoption consultant prior to leaving on your trip.

1. Confirmation from USCIS of an approved and valid I-600A petition; if you have lost this, TOD has a copy, or you can contact the Embassy in Kiev to confirm that they have received a copy. USCIS in the US will also send this information to the Kiev Embassy but it is a good idea to bring a copy as well, just in case.

2. Completed I-600 petition. Do not sign this document until you are at the US Embassy in front of the consulate. You may complete the bulk of the form online while still in the United States and complete some questions (typically those you are not absolutely sure about until after the court date and once you have your child’s birth certificate) once you are in Ukraine. Your adoption consultant has an example of this form to email to you and an example can also be found in the guidebook. If only one parent will be present at the Embassy for the visa then the other parent must have signed the form in front of a notary while in the United States or both parents could make a trip to the Embassy to sign the form while on the first trip or for the court date. Please note, that if parents are adopting only one child, or biological siblings, there is no fee for filing the I-600 petition(s), provided I-600A has already been approved.  If, however, parents are adopting two or more biologically unrelated children, there will be a $720 fee for each additional child.  You can download this form here: 

3. Completed Immigrant Visa application, form DS-260.  This form is completed online/electronically. Prior to completing the form, you will need to have the NVC Case number, Invoice #, and your child’s alien number from the NVC (National Visa Center). If you do not have these numbers sent to you, you should either email the NVC or ask your international adoption consultant to request this information for you from the NVC. This should be done any time from a month after you have your I-600a approval up to just before you travel on your first trip. Prior to actually logging on and completing this form you should have had your court date with your adopted child, so that you have birth certificate information on your child. This means you will complete the form while you are in Ukraine. You will not be able to finish or submit the form until after you have your child’s new passport. You will be able to begin completing the form and then save it and return to it at a later time. The National Visa Center email contact is: NVCAdoptions@. Their phone number is: 603-334-0700. Be prepared for long hold times or call early in the morning.  Here is the website address for downloading and completing the form: . Prior to your travel you may request an exemplar form in regards to the DS-260 from your adoption consultant. Because it is quite long, 76 pages, it is not feasible to include this in the binder.

4. Immigrant visa fee of U.S. $325 for each child (if a second adopted child is unrelated to the first one, an additional I-600 application fee of $720 is also charged) – payable in U.S. cash or credit card to the Embassy cashier.

5. Results of the child's immigrant visa physical examination, including a vaccination report.  Additional fees may be charged if any of the required vaccinations are missing.  The medical immigrant visa examination instructions contain more information. Please see the US Embassy/Kiev website for more details about TB testing and results. It is important that you understand the process prior to traveling.

6. Affidavit of Acknowledgement of Health Problems of the Adopted Child.  Please do not sign this document before you come to the Embassy – both parents’ signatures will be notarized by a consular officer during the interview.  If one of the adopting parents is not going to attend the final visa interview, that parent can sign the form in the presence of a notary in the U.S. prior to the interview.  If new conditions are found in the exit medical (this is rare), the form, with the new condition may be faxed to the non-traveling spouse for signature and notarization. Please make sure to include all health problems that are listed in the adoption court decree and the medical history of the child(ren) (if available).  You can download this form here:.

7. Affidavit of Vaccinations Requirement Waiver (DS-1981).  The form may be signed by either of the adopting parents and notarized by a U.S. Consular Officer during the interview or a U.S. notary public prior to the interview.  This form is required only for children 10 years of age and younger.  You can download this form here: .

8. Completed Form I-864W (Intending Immigrant's Affidavit of Support Exemption).  You can download this form here: .

9. Passports: The original and a copy of each of the adopting parents' passports.

DT-C:\Documents and Settings\Debbie\My Documents\MyFiles\INTL.FILE\Guidebooks\Ukraine\Travel Packet\6-Documents required for U.S Embassy Exit Interview.doc

Documents Required for U.S. Embassy Exit Interview

That Coordinator Provides:

1. Final Court Decree An original and two copies of the Ukrainian court decree granting the adoption.

2. *Certified Copy of Original Pre-Adoption Birth Certificate with Translation: Two notarized copies of the child's pre-adoption birth certificate. NOTE: The district office of vital records confiscates this birth certificate as part of the adoption proceedings, so please make the copies before your court date.

