This page is general information, not legal advice. It summarizes the US State Department’s own instructions for the Guatemala City post. Your appointment letter and the post’s page govern your case. For your own situation, use a licensed US immigration attorney.
Status update (checked September 23, 2026): The 75-country pause on immigrant visa issuance that included Guatemala has been vacated by a federal court. The State Department notice now reads: “As of August 21, 2026, in accordance with the Court’s order in CLINIC et al. v. Rubio, et al., the January 2026 pause of immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries is no longer in effect.” The government has appealed and has asked for a stay. The court set a response deadline of September 25, 2026, so the situation can change. Full status below.
This is the practical side of the family-based green card process for a relative in Guatemala: what happens after the National Visa Center (NVC) schedules the interview at the US Embassy in Guatemala City. The State Department publishes post-specific instructions for Guatemala City. The details below come from that page, checked September 23, 2026.
Before the interview
The post’s instructions cover:
- Register your appointment online. “Registering your appointment provides us with the information we need to return your passport to you after your interview.”
- Get the medical exam in Guatemala City. “As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam in Guatemala City.”
- The pre-interview checklist (below).
- The interview guidelines (below).
The medical exam: only the embassy’s panel physicians
“All immigrant visa applicants, regardless of age, require a medical examination prior to the issuance of a visa.” And: “Only a physician accredited by the U.S. Embassy can perform this exam.” Results from any other doctor are refused: “Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.”
Approved physicians listed for Guatemala City (September 23, 2026)
| Physician | Address listed |
|---|---|
| Dr. Thomas Bunge | 12 Calle 1-25, Zona 10, Torre Norte Oficina 402, Edificio Géminis 10 |
| Dr. Jorge Mario Figueroa | 12 Calle 1-25, Zona 10, Torre Norte Oficina 402, Edificio Géminis 10 |
| Dr. Sydney Hagen | 12 Calle 1-25, Zona 10, Torre Norte Oficina 402, Edificio Géminis 10 |
| Dra. Saskia Bunge | 12 Calle 1-25, Zona 10, Torre Norte Oficina 402, Edificio Géminis 10 |
| Dra. Iris Cazali | 4 Ave. 3-04, Zona 10 |
| Dr. Diego Erdmenger | 4 Ave. 3-04, Zona 10 |
Phone numbers and hours are on the State Department page linked below. Take them from there, because panel lists change.
What the exam involves
- “The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, and chest X-ray and blood tests (for applicants 15 years of age or older).”
- “Starting October 1, 2024, the United States also requires IGRA test for all applicants 2 years and older.”
- Fees go to the doctor: “You must pay all medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, directly to the examining physician.”
Bring to the exam: your appointment letter showing your GTM case number, your passport, one recent color passport photo, your immunization records and current prescriptions, relevant medical history, any police and court records about criminal charges, and your DS-260 confirmation page.
After the exam
The page says in capitals: “IF GIVEN AN ENVELOPE TO CARRY TO YOUR INTERVIEW, DO NOT OPEN THIS ENVELOPE.” Keep your X-rays. You do not bring them to the interview, but you must carry them on your first trip to the US.
Two timing rules are easy to miss:
- “The medical report must be less than six (6) months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant.”
- “The expiration of your medical exam will be the expiration date of your visa.”
The Guatemala police certificate: it is the Ministerio Público
This is the Guatemala-specific trap. For applicants over 18, the checklist says the Antecedentes del Ministerio Publico “is the only police certificate/criminal history document from Guatemala that will be accepted”. The post page points to the Ministerio Público’s online antecedentes request and says: “Once issued, the document is valid for two years.”
Details from the State Department’s Guatemala civil-documents page:
- It is issued by the Ministerio Público and is listed as a free service.
- “Only applicants 18 years of age and older need to present this document.”
- The MP’s online system (listed as mpvirtual.mp.gob.gt) works only from inside Guatemala. Applicants abroad request it by email with a copy of their DPI. The post’s own checklist gives the address as consultasmp.mp.gob.gt.
- Court records are listed as unavailable, with the police certificate as the alternative.
Other countries count too: “You may also need to submit a police certificate from other countries in which you have lived for more than 12 months after the age of 16.” If anyone in the case has a conviction: “If you have ever been convicted of a crime: Court and criminal records along with one photocopy of each document.”
