Is it possible to adopt a child from mexico

Post Adoption. Adoptions from the United States. For Adoption Professionals. Country Information. Adoption Reference. See state summaries and advisory levels below for information on your specific travel destination.

Some areas of Mexico have increased risk of crime and kidnapping. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC's specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. Country Summary : Violent crime — such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery — is widespread and common in Mexico.

The U. In many states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities. Restrictions on U. Read the country information page. Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas. Transnational criminal organizations compete in the border area to establish narco-trafficking and human smuggling routes. Violent crime and gang activity are common. Travelers should remain on main highways and avoid remote locations. Of particular concern is the high number of homicides in the non-tourist areas of Tijuana.

Most homicides appeared to be targeted; however, criminal organization assassinations and territorial disputes can result in bystanders being injured or killed. There are no other travel restrictions for U. These include high-traffic tourism areas of border and coastal communities, such as Tijuana , Ensenada , and Rosarito. There are no restrictions on travel for U. The majority of homicides are targeted assassinations against members of criminal organizations.

Battles for territory between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U. Bystanders have been injured or killed in shooting incidents. Port of Entry; travel via Anapra is prohibited. Violent crime and gang activity are common in parts of Coahuila state. Violent crime and gang activity are widespread. Gang violence, often associated with the theft of petroleum and natural gas from the state oil company and other suppliers, occurs in Guanajuato, primarily in the south and central areas of the state.

Of particular concern is the high number of murders in the southern region of the state associated with cartel-related violence. There are no other restrictions on travel for U. Crime and violence are widespread. Armed groups operate independently of the government in many areas of Guerrero. Members of these groups frequently maintain roadblocks and may use violence towards travelers.

Travel for U. Violent crime and gang activity are common in parts of Jalisco state. In Guadalajara, territorial battles between criminal groups take place in tourist areas. Shooting incidents between criminal groups have injured or killed innocent bystanders. Both violent and non-violent crime occur throughout Mexico City. Use additional caution, particularly at night, outside of the frequented tourist areas where police and security patrol more routinely.

Petty crime occurs frequently in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Mexico state Estado de Mexico — Reconsider Travel. Both violent and non-violent crime are common throughout Mexico state. Use caution in areas outside of the frequented tourist areas, although petty crime occurs frequently in tourist areas as well. Crime and violence are widespread in Michoacan state.

Violent crime and gang activity are common in parts of Morelos state. Criminal activity and violence may occur throughout the state. Quintana Roo state — Exercise Increased Caution. Violent crime is widespread. Criminal organizations are based in and operating in Sinaloa. Sonora is a key location used by the international drug trade and human trafficking networks.

Organized crime activity — including gun battles, murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, forced disappearances, extortion, and sexual assault — is common along the northern border and in Ciudad Victoria. Criminal groups target public and private passenger buses, as well as private automobiles traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers and demanding ransom payments.

Heavily armed members of criminal groups often patrol areas of the state and operate with impunity particularly along the border region from Reynosa to Nuevo Laredo. In these areas, local law enforcement has limited capacity to respond to incidents of crime.

Law enforcement capacity is greater in the tri-city area of Tampico, Ciudad Madero, and Altamira, which has a lower rate of violent criminal activity compared to the rest of the state. Violent crime and gang activity occur with increasing frequency in Veracruz, particularly in the center and south near Cordoba and Coatzacoalcos. While most gang-related violence is targeted, violence perpetrated by criminal organizations can affect bystanders.

Impromptu roadblocks requiring payment to pass are common. Violent crime, extortion, and gang activity are common in parts of Zacatecas state.

Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries is done in accordance with the requirements of the Convention; the U. The Mexican Central Authority is comprised of both federal and state entities.

The two federal authorities are the Secretary of Exterior Relations, or Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores SRE , which issues key Hague Adoption Convention documentation including the Article 23 Certificate, and the National System for the Full Development of the Family, or Sistema Nacional para el Desarollo Integral de la Familia DIF , which coordinates national policy for child and family welfare, including processing of domestic and intercountry adoption cases and authorization of foreign adoption service providers in Mexico.

Both of these federal entities and are headquartered in Mexico City. Intercountry adoptions outside Mexico City must also involve one of the 31 state DIF offices, one in each Mexican state. The civil code in each state may vary, and prospective adoptive parents need to be aware of and abide by the applicable laws of the state from which they plan to adopt. Though state and regional DIF offices play an important role in intercountry adoption cases, all intercountry adoptions must be processed in coordination with the national DIF office and SRE, which are the entities with the authority to certify Convention compliance for intercountry adoptions.

