These country updates bring you the most current and up-to-date information from our program coordinators. One way of keeping you informed of what is going on in the country.
January 2012
We had a family receive a wonderful Christmas present on December 27th. They were matched with a child whom they had requested from the Waiting Angels list! Congratulations! The family is now getting ready to file the I800 to receive approval from US CIS and the embassy in Peru to begin the in country adoption process. The family will spend 4-6 weeks in country bonding with their child, immersing themselves in their child’s culture, as the legal process for the adoption is completed. We wish them the very best and hope that they will be travelling soon!
Our agency continues to seek families open to adopting children from Peru’s Waiting Angels List (older children 5+ and children with special needs). We have experienced that families open to children from this list generally complete their adoptions much faster.
We are also accepting applications from Peruvian families interested in adopting younger children as preference in adoption is given to Peruvian families. Contact Angela Jackson for more information on this program.
December 2011
Our agency continues to seek families open to adopting children from Peru’s Waiting Angels List (older children (5+), sibling groups, and children with special needs). We are also accepting applications from Peruvian families interested in adopting younger children as preference in adoption is given to Peruvian families. Contact Angela Jackson for more information on this program.
Christmas traditions in Peru date back to 1535, which is when the first Christmas was believed to be observed in the South American country. While most Americans are “Dreaming of a White Christmas”, Peruvians would not dream of snow as December is the first month of summer in Peru. As a matter of fact, the first day of summer comes just shortly before Christmas, on December 21. So, while students in the northern hemisphere are on their Christmas or winter break, in Peru they are on summer break. This is why the traditional Santa Claus, dressed in his boots and heavy red coat and hat, is not an old tradition in Peru, but an adaptation from western cultures.
In Peru, the big day is Noche Buena or “Good Night”, on December 24. On this night, after mass (for practicing Catholics) everybody goes home to open gifts and feast on an elaborately prepared Christmas meal of traditional roasted turkey. At midnight, the adults toast with champagne and children raise their glasses of hot chocolate as fireworks shine in the night sky.
Most Christmas meals served in Peru include the traditional turkey as well as tamales, salads, applesauce and sweet bread called Panettone. The hot chocolate is usually made from scratch from melted rich dark chocolate, cinnamon and cloves. Happy Holidays!
August 2011
We continue to actively seek families where one parent is Peruvian, given the priority that MIMDES gives for placing children first within Peru with Peruvian families and then with Peruvians living in other countries. We also are hoping to find other American families who are open to older children, older sibling groups, or children with special needs who are part of the Waiting Angels List. Wait times can be significantly shorter for families open to older children or children with moderate special needs.
Please contact Angela Jackson with any questions about adopting from Peru.
July 2011
MIMDES held one matching session in June for referring children to already approved families. At this session on June 27, 2011, 16 families received a referral. None of the families matched this time were American families. There are currently 400 approved families from around the world waiting on a referral of a child. Timeframes for referral remain unpredictable.
However, MIMDES has a list of over 400 waiting children on their Waiting Angels List. This list contains older children (over age 5), older sibling groups and children with moderate to severe special needs. They are waiting on a family to ask to adopt them. A family may apply to Peru for the Waiting Angels program and receive the updated list monthly after their dossier has been submitted. Timeframes may be significantly shorter for families depending on your openness and preparation for an older child or child with special needs.
Peru does state they give preference in adoption to Peruvians either living in Peru or in other countries. We are encouraging families where at least one parent is Peruvian to consider applying to the Peru program.
If you are interested in adopting from Peru, please contact Angela Jackson.
June 2011
For those families that are open to older children (5 and older) or children with special needs, we are continuing to accept applications for Peru Waiting Angels Program.
We are also accepting applications for Peru’s regular program from families where one adoptive parent is Peruvian, as Peru gives preference in adopting to Peruvians and the majority of younger children with minimal health issues are being adopted by Peruvian nationals or Peruvians living in other countries. The wait time for referral is still unpredictable as it depends on when a child is declared legally abandoned and available for the committee to match to an approved, waiting family.
