ADOPTION & WHO CAN ACCOMPANY CHILDREN
Who Can Accompany Children Across Borders
The guidance below considers Ukraine laws and regulations.
The country of entry may have different requirements for traveling with minors.
Children Under 18
If a child is under 18 years old they can cross the state border of Ukraine during martial law with only a birth certificate.
They do not need a passport. In the context of the current martial law, children under 18 can leave Ukraine with only one parent or relative, but the relative should be in possession of evidence of the family relationship, such as birth and marriage certificates.
Children without parental care, including children deprived of parental care & children living in institutional care
Children without parental care may only leave the borders of Ukraine accompanied by a legal representative and in the presence of:
- A passport, birth certificate, or other document recognized by the State Border and Border Service.
- An official order from the director of the institution confirming the departure of the child from the institution.
- A written permission for the departure of children signed by the head or deputy of the regional military organization with a seal, previously agreed via e-mail with the National Social Service. The National Social Service can issue a permit on its own if it is impossible to obtain a written document from the military administration.
- A written invitation from the institution/organization of the host country. The invitation should clearly contain: the name of the country to which the children are going, the number and category of children, conditions of stay and guarantees of return to Ukraine.
For children from foster families, a decision of the guardianship and care authority is required to place the child in such a family.
Adoption
Is it possible to adopt a child now?
Adoption should not occur during or immediately after emergencies. Children separated from their parents during a humanitarian emergency cannot be assumed to be orphans and are not available for adoption. Intercountry adoption should only be considered once - in consultation with authorities in the country of origin - all family tracing and reunification efforts have been exhausted and the pursuit of all appropriate national alternative care solutions, including kinship care and national adoption, have been unsuccessful.
Refer to Digital Blue Dot for more information in the “Safety and Protection” section if your destination country is Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia, Poland, and Romania.
