[tinaedmond]

DH and I are talking about possibly starting the paper chase again. We're wondering if we really need an agency for the second time around, or if we can work directly with an attorney in Guatemala. I know people do this sometimes, so I am wondering if there's anyone on the board currently adopting without an agency, or who has done so in the past. How did it go, were there any issues/problems outside the "ordinary", etc.

Has the dossier changed much from what was required in 2003, or are there a lot of new documents needed?

Thanks!

Tina

[Mary Mulcahy]

Tina, at our local Guatemala group this summer one couple was doing that. Jerry Scuba (used to post here) however they had a very hard time finding an attorney to do it solo. With the rush to complete adoptions, most attorneys are booked. You can try to search him out on the forum.
Mary

[MicheleB]

There are several children's homes or hogars you can adopt straight from with out a US agency.

[riptune2]

We are not using an agency. Our first was done with one that was just awful. We didn't want to go through that again. When my DH went down for our p/u trip last year, he met someone that knows a lot about doing it solo and that's what we are doing. She is giving us the contacts and she is the one answering all our questions. We don't have a referral yet but we hope we will have that by the end of Aug.

PM me if you want!

Shannon

[Lori Elena]

We have yet to finish our first adoption but, know that we want to do it again ASAP. We have yet to figure out the advantage of using an agency, and unless we do, we ABSOLUTELY plan to go solo next time and work directly with an attorney in Guatemala.

I would appreciate anyone with suggestions or advice about this to PM me.

TIA

Lori

[zaromani]

Hi, I can refer you guys to 2 good attorneys - one I am currently using and the other came highly recommended.
I can also help with your dossier and Spanish translations as the attorneys do not speak English.

Please PM me if interested.

[keltsalazar]

Our first kids were in the adoption process at the same time. We started our second adoption (paper) with our first agency, but I was already starting to have concerns. They were not requiring anything regarding our son. I kept reading on forums things that sounded like we were missing. We changed agencies and needed to get an MD letter for our son and the court document accepting his Guate adoption in Texas (same document is name change in Texas). There are some definite changes and additions to the dossier. The witness letter has changed and the information requirements for chosen guardians if something happens to you have changed. These are just examples. I highly recomend our second agency. They have staff in Guatemala. The owner is a paralegal who is very picky about the paperwork and her husband is an atty (not adoption). PM me if you would like the website to at least review.

Allison
Mom to Daniel home 1/14/04 and Ruth home 9/24/05