What is dossier?
Dossier is the whole bundle of paperwork needed for the adoption that is required by the SDA (Ukrainian Department of Adoptions.) It includes the home study, child's US visa, and detailed medical, financial, employment, housing, and lots of other very personal information about the prospective parents. The total of 19 documents. Is sounds like a lot and it is. But keep in mind that when it comes to the bureaucratic process of adoption, whether it is a domestic or international adoption it is pretty much the same story.
Who provides the list of documents?
Ukrainian Sweethearts will provide you with the complete list of all the necessary documents. If there are any changes in the dossier process, we receive all the updates immediately through our Ukrainian partners and pass them on to our clients. We will also provide you with all the necessary information that will help you complete your dossier in a very quick and efficient manner, such as phone numbers, websites and broken step by step list that you must follow in order to make the process simple and clear.
How long does it take?
When it comes to collecting the documents for your dossier, you are completely in charge. No one can tell how fast or how slow you will do it. From our experience the collection of the documents might take from 6 weeks to 4 months depending on your personal situation.
What happens after?
After you completed your dossier you will send it to us and we will run it by our Ukrainian partners to make sure all is correct and in tact. Not only are there many documents necessary, they must be EXACTLY right or your application will be denied. Only after everything is approved by our facilitators in Ukraine, we will give you the mailing address in Ukraine to actually send your dossier by FedEx or DHL. Our facilitators will take it from there.
What happens in Ukraine?
Upon receiving your dossier one of our facilitators takes it to the SDA and set up your appointment. It might take up to 30 days to receive the actual date. You are usually given a window of two weeks to make all the traveling arrangements. When you come to Ukraine you will be met at the airport and accompanied by one of the interpreters throughout your whole stay in Ukraine.
How much does it cost?
Please, be aware that you will have expenses on both American and Ukrainian territories. On the American territory you will have to pay the INS application fees, home study fee which varies in every state, mailing expenses, traveling accommodations etc. On the Ukrainian territory you pay for the facilitator services, translation of all of your documents and the interpreter who accompanies you to the orphanages where you pick your child. The Ukrainian pricing varies depending on the age of the child you would like to adopt and also on the number of children you are willing to take in. If you are interested in receiving more detailed information on all the fees, please contact us and we will forward this information to you. The approximate cost of adopting one child is between $15,000-$20,000, and for two children between $17,000-$24,000.
How long does it take?
Be prepared to be patient - it might take up to a year to actually bring a child to your home. Why? Mostly because of the bureaucratic machine that has to do with overwhelming paperwork. If you maintain positive attitude and remain focused on the ultimate outcome, it will not seem as difficult as it sounds.
Ukrainian Sweethearts are ready to embark on this journey with you and help you in every possible way. We are totally prepared for all the predictable and unpredictable turns and would be there for you from the beginning to the end.
If you have any question or would like to request any additional information, please don't hesitate to contact us by e-mail or directly by calling
310.295.7209
Victoria or Flora
Thank you and we are looking forward to working with you!