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| Guatemala Program |
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IAG SUSPENDS PROGRAM UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Guatemala covers 108,889 square kilometers (42,042 square miles) and has a population of approximately 14,300,000 people. It lies in Central America bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering with the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico. The people of Guatemala are "Ladinos" (mixed Hispanic and Mayan origin) and they are predominantly Catholic. They speak Spanish and many other tribal languages such as Ixil, Chalchiteko and Uspanteko. Adoption in Guatemala I. Referrals
Relinquishments are the most common form of adoption to the US from Guatemala. In this situation, a birth mother decides that she wishes to relinquish her child for adoption and places the child in custody of a private attorney. In this process, the birth mother must remain in contact with the attorney throughout the entire adoption process, signing off multiple times, including at the end of the process. IAG has a relationship with the attorney Sandra R. Mer’da Meo–o whose office is right in Guatemala City. Sandra has an excellent staff and an excellent reputation within the field of adoption. Families will receive referrals of relinquished children via photographs, videos and medical information. IAG will obtain a full medical examination of the child at the time of relinquishment (often days after the birth). IAG also will arrange for the placement of the child into a foster family where they will reside until the adoption is finalized (4-9 months). The foster mothers are chosen with great care by our Guatemalan attorney. The level of child care within the foster homes is exceptional and no more than 2 children are placed in a home at the same time. IAG maintains the same commitment to detail and service in our Guatemalan Program as with our Russian Program. We strive to provide a positive adoption experience for everyone! IAG will ensure that families receive monthly updates (video and photographs) of the children as well as provide monthly medical/developmental updates. II. Process
At the time of the referral, IAG will arrange for the completion of the Power of Attorney that will be filed and registered in Guatemala. This Power of Attorney (POA) gives Sandra R. Mer’da Meo–o the authority to act on your behalf in the placement of a particular child. A visit to Guatemala at this time is not required, but is highly recommended. Families who wish to travel to meet the child in person prior to signing the POA can do so and IAG will complete all necessary arrangements for the meeting. Once again, it is highly recommended for three important reasons: first, a family can spend time with their child to begin the bonding and attachment process. They can meet the foster mother and create a relationship with her that is so important for your baby while they are in her care. Secondly, the family can complete the POA during their stay in Guatemala and it can be filed immediately. If the family completes the POA in the United States, it must be notarized, certified and authenticated before being sent to Guatemala and this process can take several months. And finally, because the child will be seen prior to the finalization of the adoption, the child will enter the US on an IR-3 visa which grants automatic citizenship. At the same time that the POA is registered, families must complete a G-28 form- Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative from the USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Service). This form allows for the attorney to arrange for DNA testing which is required by the US Embassy in Guatemala for adoptions. The DNA testing verifies that the birth mother and the relinquished child are in fact biologically related. IAG requires that families sign and complete three original G-28 forms to be sent to Guatemala. This will ensure that the testing can be done as soon as possible. The cost of the DNA testing is the responsibility of the adoptive families. The DNA test is part of the Embassy Pre-Approval Process which now can take up to 60 days. Pre Approval from the Embassy is required prior to entry into the PGN. . Also during this time and after you have completed your Power of Attorney, the dossier is filed with the Family Court and a social worker is assigned to investigate the adoption. The social worker reviews the dossier, interviews the birth mother and sees the child in the foster home. The social worker then writes a report and recommendation to the Family Court. This social worker report is required prior to the entry into the PGN. All of the documents are then filed with the PGN (Procuraduria General de la Nacion) along with the petition from IAG's attorney requesting that the adoption be approved. The PGN reviews all of the documents to ensure that they are all in order and up to date. The PGN may also choose to investigate any aspect of the information contained in the documents. Once the PGN office is satisfied with all of the documents, the adoption is approved. As with our Russian Program, IAG is committed to providing the absolute best service for our families. We offer individualized service with monthly updates on your child (video and photographs) as well as providing on going medical information from monthy well baby visits. III. Travel
As indicated in Section II under "Process", parents are encouraged to travel to Guatemala to visit their child prior to the finalization. This travel can be arranged at your convenience. IV: US Visas/Citizenship Issues IR-3 issued if parents has personally met the child PRIOR to the finalization. The family (child) will automatically receive a Certificate of Citizenship within 45 days from CIS after entry into the US. The child will not need to be re adopted in the US unless this is a requirement of your state. IR-4 issued if parents did not personally see the child prior to the finalization. The child must be re-adopted in the United States and then the family must apply for the Certificate of Citizenship. In this situation, adoptive families are required to pay any additional fees associated with the re adoption and with the application for citizenship. Revised 7/07
V: Estimated Expenses For Guatemala Click here for more information VI: Guatemala Referral Process Click here for answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions |
Guatemala was once the site of the impressive ancient Mayan civilization. It was conquered by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado in 1521 and became a republic in 1839 after the United Provinces of Central America collapsed.
IAG will gather from families all of the necessary dossier documents. Please consult with IAG staff for a detailed dossier list. As with our Russia program, IAG's case managers will be responsible for the certification and authentication of all documents, thus saving families valuable time and expense. Once your completed dossier is received in Guatemala, it is translated into Spanish. Once you accept a referral, the dossier is filed with the Family Court and a social worker is assigned to investigate the adoption. The social worker reviews the dossier, interviews the birth mother and sees the child in the foster home. The social worker then writes a report and recommendation to the Family Court. This social worker report is required prior to the entry into the PGN.
Once the adoption is approved by the PGN, IAG's attorney applies for the child's Guatemalan passport and requests an appointment from the US Embassy on the family's behalf. Once a date is received, the family is notified and travel arrangements are made. Only one trip to Guatemala is REQUIRED, but understand that the adoption is final and completed by the time families arrive in Guatemala. The trip is typically 3-6 days depending upon the Embassy appointment. US citizens do not require a visa to enter Guatemala.