[melissa41]

I think I have read this somewhere before but could not find anything doing a search. We want our child to come home on a IR3 visa. I think I read the visit trip (passport stamp) has to be before a certain step in the adoption. Is this true and if so, what is the step?

Also how long did you wait to travel after referral?

Thanks
Melissa

[ana-mom]

I think that as long as you travel before the adoption is final (approval by PGN) the baby can come home on an IR3.

We waited until after DNA because the birthmother sees her child at that time. Our agency indicated that this is when a lot of the mothers have second thoughts.

[MNStarr]

We visited after we received DNA confirmation. Our agency booked us on next months visit trip, we went in a group. After we visited we found out we were actually out of PGN before we went. So I don't think it has to be a visit in a short window of steps kind of thing.

[DPline]

According to the Embassy website, your passports must be stamped prior to exiting PGN to qualify for an IR3 visa.

For the IR3 classification, the Consular officer will use Guatemalan entry stamps to verify that both parents (or the unmarried parent if applicable) saw their adopted child prior to his/her legal adoption in Guatemala. The date that legal adoption occurs in Guatemala is the date of approval of the adoption signed by an officer of the Procuraduria de la Nacion (Office of the Solicitor General). If these conditions are met, the child will receive an IR3 visa.

[melissa41]

Thanks for the info. I knew there was something about your stamp having to be before a certain step but couldn't find it.

Cheers
Melissa