Adoption Alliance is not currently accepting applications for this program.

Adoption Alliance has been coordinating adoptions from Guatemala for fifteen years. Children available for adoption are usually born to single mothers who are unable to support them. The birth mothers are often from small villages and have moved to Guatemala City in search of employment. There is much poverty in the country because of a history of droughts and earthquakes. Many birth mothers are illiterate, work as domestic servants and feel unable to support a child. Guatemala has few resources for women in this situation, and for this reason, women sometimes are willing to relinquish their children for adoption.

The children vary in appearance, but tend to have Indian features-light brown skin, dark hair and eyes. Ages vary from infant to school age, but most children are newborn to 18 months at the time of referral for adoption. Many more boys are available for adoption, and the waiting time to adopt a boy is usually much shorter.

Family Requirements

Both single women and married couples may adopt from Guatemala. Previous divorces are acceptable, and there is no limit on the number of children already in the family. There are no age limits, and single women do not have to prove infertility. Single women may have to provide the results of a psychological evaluation.

The Costs

We work with several different attorneys and the children are cared for in foster homes. Costs vary, depending on the attorney. One attorney charges $20,000, plus $450 per month for foster care. The other attorney charges $20,500, which includes foster care. The first part of the fees is due upon acceptance of the referral, and the second part before traveling to bring the child home. Fees cover legal fees, translations, and usual medical expenses (such as inoculations and well-baby checkups). Adoptive parents may be asked to pay extraordinary medical expenses. A DNA test to prove maternity is required by the U.S. government and costs $450.

The Process

• A dossier is required. We will provide you with information on how to complete your dossier.
• The dossier documents must be notarized, verified by either your County Clerk or the Secretary of State and legalized by the Consulate of Guatemala having jurisdiction over your documents. We will assist you with this process.
• Your dossier is sent to Guatemala where the documents are legally translated.
• The Ministry of the Interior legalizes the documents.
• Your Power of Attorney is registered with the Guatemalan courts.
• The birth mother signs a Power of Attorney and a temporary acceptance of the adoption. All these documents are compiled in a file which is sent to the Family Court system.
• The attorney takes proof of the birth mother and child's identities to the U.S. Immigration Service in Guatemala. If all appears satisfactory, they issue an approval to have the DNA test done. If DNA results from the lab in the U.S. are satisfactory, they issue a consent.
• The Family Court asks a social worker to examine the family assessment, interview the birth mother and visit the child. The social worker writes a Social Study based on the information from the birth mother and the family assessment.
• The Family Court approves the Social Study.
• The adoption file (including the consent from the U.S. Embassy) is sent to the Procuraduria General de la Nacion (PGN), which is somewhat equivalent to our Attorney General's Office, for review. If all is in order, the PGN approves the file. The attorney draws up the final papers of adoption.
• The attorney obtains the new birth certificate and your child's Guatemalan passport.

As you can see, this is quite an extensive process. It takes approximately 6-8 months from the time the dossier is received in Guatemala to complete the adoption.

Travel

After the attorney receives the passport and the U.S. Embassy issues their final consent, you can travel to Guatemala to bring your child home. Only one parent is required to travel. Although children can be escorted, this adds about six weeks to the process. The travel time is quite short. You are only required to go to the U.S. Embassy to get your child's visa to travel to the U.S. This usually only takes one day.