Pre-interview checklist (Guatemala City)
| Bring | Notes from the post’s checklist |
|---|---|
| Passport | “Unexpired passport valid for six months beyond your intended date of entry to the United States and a photocopy of the biographic page” |
| Photo | “One (1) color passport-size photographs of each person applying for a visa (5 cm x 5 cm, or 2-inch x 2-inch).” |
| DS-260 confirmation page | From ceac.state.gov |
| Birth certificate | Original; RENAP-issued (see below) |
| Medical results | Sealed envelope, if the doctor gave you one |
| Children’s birth certificates | “Original or certified copies of birth certificates for all children of the principal applicant (even if he or she is not accompanying).” |
| Family cases: sponsor’s financial papers | “The appropriate Form I-864 Affidavit of Support for each financial sponsor along with a copy of the sponsor’s most recent IRS tax transcript” |
| Family cases: petitioner’s status | Copy of US passport, naturalization certificate or green card |
| Family cases: relationship evidence | “such as photographs, letters, or emails” |
| MP antecedentes | If over 18 |
Language: “Any documents that are not in either English or Spanish must be accompanied by a certified English translation”. Spanish-language Guatemalan documents do not need translation for this post.
One conflict to know about: the State Department’s generic interview-prep page says you do not need to bring the affidavit of support or the financial evidence already sent to NVC. The Guatemala City checklist asks for the I-864 and the sponsor’s latest IRS transcript. Follow the post’s checklist. For the sponsor’s side, see our guide to the I-864 affidavit of support for a Guatemalan relative.
Birth certificates: RENAP, front and back
State’s Guatemala civil-documents page: “If you are the applicant, request birth certificates from RENAP (National Registry of Persons) and not from your city or town.” And: “Both the front and back pages of the document are required.” It also warns that late registrations are scrutinized: “Delayed birth registration may suggest fraud and should usually be supported with extra evidence.” Our RENAP birth certificate guide covers how to order one. Petitioners in the US can use birth certificate and apostille from the USA.
Interview logistics: two trips, two days
- “Applicants will need to travel to Guatemala City twice: for their medical exam and for the document review and interview.”
- “All applicants should plan to stay in Guatemala for a minimum of two to three business days for their interview”
- “All applicants will need to appear at the Embassy twice over the course of two business days.”
- “It is not possible to adjust or expedite this process to accommodate your travel plans.”
If your relative lives outside the capital, plan lodging in Guatemala City for those days.
Security: “Please do not bring your phone or plan to have someone hold your phone for you.”
Who can come in: “Attorneys are not permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or to their interview.” The petitioner, a parent or guardian of a minor, one interpreter, or one helper for an elderly, disabled or minor applicant may accompany.
Sending documents: “If you need to send us any documents, please DO NOT mail them to us directly.” The post page names the appointment portal (ais.usvisa-info.com).
Rescheduling: “There may be a significant wait before the next available appointment, so please attempt to attend the date already assigned.”
The embassy is at Boulevard Austriaco 11-51, Zona 16, Guatemala City.
Fees
| Fee | Amount | Paid to / when |
|---|---|---|
| Immigrant visa fee | $325 per applicant | US Embassy |
| Medical exam, X-ray, blood tests | Not reprinted here | Panel physician, directly |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee | $235 (fee schedule 09/09/26) | USCIS, owed by those issued immigrant visas overseas |
“All fees may be paid in U.S. dollars or the equivalent in Quetzales.” “We accept cash and Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.” “Please note that if you are found ineligible to receive a visa, the application fee cannot be refunded.”
On the USCIS fee: “All individuals who are issued immigrant visas overseas must pay an Immigrant Fee to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)”.
After the interview
- Approved: “If your visa is approved, your passport will remain at the U.S. Embassy while we print your visa.”
- Administrative processing: “Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days.” And: “Before inquiring about the status of administrative processing, please wait at least 60 days after your interview.”
