This question really comes at no
surprise by a lot of people who know us, we are not the type to
set back and wait patiently (ok not Rachel). There are lots of
children in need in Guatemala and they are all taken very good
care of in foster families due to the Guatemalan system being
privatized. These children see a private doctor monthly and have
quality loving families taking care of them. Guatemala allows
adoptive parents to visit as much as they can or want to during
the process.
We traveled to Guatemala SEVEN times! We visited Taylor 4 times
and Tarynn 3 times. We thought it was important to visit and see
the country where our beautiful gifts from God came from! We
want to have the girls travel there later in life to see their
birth country too.
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Your family is so happy to you both home, Taylor and
Tarynn! |
Guatemalan Adoption Process
This is a very different process from China!
1. A birthmother finds an attorney who has her sign
relinquishing papers, then the attorney finds foster care for
the child
2. Referral: a family is offered a child to consider. If
accepted, the family sends corresponding papers to accept
3. The attorney in Guatemala submits the forms with the
completed dossier to the US Embassy for DNA authorization. An
embassy interview has to take place with the birthmother and
then they submit to a DNA testing for mother and baby. This way
they ensure that the child is actually the biological child of
the mother who relinquishes her. After the test is at least 99%
accurate the embassy issues "pre-approval" This takes about 5
weeks.
4. The dossier then goes to External Relations for
authentication and translated to Spanish
5. The case goes to Family court. A social worker is assigned to
the case to interview birh mother, child, and foster mother.
This process takes about 3 months
6. The case enters PGN (Prodcuraduria General de la Nacion) The
PGN lawyers review all documents and this takes 2 - 3 months
7. After it is approved by PGN, the birthmother signs the final
papers. After the final signing, we are the official legal
parents!!
8. The baby will get a new birth certificate issued from the
civil registry where the child was born and she will get a
passport
9. The final step is to obtain a visa from the US Embassy. A
'Pink Slip" is issued and the child must be declared in good
health by a US Embassy approved physician.
10. We pick up our baby girl!!!!
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