Administrative Procedures Such as Adoption and Administrative Divorce in Yucatán Will Now Require Fewer Documents
Administrative procedures such as adoption and administrative divorce will now require fewer documents and must be completed within 30 minutes, according to an agreement published today that modifies 10 procedures carried out by the Civil Registry of Yucatán.
According to Agreement 13/2026, published today in the Official Gazette of the State, the changes will take effect on Tuesday, July 28 (20 business days after publication).
In addition to the procedures already mentioned, the recognition of paternity or maternity (whether voluntary or court-ordered) must also be completed in less than 30 minutes. This time frame begins once all required documents have been submitted.
New Adoption Requirements in Yucatán
Regarding adoption requirements, birth certificates and marriage certificates are no longer required. Applicants must now submit only the following:
- Birth registration application using the authorized form.
- Certified or simple copy of the final court judgment and the order declaring it final, both of which must have been previously submitted to the Civil Registry Directorate.
- Appearance of one of the interested parties, as established by the court ruling, with valid official identification.
- Payment of applicable fees.
Requirements for Recognition of Paternity or Maternity
The requirements for voluntary or judicial recognition of paternity or maternity are as follows:
- Birth registration application using the authorized form.
- Certified copy of the original birth certificate of the person to be recognized.
- Copy of the birth certificate of the person making the recognition (although the procedure may still be completed without it).
- Valid official identification of both the person making the recognition and the person authorizing it.
- Appearance of the person making the recognition and the person being recognized. If the person being recognized is a minor, their legal guardian must also appear. If the person is over 12 years old, they must also provide their consent.
- Payment of applicable fees.
- If the recognition is ordered by a judge, a certified copy of the final judgment must be submitted, provided it has already been notified to the Civil Registry Directorate.
Requirements for Administrative Divorce in Yucatán
Administrative divorce is a legal process that dissolves a marriage without the need to appear before a judge. It is only available when certain legal conditions are met.
In Yucatán, it generally applies when:
- There are no jointly owned assets pending division, or any property matters have already been resolved according to applicable law.
- Both spouses agree to the divorce.
- Both spouses are legal adults.
- The couple has no minor children or children entitled to financial support.
With the new changes, the requirements for an administrative divorce are:
- Administrative divorce application using the authorized form.
- Certified copy of the marriage certificate.
- If the marriage was under community property and assets were acquired, a property settlement agreement approved by a judge must be submitted. If no jointly owned property exists, a signed statement ratified before a judge will be sufficient.
- Appearance of both applicants with valid official identification.
- Payment of applicable fees.
Applicants will no longer be required to submit proof of address, proof of residency, or birth certificates.
Civil Registry Processing Times in Yucatán
Certificates confirming the nonexistence of a birth, marriage, or death record must now be issued within 30 minutes if the information is available in the Digital Identity System. If a manual search is required, processing may take up to three days.
These certificates may be requested by providing only:
- Full name of the person.
- Date of birth.
- Place of birth.
- Payment of applicable fees.
Certified copies of records must be issued within:
- 15 minutes for summary-format copies.
- Up to seven business days for full copies that exactly match the original registry book.
The recording of civil status acts must be completed within five days, while the registration of court judgments must also be completed within a maximum of five days.
The decree establishes that once these changes take effect—20 business days after publication—no Civil Registry employee may request any of the eliminated requirements. If they do, administrative or legal proceedings may be initiated against the responsible official.
Fewer Requirements for Marriage in Yucatán
It is worth noting that in April of last year, the Government of Yucatán published another agreement eliminating several requirements considered unnecessary for various Civil Registry procedures.
For example, marriage registration no longer requires the presence of three witnesses, nor are medical certificates for either spouse required.
For birth registration, parents are no longer required to present their marriage certificate. Additionally, late birth registration for children and adolescents up to 17 years old no longer requires authorization from the Civil Registry Director.
Source: yucatan