May 2011
Peru’s Secretary for National Adoptions continues to meet on a regular monthly basis to assign legally available children to approved families waiting. On April 26, 2011, 17 families received referrals of children. Of these families, two were to American families.
For those families that are open to older children (5 and older) or children with special needs, the Peru Waiting Angels Program is a good program focused on meeting the needs of the child and getting them placed as quickly as possible with their adoptive families. We are accepting applications from families open to children from this list.
We are also accepting applications for Peru’s regular program from families where one adoptive parent is Peruvian, as Peru gives preference in adopting to Peruvians and the majority of younger children with minimal health issues are being adopted by Peruvian nationals or Peruvians living in other countries. The wait time for referral from the regular program for non-Peruvian families is unpredictable at this time, as there are currently over 400 families approved and waiting for a referral.
April 2011
We welcomed a CAS family home March 19th with their adorable 2 year old daughter adopted from the Waiting Angels List. Congratulations!
For those families that are open to adopting older children (5 and older) or children with special needs, the Peru Waiting Angels Program is a good program focused on meeting the needs of the child and getting them placed as quickly as possible with their families. We are accepting applications from families open to children from this list.
We are also accepting applications for Peru’s regular program from families where one adoptive parent is Peruvian, as Peru gives preference in adopting to Peruvians. The majority of younger children with minimal health issues are being adopted by Peruvian nationals or Peruvians living in other countries. The wait time for referral from the regular program for non-Peruvian families is unpredictable at this time, as there are currently over 400 families approved and waiting for a referral.
March 2011
We recently learned that Peruvians living abroad wishing to adopt from Peru can no longer submit their applications directly to MIMDES. They must now work with an agency that has been accredited by Peru’s Central Authority and the agency must submit the family’s application on their behalf. Prior to this, Peruvians living abroad could have their home study done and receive immigration approval to adopt and then work directly with MIMDES to submit their application and complete an adoption. This is no longer the case. Peru still does give preference in adoption to Peruvians either living in Peru or abroad. We encourage families where one or both adoptive parents are Peruvians to apply for this program.
Those families that are not Peruvian may still apply to the Waiting Angels Program. The children in this program may be older, sibling groups, or have some special needs.
We have one family that is completing the adoption of an adorable 2 year old girl from the Waiting Angels list that had a correctible medical need. They should return home to the US sometime in March.
February 2011
During the month of February, Peru celebrates Carnival, a national holiday. Carnavales are widespread throughout Peru in the weeks before Easter. In the capital, Lima, carnival is celebrated with street parties, concerts and the gleeful throwing of water-filled balloons at friends and unsuspecting passers-by. In Andean towns, carnival is a notably festive occasion, in contrast to the more solemn traditions more usual in the highlands. The ritual of “yunza” (called “umisha” in the eastern jungle, and “cortamonte” on the coast) is widespread. A specially-transplanted tree is bedecked with gifts, and guests dance around it before it is ceremoniously felled. The couple who strike the final blow of the axe to bring down the tree are given the honor of organizing next year’s celebrations. Besides this ritual there are parades in fancy dress and masks, feasting, music and dancing. Water is thrown in most places, so watch out for a sudden soaking! This is when people get wet, really wet. People arm themselves with squirt guns, water balloons and buckets of water with the goal to get as many people wet as possible. In most places it is illegal to celebrate carnival on weekdays as people going to work would complain to the government about getting soaked.
Program Update: We have one family that will be in Peru during this time to begin their adoption process of a child matched to them from the Waiting Angels List. They should be in country between 4-6 weeks. Recently, our in country representative met with SNA’s Secretary to discuss our families who are waiting for a referral. Our representative learned that due to a joint effort between the Courts and INABIF, the number of children being declared legally abandoned each month has been increasing. The Secretary of SNA is hopeful that the number of children referred to international families will increase and be faster as a result of these changes. We certainly hope that this is true! We continue to accept applications for the Waiting Angels Program.
