International Adopting from Guatemala

Guatemala has been a popular country to adopt from for several years, mainly due to its rapid processing of the adoption papers. However, recently there have been changes to the laws in Guatemala and the entire process has slowed down drastically. So, why do families continue to adopt from this country?

In general, adoptive families look for countries that will allow them to adopt very young children (although this is not always the case) and Guatemala fits this description. Also, as China is known as a destination for adopting baby girls, Guatemala is most popular for its baby boys that are given up for adoption, sometimes even before birth. This allows families to do all the paperwork and they can literally begin the process of bringing their little one home from birth.

Another big benefit is that most babies that are given up for adoption in Guatemala are cared for in foster homes instead of institutions. This results in more adapted and well-cared for children. It also allows adoptive parents to visit their baby during the adoption process (which can last up to a year or more, depending on the paperwork) and even take their child out of foster care while they are in the country.

Guatemala itself is a lovely country with balmy weather, perfect for spending long days in the park with your new baby. Most families end up in Antigua, the tourist central, waiting for their paperwork to go through and it is not uncommon to run into other adoptive parents in the same boat. This allows for a community and there is quite a friendly community of adoptive parents in Antigua.

There have been problems in the past with adoption rings, where babies are actually kidnapped from their mothers and passed off as the children of other women who sell them to adoption agencies. Although this has now been greatly reduced through mandatory DNA testing by most embassies, it left a bad taste in the mouths of the locals. Although Antigua is perfectly safe, it is not generally recommended that you travel with your Guatemalan child to the more remote towns outside of Sacatepequez, the province where Antigua is located.

In general, the Guatemalans are a friendly people and will admire your new baby and are more than willing to practice their English with you or teach you baby phrases to speak with your little one. It isn't uncommon to find foreigners with adopted babies surrounded by women cooing over the infant in the park!

Although the wait may be long, many adoptive parents still prefer to go through Guatemala because of the culture, friendly people and the high quality of adoptive child care. If you are considering adopting internationally, Guatemala is worth checking out.