Shiloh Adoptions | Countries

Countries | Guatemala | Map

At this time Shiloh is not accepting any new applications for Guatemala.

Guatemala is a wonderful place to adopt from! It is a country filled with a warm and gracious people, lush jungles, beautiful beaches and active volcanoes. It is rich in history and tradition, and much of the native culture is still flourishing today. Shiloh Adoptions works with Diaz, Duran and Associados; a licensed international law firm in Guatemala. These adoption attorneys have an excellent reputation and extensive experience with Guatemalan adoptions. We are in daily contact with their office and work diligently with them to oversee your adoption process to completion.

Children Available
The children available from Guatemala range in age from infants to about 14 years of age, however it is rare to receive a referral of a child over the age of 5. If an older child is desired we will notify the attorneys, but the wait may lengthen.

Typically referrals for boys are received quickly, but there may be a wait for the referral of a girl. We have not had a family wait more than 2 months for a referral in the history of the program. Families may adopt more than one child at a time with an approved home study.

Requirements for Adopting Parents
Guatemala is very lenient with their requirements for adoptive parents. It is often a good choice for families that don't fit neatly into another program. There are no income requirements or family size limitations. Prior divorce is acceptable.

Married couples
Single men and women may apply. Single men are only allowed to adopt a male child

Travel/Time Commitment
Although travel to Guatemala is not required to complete an adoption, we strongly encourage both parents to make at least one trip during the process. The timing of the first trip will determine what type of visa the child/children travel on, and re-adoption may be required. Most families make 2 trips to Guatemala during the adoption process; once at the beginning, and then the final trip to bring the child home. The length of the first trip is at your discretion, and you may have your child in your custody during the duration of your stay. During the final trip at least 3-5 days will be necessary to complete the visa process. The travel is light compared to other countries as Guatemala City is only about 2 hours outside of Houston Texas, and is on the Central Time Zone. There is virtually no jet lag from the continental US!

You may make additional visits as desired, and some families have even chosen to remain in country and act as a foster family during the entire adoption process.

Should you choose not to travel, an escort is available to bring your child to the U.S. after the adoption is finalized. The adoptive parents will be responsible for fees related to escorting your child home.

Adoption Expenses

Application fee: $200 (non-refundable)
Shiloh Service Fee: $5,500
Guatemala Foreign Fees: $19,000 - $22,000 The foreign fees includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- In-country adoptions cost
- Legal council fees
- Filing fees
- Court costs
- Well-baby medical care
- The first six months of foster care at $450 per month. Should your case take longer than 6 months from acceptance of referral to homecoming, you will be responsible for foster care fees.
USCIS I600-A processing fee: $670
USCIS fingerprinting is required for all persons aged 18 or over living in the home: $80 each
US Visa fee $380 for each child
DNA testing when applicable: $470
Medical insurance is available for an additional $450 for 6 months coverage. If you do not have medical insurance on your child, you will be liable for all medical expenses should your child become sick and/or hospitalized.
All necessary vaccinations are included with the exception of the Roto virus which is available for an additional $80
Passport (if you do not already have one issued to you)
- Age 16 and older: the passport application fee is $67 and the execution fee is $30. The total is $97 per person.
- Under age 16: the passport application fee is $52 and the execution fee is $30. The total is $82 per person.

Additional Expenses
The following expenses will vary by state, season, number of documents, etc... We have included some "estimates" for you which include, but are not limited to, the following:

Estimated Home Study fees: varies by state from $1,000-$3,000
Secretary of State Authentication fees (vary) $230-$460 (estimated) depending on the state, based on an avg. of 23 documents.
Guatemala Consulate Authentications-Estimated $230 based on 23 documents average.
Document delivery fees (USPS, Fed Ex, DHL, etc.) This will vary based on how many states you have documents from etc. You should expect your shipping costs to be estimated between $200 and $500 on average.
Estimated Airfare each visit trip, or Pick up trip: $1,400 - $2,000 coach class, for 2 adults (rates vary)
Estimated Hotel: $80- $120 per day avg. 3-5 days for pick up trips. Visit trips could be shorter or longer stays. Breakfast is usually included for 2 adults. (Rates vary)
Estimated Meals: $20-$50 per day for 2 adults
Spending money is not included
Estimated Escort fees if applicable: $750 plus actual expenses
Post placement reports-minimum of 3 completed at 1 month, 6 month and 12 months per Kansas regulations set forth by KDHE Estimated $200 for each report (varies by state)

Estimated total adoption expenses for a Guatemala Adoption including all adoption fees: ~$32,000.

Program Director
Teri Williams
(785)273-7770
teri@shilohadoptions.org

Addendum
The Guatemala Foreign fee is split into 3 payments: $10,000-12,000 due at time of referral, half of remaining fees due upon receipt of DNA results, final amount due approximately 3 weeks before pick up/escort of your child.

Please keep in mind our estimated total adoption fees are only estimates and cannot be guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding as actual fees may vary according to circumstances pertinent to each individual adoption.

Fees and program overviews are subject to change at any time. Please contact our office or program director for accuracy of information.