If you are concerned about foul play being an issue in adopting internationally, then adopting from Guatemala might ease your mind. Before a child can be placed for adoption in Guatemala, the placing mother and child must undergo DNA testing to prove that the placing mother is, in fact, the child’s biological mother.

Before DNA testing was required, some women would pretend to be a child’s biological mother and place the child for adoption after either kidnapping or “buying” the baby. Requiring a DNA... more

This post is for those of you who are just beginning your adoption journeys. You have decided that you want to grow your family through adoption, and you have decided to pursue an international adoption. Now, you are trying to decide whether Guatemala is the country you want to work with. What is the next step?

The best way to make this decision is to learn all you can about Guatemala (both the country itself and the specifics of the adoption process) and then decide if adopting from this country feels like a good fit for your family. You don’t have to start from scratch... more

With permission from David K, I'm going to send you to a must read website. If you are thinking of beginning an adoption, or have already had a bad agency experience and want to work with another agency, David's advice and experience is excellent.

Yesterday I wrote about choosing an agency in these trying times. David's website will complement what I have... more

When most of us set out to adopt for the first time, we have a naïve enthusiasm, and don’t suspect the adoption world of being flooded with worthless agencies and corrupt lawyers/facilitators. Some of us luck out, and hit on an honest, reputable agency with good lawyers. Others, not so lucky, can get held up for YEARS, or worse yet, never bring a child home. Stories like this are abundant and tragic.

To be honest, I was one of those naïve folks when I started researching adoption three years ago. There were so many agencies online, and I picked one that had a pretty decent website (NOT a good criteria to go by). To make a long story short, I got out in time, and my application check... more

New Requirements For PGN

According to the Center for Adoption Policy and the newspaper Prensa Libre, there will be some additional requirements in PGN, effective May 2nd.

“Prensa Libre reports that in accordance with the Manual of Good Practice a new "Adoption Registrar" will be established on May 2. Every adoption will require filings with this office disclosing... more

Photo: Antigua, Guatemala

As promised in a previous blog, I have interviewed Carla (via email), who fostered her daughter Emma for over three months in Guatemala after they had a kick out from PGN.

1. What made you decide to foster?

When we began looking into international adoption, we really liked that Guatemala used the fostering system (by fostering I mean that our future daughter... more

Many people choose Guatemala to adopt from because of the foster parent system. The thought of a loving family nurturing their child until they can bring him/her home brings great peace of mind. Yes, there are children adopted from orphanages, such as my blogging partner and his wife, but the majority of adopted children from Guatemala are in foster care until the adoption is completed.

So on this “Love Thursday” my mind travels to Guatemala, where Ella’s foster... more

Two days ago I bumped into E, a lovely young woman who just got on the waiting list for a baby girl from Guatemala. The last time I spoke to her she was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the I-171H (Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition) from USCIS (yup, the same wonderful office that handed my husband Ella’s Certificate of Citizenship a mere two days ago), as her dossier was complete... more

Friday is a great day to wrap things up, so I'm going to explain some of the terms people have used in their search engines that have brought them to my blog. May I also suggest that if you don’t find the information you are looking for, or would prefer privacy, just email your question(s) directly to me at guatemalablogger@adoptionmail.com .

Fostering in Antigua, Guatemala

Many people have fostered in Antigua, and my fellow ... more

International adoption is an emotional roller coaster at the best of times. Accompanying the wonderful excitement of adding a child to your family, there is also worry, stress and even depression when there are hiccups and screw ups in the process, most completely out of your control. Sometimes the process goes on much longer than anticipated, and documents have to be redone, and then notarized, certified and authenticated (I’ll never forget those three words). And sometimes, tragically, a referral is lost, and you are back to square one…..devastated.

With... more