Summary
Illinois denies the unrestricted right of all adult adoptees to obtain their own original birth certificates. The state maintains a date-based approach and uses an adoption registry to facilitate release of OBCs. The date of birth of an adoptee determines who has unrestricted rights to an OBC or who may be subject to a birth parent’s request to redact identifying information on the OBC.
Generally, adoptees who are at least 21 years of age and who were born before January 1, 1946, have an unrestricted right to request and obtain their own original birth certificates.
Adoptees who were born on or after January 1, 1946, may request their OBC but requests may be subject to a “Denial of Information Exchange,” the Illinois term for a birth parent redaction request. If a denial is on file, identifying information for that parent will be redacted from the OBC. Denials are valid if filed prior to January 1, 2011. Beginning January 1, 2011, birth parents may file a Birth Parent Preference Form that provides an option to prohibit the release of specified information on the OBC (e.g., birth parent’s first name, last name, listed address, adoptee’s given last name). If chosen, the selected identifying information is redacted on the OBC.
Central to the release of identifying information is the state-run Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange (IARMIE), which is overseen by a 33 member advisory board (with currently only one adoptee representative). Identifying information released through the registry may include:
(1) The name and last known address of the consenting person or persons.
(2) A copy of the Illinois Adoption Registry Application of the consenting person or persons.
(3) A non-certified copy of the original birth certificate
The registry maintains updated statistics on the number of registrants, matches, and released OBCs. Illinois also oversees a confidential intermediary system that adoptees may use to search for and locate birth parents or relatives.
Relevant Illinois Law: Original Birth Certificates
410 ILCS 535/17
(1) For a person born in this State, the State Registrar of Vital Records shall establish a new certificate of birth when he receives any of the following:
(a) A certificate of adoption as provided in Section 16 or a certified copy of the order of adoption together with the information necessary to identify the original certificate of birth and to establish the new certificate of birth; except that a new certificate of birth shall not be established if so requested by the court ordering the adoption, the adoptive parents, or the adopted person.
(b) A certificate of adoption or a certified copy of the order of adoption entered in a court of competent jurisdiction of any other state or country declaring adopted a child born in the State of Illinois, together with the information necessary to identify the original certificate of birth and to establish the new certificate of birth; except that a new certificate of birth shall not be established if so requested by the court ordering the adoption, the adoptive parents, or the adopted person.
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Each request for a new certificate of birth shall be accompanied by a fee of $15 and entitles the applicant to one certification or certified copy of the new certificate. If the request is for additional copies, it shall be accompanied by a fee of $2 for each additional certification or certified copy.
(2) When a new certificate of birth is established, the actual place and date of birth shall be shown; provided, in the case of adoption of a person born in this State by parents who were residents of this State at the time of the birth of the adopted person, the place of birth may be shown as the place of residence of the adoptive parents at the time of such person’s birth, if specifically requested by them, and any new certificate of birth established prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act may be corrected accordingly if so requested by the adoptive parents or the adopted person when of legal age. The social security numbers of the parents shall not be recorded on the certificate of birth. The social security numbers may only be used for purposes allowed under federal law. The new certificate shall be substituted for the original certificate of birth:
(a) Thereafter, the original certificate and the evidence of adoption, paternity, legitimation, or sex change shall not be subject to inspection or certification except upon order of the circuit court or as provided by regulation. If the new certificate was issued subsequent to an adoption, the original certificate shall not be subject to inspection until the adopted person has reached the age of 21; thereafter, the original certificate shall be made available as provided by Section 18.1b of the Adoption Act.
(b) Upon receipt of notice of annulment of adoption, the original certificate of birth shall be restored to its place in the files, and the new certificate and evidence shall not be subject to inspection or certification except upon order of the circuit court.
(3) If no certificate of birth is on file for the person for whom a new certificate is to be established under this Section, a delayed record of birth shall be filed with the State Registrar of Vital Records as provided in Section 14 or Section 15 of this Act before a new certificate of birth is established, except that when the date and place of birth and parentage have been established in the adoption proceedings, a delayed record shall not be required.
(4) When a new certificate of birth is established by the State Registrar of Vital Records, all copies of the original certificate of birth in the custody of any custodian of permanent local records in this State shall be transmitted to the State Registrar of Vital Records as directed, and shall be sealed from inspection except as provided by Section 18.1b of the Adoption Act.
(5) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit the amendment of a birth certificate in accordance with subsection (6) of Section 22.
750 ILCS 50/14(h). Judgment
(h) Only the circuit court that entered the judgment of the adoption may order the issuance of any contents of the court file or that the original birth record of the adoptee be provided to any persons.
750 ILCS 50/18.04. Original Birth Certificate Access; legislative intent
The General Assembly recognizes that it is the basic right of all persons to access their birth records, and, to this end, supports public policy that allows an adult adoptee to access his or her original birth certificate. The General Assembly further recognizes that there are circumstances under which a birth parent may have compelling reasons for wishing to remain anonymous to a child he or she surrendered for adoption. In an effort to balance these interests, the General Assembly supports public policy that releases a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate to an adult adopted person upon request unless a specific request for anonymity has been filed with the Registry by a birth parent named on the original birth certificate.
