FROM JCICS: CA UPDATE

February 14, 2008

The Guatemala National Council for Adoptions ended the registration period for transition adoption cases on February 12, 2008. We are very pleased to report, that close to 3,000 cases were registered under the ‘new’ system. It is also our understanding that the 3,000 registrations include virtually all of the adoptions initiated under the Notarial system.

Joint Council has been informed that an individual adoption case is considered registered provided the aviso filed with the National Council for Adoptions (CNA), has been stamped (with a number) and signed. The CNA is currently developing a database of all registered cases. Once completed, the CNA will provide the database to PGN. It is our understanding that PGN will begin processing cases upon their receipt of the CNA database.

We also have information that approximately 100 cases were not registered with the CNA, according to the revised registration process. The lack of registration for these cases may preclude the completion of these specific adoptions. Any adoption service provider or adoptive parent who did not register their case(s) with the new CNA should contact their Guatemalan attorney immediately.