Prospective adoptive parents must initiate their adoption application in Mexico by submitting it to the SRE through a U. Prospective adoptive parents must ensure that the adoption service provider they choose is both on the U. Prospective adoptive parents who hold dual Mexican and U. The full adoption decree must state that the parents with dual nationality reside in the United States and must clearly state that the adoption is an intercountry adoption.

In addition to the U. Because Mexico is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, children from Mexico must meet the requirements of the Convention in order to be eligible for adoption. Do not adopt or obtain legal custody of a child in Mexico before a U. Read on for more information. SRE is the lead authority to which all applications and Convention process communications must be submitted. National DIF coordinates national policy for domestic and intercountry adoption cases and is in charge of authorization of U.

Note: If any of the following occurred prior to April 1, the date on which the Hague Adoption Convention entered into force with respect to the United States , the Hague Adoption Convention may not apply to your adoption: 1 you filed a Form IA identifying [Country] as the country where you intended to adopt; 2 you filed a Form I; or; 3 the adoption was completed.

For more information, read about Transition Cases. A brief summary of the Convention adoption process is given below. You must complete these steps in the following order to meet all necessary legal requirements. Adoptions completed out of order may result in the child not being eligible for an immigrant visa to the United States. Choose a U. Be matched with a child in Mexico 4. Adopt or Obtain Legal Custody of child in Mexico 6.

Obtain a U. The recommended first step in adopting a child from Mexico is to select an adoption service provider in the United States that has been accredited or approved to provide services to U. Only accredited or approved adoption service providers may act as the primary provider in your case. The primary adoption service provider is responsible for ensuring that all adoption services in the case are performed in accordance with the Hague Adoption Convention and the laws and regulations of the United States.

Mexico requires foreign prospective adoptive parents to use an adoption service provider that has been authorized by Mexican Central Authority:. After you choose an accredited or approved adoption service provider, you must apply to be found eligible to adopt by the responsible U. Read more about Eligibility Requirements. The Mexican Central Authority will review your application to determine if you are also eligible to adopt under Mexican law.

The referral is a proposed match between you and a specific child based on a review of your dossier and the needs of a specific child in Mexico. The adoption authority in Mexico usually the state DIF will provide a background study and other information, if available, about the child to help you decide whether to accept the referral or not.

Each family must decide for itself whether or not it will be able to meet the needs and provide a permanent home for a particular child. If you accept the referral, the adoption service provider communicates that to the adoption authority in Mexico. Learn more about this critical decision. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption. After you accept a match with a child, you will apply to the U.

Department of Homeland Security, U. USCIS will make a provisional determination as to whether the child meets the definition of a Convention Adoptee and will be eligible to enter the United States and reside permanently as an immigrant. After provisional approval of Form I, your adoption service provider or you will submit a visa application to the Immigrant Visa Unit of the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez, who are responsible for issuing immigrant visas to children from Mexico.

A consular officer will review the Form I and the visa application for possible visa ineligibilities and advise you of options for the waiver of any noted ineligibilities. This letter will inform the Mexican Central Authority that the parents are eligible and suited to adopt, that all indications are that the child may enter and reside permanently in the United States, and that the U.

Central Authority agrees that the adoption may proceed. Do not attempt to adopt or obtain custody of a child in Mexico before a U. Remember: Before adopting or obtaining legal custody of a child in Mexico, you must have completed the four steps above.

Only after completing these steps, can you proceed to finalize the adoption or be granted custody for the purposes of adoption in Mexico. The process for finalizing the adoption or obtaining legal custody in Mexico generally includes the following:.

Note: Additional documents may be requested. The ordinary time for delivery of the certificate is up to five business days. Because of the pandemic, this period could be extended.

Note: All documents must be translated into the Spanish language; prospective adoptive parents should verify this requirement with the State DIF. Obtain an Immigrant Visa for your Child and Bring Your Child Home Now that your adoption is complete ,there are a few more steps to take before you can head home. Specifically, you must request three documents before your child can travel to the United States:. Birth Certificate After finalizing the adoption process in court, the judge will issue a complete and final adoption decree stating the new name and parents.

Adoptive parents should use this adoption decree to apply for a new birth certificate reflecting the child's new name and parents. The new birth certificate can be obtained by submitting the original final adoption decree or a certified copy of it to the Civil Registry office where the child's birth was originally registered.

