Most adoption information is confidential. It is not openly given to anyone in the public, and the amount of information that can be given varies by state. Withholding information is meant to protect the safety, privacy and well-being of the adopted child, the birth family and the adoptive family. In some cases, adoption information may be given out to a person who was involved in the adoption. Some information may be obtained after a series of steps, as long as all of the participating parties will still be protected. Non-identifying information includes ethnicity, race, religion, occupation, age and medical history of parents, as well as the date and place of the adopted child's birth. Identifying information includes any current or past information that could lead to the positive identification of siblings, biological parents or the adopted child.
Step 1
Prove that you are a participating party in the adoption, or a sibling. States require that the person seeking the adoption information be the adoptive parents, biological parents or the child, who must be at least 19 years old. This ensures that information is not given out to someone who is not entitled to it. States also allow biological siblings to ask for information on their siblings.
Step 2
Contact your local or state agency that's responsible for keeping adoption records. This agency has access to all adoption papers, and can give out information to suitable people who request the papers. Find your local agency through the Childwelfare.gov/nfcad website. The website will direct you to the local governing agency for adoptions, as well as all public adoption agencies, private adoption agencies, public and private foster information, and international adoption information.
Step 3
Place your name in an adoptive registry. These are also known as mutual consent registries. Parties involved in adoptions can enter their names in mutual consent registries. This allows any willing parties involved in the adoption to contact each other.
Step 4
Request a copy of your original birth certificate from the Office of Vital Records. An original birth certificate can be requested once a child is of legal age. Some states require that a court order be issued before the original birth certificate can be obtained. The original birth certificate will list different information from the birth certificate the adoptive child has. New birth certificates are given to the adoptive parents after the adoption has been finalized. The new birth certificates list the adoptive parents as the parents, while the original birth certificate will list the biological parents as the parents.
Tips and Warnings
- Specific state laws regarding adoption can be found at the Childwelfare.gov website. To obtain international adoption information, contact the International Social Services, United States of America Branch or visit their website. Obtain immigration records from the United State Citizenship and Immigration Services if you are part of an international adoption.
- These are the basics of how to find adoption records and information. The search should be continued by contacting your local state agency to find more information.
