Guatemala Investigators

Clients include individuals, law firms, small businesses, large corporations, insurance companies and non-governmental agencies.

Yes. They emphasise discretion, confidentiality and ethical conduct in all assignments.

You contact the Guatemala team for a free consultation. They gather your information, propose a tailored plan and then begin the investigation.

Yes, they offer international investigative services via a global network, enabling cross-border cases.

Yes, private investigation is legal in Guatemala, but it is strictly regulated. Private investigation agencies often operate under the framework of the Law Regulating Private Security Services (Decree 52-2010). This law requires agencies to be licensed by the General Directorate of Private Security Services (DIGESSP). It is critical to hire an agency that complies with these regulations to ensure that any evidence collected is admissible in court.

No. Under Article 24 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala, the secrecy of correspondence and telephone communications is inviolable. Wiretapping or intercepting private communications without a specific judicial order (which is only granted to the Public Ministry for criminal cases) is a felony. Any evidence obtained through illegal wiretapping will be inadmissible in court and can expose the client to criminal liability.

No, Guatemala is not a signatory to the Hague Service Convention. This means that the simplified “Service by Central Authority” process used in many other countries does not apply here.

Formal Method: You must use Letters Rogatory, which are routed through diplomatic channels. This process is legally robust but can take 6–12 months.

Informal Method: Many US and European attorneys utilize our Private Process Service. We deliver the documents personally to the subject. While faster (often 3–7 days), you must confirm with your local court if they accept this method of service for a non-Hague country.

Guatemala’s Law on Access to Public Information (Decree 57-2008) guarantees access to public government records. However, this does not grant access to private bank accounts or tax records, which are protected by banking secrecy laws (Secreto Bancario).

We CAN access: Civil litigation history, property registry deeds (Registro General de la Propiedad), commercial registry filings (Registro Mercantil), and public criminal court records.

We CANNOT access: Private bank balances, credit card statements, or medical records without the subject’s consent.

We search the General Property Registry for real estate holdings, the Commercial Registry for corporate shareholdings and directorships, and vehicle registration databases. This allows us to build a financial profile of a subject legally and ethically.