Guatemala Adoption

U.S. State Department Comments on Guatemala Adoption and the Need for Greater Oversight.

A U.S. Government Official visiting Guatemala City warned that Guatemala must comply with aspects of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoptions. The ability of gaining a visa for Guatemalan children may be at risk.

Maura Harty, speaking to reporters in Guatemala, spoke concerning the United State’s willingness to pass the Hague Convention. The U.S. has proposed passing the Hague Convention later this year. The U.S. is resistant to passing the convention because of troubling policies in other countries. Many countries that have international adoption procedures, like Guatemala, are often questioned about corruption in their systems.

Guatemala saw 4,135 children by U.S. citizens in 2006, up from 3,783 in 2005. These numbers were based on child visa’s from the country provided by the U.S. State Department.

Although a Guatemalan adoption is often the fastest international adoption for U.S. citizens, the cost – upwards of $30,000 – is often fraught with the risk of corruption. Questionable adoption practices in Guatemala are often examined to ensure that babies are not being “marketed” to adoption officials and to prospective adoptive parents.
Expensive adoption reforms, oversight regulations and restrictions are often cited when countries comment on instituting the Hague Convention’s guidelines.

Restrictions and reform, similar to those requested in Guatemala are responsible for a drop in International Adoptions by U.S. citizens.

Guatemala adoptions are being reviewed by the U.S. State Department.