On June 1, 2019, the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention) entered into force for Guyana. Please be advised that the Department of State has determined it will not be able to process intercountry adoptions from Guyana initiated on or after June 1, 2019 (see below regarding “transition cases”). Guyana does not yet have implementing legislation giving authority to the designated Central Authority to carry out its responsibilities under the Convention. As a result, consular officers will be unable to issue Hague Adoption Certificates or Custody Certificates, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) cannot approve Form I-800, Petitions to Classify Convention Adoptees as an Immediate Relative, for a child from Guyana. 

Families interested in adopting from Guyana may not file the Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative for a child from Guyana until such time as the Department determines Hague Certificates may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Until then, USCIS will reject any Form I-800 petitions filed on behalf of a child from Guyana. The Department of State will notify USCIS and the public if a determination is made that Convention adoption processing with Guyana may proceed.

Transition cases: We are seeking to confirm whether Guyana will continue to process cases in which a U.S. citizen filed a Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition, or a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, prior to June 1, 2019, or in which a final adoption was completed prior to June 1, 2019. Once we are able to confirm this information, we will post an updated notice on our website at adoption.state.gov. As of June 1, 2019, families should not file, and USCIS will not process, a Form I-600 for a child from Guyana or a Form I-600A that indicates Guyana as the intended country for adoption.

We are in the process of updating our Country Information Sheet for Guyana. Please continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for updated information as it becomes available. If you have any questions about this notice, please contact the Office of Children’s Issues at adoption@state.gov.