Guatemalan passport in the US: requirements, renewal and appointment

Who can get a Guatemalan passport in the United States?

Any Guatemalan citizen, whatever their immigration status in the United States. The consulate does not ask whether you have papers: what it needs to establish is that you are Guatemalan and that you are who you say you are. You can apply if you are in any of these situations:

• Guatemalan adults living in the US, whether this is a first passport or a renewal.
• Guatemalan minors, accompanied by their parents or legal guardian.
• Children of Guatemalans born in the US, provided their birth is already entered in the Guatemalan civil registry. If it is not, that is the first step: see the guide to registering a birth.

A Guatemalan passport neither helps nor harms your immigration status in the United States: it is an identity and travel document issued by Guatemala. For any US immigration matter you need a lawyer, not the consulate.

Requirements and the documents they will ask for

The exact documents can vary from one consulate to another, so it is worth confirming when you book. In general terms, this is what is asked for:

Always check the current list at portal.minex.gob.gt or by calling your consulate: requirements change without notice, and one missing document means coming back another day.

How to book the appointment for a passport

The appointment is required and free. Without one, the consulate cannot guarantee you will be seen.

Nobody can get you an earlier appointment for money. If a website or a person charges to "speed up" the process, they are an unofficial middleman: booking on the MINEX portal is free.

Step by step on the day of your appointment

1. Arrive early, 15 to 30 minutes ahead. Most consulates close to the public at 3:00 pm and do not see people after that.
2. Show your appointment confirmation and your documents at the counter.
3. Details check. They verify your identity and that your details match RENAP's records. This is where problems appear if your name is spelled differently on two documents.
4. Biometrics. Photograph, signature and fingerprints, depending on the office.
5. Payment of the fee in whichever form the consulate accepts.
6. Collection receipt. They tell you how and when to collect the passport. Keep that slip: it is what you will be asked for.

How long the Guatemalan passport lasts

Bear in mind that many countries require a passport to have at least six months of validity on the day you enter. If you only have a few months left and plan to travel, renew it first.

Renewal and expired passports

Renewing is the same procedure as a first application, with one difference: you bring the previous passport. There is no fine for renewing late, so if yours expired years ago, the process is exactly the same.

There are two situations worth sorting out before you book:

• Your DPI has expired. Start with the DPI guide, since that is the document used to prove your identity.
• Your details do not match across your passport, DPI and birth certificate (an extra surname, an accent, a different date). That is corrected at the RENAP civil registry, and it is better done before applying for the passport.

A child's passport

This is the case that most often gets stuck, almost always for the same reason: one parent is missing. The general rule is that both must attend, with their identity documents, alongside the child.

If one cannot come —because they are in Guatemala, because they work far away, or because there is no contact— the usual solution is a power of attorney in which they expressly authorise the other to handle it. It can be granted before a notary in Guatemala or at the Guatemalan consulate nearest the absent parent. We explain it in the guide to powers of attorney.

Besides the power of attorney, prepare the child's birth certificate and, if the parents are married, the marriage certificate. If the child was born in the United States, their birth must first be entered in the Guatemalan civil registry: see the guide to registering a birth.

If you lost your passport or it was stolen

Do it in this order:

1. Report the loss or theft to the local police if it was stolen. The report serves as backup.
2. Call your consulate and explain, especially if you have a trip coming up.
3. Prepare a declaration of loss —the consulate tells you the format— a recent photograph, your DPI or birth certificate and proof of address in the US.
4. Book an appointment for a new passport. If the trip is imminent, ask about the emergency travel document.

Always keep a digital copy of your passport and your DPI. With a photo of the data pages on your phone, any of these procedures goes much faster.

Cost and delivery times

The amounts are set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and can be updated. Confirm them at portal.minex.gob.gt or with your consulate before paying.

Mistakes that waste an appointment

• Turning up without the appointment confirmation.
• Arriving with an expired DPI without telling the consulate beforehand.
• Going to the wrong consulate. Each office covers certain states; check yours in the list of consulates.
• Coming with only one parent for a child's application, without a power of attorney.
• Arriving after 3:00 pm, when the counter has closed.
• Bringing payment in a form the office does not accept. Ask first whether it is cash, money order or both.

Frequently asked questions about the Guatemalan passport