3. **Amended Birth Certificate: This is your child’s new birth certificate listing the adoptive parents as parents, which is obtained by our lawyer after the court decree has been issued. You need an original and two copies of a birth certificate issued in the child's new (adopted) name.

4. *Abandonment Decree with Translation: This is a document issued by the Ukrainian courts. It states that your child’s biological parents’ parental rights are revoked. One decree is needed for each parent, including, if applicable, the fact that an unacknowledged father has no parental rights. Two copies of the court decree are required, declaring that the child is an orphan and/or unambiguously declaring that any surviving parents have no legal parental rights under Ukrainian law.

5. *Your Child’s Social Report with Translation: This report on the child’s stay in the orphanage is made for the court and states information known about your child’s background.

6. **Your Child’s Ukrainian Passport: Our representative will help you obtain a Ukrainian passport for your child in their new name so they will be able to leave the country. Your child is still a citizen of Ukraine. The original and a copy are needed.

7. Your Child’s Visa Picture: These pictures are attached to your child’s exit visa – these pictures are taken in Kiev before your Embassy appointment. Two passport-size frontal facial photographs of the child.

8. Police certificates for adopted youths age 16 or older.  All visa applicants, including those being adopted by U.S. citizens, must obtain police certificates from Ukraine and any other country in which they have lived for at least one year since the applicant's sixteenth birthday.

9. In Ukraine the police certificate (form IP-1) can be obtained from the oblast centers from the Departments of Information Technology at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.  The police certificate must include all of the names the adopted child has ever used (both pre and post-adoption) in the country in which the police certificate is issued.  In addition to the actual certificate, petitioners should also submit a translation and copy of the certificate.

10. ** Your Child’s Exit Visa: This will be handed to you after your visa interview and should not be opened. Once in the U.S., the immigration officer at your point of entry will take your child’s visa dossier to foreword it to the U.S. CIS. He will then put an entry stamp into your child’s passport. This will be sufficient as proof of being a resident until you have received your child’s green card and certificate of citizenship.

All documents with * you should receive with translation.

All documents with a ** you should receive an original.

One set (for each child) of photocopied documents with English translations for each child will be retained for use in issuing the immigrant visa.  Therefore, if you wish to keep photocopies for your records, you must make these prior to the interview. We highly encourage you to do so!

Please go through your documents with your facilitator so that you know what everything is (some will be in Ukrainian). Place documents in the order required by the Consulate (ask Nastya). Make a photocopy of all documents, both English and foreign, to give to the Embassy. Otherwise, the Embassy will keep your originals!

*********If you are going to be issued an IR-4 visa rather than an IR-3 visa (as is the case when only one parent is adopting – even if the other parent has met the child during hosting) then please see your consultant for additional requirements needed for the final exit interview.

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Travel Expenses

The following expenses are those incurred before and while in Ukraine. Please note that these fees are estimates only and subject to change without notice.

|Description |Fee |

|Airfare - |Per person, per flight |

|Per adult: $800-$1800 round trip (winter verses summer rates) | |

|Per child: $400-$800 round trip | |

|Food - You will spend between $20 - $30 per person a day |Per day per person |

|Budget US $4-7 per person per meal | |

|Mid-range: US $7-20 per person per meal | |

|Top-end: US $20 and upwards per person per meal | |

|You are responsible for paying the costs of your translator’s meal if they are with you and you choose to eat at a | |

|restaurant. Tipping is usually 10% in restaurants and you do not have to tip your driver. | |

|Immigrant Visa fee – per adopted child-to be paid to US Consulate in Kiev |$325.00 per child |

|This is paid at time of interview IN CASH. They state they also accept credit cards but it’s safer to have cash on hand in | |

|case they are experiencing some kind of technical difficulty – Please double check to see if the fee has been changed! | |

|*I-600 fee - only required if adopting 2 unrelated children. The original I-600A fee is for one child or a sibling group. |$0-$720 |

|The fee for each additional unrelated child is another $720, paid at the American Embassy Interview IN CASH. | |

|Lodging – We recommend renting an apartment in Kiev and a hotel in the region where your child is. Our representative in |Hotel Costs in Kiev $100- $400 |

