U.S. Adoption Service Provider Authorization Requirements

Last Updated: April 4, 2018

In response to questions from U.S. adoption service providers (ASPs), the Mexican Central Authority and the National System for Integral Family Development (DIF) have provided the information regarding the authorization of U.S. ASPs:

ASPs seeking authorization to conduct international adoptions in the Mexican Republic must submit the following documents in support of their application:

  1. Articles of formation of the accredited ASP stating that their mission is a non-profit and has been operating for at least two years;
  2. Current Bylaws of the accredited ASP;
  3. Curriculum of the Accredited Adoption Service provider, including the profiles of children they have served through intercountry adoption;
  4. Organizational chart and position descriptions;
  5. Adoption steps to be performed in Mexico, explaining the process from application to post-adoption reports;
  6. Number of intercountry adoptions made in the last two years, as well as their Mexican state of birth;
  7. List of staff employed by the accredited ASP, including names, phone numbers, addresses, e-mail addresses, date and place of birth, and tasks performed;
  8. Certification of accreditation or approval from the accrediting entity;
  9. Designation of a legal representative to act in Mexico, accompanied by documents supporting at least three years of experience in intercountry adoptions;
  10. Letter of commitment to perform only intercountry adoptions of institutionalized children, not private or independent adoptions. In cases of adoptions within families, the ASP will notify the corresponding central authorities.

All documents not written in Spanish language must be presented with their corresponding translation by a certified translator, notarized and apostilled. They must be submitted to the Procuraduría Federal de Protección de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes (PFPNNA) through the Foreign Affairs Ministry (SRE).

Authorization Procedure for Accredited Adoption Service providers by their Central Authority

  • Upon receiving the file from the SRE, the PFPNNA will review for completeness
  • The PFPNNA will require INTERPOL and the Central Authority to provide the Certification of Accreditation or Approval from the Accrediting Entity regarding the ASP
  • Once PFPNNA receives the Certification of Accreditation or Approval, it submits the file to the CTA (Comite Tecnico de Adopcion) for consideration
  • The PFPNNA will notify the legal representative of the Accredited Adoption Service provider of CTA’s final determination

Authorization Renewal for Accredited Adoption Service providers

ASPs previously authorized by the committee may request the renewal of their authorization every four years by presenting their updated documentation as it is referred to on Article 47 of the current Guidelines, at least six months before it expires.

Revocation of Authorization for Accredited Adoption Service providers

The committee may revoke the authorization of ASPs that commit irregular actions, considering their severity, in the following scenarios:

  1. When the ASP directly violates provisions of the Hague Convention or the National Legislation
  2. When the acts of the ASP place a child at risk
  3. When the acts of the ASP amounts to a criminal act involving the Federal Public Prosecutors

The revocation of an authorization will be notified to the ASP through its legal representative in regards to what is established on the Federal Act for Administrative Procedures. Furthermore, notice will be sent to the Permanent Commission of the Hague Convention, Central Authority, Embassy and state level DIF systems.

If ASPs or adoptive families have questions or concerns, please email the Office of Children’s Issues at adoption@state.gov.