January 2011
We had one family receive a match from the Waiting Angels list that they had requested in December. The family will travel in February to begin their adoption process and can anticipate being in country 4-6 weeks. They will spend the first week visiting the child in the orphanage and being evaluated by a MIMDES representative. If all goes well, the family will then receive the child in a foster care arrangement for 7 days. Once the foster care period is completed successfully, the family will wait on the issuance of the adoption decree and then complete the necessary paperwork to obtain the child’s visa to return to the US. Most families that have adopted from the Waiting angels list have been in country between 4-5 weeks.
Our program continues to seek applications from couples where one family member is Peruvian born, given SNA’s preference to place children first with Peruvians living in Peru and then to Peruvians living in other countries. If you are Peruvian and a US citizen or married to a US citizen and are interested in this program, please contact us. These families are eligible to adopt a younger child.
We also continue to accept application for the Peru program from other families to adopt children from the Waiting Angels Program which consists of older children (5+) and children with special needs.
December 2010
Our program continues to seek applications from couples where one family member is Peruvian born, given SNA’s preference to place children first with Peruvians living in Peru and then to Peruvians living in other countries. If you are Peruvian and a US citizen or married to a US citizen and are interested in this program, please contact us. These families are eligible to adopt a younger child.
We do also continue to accept applications for the Peru program from other families to adopt children from the Waiting Angels Program which consists of older children (5+) and children with special needs.
November 2010
November 1st is a national holiday in Peru. It is All Saint’s Day. This day and following days are dedicated to the memory of the dead. Peruvians attend Mass, and then in coastal communities, head to the cemetery bringing flowers; and in the highlands, food to share symbolically with the souls of the dead. The worship of the dead was a common and respected custom during pre-Hispanic times in Peru, and part of that tradition, combined with Christian elements, still lives on today.
In the village of La Arena in Piura, the locals head for the main square in the morning bringing their children dressed in their Sunday best. Also attending are relatives who have lost a very young child or niece or nephew. When these people meet a child who looks like the deceased, they give him or her small bread rolls, candied sweet potato or coconut and other sweets wrapped in finely-decorated bags, which are called “angels”. At night, the relatives hold a candlelight vigil in the cemetery until dawn on November 2. In Arequipa and Junín the bags of “angels” are replaced by bread rolls in the shape of babies, called t’anta wawas.
Our program continues to seek applications from couples where one family member is Peruvian born, given SNA’s preference to place children first with Peruvians living in Peru and then to Peruvians living in other countries. If you are Peruvian and a US citizen or married to a US citizen and are interested in this program, please contact us. These families are eligible to adopt a younger child. We also continue to accept applications for the Peru program from other families to adopt children from the Waiting Angels Program which consists of older children (5+) and children with special needs.
October 2010
Sunday, October 3rd, is Election Day in Lima, Peru. Voting is always mandatory in Peru and visitors or families in Peru on this date can expect that they´ll find the city a little bit strange with the military presence strong, lots of people waiting in long lines, no public transportation that date and closed stores and shops. According to our representative in Peru, this is to ensure democracy as requiring everyone to vote ensures that each person has had a voice in who is elected. This is certainly different from the US where the right to vote is not always exercised.
Our program continues to seek applications from couples where one spouse is Peruvian born, given SNA’s preference to place children first with Peruvians living in Peru and then to Peruvians living in other countries. If you are Peruvian and a US citizen or married to a US citizen and are interested in this program please contact us. These families are eligible to adopt a younger child.
We also continue to accept applications for the Peru program from other families to adopt children from the Waiting Angels Program which consists of older children (5+) and children with special needs.
September 2010
Our program continues to seek applications from couples where one family member is Peruvian, given SNA’s preference to place children first with Peruvians living in Peru and then to Peruvians living in other countries. If you are Peruvian and a US citizen or married to a US citizen and are interested in this program, please contact us. Families with Peruvian heritage may apply to the regular program for placement of younger children in the home.
