The USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) is implementing several changes to assist adoptive parents and save them money.

1. Adoptive parents can have one “no-charge extension of the approved Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition (Form I-600A) if they have not already submitted a petition (Form I-600) to classify an orphan as an immediate relative.” Parents must request this in writing and make sure that the USCIS receives it no sooner than 90 days before the form 1-600A approval expires. An updated or amended home study must be included as well. This extension applies if you are adopting one or more children.

2. You may request a one-time re-fingerprinting without charge if your 1-600A is on file with the USCIS. The original fingerprints are only valid for 15 months and the I-600A is valid for 18 months. The free re-fingerprinting will add 15 months to the time period that they are valid.

3. Parents also have one free change of country request. The request for this must also be hand written.

These changes not only save money but also speed up the process when there are holdups or changes in your adoption process. Kudos to the USCIS.

For detailed information on this subject, you can read it on their website.

Mica Rosenberg reports that once again there is election related bloodshed in Guatemala. A candidate for Rigoberta Menchu’s political party was found shot in the trunk of his car last Sunday. Apparently this is the 40th election related death.

Once again suspicion for this violence falls on drug traffickers and former paramilitaries who are trying to intimidate candidates and control the outcome of the elections.

Earlier in the week, one of Menchu's congressional candidate’s two daughters were attacked in their home and seriously injured. In addition, a former guerrilla leader who is an activist for Menchu survived an attempted assassination, but his bodyguard and mechanic were killed.

Almost 6,000 people were killed last year in Guatemala in violence not witnessed since the Civil War years. Adoptive parents staying in the safer areas of Guatemala City rarely witness this on their visit trips. Staying in areas advised by their lawyers and agencies is the safest approach.

Guatemalans are kind, warm and helpful people, and it is a tragedy that their country has fallen victim to the side effects of drugs being transported through their country from Columbia on their way to Mexico and rampant government corruption.

Fire Volcano erupted and spewed ash and lava close to Antigua, Guatemala,a city famous for its beauty and history. A few families were evacuated but no one was harmed. This volcano is a popular tourist attraction and also an area of some of the country’s best coffee farms.

Standing 12,300 feet high, Fire Volcano is part of an active chain of volcanoes along the edge of the Maya Indian Highlands.

If you are interested in finding a cheap flight to Guatemala, apparently Spirit Airlines is offering some remarkably low fares. I am not endorsing them as I haven’t flown with them yet, but I've heard from others who have and were satisfied. Their website offers more information.

Have a great weekend!

More information:

Pre-election violence

Volcanoes of Guatemala

List of Political Parties in Guatemala

Guatemala Political Background