NEWSFLASH! May, 2008: We are finally seeking accreditation in Colombia. Two of our board members have long established ties with the country and it is a stable program we have long wanted to establish. God willing, we expect to have accreditation by the fall. We will be updating our informational materials, website, and application, so keep checking; these should be available by mid summer!
We currently have two programs: Guatemala and Dominican Republic.
Please scroll down page for information on both of these countries...
ABOUT: GUATEMALA
Flag of Guatemala
Guatemala Flag -The quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala, symbolizes freedom. The blue bands stand for the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The weapons represent the defence of liberty. Effective date: 15 September 1968. The flag of Guatemala was officially adopted on August 17, 1871. The blue and white are the original colors used by the United Provinces of Central America. The coat of arm (centered on white) was adopted in 1968 and features the quetzal bird, a symbol of liberty, perched on the Declaration of Independence
WHY CONSIDER ADOPTION FROM GUATEMALA?
- Infants available for adoption as newborns
- All ages available for adoption
- Foster care system
- Private adoption through experienced attorneys
- Streamlined process is considerably reliable
- Medical and photo updates throughout the process
- Proximity to US cuts on travel time and costs
- Affordable and nice hotel accomodations and food
- Ancient, wonderful and rich culture to explore and share with your children as they grow
- Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States!
- So many more reasons....
CHILDREN AVAILABLE
Infants (many under 9 months of age by the time of arrival home), toddlers, pre-school and young sibling groups may also be placed through attorneys. The birthmothers of these make the decision to have their children placed for adoption due to poverty and unwed status. They cooperate through the processing and must consent at three different times. The children are kept in private foster care during the wait. You may choose to foster your child while in process through our program. If you choose to foster, we will help you find accomodations in a safe area near everything you will need.
FAMILY REQUIREMENTS
Guatemala allows both single females and couples over the age of 25 to adopt. Persons with previous divorces or who have children already are permitted to adopt. There are also no upper age restrictions for a child adoption from Guatemala. While marriage and age are not qualifying factors for Guatemala, sexual orientation is a factor since homosexuals are prohibited from a adopting in Guatemala.
REFERRAL
At this time we have waiting children and referrals can happen very quickly for a family that is near to or paper ready++. If you are not paper ready, a child *might* be referred to you (decision will be made on a case by case basis). However, in these instances, we will need to provide extended foster care for the child while you gather all your documents. Therefore, we will request that you cover the foster care fees for your child until you become paper ready. ($300 per month). That can happen fast if you move quickly (2 to 4 months) After a child is referred, photos and general medical information is provided.
++To be paper ready means to have your entire dossier ready. We will provide you with a detailed list of all the paperwork you will need to gather and orient you as to what you have to do with it
TRAVEL
Aside from bonding, the primary reason to travel is so that the child can enter the United States with an I-R3 Visa, in which case he/she would qualify automatically for US citizenship. Usually, only a few days are necessary if you decide to travel. Escort services are available for parents who choose not to travel. However, we strongly recommend that you do visit at least once, to get to know your child and foster care provider.
COUNTRY SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Data available from the US Department of State:
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Guatemala
Area: 108,890 sq. km. (42,042 sq. mi.); about the size of Tennessee.
Cities: Capital: Guatemala City (metro area pop. 2.5 million) Other major cities: Quetzaltenango, Escuintla. Terrain: Mountainous, with fertile coastal plain. Climate: Temperate in highlands; tropical on coasts.
GOVERNMENT TYPE
Constitutional democratic republic.
Nationality: -Guatemalan(s).
Population (2005 est.): 12.7 million. Annual population growth rate (2005 est.): 2.5%. Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Spanish-Indian), indigenous.
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan.
Languages: Spanish, 24 indigenous languages (principally Kiche, Kaqchikel, Q'eqchi, and Mam. More than half of Guatemalans are descendants of indigenous Mayan peoples. Westernized Mayans and mestizos (mixed European and indigenous ancestry) are known as Ladinos. Most of Guatemala's population is rural, though urbanization is accelerating. The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism, into which many indigenous Guatemalans have incorporated traditional forms of worship. Protestantism and traditional Mayan religions are practiced by an estimated 40% and 1% of the population, respectively. Though the official language is Spanish, it is not universally understood among the indigenous population.
HISTORY
The Mayan civilization flourished throughout much of Guatemala and the surrounding region long before the Spanish arrived, but it was already in decline when the Mayans were defeated by Pedro de Alvarado in 1523-24. The first colonial capital, Ciudad Vieja, was ruined by floods and an earthquake in 1542. Survivors founded Antigua, the second capital, in 1543. Antigua was destroyed by two earthquakes in 1773. The remnants of its Spanish colonial architecture have been preserved as a national monument. The third capital, Guatemala City, was founded in 1776.
