Being adopted is wonderful for many children because it gives them a chance at a happy life. However, once you've grown into an adult, it can be difficult to deal with knowing you have another family out there somewhere. Tracking down your personal information can be costly, but there are ways to access your adoption records for free.
Step 1
Look into the adoption laws specific to your state. Only seven states currently have open records, so you will likely have to jump through a few hoops to gain access to your records.
Step 2
Get in touch with the adoption agency that was responsible for your adoption. Request any information it has on file about you that doesn't identify who you or your parents are. By law, it can release this to you if you are over 18 in most states.
Step 3
Look over the information you were given by the adoption agency. You'll likely see information about your birth location, hair color and eye color of your biological parents and some medical information. For many, it is access to medical information that inspires them to seek out free adoption record data in the first place.
Step 4
Register in your state with the adoption registry. This can take a lot of complication out of the process of getting access to records. Should you and your birth parents register, the adoption records will be unsealed and released to you without further hassle.
Step 5
Don't be afraid to discuss your efforts with your adoptive parents. For the most part, adoptive parents will understand your desire to know about your birth family, and they will have more first-hand knowledge of the adoption agency and details of your birth. If you need this information for legal or medical reasons, be sure to emphasize that.
Step 6
Contact the hospital where you were born. You might be able to glean information about your parent's names and occupations if you have your birth name.
