U.S. Department of State

 
The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala has been informed that a fraudulent letter has been circulating this week using what purports to be Presidential letterhead and signature.  This fraudulent letter states that all adoptions will be stopped effective October 1st.  The Social Secretariat of Guatemala's first lady has confirmed that this letter is fake and may be intended to be used to extort additional payments from foreign adoptive parents. We understand that the government of Guatemala plans to issue an official communication to confirm the letter is fraudulent and that any future changes implemented in the Guatemalan adoption system will not affect those cases already in process.

-Government of Guatemala Efforts to Implement the Hague Adoption Convention

 

The Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala have become aware of an unfounded rumor that adoptions in Guatemala will be suspended immediately or by January 1 as part of Guatemalan efforts to implement the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (“the Hague Adoption Convention”).  The government of Guatemala has confirmed that there is no truth to this rumor.  The Embassy is continuing to process adoption cases. 

The Department of State and the U.S. Embassy continue to monitor the situation in Guatemala closely and are in regular contact with Guatemalan officials as they take steps to reform their adoption processes in order to better protect the interests of children and families.  We are encouraged by the efforts of the First Lady of Guatemala in preparing a protocol of adoption best practices that promotes protections for children and families in line with the international standards of the Hague Adoption Convention.  The Department urges all interested parties to check our website (www.travel.state.gov) for updates on the process of adoptions in Guatemala.  For more information on Guatemala and Hague Adoption Convention implementation efforts, please see the Department’s Notices and frequently asked questions on Guatemala at http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/notices/notices_2859.html and http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/notices/notices_2858.html.