Thanks for the update. Does anyone know where this statement was initially posted(DOS website, USCIS website, etc.)?

This is why everyone's PAs were taking so long, in my opinion. These people and any agencies who used any of them were being given the "extra scrutiny," whether the agencies knew what these folks were up to or not.

I am personally glad they have released this list. At least now everyone knows what needs to be done.

Wendy

Kristen,

The Embassy sends notices out to adoption agencies, not publically. I can assure with 100% certainty that this is accurate. Guatadopt does not post information thats accuracy is in question.

Kevin
Guatadopt

You can email the Embassy yourself and get a list of banned people. I did at one point when there was a question of whether our lawyer was banned by PGN. They couldn't tell me that but they could and did tell me who they had banned.

In response to Wendy- if that is the case then will PA's speed up? I am just beginning the wait and hope it doesn't take forever! Thanks. CC

I still don't get Why the US Embassy in Guatemala, accepted to authorize adoption cases from Ms. Bonn, 'cause, everybody knew "she was not authorized to work adoptions". She had no agency, since many years ago. Is it, that maybe, the US Embassy could do somethingh at the beginning, but didn't, and now, these folks are in trouble because of lack of investigation?

Kevin,
We are prospective adoptive parents for Guatemala but are hearing differing things in terms of the program's future and the risks involved. What's your gut feeling? Should we hold off for now and see what the summer and fall bring in terms of the Hague Convention issues? Or should we move forward?
Ash

we were part of the embassy investigations recently and have spent the last 33 days in guatemala.
we are happy to say that the embassy issued pink and we had our appt. today!!!
we had to each send letters to the embassy stating we no longer has a business relationship with one of the above mentioned folks and even our agency.
we are excited to come home and all of the delays were a blessing in diguise.
we were able to see so much of our daughter's country while we waited things out and my spanish improved 100%
AH

CC, this is just my opinion, and as such is worth the paper it's written on--but comparing the announcment of the "banned list" with the timing of a flood of PAs posted on Guatemala forums, I just thought there was a connection. I think they had people they suspected, and they scrutinized those cases, came up with a final "banned" list and then cleared a bunch of cases through once they realized the "banned" people had not done anything with these particular cases. Just guessing.

I sure hope this speeds up PAs 'cause I'm waiting on mine too, although I just began my wait.
Wendy

I hope this means that PGN will be moving quicker. We have been in since the end of Jan and have not heard anything. Our son just turned 9 months old. We made arrangements to go down for mothers day but are hoping we get the call before then. I hope we all get our children home soon.

Victoria

Ash - I ma not able to give advice on what anyone should do. That's toomuch responsibility for someone without a crystal ball. Guatadaopt issuing its warning and that it he best I can do. And ultimately families need to read as much as they can, think deep into their situation, and make the best decision for them.

Victoria - the US banning some people would have nothig to do with PGN.

To all, I am reading some thigns here and there implying that because of this notice that now things will go "back to normal" at the embassy. While it is true that some cases which were held up because of ties with mary Bonn are being released, I do not believe that thismeans the investigation is done or that families are "over the hump". There will continue to be additional scrutiny placed on cases and the DOS FAQ has not changed. Everyone should anticipate longer processing times for PAs and Pink Slips. As a rpud father of two wonderful Guatemalan children - it's worth any wait. But I don't want folks to think that just because a few people got banned, some of whom were not even adoption service providers, that it means all is hunky dory.

Kevin
Guatadopt

We are now at 52 days waiting for our PA. We were told that the Embassy usually runs at 30 days, but now with the influx they are running at 45 days. Has anyone been approved recently, and how long was your wait? We are so eager to move on to the PGN. The wait, combined with having no control over this issue is grueling! MP :-)

MP- someone at my agency was just approved after a 62 day wait. We are hoping things speed up some, I realize there will still be scrutiny but hope with less adoption servicers it will speed back up to more like the 45 day range. We are praying for everyone as we are waiting for PA too. CC

Concerning timeline for pre-approvals: I was under the impression that the US embassy was causing the delay on mine. Turned out that Lab Corp hadn't sent the lab results to the embassy. It actually took Lab Corp a very very long time to send the results to the embassy. You can ask the embassy status on your case. Now here is another tricky part. When I asked for status, the embassy correctly said, that they hadn't received my dna results. When we went back to Lab corp the said they had sent them, when in fact they hadn't. The problem is that they send these so called batches of results to the embassy, and it may look like your results are in that batch when in fact they aren't. I'll look for the email from the embassy and I'll post it. Anyway, the embassy gave me preapproval within just a few days after they received my results.

You can get status on your visa preapproval by sending an email to Guatemala.Adoptions@dhs.gov. Include your name, the name of the biological mother and the name of the child.

Ms. Lopes from the embassy responded to my first email saying that they hadn’t received the DNA results. I went back to my agency and they said the result had been sent on a certain date and gave the name of a person at the embassy who had signed for the package.

I sent the embassy another email relaying what my agency told me concerning the date my results were supposed to have been received and the name of the person at the embassy that signed for it. The embassy responded to this second email with the following:

Ms. Lopez is correct, we have not yet received your DNA results. We understand that the lab told you that the package they sent on that date was received and it was, what they don't tell you is that that package contains DNA results in BULK nor do they guarantee that your results are included in that package. Unfortunatelly your results were not included in that package. Please have the Lab send us your results.

Comment for MP: If you log onto this website's Forum, there are many, many threads and discussions regarding PAs and how to expedite your request for PA.
Marie, Guatadopt

You are not alone! We are now at 62 days waiting for the Pre-Approval from the Embassy. We did contact them but only received the standard form letter back indicating that we are 'in process.' We are very eager to move forward and bring our boy home. It's extremely frustrating at this point knowing that PGN is the next step and then we will need to continue to wait.

There is hope. I received a call last night that we are finally out of PGN. :-) We have been in there since the end of January. Hoping that its not to long to receive are pink and bring our son home. My prayers are with us all.

Victoria

Pre-Approvals are running 8 weeks or more now. The normal used to be 4 weeks. We submitted on 2/28 and just got ours on 4/26.

Marie, How do you log into this web site forum? Thanks, Ann

For Victoria,

Congratulations!! Since I read your comment I have been praying for you. This is great news and it does give me hope. I am three weeks into the great PA wait. Take care, I hope you bring your son home soon.

I too have been waiting a long time for PA from the Embassy. Does anyone have an email address for me to try to find out what our status is? I'd hate to think they were still awaiting our DNA results. Thanks!

I finally got my PA! i have been waiting since March 31!!! Though it's moving slowly, it still is moving.

We finally got our PA last week after a 65 day wait. When inquiring as to our status I was told that the Embassy does not have to answer us or the agency, but they do HAVE TO answer a congressional liason. I ended up calling my local congressman who phoned the Embassy the same day and left a message. We got our approval 3 days later. Coincidence? Maybe. But I'd like to think it helped us get our PA a little sooner.

Once in PGN...is there anyway to find out what the status of your case is?

We are waiting for the DNA letter from AMERCON, but nothing is happening. Does anyone know how I could get more info on this?

Thanks!