Guatemala gained independence from Spain on September 15, 1821; it briefly became part of the Mexican Empire, and then for a period belonged to a federation called the United Provinces of Central America. From the mid-19th century until the mid-1980s, the country passed through a series of dictatorships, insurgencies (particularly beginning in the 1960s), coups, and stretches of military rule with only occasional periods of representative government.
GUATEMALAN EMBASSY AND CONSULATES IN THE US
The Guatemalan embassy is is located at 2220 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-745-4952; email: INFO@Guatemala-Embassy.org
Consulates are in Washington, New York, Miami, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Denver, and Los Angeles, and honorary consuls in Montgomery, San Diego, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, Leavenworth, Lafayette, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Juan, Providence, Memphis, San Antonio, and Seattle. Visit http://www.guatemala-embassy.org
See the State Department Web page: http://www.state.gov
The distribution of income and wealth remains highly skewed. The wealthiest 10% of the population receives almost one-half of all income; the top 20% receives two-thirds of all income. As a result, about 80% of the population lives in poverty, and two-thirds of that number--or 7.6 million people--live in extreme poverty. Guatemala's social development indicators, such as infant mortality and illiteracy, are among the worst in the hemisphere. Chronic malnutrition among the rural poor worsened with the onset of the crisis in coffee prices, and the United States has provided disaster assistance and food aid in response.
UNITED STATES EMBASSY IN GUATEMALA
Contact Information:
http://guatemala.usembassy.gov
U.S. Embassy in Guatemala is located at Avenida la Reforma 7-01, Zone 10, Guatemala City (tel. [502] 2326-4000; fax [502] 2334-8477).
About: Dominican Republic (NEW!)
Flag of the Dominican Republic
The national Flag of the Dominican Republic has a centered white cross that extends to the edges. It divides the flag blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the center of the cross. This emblem is similar to the flag design and shows a bible, a cross of gold and 6 Dominican flags. There are branches of olive and palm around the shield and above on the ribbon is the motto "Dios, Patria, Libertad" ("God, Country, Freedom") and to aimble freedom. The blue is said to stand for liberty, red for the fire and blood of the independence struggle and the white cross is another ribbon bearing the name of the country "Republica Dominicana".
WHY CONSIDER ADOPTION FROM DOMINICAN REPUBLIC?
- Very affordable total adoption fees
- Stable country and system
- Generally healthy children
- Experienced attorneys navigate the Dominican side of the adoption
- Streamlined process is considerably reliable
- Medical and photo updates throughout the process
- Proximity to US cuts on travel time and costs
- Affordable and nice hotel accomodations and food
- Ancient, wonderful and rich culture to explore and share with your children as they grow
- Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States!
Country Details
The island of Hispaniola, the second largest island in the Caribbean, contains two separate countries; the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Columbus claimed Hispaniola in 1492, and it later became the major launching base for the Spanish conquest of the Caribbean, as well as the American mainland.
Subsequently, disease and slavery were introduced by the Spanish conquistadors, and the indigenous Arawak peoples were destroyed.
In the 17th Century, with the Spanish in control, the French established a colony on the island. The Spanish later ceded the western third of Hispaniola in 1697, which in 1804 became known as Haiti.
The remainder of the island, then known as Santo Domingo, declared its independence in 1821, however, it was immediately occupied by Haiti. It finally gained total independence in 1844, and became the Dominican Republic.
Ruled by a series of dictators for the next 134 years, democracy was finally introduced in 1978. Today this beautiful island of gregarious people and stunning scenery is a popular Caribbean destination, as unlike its neighbor to the west, the country's economy is one of the fasting growing in the western hemisphere.
Quick Facts and Figures
Official Name: Dominican Republic
Population 9,219,800
Capital City Santo Domingo (2.25 million)
Languages Spanish (official)
Flag and description here
Official Currency Dominican Peso
Currency Converter here
Religions Catholic (95%)
Highest Pt. Pico Duarte, 10,417 ft. (3,175 m)
Landforms: The Dominican Republic, occupying the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, is mountainous in the central and west, while extensive lowlands dominate the east.
The rugged Cordillera Central (mountains) include Pico Duarte, the country's highest point, and the highest point in the Caribbean. Several peaks here exceed 5,000 ft. Lesser ranges cover the northern coastlines, and the southwestern border areas with Haiti.
Compared to the tropical conditions in the west, the lowlands of the southeast are exceptionally dry, with very little usable plant growth.
Lake Enriquillo, on the southwestern border, is the largest lake, while the largest rivers include the Yaque del Norte and Yuna. Dozens of smaller rivers and streams run from the mountains to the sea.
