Guyana

This adoption program is open! Families and single females of all backgrounds are eligible to adopt.

Guyana is a small, hospitable country that is currently absorbed in the process of implementing new legislation and revamping their entire child welfare system. There are more than 800 children in orphanages, but many have not been cleared for adoption. Although the Adoption Board is accepting applications for adoption of orphanage children, it will take some time to fully develop the orphanage adoption program.

Who Can Be Adopted

- Children legally available for international adoption; usually between ages 1-5 ;

- Special needs and older children are always available;

- A relative.

Who Can Adopt

  • Prospective parents whose homestudy has been approved by their provincial Ministry;  (if you are a relative of the child you wish to adopt, please go to Relative Adoption.)
  • Married couples who have been married for 3 years; common law relationships are accepted where couples have been in a stable relationship for at least 5 years;
  • Single female parents allowed;   No same sex couples;
  • Age requirements: The maximum age gap between couples and the adoptive child is 40 years;  no upper age limit;
  • Prospective parents must not necessarily be of Guyanese origin or ethnicity;
  • Health must be good with no evidence of contagious or terminal disease.

How to Adopt

The initial steps you must undertake may be found on our How to Adopt page.

After the initial steps are completed, WVAA will arrange for a meeting with the Adoption Board in Guyana. Adoptive parents must travel to Guyana to receive a child proposal.  A total of 3 trips to Guyana are usually required.

According to the new adoption legislation, there is a probationary period of 3 months for orphanage adoptions. The Adoption Board has indicated that they would request the Court to waive probationary period for intercountry adoptions; however, until we have actually completed an adoption under the new legislation, adoptive parents should be prepared for at least one of the adoptive parents to remain in Guyana with the child for 3 months until the adoption is finalized in Guyana.