Yucatán Cuts Adoption Wait to 6 Months for Families

Mérida, Yucatán — The state of Yucatán is working to shorten the time and requirements for couples seeking to adopt children under the care of the System for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF), with the goal of completing the process within a maximum of six months, according to the agency’s director, Shirley Castillo Sánchez.

Currently, adoption procedures in the state can exceed 18 months, a delay that has led some prospective parents to abandon their efforts.

Streamlining Adoption Through Proven Models

Castillo Sánchez stated that during a recent national meeting of DIF leaders in Zacatecas, officials reviewed adoption models and legal frameworks to expedite the process in Yucatán.

"Yes, it is indeed a lengthy process, but the new head of the Office for the Protection of Girls, Boys, and Adolescents in Yucatán, Verónica Moyano, has been instructed to implement changes to speed up adoptions," Castillo Sánchez said.

"We need our children to have the opportunity to enjoy a family, and we are already working on ensuring that, in the near future, the average processing time does not exceed six months," she reiterated.

Balancing Legal Safeguards with Efficiency

The director explained that legal procedures, particularly those related to parental rights—the set of legal obligations and entitlements of biological parents—often prolong the process. Authorities must ensure biological parents no longer have legal claims over the child to prevent future disputes.

This stage requires careful attention to reduce delays while ensuring children and adolescents can transition to new families as quickly as possible.

Castillo Sánchez emphasized the state’s commitment to establishing a more efficient system before the end of the current administration, while safeguarding the well-being, safety, and rights of minors.

Adoption Statistics in Yucatán

According to state DIF data, 48 adoption applications were filed in 2023, while 47 have been submitted so far in 2024. The average age of applicants ranges from 35 to 45 years old.

The number of children placed in adoptive homes dropped from 54 in 2023 to 23 in 2024. Currently, 47 children and adolescents in Yucatán are eligible for adoption.

Prospective adoptive parents must demonstrate financial stability, emotional readiness, and legal and psychological suitability to assume parental responsibilities.

Adoption is a legal process through which a child or adolescent becomes part of a non-biological family.