[Faithful Heart]

Do you need a U.S. passport to travel to Mexico or can you use the Guatemalan passport and visa you receive once your child is adopted? We are planning a trip to Mexico and was wondering if we will have to get a U.S. Passport or if we can use the Guatemalan passport? Also we did legally change our daughter's first name and have a U.S. birth certificate now so was wondering if this would be an issue too. How long does it take to get a passport? thanks much

[Alexismandyjr]

I seriously wouldn't take a chance and I'd get a US Passport. We applied for Julian's a week ago and had it expediated. They told us it would take 3 weeks unless we were traveling sooner and then they would request it quicker. Again, just my opinion but I wouldn't take a chance!

[Theslaws]

We asked the same question of an internation adoption attorney. He strongly recommended getting a us passport before taking our dd out of the country. We decided to get one for her. You have to send in the originals of you COC, final adoption decree etc. Because of that we paid to expedite her passport. We got her passport back in 7 days and the paperwork back in 10 days.

Good luck!

[PackGirl]

If your child were to travel on their Guatemalan passport, they are treated as any other Guatemalan. So, if the country requires a visa (just like the US) then you would need to apply for the visa.
I believe that Guatemalan's need a Mexican visa to legally enter Mexico. So, you would then need to apply for the Mexican visa.
Also, the US visa must be current in order to travel back to the US on the Guatemalan passport as the US requires Guatemalan's to have a visa.

It is MUCH simpler to get a US passport.

Only advantage with the Guatemalan passport is upon entry to Guatemala, they are not held to the 60 or 90 days that they give tourists.

hth

[mommysoon]

We expedited a US Passport since we are expecting to pick up DD the week after Easter or shortly thereafter (Please Pink come to us). Anyway, we got the passport and docs back within 10 days.

We haven't changed DS name yet so we will have to get another passport and SS card when we do the domestication of foreign adoption and name change.

Just a thought, there is some other thing you can get that costs less $$ but is only good (I think) for crossing US boarders at Mexico and Canada but if you ever go anywhere else you will need to have a US Passport. Don't quote me on this info b/c I breezed over it on the passport site since I was getting a passport but the lady in front of us was getting one.

Good luck. I say, better safe than sorry.