We do also continue to accept application for the Peru program from families with non-Peruvian heritage to adopt children from the Waiting Angels Program which consists of older children (5+) and children with special needs.
August 2010
Our Peru Program welcomes home another family that returned at the end of July with their son. Congratulations!
We have another family that is preparing to travel to Peru to begin the adoption process once immigration has approved them to travel. We hope that we see that happen soon, but with the centralization of all adoption cases both non-Hague and Hague cases to the National Benefits Center, we have seen some slowing of processing times.
Our program is seeking applications from couples where one family member is Peruvian, given SNA’s preference to place children first with Peruvians living in Peru and then to Peruvians living in other countries. If you are Peruvian and a US citizen or married to a US citizen and are interested in this program, please contact us. Families with Peruvian heritage may apply to the regular program for placement of younger children in the home.
We do also continue to accept application for the Peru program from families with non-Peruvian heritage to adopt children from the Waiting Angels Program with older children and children with special needs.
July 2010
Peru has seen a lot of activity for our families recently.
We congratulate one of our Peru families that successfully completed the adoption of a sibling group of three children from the Waiting Angels list and returned home mid June with their children. We also currently have a family in Peru who are in the process of adopting a boy age 7 referred to them from the Waiting Angels List.
We were also very happy to hear that on June 30th one of our waiting families received a referral of a 2 year old boy during the normal matching session. This little boy was not on the waiting angels list which was a hopeful sign for all our waiting families hoping to adopt a child under age 5.
We continue to accept applications for the Peru program only from families that are open to adopting a child or children from the Waiting Angels Program which is a list of children older than age 5 or children with special needs. Once some of our other families waiting for a child under age 5 with minimal health issues receive a referral and complete an adoption, we can consider opening the program to a few more applicants desiring children under age 5.
June 2010
We have a family currently in Peru who has just received their adoption decree for a sibling group of three children matched to them from the Waiting Angels List. They are completing the necessary documents to obtain the children’s visas so they can return home. Congratulations! We have another family waiting approval of their I800 so that they can travel to begin the adoption process of a little boy matched to them from the Waiting Angels List. Families travelling can expect to be in country from 4-6 weeks and get the chance to experience the culture of Peru and bond with their children.
We continue to accept applications for the Peru program from families that are open to adopting a child or children from the Waiting Angels Program.
May 2010
Two of our waiting families received referrals of waiting children from Peru on April 26th. One family received the referral of a sibling group of three children and the other family received a referral of a boy. All of these children were on Peru’s Waiting Angel List, which is a list of waiting children older than 5 years of age, older sibling groups, or children with special needs.
One family (non-Hague case) will be travelling mid May to begin the adoption process and the other family which is a Hague case will make plans to travel once they have received approval of their I-800 from CIS. Each family will spend 4-6 weeks in country. During this time, they will visit with the referred children the first week and then will spend the next 1-2 weeks in a foster care situation before the adoption is completed. The last weeks are spent completing medical appointments, obtaining new birth certificates and passports and completing the visa interview appointment with the US Embassy.
We continue to accept applications for the Peru program from families that are open to adopting a child or children from the Waiting Angels Program.
April 2010
SNA did not hold a matching session in March as some of the institutions that appoint members to the SNA matching committee had not provided documents to SNA that are needed for the new members. They anticipate that this will be resolved in a few days and hopefully they will have a matching session the first part of April.
We continue to accept applications for the Peru program on a limited basis from families that are open to adopting a child or children from the Waiting Angels Program which is a list of older children (5 and up) or children of any age with special needs.
March 2010
SNA did not hold a matching session in February due to lack of quorum of committee members. They have re-scheduled the February matching session until March 2010.
We continue to accept applications for the Peru program on a limited basis from families that are open to adopting a child or children from the Waiting Angels Program which is a list of older children (5 and up) or children of any age with special needs.