THE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE:
The Dominican Republic's geo-strategic location links the United States to the Caribbean and South America. Although its economy is one of the fastest-growing in the region, 30% of its citizens live below the poverty line. The Dominican Republic shares a long border with Haiti, one of the poorest, least developed and least stable countries in the Americas. Large numbers of poor, illegal Haitian immigrants add to the Dominican poverty burden.
Poverty Profile:
About one in five Dominicans was estimated to live in poverty and almost one in ten in extreme poverty in 1992. Poverty in the Dominican Republic, especially extreme poverty, is more serious in rural areas. In 1992, rural poverty was almost three times urban poverty, and rural extreme poverty almost twice the level in urban areas. Poverty and extreme poverty tend to be deeper and more severe in rural areas, as measured by the poverty gap index and the FGT P2 index.
The evolution of poverty over the 1986-92 period mirrored the country's economic performance. In 1986, 18.3 percent of Dominicans lived in poverty, with 10.5 percent in extreme poverty. Poverty and extreme poverty worsened as economic growth slowed and inflation took off. Poverty and extreme poverty increased by around one third between 1986 and 1989. As inflation abated and growth recovered, poverty in 1993 fell to levels close to those in 1986. The only exception was rural poverty, which showed a rising trend over the period, increasing from 24.5 percent in 1986 to 29.8 percent in 1992.
Since on average, the poor have more children per family than the rich, the number of children (under 12) living in poverty and extreme poverty is higher than that of the total population. In 1992, more than one in four children lived in poverty and more than one in ten lived in extreme poverty. Chronic malnutrition (measured as growth stunting) affected almost one in five Dominican pre-school children and was more severe in rural areas. Almost 6 percent of children suffered from severe malnutrition. Chronic caloric deficiency affected 9 percent of mothers. Poverty and extreme poverty are more likely to occur in female-headed households, especially in rural areas. Over the period 1986-92, however, female-headed households seem to have made more progress than male-headed ones in reducing poverty and extreme poverty. A possible explanation for this may relate to the high participation rate of female labor in the dynamic free trade zone sector and, possibly, in tourism. Employment in the free trade zones increased from less than 1,000 in 1970 to 165,000 in 1993.
Inequality is relatively high in the Dominican Republic as reflected by a Gini coefficient of 0.49 in 1992. The richest 20 percent of the population received about 57 percent of total income in 1992, while the poorest 20 percent received only 4.4 percent. The share of income received by the extreme rich and extreme poor increased during the 1986-92 period, but the share of the poor increased by a somewhat higher proportion. Middle-income groups seem to have been the losers. The Gini coefficient deteriorated markedly in 1989 but improved substantially in 1992.
DOMINICAN ADOPTION AUTHORITY
Consejo Nacional para la Niñez y la Adolescencia (CONANI), the Dominican child welfare agency, is the country’s adoption authority
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PROSPECTIVE PARENTS
For intercountry adoption, Dominican law permits only heterosexual couples who have been married for five years or more to adopt a Dominican child. The prospective adoptive parents must be between 30 and 60 years old and at least 15 years older than the child they wish to adopt. Singles and unmarried couples are no longer permitted to adopt from the Dominican Republic.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
One prospective adoptive parent must meet specific residency requirements. If the child is under 12, the parent must reside with the child in the Dominican Republic for 60 days; for children 12 and over, the parent must reside with the child for 30 days.
TIME FRAME
Many variables can influence the total time it takes to complete the international adoption of a Dominican child. In general, however, if the adoptive parents work to fulfill both the U.S. and the Dominican requirements simultaneously, an adoption can be completed within nine to ten months after the application is made in the Dominican Republic. The October 2004 entry into force of Dominican Law 136-03 changed many of the regulations and procedures regarding international adoption. Please refer to the eligibility and residency requirements listed below for further information.
The Dominican authorities will not allow a child to exit the country until the adoption is completed under Dominican law. For this reason, U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo’s Immigrant Visa (IV) Unit does not process immigrant visas in the IR-4 (“Orphan to be adopted in the United States by a U.S. citizen”) category. Depending on the circumstances of the adoption, the IV Unit issues adopted children visas in the IR-2 (“Child of a U.S. citizen”) or IR-3 (“Orphan adopted abroad by a U.S. citizen”) category.
EMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO’S IMMIGRANT VISA UNIT
Contact information for U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo’s Immigrant Visa Unit:
Embajada de los Estados Unidos de América
César Nicolás Penson 85A esq. Leopoldo Navarro
Apartado Postal 11302;Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
Phone: +18092712171
SANTO DOMINGO USCIS SUB OFFICE
Contact information for the Santo Domingo USCIS Sub Office:
Mailing address from the United States
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
American Embassy – Santo Domingo
APO AA 34041-5542
TRAVEL INFORMATION- ANY COUNTRY!
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web site
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index
They give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800. Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency and customs regulations, legal holidays, and other items of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your departure from a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S.