TRANSLATION OF DOSSIER

  • Once you have collected all of your dossier documents, you must have them translated. For this, you have a few options:
    • Have the dossier translated locally by an accredited Ukrainian translator
    • Use the translator of the agency helping you with your Ukrainian adoption
    • Send the dossier to Ukraine to be translated at a translation house specified by the Ukrainian Consulate
  • Your dossier must eventually be sent from Anne Scully's office in Edmonton to the Canadian Embassy in Kiev. If you get the dossier translated locally, you will likely have less waiting time. If you are using an agency in Canada or the U.S.A., they likely have their own translators, and the translation costs would likely be included in their fees. If you send the dossier to Ukraine to be translated, you will likely have the best translation at the lowest cost and the least amount of hassles from the AC, but you will likely have to wait much longer to have it back. In addition, you run the risk of your dossier being lost.
  • We used a translator from St. Albert, AB named Valerii Polkovsky. He is excellent and extremely qualified as a translator. You can email Valerii or you can phone him at (780) 419 - 6125.
NOTARIZATION OF DOSSIER
  • Once the dossier has been translated, it needs to be notarized by a lawyer or a notary public. This means that the documents will be sealed, stamped, and signed by either a lawyer or a notary public. Anne Scully is a notary public, and if she has time she will notarize your dossier documents (both English & Ukrainian). Fees for dossier notarization are usually very little.

* If you use a lawyer, try to find one who has dealt with the Ukrainian Government and who has experience with international adoptions. Have your lawyer or notary use gold or silver foil seals when possible, as it looks far more formal. We went to a lawyer whom we thought knew what to do with our dossier, but he didn't. We eventually went to Anne Scully, who signed, stamped, and sealed EACH PAGE and did a great job (no gold or silver seals) with the help of Grace at the Adoption Services office.

  • When the dossier has been notarized, you need Alberta Justice Certificates for each dossier packet. See the dossier documents page for more information.
LEGALIZATION OF DOSSIER
  • Once the dossier has been notarized and has been bound by Alberta Justice with their certificated attached, it is time to have it legalized by the Ukrainian Consulate General of Canada. Contact the Ukrainian Consulate office by phone at (416) 763 - 4347 or by fax at (416) 763 - 2323 for the most up-to-date procedures and costs. Expect to pay $500-$600 for legalization and authentication of translation, and if you send the dossier by courier with a return envelope filled out, you may have it back in your hands within a week.
  • Once the dossier has been translated, notarized, and legalized, it is ready to be SENT TO UKRAINE! Take it to Anne Scully's office with your credit card number, and Grace will FedEx your dossier to the Canadian Embassy to Ms. Zhanna Zaporozhets, who will deliver it to the AC on your behalf.
  • Now you wait to hear information from your facilitator or from the AC regarding when you can travel to choose your forever child or children!