|Ukraine can make reservations for you. You should be able to use Visa/ MasterCard for Hotels and most restaurants in the |per night, apartments $70-$90 |

|larger cities. American Express is usually not accepted. Cash is needed in most small towns and for private apartments. |per night |

|Apartments in Kiev are typically $75, but can vary up to $100 per night. Hotels in region $50-$100 average per night. |Hotels in region average |

| |$50-$100 per day |

|Ground Transportation – One round trip to or from the airport is included in this amount, all additional trips to the | |

|airport will incur a charge of approximately $30 per trip. Those traveling in the middle of the night will have a driver |Plane $50-$150 pp |

|booked for them to the airport.  Transportation to and from the child’s region and local ground transportation cost is not |one way |

|covered and will vary (estimated $1000 in fee schedule). Please contact your adoption consultant who will work with you to |Train $100 pp one way |

|get more specific cost information in region prior to your travel. Travel to and from the region can be via plane, car, or |Taxi $65.00 |

|train depending on the location. You are responsible for covering the cost of travel expenses (including transportation, |Driver $.60/km |

|lodging, and meals) for your representative as well as your immediate family. Driving to the child’s region typically costs| |

|about .60/km in USD. Nastya will make train reservation and family can make plane reservation from Kiev to region at either| |

|donbass.aero/m1/en or at | |

|Passport Fee – Passport fees will cost between $100-$500 depending on the region of your child. Nastya will inform you in |$100-$500 |

|country as to the specific expense. | |

|Cell phone – Family pays $100.00 for a phone card that has phone and internet usage on it. Can replenish as necessary. | |

|*All in-country travel expenses are based upon actual expenses in Hryvnas. The U.S. dollar expenses will vary with |$100 |

|international exchange rates. | |

GIFT IDEAS

TYPICAL CHILDREN’S HOME DONATIONS

1. One suggestion is to ask the orphanage director during your first trip what their greatest needs are. Then arrange for donations as suggested.

2. Soft individual “throw” size/twin bed size blankets.

3. Shoes: Especially adult sizes 2-10 and styles in excellent to new condition only, please.

4. Socks: New ones only, please.

5. Gloves: from light weight to heavy weight, all sizes are needed.

6. Medicines from original labels (attach a Ukrainian or Russian translation to them)

A. Children’s Tylenol

B. Motrin (chewable or liquid)

C. Multi-vitamins for kids, chewable – for young children.

7. Neosporin ointment, antibiotic creams

8. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, lotions

9. Small hand size towels or kitchen towels. They have no dryers, so full bath towels are not appropriate in most cases.

10. New underwear boys and girls size 4-18.

11. Developmental toys for working with motor skills, and computer CD’s for teaching English programs.

12. School and art supplies - pens, colored pencils, glitter glue (put in zip lock bags in case of leakage), regular pencils, crayons, and coloring books.

13. Girl’s headbands, barrettes, toe socks, and popular trendy items.

14. Bead work and sewing kit, fabric pieces of any sizes for making quilts or clothes. Many of the older girls take sewing classes and make their own clothes.

TYPICAL GIFTS FOR CARE GIVERS

1. Nastya has suggested to us that families ask the orphanage staff if there are any particular needs at the orphanage, such as a new coffee maker, etc. You can feel free to give them a price range for the gift. This can help to avoid them receiving many duplicate types of gifts, or unneeded items. This is our most preferred suggestion.

2. Gifts from and characteristic of your area of the US, for instance a relative’s homemade candy or some item your state is known for.

3. Water bottles (reusable)

4. Kitchen towel/hot-pad set

5. Jewelry

6. Coffee, chocolates (don’t pack during warm weather months) perfumes, bath and body sets.

7. Pen and pencil sets or other nice stationary items (Office Depot and Things Remembered in the mall has nice inexpensive sets.)

8. Nice umbrellas.

9. Candies.

10. Gloves

11. Scarves

IMPORTANT: In Eastern Europe the wrapping is as important as the gift. You do not have to take the wrapping off to get gifts through customs.

Donation to the orphanage has historically been $1,000 per child. The director may tell you what to buy locally or may accept donation funds in cash.

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