You may use this new birth certificate to apply for your child's Mexican passport. Please note that Mexico requires that an adoption be finalized prior to the child's departure for the United States in order to meet Convention requirements. Mexican Passport Your child is not yet a US citizen, so he or she will need a Mexican passport or travel document. Mexico requires that the child and both adoptive parents appear in person to apply for the child's Mexican passport.

For more details on the Mexican passport application process and requirements, you should refer to the information provided by the SRE. Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. After the adoption or custody for adoption purposes is granted, make an appointment to visit the U. The only difference is that you should specify in your application that you are a family member to the child that you are attempting to adopt.

There are a series of six steps that you must follow in order for the successful adoption of a Mexican child to occur. If the steps that I am about to go over are not completed in order an immigration visa to the United States may be denied to your child. First off, an adoption agency that is certified and approved to work in the U. The adoption agency is the primary group that will make sure that you are meeting all of the requirements both in the United States and Mexico as far as conducting foreign divorces.

Next, once an adoption agency is chosen you will need to apply to be found eligible to adopt a Mexican child by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. A form will need to be submitted directly to that entity. Once the USCIS determines that you are eligible to adopt a child the adoption agency that you are working with will provide you with the approval directly. A home study and any other pieces of information that will need to be collected will occur.

Once you are found to be eligible to adopt in the United States, the Mexican authorities will conduct a similar review on their own. As soon as it is determined that you are also eligible to adopt a Mexican child, the government of Mexico will then need to determine whether or not there are any children that are available for you to adopt. For you to adopt a Mexican child it must be determined that it is in that child's best interests for you to adopt him or her.

The child who best fits your application and is in need of adoption will be matched up with you. You will be given a great deal of information about the child as far as their background, health history and other pieces of information in order to figure out whether or not you would like to adopt the child. If you believe that you would not be able to meet the long term needs of this child then you can pass on the referral and seek the adoption of another child. After you have been successfully matched up with a child you will need to apply to the United States Department of Homeland Security in order to secure approval for that child to immigrate to the United States.

Once your child is approved for adoption and entrance into the United States you will then need to apply for a visa for that child. The United States Embassy in Mexico City is the entity that is responsible for issuing immigrant visas to Mexican children seeking to enter the United States.

At this stage, once approval of the adoption has occurred and a visa has been issued you can move on to the fifth stage of a Mexican adoption- the legal adoption of the child. The adoption agency that you are working with will receive all adoption paperwork and will send on to the appropriate Mexican government authorities for their review and processing. The United States-based adoption agency that you are using will be approved by their Mexican counterpart.

After this, a Mexican court case will ensure that legally allows you to adopt the child. The applications submitted to the court by the Mexican government will be reviewed by a judge. An order will then be issued that places your child with you.

This whole process can take up to six months to complete. You and your spouse will have to appear before the judge at least two times prior to the adoption being finalized. As I mentioned at the outset of today's blog post, you will need at least two people to attend court and act as witnesses to testify to your moral character and financial wherewithal.

The specific documents that will need to be submitted to the Mexican government, as well as the fees that are associated with adopting a Mexican child, can be found on the United States government website that covers issues related to adoption.

Select Mexico as the country that you are interested in reading about in order to learn more in-depth material. Once all of the above steps are met and completed in order, all that is left to do is apply for a few documents and then come home with your child. First, a birth certificate is needed so that your child can travel with you back to the United States. A Mexican judge will issue an adoption decree that names you as your child's new parent.

This decree can be used to obtain a birth certificate and then a Mexican passport that allows for him or her to travel abroad. A Mexican passport is necessary because your child is not yet a citizen of the United States. The Mexican passport will allow him or her to travel internationally while their United States citizen application is being reviewed.

Your visa application through the Embassy in Mexico City will be almost complete at this stage. Join now. Viewing section: Which countries have children you can adopt? To adopt from Mexico prospective adoptive parents must be resident in a country which has ratified the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption which UK has. Prospective adoptive parents must be over 25 years if age and at least 17 years older then the child they wish to adopt. Married same sex couples are currently permitted to adopt form Mexico City and theoretically in Coahuila.

Unmarried hetro-sexual and unmarried same sex couples may adopt but only one member of the couple will appear on the adoption decree. There is no restriction on the gender of the child prospective adoptive parents many adopt. Eg a gay couple may adopt children of either gender. Find out here with the first in our International Adoption Dream series. Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook.