I decided to post this type of "process" blog even through adoption is mostly shutdown for Americans. I live in hope that the situation will improve. Or it may help a family considering adopting a child older then 10 years old. Adoptions for children older then 10, handicapped or sibling of previously adopted child are still allowed for American citizens.

Here are some web sites that typically have up-to-date information on Ukrainian adopton for US citizens.

Ukrainian adoption
http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_343.html
or
http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_369.html#u

US Embassy in Kyiv
http://kiev.usembassy.gov/amcit_adoptions_eng.html

Ukrainian Embassy in Washington DC
http://www.ukremb.com/consular/adoption.html

And adoption.com has a web site for Ukrainian adoption that tends to be updated.
http://ukraine.adoption.com/


If you want to understand (I will tell you in a minute why you care) your state's adoption laws, then check with the adoption specialist. This is a state employee who is there to answer adoptive parent's questions.

Sample questions for an adoption specialist: Can a private social worker do a home study? How do I verify licensing? Do you know of a social worker in my area? Does the state law say anything about home studies done for international adoption? Are post adoption reports required?

You can find your state's adoption specialist via this link.

http://naic.acf.hhs.gov/general/nad/index.cfm

Because you are adopting a child from another country, you will have to apply for a visa. I found out the hard way that the I-600a form is approved based on your state's adoption law.

My I-600a application was denied because it wasn't done by a social worker. This is allowed under my state's law. I just had to prove that the home study was "legal" under my state's law. Then my I-600a was approved.

You can find the I-600a form here:
http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms

Basic process flow

Get your passports, copies of birth certificates, marriage
license, start CDC recommended shots for traveling to Ukraine. The
hepatitis C shot is a 3-shot series given over months which is why
you start it now.

Find someone to do your home study and/or an adoption agency. If you are going independent (without an adoption agency) then you might settle on a facilitator at this point. However I have known people who completed their home study and dossier before deciding on which facilitator to use.

About 50% of Americans adopt from Ukraine without an adoption agency. And 50% of Americans adopt from Ukraine with an adoption agency.

You will want to shop around on the home study. The adoption agency or social worker who does your home study typically isn't going to be the adoption agency who helps with your adoption.

Home study can be one of the more expensive items. There is a local adoption agency that would have charged me $2,000. And this adoption agency told me that the post adoption visits (part of the $2,000) was mandatory. Turns out the "mandatory" post adoption visits was this adoption agency's rule. They were not required by state law. The person at the adoption agency didn't seem to know this. I found this out via my state's adoption specialist. Very helpful person...

I searched and found a woman who did my home study for $500.

File I600-A (preapproval for your child's visa/approval to adopt from the BCIS)

Start home study

Do fingerprints for I-600A. These go to the FBI. They check for federal criminal history and the national child abuser registry. Typically once you file the I600-A you get notified via mail about an appointment to do fingerprinting. Everyone over 18 years in the household must be fingerprinted.

File home study and supporting documents with INS on the I-600A application.

Paper chase the other documents for your dossier. Items like letter of employee. The State Department's site lists these.

http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_343.html

Get 171-H. When the I-600A is approved, you typically get the 171-H. There is an alternative document which some parents get. I cannot recall the name of it.

Apostille the dossier documents.

Translator in Kiev, picks up your dossier from the adoption center. They translate and file the dossier.

Dossier approved and families gets a letter stating this.

Family writes back and asks for an appointment date.

Family travels to Ukraine and receives referal for child.

Family visits child at orphanage and accepts the referral.

Family adopt child and processes I-600 visa at US Embassy in Kyiv.