February 2010
Peru was proud to see that for the first time ever, a Peruvian film was nominated for an Oscar. The Peruvian film, “Milk of Sorrow,” has been nominated for Best Foreign Film. The film is a reflection about the effects that armed conflicts can cause especially in victimized women and their children. For families in the adoption process with Peru or for those who may be interested in Peru, this could provide some great cultural understanding of Peru.
Also, a recent interview with SNA’s director provided families an insight into Peru’s adoption process and procedures. The Spanish version of the interview can be found at www.mimdes.gob.pe/files/Entrevista_ElPeruano11_01_2010f.pdf. The secretary said in one portion of the interview that:
“They (adoptive parents) must have full knowledge that the institution of adoption is aimed at finding the most suitable family for a child, and not a child for a family, as is commonly believed. This family must have the highest levels of tolerance. Adoption is not based on what person is more generous or altruistic. The purpose is not to choose a family that has love to give, but finding a family that has the necessary characteristics (according to psychological and social profile of a particular child or teen) to have this child who was the victim of neglect by biological family (in order that they) may not be victimized again.”
We continue to accept applications for the Peru program on a limited basis from families that are open to adopting a child or children from the Waiting Angels Program which is a list of older children (5 and up) or children of any age with special needs.
January 2010
Peru brings in the New Year similar to other countries spending time celebrating with family and friends. However, Peru does have some unique customs for celebrating in hopes of bringing luck for the New Year. One of these traditions is to dress up a doll or effigy with old clothes and then burn it, which signifies getting rid of the old, and making a new start. Other customs are represented by colors with the most popular being yellow for happiness and luck, followed by red for love and green for money. People also participate in a tradition known as “baño de flores”- or bath of flowers. Depending on what they are wishing for, they fill a basin with water and flowers of a certain color (roses for love, for example) and will bathe using this combination of water and flowers.
We are happy to report that we had a family return home before Christmas with their three daughters from Peru! What a special holiday for them this year. Congratulations!
We continue to accept applications for the Peru program on a limited basis from families that are open to adopting a child or children from the Waiting Angels Program which is a list of older children (5 and up) or children of any age with special needs.
December 2009
We currently have a family in Peru completing an adoption of a sibling group match that they received from the Waiting Angels List. We are hoping that the process will be completed and that they will be home in time for Christmas.
MIMDES is now posting on their website the dates of the next anticipated matching session which is posted for December 21st. Families can view the last matching session from November 30th on the MIMDES website as well.
We are currently only accepting applications from families who are interested in adopting a child from the waiting angels list which is a list of older children (older than 5) and children with special needs.
November 2009
Our first Hague case completed their adoption and embassy interview and will be returning home with two beautiful girls November 6th. Congratulations to this family!
We have another family that received a match of a sibling group from the Waiting Angels program that will be leaving mid November to begin their adoption process. We wish them the very best.
We are not anticipating a matching session until the end of the month. SNA did have two matching sessions in October. The first one in the first week of October was listed as a matching session for September which did not occur. Then on October 19th they held another matching session where the family that is travelling in mid November received their match. The trend continues with SNA making matches of young children to Peruvian nationals. Those families that are currently approved and waiting on a child under age 5 will have the longest wait. Families open to older children or children with special needs are anticipated to have shorter wait times.
We are currently only accepting applications from families who are interested in adopting a child from the waiting angels list which is a list of older children (older than 5) and children with special needs.
September 2009
Our first Hague family has submitted their I-800 and supporting documents to the NBC. We are now waiting for the review and provisional approval of the I-800, in order that the visa application can be filed with the US Embassy in Lima. Once the embassy provisionally approves the visa application, they will issue the Article 5 letter to Peru’s Central Authority (SNA). The family will then make travel plans to begin the in-country adoption process. We hope the family will soon be able to travel.
CAS is are currently only accepting new applicants who will adopt from the Waiting Angels program which is a list of waiting children ages 5 and older, older sibling groups, and children with moderate to severe special needs.
