Mexico

LIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS: Prospective adoptive parents may be married or single, male or female.  They must be over twenty-five years of age, possess good moral character, and demonstrate the means to care for the physical and educational needs of the child.  The prospective adoptive parents must be at least seventeen years older than the child.  If the prospective adoptive parents are married, however, only one parent must meet the age requirement.  If the child is over fourteen years of age, he or she must consent to the adoption.

Note: While similar, each Mexican state does have its own civil code governing adoptions.  Therefore, it is important to check with each state, as the laws among states will vary.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS:  Mexican adoption procedures include a one to three week pre-adoption trial period during which the child lives with the prospective adoptive parents in Mexico .  The adoption is not final until this time, and the child cannot leave Mexico before it is complete.  Because of the large amount of paperwork in both the Mexican and U.S. processes, DIF suggests that the adoptive parents be prepared to spend at least three months in Mexico including the pre-adoption trial period.

TIME FRAME:  The general time frame for adoptions in Mexico is from three to eight months, but varies from state to state.  Again, prospective adoptive parents should check with the state where the adoption will take place.

(All information taken from the U.S. Department of State website)

http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_419.html

NEW UPDATE: ACROSS THE WORLD ADOPTIONS HAS OPENED NEW PROGRAM WITH HAGUE COUNTRY MEXICO

After ten months of process we got the National DIF approval that allows us to assist with international adoptions from most states in Mexico. We had received authorization from the state of Jalisco back in February. Please see below our updated program description. The adoption process and the eligibility are very similar from one state to another, but if you are interested in any particular state, please contact us by phone: (925) 356 6260 or by email: adopt@atwakids.org for more information.

Mexico Adoptions

Bienvenidos! Across The World Adoptions is proud to announce we have received national approval to assist with adoptions from most states in Mexico.  We also have the additional authorization required by Jalisco. We share a long border with our Mexican neighbors, who are a warm and friendly people.  Mexico is also well known for her beautiful beaches, historical and archeological treasures and popular cuisine.

Mexico is a Hague adoption country. Mexico’s Central Authority for adoptions is the National DIF (Desarrollo Integral de la Familia) and the Secretary of Exterior Relations (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores-SRE). Applicants will need to file an I-800A form with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS). This is a pilot program and families must be flexible and be prepared for changes or delays in the program as it unfolds.  At this time, our program is limited to the adoption of children from the Mexican state of Jalisco, which includes the cities of Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.  We regret that we are unable to assist with adoptions from any other Mexican state.

Dual Mexican and U.S. nationals and families adopting relatives must complete plenary (or plena) adoptions and the entire Hague adoption process.  Simple adoptions are not accepted.  Adoptions completed solely under Mexican law, will not qualify the child for a visa for admission to the U.S.

Please review the website of the U.S. Department of State on adopting from Mexico, including the latest notices and alerts:
http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=mexico

The Children:

• Children identified for international adoption are 5+ years old.
• Or are in a group of siblings that includes at least one older child.
• Or the child may have a special need.  It is possible the special need may be a minor or correctable medical condition.
• This is not a program for families who are only interested in adopting a healthy infant.
• Children who are related to applicants may also be adopted, but Hague adoption requirements must still be observed.
• Children may come into orphanage care for a variety of reasons including economic or social pressures, neglect or abuse.
• Children most often are Hispanic, but some may also have other heritage as well.

Eligible Applicants:

• At least one parent must be a U.S. citizen.  The U.S. citizen parent must be the petitioner on the I-800A and be present for most adoption processing. The U.S. citizen parent may also be a Mexican national.  The other parent need not be a U.S. citizen but must be legally admitted to the U.S.  We are not currently able to assist U.S. citizens living abroad (including those residing in Mexico) or couples where neither parent is a U.S. citizen.
• Heterosexual married couples or singles (length of marriage requirement may vary among Mexican states as well as willingness to accept single applicants).
• The minimum age is usually 25 years and parents must be 15-17 years older than the child.  The age of the parents is considered when Mexico provides a referral.
• Preference may be given to families without other children.
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate a health status appropriate for their role as parents.  In general, you should not have degenerative or infectious diseases, but some health conditions are acceptable.

Adoption Process:

• Applicants must be prepared to undertake a home study by an agency licensed in their state of U.S. residence.  We are not able to accept home studies from independent social workers.
• Complete adoption education during home study.
• Apply for I-800A approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS).
• Prepare dossier of documents required by Mexico.  Mexico will require a psychological report separate from the home study.
• Wait for a referral from the adoption authority in Mexico (6-12 months anticipated, but could be longer), if not a relative.
• Accept referral and file I-800 with CIS.
• Travel to the state in Mexico of child’s residence for first trip, meet and bond with the child(ren) for 3-5 weeks through visits to the Children’s Home.
• Legal preparations and court proceedings may take 5-6 months.
• Travel to the same state of referral for a second trip of about 2-4 weeks to conclude adoption process and then proceed to Mexico City for passport and U.S. embassy visa processing.
• Return to U.S.  Your child is then an automatic U.S. citizen upon entry!
• Complete four post-adoption reports through adoption agency at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after home coming.  Post-adoption requirements can and do change.
• Re-adoption in the U.S. is strongly recommended.

Fees and Expenses:

Program fees encompass all professional services for the adoption.  Additional expenses include the home study and psychological report, CIS fees, document preparation, travel, US visa fees and post-adoption.  A federal tax credit up to $13,170 is available to offset adoption fees and expenses.

Tags: Adoption in Mexico, Mexico, Mexico adoptions