Guatemala Adoption & What You Need To Know
Guatemala is a city rich with culture, beauty and tourism. Many hopeful parents do not realize that this Central American country, which is the size of Tennessee, is also an area abundant with children in need of adoption.
Guatemala adoptions are reasonably fast and can be completed within 10 to 14 months from the time of application. The majority of children who are eligible for adoption in Guatemala are newborns, who were usually separated from their birth mother within a few days after birth. At that time, they are placed in foster care until the adoption process is complete. In addition to newborn infants, there are also sometimes older children who are seeking adoption from Guatemala.
Most adoption agencies, who help to handle Guatemala adoptions, will consider an application from either a married couple or a single woman, who is at least 25 years of age and has completed a successful home study. Individuals and couples may qualify for adoption in Guatemala regardless of whether or not they currently have children.
As a general rule, once the adoption process is finalized, the parent(s) is required to travel to Guatemala in order to pick up the child. This generally takes 2 to 3 days before the paperwork is finalized and the child is allowed to exit the country. The foreign country fee for Guatemala adoptions is $19,000.00.
Due to strict immigration laws and all of the paperwork involved, individuals considering a Guatemala adoption should consult a local attorney. Some families have also consulted with Guatemalan attornies with great success. This will help to ensure that all paperwork and other required procedures are done properly in order to avoid delays with the adoption and the return home. The attorney will often be required to accompany the adopting family to Guatemala in order to finalize the details of adoption. This will help protect the rights of the new parent(s) and the child as well.
All children who are adopted abroad, and have been in the custody of the adoptive family for a period of less than two years, are required to possess U.S. immigrant orphan petitions and orphan visas before entering the United States. This process typically requires that the adoptive parent(s) be found suitable for adoption, an investigation into the status of the child be completed and finalization of the visa application.
When dealing with any Guatemalan adoption agency, individuals and/or their attorney should research the company as thoroughly as possible. For more information on United States policy relating to adoption in Guatemala, visit: http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_389.html
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