August 2009
We had one family receive a match at the July matching session. They are our first Hague case and we are in the process of working with the central authorities of both Peru and the U.S. in processing the I-800 so that the family can be approved to travel and begin the adoption process. With Hague cases, once a family has received a match, they must file the I-800 here in the U.S. with all the required evidences. The National Benefits Center then reviews the application and required evidences to determine if the child qualifies provisionally as a Hague case and then will provide a provisional approval which is transmitted to the U.S. Embassy in Lima. The embassy then requires that the visa application form and documents required be filed and once they have reviewed, they will grant what is called an Article 5 letter that is sent to SNA/MIMDES. This Article 5 letter must be issued before the family can travel and begin the adoption process. We will see how long this new process will take but hope that the family will be travelling in the next month or so.
Currently, we are accepting new applicants to adopt from the Waiting Angels program. Waiting Angels are children ages 5 and older, older sibling groups, and children with moderate to severe special needs.
July 2009
In mid June, there were some political changes in the Peruvian government that affected the leadership at SNA and MIMDES. The MIMDES minister resigned in the midst of a political crisis after a clash between police and indigenous protesters in the Peruvian jungle. Once the minister resigned, all the cabinet does the same including the vice minister and SNA’s Secretary. We are waiting to hear who will replace them.
This has happened several times before and does affect some of the processing work of adoptions such as updated waiting angels list and possibly matching sessions for adoptive parents.
Also, during this time MIMDES posted a notice to adoptive parents confirming what we have been experiencing in regards to processing times for families. MIMDES confirmed that they will only receive applications from entities that they have already been working with and are suspending accepting applications from any other entity. This means CAS can continue submitting applications. However, they also confirmed that there are over 300 approved families waiting on a match/referral of a child and some have been waiting 2-3 years for a match.
CAS had already taken a proactive approach in that we are only accepting applications from families who are open to adopting a child from the waiting angels list which is a list of children 5 and older, older sibling groups, or children with moderate to severe special needs. We are not accepting applications at this time from families wishing to adopt a healthy child under the age of 5 due to the anticipated wait times given by Peru. As we see some of our waiting families receive a match and travel, we will evaluate when we can accept new applicant families into the regular match program.
June 2009
We currently have a family in Peru completing the adoption of their children. Congratulations!
Our other families are waiting on SNA to provide a match of a child or children to them. One of our families waiting on a match recently returned from a visit to Peru where they were able to meet with our attorney Dr. Julio Barrenechea. They enjoyed their visit and Dr. Barrenechea was able to take them to SNA to meet with officials there about the process. The family was informed that it is SNA’s goal to match families within 12 months after they receive their approval, although sometimes it does take longer depending on the expectations of the family and the children available.
Currently our agency is accepting applications from families who are interested in adopting a child from the Waiting Angels List which is a list of children 5 and older, older sibling groups, or children of any age that have special needs. Please contact Angela Jackson if you are interested in applying to the Waiting Angels Program.
May 2009
We had a family return home with their daughter at the end of April! Congratulations and welcome home. This family adopted a child from the Waiting Angels Program.
Our other families that have been approved by Peru continue to wait for the match of their child. SNA holds a monthly matching session at the end of each month to match children who have become legally eligible for adoption that month. If a child is not matched to an approved family at that monthly session, they are sent to the Waiting Angels List where they remain until a family asks for them. The Waiting Angels List is comprised of children over 5, older sibling groups, children with special medical needs, or children who have special needs but further testing is needed to determine their exact diagnosis. The government does not have the financial resources to do the testing. Peru is focusing on placing these “waiting angels” with loving families. We are currently accepting a limited number of applications only from families who are interested in adopting a child from the Waiting Angels program. We are not currently accepting applications from families who wish to adopt a child under the age of 4 with minimal health issues. For more information about the Peru adoption program, contact Angela Jackson.
To view past Peru adoption program updates, please see our CAS Publications page and click on the Monthly Country Updates.