ADOPTING IN ECUADOR

ECUADOR ACCEPTS:

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Married couples without children

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Married couples with children

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Single women

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Common-law couples, with or without children

COFA LYON is accredited in Ecuador

HISTORY OF ADOPTION IN ECUADOR

Our “history” with Ecuador is very recent: we have just been accredited!

COFA Lyon responded to the Mission de l’Adoption Internationale’s call for applications on 1 April 2021. We have been selected to submit an accreditation file for Ecuador. The MAI (France) officially accredited us on 1 July 2022, and the MIES (Ecuador) granted us authorisation to operate as an intermediary in intercountry adoption on 27 September 2022.

Ecuador ratified the Hague Convention in 1996. However, until now, only representatives from the United States, Italy, Spain and recently Belgium have operated in Ecuador.
The total number of intercountry adoptions is not very high: between 7 and 20 per year over the last 10 years, mostly to the United States.
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The child will have dual nationality.

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The Hague Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption took effect in Ecuador on 15 November 2007. (picto)

Adoptable children

Ecuadorian children become adoptable internationally from the moment they receive a “Sentencia de Adoptabilidad” (adoptability decision). In accordance with the Hague Convention, they have been proposed for national adoption before becoming internationally adoptable (principle of subsidiarity).

Under Ecuadorian law, children proposed for intercountry adoption must not be under 4 years of age. They are part of the “Priority Care Programme”. In practice, the children in the Programme are all over 6 years old, and the vast majority are over 10. The families sought are those open to welcoming children of school age (over 6), siblings and children with health characteristics classified as mild, moderate (operable, treatable or curable health problem) and severe (disability).

The notice of your agreement (licence to adopt) must explicitly mention the health characteristics accepted.

 

COFA Lyon will consider applications from people who have been approved for one or more children between the ages of 6 and 10.

 

Most of the children have suffered abuse and long time life in institutions.

 

Ecuadorian children come from a wide variety of ethnic groups. Applications from candidates with “no ethnic restrictions” regarding the type of child will be given priority.

The MIES periodically publishes a list of children included in the priority care programme. Acceptance by applicants of one of these children triggers an immediate procedure.
Applications for children not on the list are more uncertain.

Parents sought

There must be at least 14 years between the youngest parent and the child; no more than 45 years between the age of the eldest parent and the adopted child. Applicants must be in good physical and mental health to fulfil their parental responsibilities, with validation by a psychologist and a psychiatrist. They must have a clean criminal record.
Applicants must demonstrate their financial capacity to care for a child.
Heterosexual couples must have been married, in a civil partnership or in a de facto union (to be certified by a notary) for at least 3 years before submitting their application.
Single women may adopt.
Applicants must be able to travel to Ecuador for a period of up to 3 months.
They must speak Spanish. They will learn about Ecuadorian culture (history, geography, customs and folklore, culinary arts, etc.). They will undertake to maintain this culture with their child(ren).

TO ADOPT IN ECUADOR

In order to study their application, COFA Lyon asks applicants to send the following by post:
  • a letter explaining their adoption plans,
  • the accreditation and the attached information sheet (notice of the agreement)
  • the social and psychological assessments carried out by the Conseil Départemental,
  • a copy of the family record book (if they are married),
  • a copy of the recitals of the judgement (if they are divorced),
  • one or two photographs of the applicant(s),
  • a stamped envelope for the reply.

COST OF AN ADOPTION IN ECUADOR

 

The various costs are detailed on the MAI website. A complete schedule of paiements is given to adopters by COFA Lyon when they meet to prepare their application.

 

DISCOVERING ECUADOR

 

Several Franco-Ecuadorian associations will help you discover Ecuadorian culture:

the Blog of the Cultural Service of the Ecuadorian Embassy in France, for news, exhibitions, various events, the library, film releases, etc.
The Nantes association: for Spanish courses and conferences.
The various “Alliance française” in Ecuador (5)
Lots of information and news also available on the website of the French Embassy in Ecuador.

USEFUL LINKS

 

Ecuadorian Central Authority:
Website of the International Adoption Mission (soon to be updated)
Ecuadorian government tourism website
Ecuadorian Civil Registry website.

COFA LYON