What sort of information will I know about the child I am offered?
At a minimum, you will receive photographs of the child you are considering, together with a copy of the child's birth certificate, birth mother's identification document, physician's medical report in English, and laboratory test results.
 

How long is the wait for the referral of a child?
Although For This Child does not currently have a waiting list for the referral of healthy newborn infants, this can change from month to month. We have found that adopting parents who are open to either a baby boy or a baby girl assure themselves a quick referral in our Guatemalan adoption program. You are eligible to receive a referral after your dossier is completed.
 

What sort of information will I receive during the adoption process?
This is a very important question. In addition to keeping you up to date on the legal status of your case, For This Child provides all in process parents with a minimum of twice-monthly updates and photographs.  In addition to new photographs of your child with each update, you will also receive a medical progress report and photographs of your child's foster family, as well as information about your child's day to day life with the foster family.  As an added bonus, you will periodically receive reports with photographs from our foster mother manager in which she will report her findings during surprise visits to each foster mother's home.
 

How frequently will someone from the agency visit my baby in Guatemala?
Our U.S. Director travels from Texas to Guatemala regularly and our Guatemala director is in Guatemala full time, overseeing each of our adoption cases, communicating with your child's attorney and foster family, and looking after the details of your adoption on the Guatemala side.  In addition to being present at many of the adoption milestones (like the DNA appointment) someone from the agency will see your baby frequently, no less than twice a month, but often times more. 
 

Why are your fees a bit more than some other agencies I have considered?
The focus of FTC is service and communication at an exceptional level.  Providing these services to our clients is expensive for the Agency.  We keep our fees as low as possible while still providing a very high level of services. 
 

What extra services does FTC provide?
We provide services to our adopting parents that we think are unique.  Read more about those services here.
 

Are only young babies available?
It is more common that people wish to adopt newborn babies. However, toddlers, and sibling groups are occasionally available and in need of families.

Can I visit my child in Guatemala?
Yes - please do! One of the wonderful things about adopting from Guatemala is the country's proximity to the United States and the ease of traveling back and forth. Both For This Child and our attorneys encourage families to travel to Guatemala and spend time with their children. During your visit, your child will stay with you at all times. Visit families stay in Guatemala City.
 

What is "paper ready?"
A family is deemed paper ready when they have their complete dossier, including home-study and 171H. It is at this time when you will be presented with your child referral.
 

What is a 171H?
A 171H is simply a letter from USCIS stating that you have been approved to adopt from the Country you specified on your I-600A. You will receive this after you have sent USCIS the I-600A and your home-study and after you have been fingerprinted.
 

Why will I be fingerprinted?
Every adult living in your household must be fingerprinted by USCIS. These fingerprints will be sent to the FBI and a report of any criminal activity associated with each set of fingerprints will be sent to USCIS for use in considering your I-600A application. Having a criminal history will not necessarily disqualify you from adopting, but not disclosing that criminal history in your home-study might.
 

I'm just getting started. How long will it take me to be paper ready?
Every family is different. There are many variables, including the work load of the social worker you choose to do your home-study (so keep this in mind when choosing someone). The fastest we have seen someone become paper ready is two weeks! A realistic timeframe is 3 months or anywhere in between.
 

May I adopt more than one child at the same time?
Families may adopt one child, two or more related children, or unrelated children at the same time.  We have placed many "twins" who are not biologically related.
 

I'm single. Can I adopt?
Yes. Although single parents do tend to undergo a bit more scrutiny than married couples, Guatemala does allow both singles and married couples to adopt.  Although it is our sole desire to place orphaned children in any loving, nurturing home, there are special considerations to take into account for single men.  If you are a single male, please contact us to discuss whether or not the Guatemala adoption program is right for you.
 

I'm over 40. Can I adopt an infant?
Yes. Guatemala does not have an upper age limit.
 

I already have biological children. Can I adopt?
Yes. Guatemala does not place restrictions on number of children already in the home.
 

How long will the Guatemala adoption process take?
You can be assured that when we were selecting our attorneys, efficiency was one of our top concerns.  There are no guarantees in any international adoption, but we have found that our attorneys tend to finish their cases faster than the Guatemalan average. 
 

How long will I be required to stay in Guatemala when I pick up my child?
Parents who wish to limit their travel time may make a very quick trip.  For This Child recommends that you allow one day for travel, one day for the Embassy appointment, one day to pick up the visa, and one day to travel home. 
 

I cannot travel. Can my child be escorted to the United States?
While For This Child believes that it is best for a family to travel to Guatemala and bring their child home, we understand that some families have special circumstances. In cases where parents are unable to travel, For This Child will escort your child to the United States in exchange for travel expenses and a modest additional fee.
 

Adoption is expensive, how can I afford it?
Many parents do get very creative when financing their adoption. We encourage you to look into whether you qualify for the $10,600.00 federal tax adoption credit (many families do).  Many states also offer an adoption credit and more and more employers offer cash adoption benefits.