Since our main purpose for being in Guatemala was to finish adopting our daughter, a trip to the US Embassy was in order. Unless you have official business at the embassy, you are not going to get in; security is very tight, with lots of armed guards and metal detectors.
It's a bit intimidating entering, because you go in front of this huge line of Guatemalans, flash your passport and are escorted into security. Just like airport security, but in much smaller space. Feels like a cattle run. The security people are quick, efficient, and very mellow about the whole thing. Make sure you do not bring any electronic devices, such as cell phones, PDAs, cameras, or laptops, as they will not allow you in with them. As with any government building, no knives or guns are allowed; also, no keys are allowed. If you do bring any of these items you will need to leave them in a cubby--they will give you a claim tag (when you leave the embassy, you have to leave the secure area and go back to the chained-off area near where you entered to turn in your tag and retrieve your things).
In other words, bring just what you need and nothing else. The downside to bringing very little is that the embassy is very boring. We had to wait for about three hours to get our daughter's visa, and the only reading material in the waiting room was the instruction book for the 1040 tax form (not very interesting reading). They did let us bring in some crayons and a coloring book for our daughter, after searching the box of crayons.
The weird part is that, after security, they tell you to keep going, but where? It doesn't look like the pathway leads to anything. What happens is that it leads to an outside door that is INSIDE the compound. So you go through security, then outside and up some stairs to the second floor. Then you really get the governmental feel of it all.
The main waiting area is rows of chairs. Depending on what day and how many people are processing visas, you may go into an interview room, but most of the interviews are held at the windows in the lobby. There may or may not be a line of Guatemalans inside the same area (but different waiting area). The restrooms are in the area for the Guatemalans. The other waiting area is behind the rows of chairs. There is a sign with an arrow that says something like "American Services Only". Something about "Americans only" on it, at any rate.
On the whole, the embassy is just like being in any other federal government building back in the States. The staff was nice, they know their job well, and they all spoke English.
One thing to keep in mind is that the embassy does not take personal checks, and they just started taking credit cards, but cash (either American or Guatemalan) is preferred, in small bills. We made the mistake of using $100 bills; about four people examined the bills with magnifying glasses.
The American Embassy is located at 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
Phone Number: 011-502-331-1541