Where the 75-country pause stands
From January 21, 2026 the State Department paused immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, including Guatemala. Interviews continued during that time. Here is what the court record and the State Department show as of September 23, 2026:
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2026 | Opinion and order in Catholic Legal Immigration Network v. Rubio, No. 1:26-cv-00858 (S.D.N.Y.) | Court docket |
| Aug 24, 2026 | Judgment vacates the policy and every refusal based solely on it | ECF 84 |
| Aug 28, 2026 | State updates its notice: pause no longer in effect | travel.state.gov |
| Sep 8, 2026 | State tells the court it rescheduled many IV appointments originally scheduled through September 2026, for a global training initiative | ECF 96 |
| Sep 10-15, 2026 | Government appeals; Second Circuit case 26-2573 opened | Court dockets |
| Sep 14, 2026 | Government asks the court to stay the judgment pending appeal | ECF 100 |
| Sep 23, 2026 | Court orders plaintiffs to respond to the stay motion by Sep 25, 2026 | ECF 106 |
The judgment reads: “This judgment shall set aside and vacate the Policy categorically suspending the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from the 75 designated countries as contrary to law and in excess of statutory authority.” It also vacates refusals based only on the pause and sends them back for new decisions.
If your relative was refused only because of the pause: State told the court “More than 43,000 immigrant-visa applications are subject to the Court’s vacatur and remand order.” It said cases are being identified and reconsidered on a rolling basis, and warned: “Some applicants may need to complete an updated medical examination or provide additional documentation, such as an updated police certificate.” It also said: “There is no fixed date by which reconsideration of all affected applications will be completed”. Watch for written instructions from the embassy.
Public charge is still reviewed. State told the court that officers now use “a public-charge worksheet that informs the officer’s assessment of public-charge inadmissibility under the totality of the circumstances”, deployed globally under guidance issued August 15, 2026, and applying to immigrant visa adjudications worldwide. Separately, State runs a pilot that “permits consular officers to require certain immigrant visa applicants to apply for a Public Charge Bond with USCIS.” The affidavit of support is the sponsor’s part of that picture.
If a stay is granted, the pause could return while the appeal runs. Check the State Department notice before each step. Our earlier explainer on the US immigrant visa pause and Guatemalans covers the original policy.
Official sources (checked September 23, 2026)
- US Department of State — U.S. Embassy Guatemala City, Guatemala - GTM (immigrant visa instructions)
- US Department of State — Guatemala reciprocity and civil documents
- US Department of State — Step 10: Prepare for the Interview
- US Department of State — Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of U.S. Public Benefits Reliance (last updated August 28, 2026)
- US Department of State — Public Charge Bonds for Immigrant Visa Applicants
- Court record — Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. v. Rubio, No. 1:26-cv-00858 (S.D.N.Y.)
- USCIS — Fee Schedule, Form G-1055 (edition 09/09/26)
More for Guatemalans in the United States: diaspora services hub · apostille US documents for Guatemala · grant a consular power of attorney
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the immigrant visa pause for Guatemalans still in effect?
Not as of September 23, 2026. The State Department notice now says that as of August 21, 2026, following a court order in CLINIC et al. v. Rubio, the January 2026 pause of immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries is no longer in effect. The government has appealed and asked the court to put the judgment on hold. No stay had been granted when we checked, but that could change. General information, not legal advice.
Where do I do the medical exam for a US immigrant visa in Guatemala?
Only with a physician accredited by the US Embassy, in Guatemala City. The State Department’s Guatemala City instructions list six approved physicians at two Zona 10 addresses, and say results from other doctors will not be accepted. You pay the doctor directly, including X-ray and blood test fees.
Which police certificate does the US Embassy in Guatemala accept?
For applicants over 18, the Guatemala City checklist says the Antecedentes del Ministerio Publico is the only police certificate or criminal history document from Guatemala that will be accepted, and that it is valid for two years once issued. You may also need police certificates from other countries where you lived more than 12 months after age 16.
How many times do I have to go to Guatemala City?
The embassy’s guidelines say applicants travel to Guatemala City twice, once for the medical exam and once for the document review and interview. Plan to stay at least two to three business days and appear at the embassy twice over two business days.
How much is the immigrant visa fee in Guatemala?
The Guatemala City instructions say the immigrant visa fee is $325 per applicant, payable in US dollars or the equivalent in quetzales, by cash, Visa, MasterCard or American Express. It is not refunded if you are found ineligible. After the visa is issued, USCIS charges a separate $235 Immigrant Fee (fee schedule edition 09/09/26).
Can my lawyer come into the interview?
No. The embassy’s guidelines say attorneys are not permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or the interview. The petitioner, a parent or guardian of a minor, one interpreter, or one helper for an elderly, disabled or minor applicant may accompany you.
