The desire to get to know one's birth parents is not uncommon among children who have been adopted. As an adult it becomes possible for adopted children to manage the search for their birth parents themselves rather than relying on a family member to follow up on any potential leads.
If you haven't had any luck identifying your birth parents in the past, here are two tips you can use to help you find the information you are looking for.
1. Work with an attorney to locate the adoption agency or attorney who completed your adoption.
Adoptions are completed through a legal process, which means there is a paper trail associated with your own adoption. You can hire an attorney to help you track down the adoption agency or attorney's office responsible for filing paperwork in your adoption.
Although these entities are not allowed to share identifying information without consent, it is not uncommon for birth parents to want a reunion with a child they placed for adoption. If your birth parents have indicated they would like to meet you, they probably have given consent for their information to be released upon contact.
If no consent from your birth parents is available, you can have your attorney draft a letter offering your own consent to release personal information in the event your birth parents reach out to the adoption agency or attorney's office at some point in the future.
2. Try to locate a copy of your original birth certificate.
Your birth mother's name will be listed on your original birth certificate. In some instances, your birth father's name may be listed on the original birth certificate as well. Obtaining a copy of this document will help you narrow your search for your birth parents.
If you live in a state with open adoption records, you can simply ask the state for a copy of your original birth certificate. Otherwise, you may have to visit the courthouse in the county where you were born and look through all the birth certificates on file for the day you were born in order to obtain the information you need.
Having the help of an attorney who is familiar with the adoption laws that govern your state will help you navigate the legal limitations you may face when trying to obtain a copy of your birth certificate.
Finding your birth parents can take time, but having an attorney that can help you track down the adoption agency or attorney's office that handled your adoption, as well as assist you in obtaining a copy of your original birth certificate, can make the process simpler.
Share24 July 2015
When I began the divorce process, I knew that I wanted to change my name back to my maiden name. I no longer wanted to be associated with the family name of the man that I was divorcing. The problem was, I have three kids that all had their father's name. I wanted to know if I would be able to change their last names to my maiden name rather than having them carry that family's name for the rest of their lives. I found out a lot about what it would take and began working to create this blog to help other women wanting to do the same thing.
