[dmarie88]

This is sort of off-topic but I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life once I graduate from college and all of my plans seem to have something to do with Guatemala but I'm not really sure what. I would love to adopt from there but obviously, that is not an option. I have also thought about trying to become a teacher there once I graduate but I am quite the homebody and I'm not sure if that would be possible. I remember reading on here about a family that moved to Guatemala to foster the child they were adopting and while they were there, they completed a domestic adoption but I can't seem to find their name or the post about them. Does anyone know how long a person must live in Gautemala before they can file for domestic adoption or how long a domestic adoption would take in Guatemala? If I could ever bring myself to live there (depending on the length of time I would have to), I would consider trying to adopt there as well as teaching while I would be in the country. Sorry that this is so long, I was just wondering if anyone had any information on domestic adoption in Guatemala or if anyone knows of anyone else who has completed a domestic adoption in Guatemala and how long it took them. Thanks in advance for any information!

[Quesita]

I hope that you do consider taking the leap, and going to live in Guatemala to teach or study. It seems like you are really drawn to the idea. Perhaps a couple of weeks there in a study program might help you decide if you have the internal resources to commit to living there for a longer period of time.

In terms of domestic adoption, I think that you might have misread a post. Some families went (including me) went down to Guatemala during the adoption process. I was given the legal right to be my daughter's foster mother until the adoption was completed. This was under the old system. Right now, starting a new adoption process from Guatemala is not possible.

But time changes all things. None of us know what the future will bring.

[angel_bayou]

No you didn't misread a post. There is a missionary couple living in Guatemala right now trying to complete a domestic adoption. I emailed her once a good while back while she was preparing to leave but have not spoken to her since. You began a blog but it's no longer updated from what I see unless she went private. They established temporary residency and i'm not sure about anything else that has happened since then. I was hoping to hear back from her because i would LOVE to do this same thing!! I met a little boy last year who was abandoned on the road side and has not received a family so he's still there waiting!!

[akasohappy]

I met an American family in 2007 that was living there/working there and they were adopting. Sorry I don't know more details.
A reputable attorney in Guatemala should be able to tell you for sure.
Good Luck!!

[ej-momtobe]

I read about people doing this (or maybe just thinking about doing this) as well. The was a lot of uncertainty if/how they would ever bring the child back to the US with them once they were done living in Guatemala and wanted to return to the US. Just because it might be allowed on the Guatemala side and recognized there as a valid adoption, doesn't mean it will be recognized by the US state department, and the child will be granted a visa.

[GuateRose]

We are a family living in Guatemala, that for a long while thought we would need to do a domestic adoption in order to bring our son home. However, we were considered a transition case, and are now finishing an international adoption under new law. We were grandfathered in on the US side for his visa.

Now, all that said, ej brought up a very valid point. The way adoptions stand now in Guatemala, you will need to establish residency. It is not clear if it needs to be temporary or permanent. We got different answers when we were checking in to it. You can adopt a child in Guatemala... but there are no promises made that you will be able to get a visa for the child when you are finished with the adoption process. There are possiblities, one being that you wait 2 years after the completion of the adoption(I forget the type of visa, but it is NOT a promise that you will get a visa even after waiting 2 years), or hope that US allows people to file an I-800 sometime in the future.

So in all reality, adoption from Guatemala is basically not an option right now. I wish I had better news for you.

GuateRose

[AdoptAmiga]

Originally Posted by GuateRose

Now, all that said, ej brought up a very valid point. The way adoptions stand now in Guatemala, you will need to establish residency. It is not clear if it needs to be temporary or permanent. We got different answers when we were checking in to it. You can adopt a child in Guatemala... but there are no promises made that you will be able to get a visa for the child when you are finished with the adoption process. There are possiblities, one being that you wait 2 years after the completion of the adoption(I forget the type of visa, but it is NOT a promise that you will get a visa even after waiting 2 years), or hope that US allows people to file an I-800 sometime in the future. GuateRose

Yes, standard procedure. The other kink is that in order to get the visa, you need to prove an income source in the US, which basically means that you have a job waiting for you, w/ proof submitted by an employer. So unless you're taking a LOA for potentially a 2+ year span and are guaranteed your job back, you'd be hard pressed to get the visa. Also, while in GT, you will probably need an employer to sponsor you for GT residency. And, if all goes well - adopt, get visa, etc - the child falls under different rules and paperwork to obtain US citizenship (not the auto CoC as in international adoption).

It can be a tough road. I sponsored my DH for a visa after we married in his South American home country - it was a pain and that was PRE 2001.

[dmarie88]

Thanks for all of your responses. I was just kind of checking into a few options and I have plenty of time to decide on what I want to do. (I have a year left of school and I am too young to adopt at the moment anyhow.) It would be nice if adoptions were open again once I am old enough to adopt and being that I have a couple of years, I'm hoping that that's a high probability.