750 ILCS 50/18.06. Definitions [Relevant Definitions for Purpose of Requesting the OBC]
Sec. 18.06. Definitions. When used in Sections 18.05 through Section 18.6, for the purposes of the Registry:
“Adult adopted or surrendered person” means an adopted or surrendered person 21 years of age or over.
“Birth Parent Preference Form” means the form prepared by the Department of Public Health pursuant to Section 18.2 completed by a birth parent registrant and filed with the Registry that indicates the birth parent’s preferences regarding contact and, if applicable, the release of his or her identifying information on the non-certified copy of the original birth certificate released to an adult adopted or surrendered person or to the surviving adult child or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person who has filed a Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate.
“Non-certified Copy of the Original Birth Certificate” means a non-certified copy of the original certificate of live birth of an adult adopted or surrendered person who was born in Illinois.
“Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate” means an affidavit completed by an adult adopted or surrendered person or by the surviving adult child or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person and filed with the Registry requesting a non-certified copy of an adult adopted or surrendered person’s original certificate of live birth in Illinois.
“Surrendered person” means a person whose parents’ rights have been surrendered or terminated but who has not been adopted.
“Surviving spouse” means the wife or husband, 21 years of age or older, of a deceased adopted or surrendered person who would be 21 years of age or older if still alive and who has one or more surviving biological children who are under the age of 21.
“Registry” means the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange.
750 ILCS 50/18.1b(e) [Relevant Part of Statute Concerning Access to an OBC]
(e) Procedures for requesting a non-certified copy of an original birth certificate by an adult adopted or surrendered person or by a surviving adult child, adult grandchild, or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person:
(1) On or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, any adult adopted or surrendered person who was born in Illinois prior to January 1, 1946, may complete and file with the Registry a Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate. The Registry shall provide such adult adopted or surrendered person with an unaltered, non-certified copy of his or her original birth certificate upon receipt of the Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate. Additionally, in cases where an adopted or surrendered person born in Illinois prior to January 1, 1946, is deceased, and one of his or her surviving adult children, adult grandchildren, or his or her surviving spouse has registered with the Registry, he or she may complete and file with the Registry a Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate. The Registry shall provide such surviving adult child, adult grandchild, or surviving spouse with an unaltered, non-certified copy of the adopted or surrendered person’s original birth certificate upon receipt of the Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate.
(2) Beginning November 15, 2011, any adult adopted or surrendered person who was born in Illinois on or after January 1, 1946, may complete and file with the Registry a Request for a Non-certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate. Additionally, in cases where the adopted or surrendered person is deceased and one of his or her surviving adult children, adult grandchildren, or his or her surviving spouse has registered with the Registry, he or she may complete and file with the Registry a Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate. Upon receipt of such request from an adult adopted or surrendered person or from one of his or her surviving adult children, adult grandchildren, or his or her surviving spouse, the Registry shall:
(i) Determine if there is a Denial of Information Exchange which was filed by a birth parent named on the original birth certificate prior to January 1, 2011. If a Denial was filed by a birth parent named on the original birth certificate prior to January 1, 2011, and there is no proof of death in the Registry file for the birth parent who filed said Denial, the Registry shall inform the requesting adult adopted or surrendered person or the requesting surviving adult child, adult grandchild, or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person that they may receive a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate from which all identifying information pertaining to the birth parent who filed the Denial has been redacted. A requesting adult adopted or surrendered person shall also be informed in writing of his or her right to petition the court for the appointment of a confidential intermediary pursuant to Section 18.3a of this Act and, if applicable, to conduct a search through an agency post-adoption search program once 5 years have elapsed since the birth parent filed the Denial of Information Exchange with the Registry.
(ii) Determine if a birth parent named on the original birth certificate has filed a Birth Parent Preference Form. If one of the birth parents named on the original birth certificate filed a Birth Parent Preference Form and selected Option A, B, C, or D, the Registry shall forward to the adult adopted or surrendered person or to the surviving adult child, adult grandchild, or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person a copy of the Birth Parent Preference Form along with an unaltered non-certified copy of his or her original birth certificate. If one of the birth parents named on the original birth certificate filed a Birth Parent Preference Form and selected Option E, and there is no proof of death in the Registry file for the birth parent who filed said Birth Parent Preference Form, the Registry shall inform the requesting adult adopted or surrendered person or the requesting surviving adult child, adult grandchild, or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person that he or she may receive a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate from which identifying information pertaining to the birth parent who completed the Birth Parent Preference Form has been redacted per the birth parent’s specifications on the Form. The Registry shall forward to the adult adopted or surrendered person or to the surviving adult child, adult grandchild, or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person a copy of the Birth Parent Preference Form filed by the birth parent from which identifying information has been redacted per the birth parent’s specifications on the Form. The requesting adult adopted or surrendered person shall also be informed in writing of his or her right to petition the court for the appointment of a confidential intermediary pursuant to Section 18.3a of this Act, and, if applicable, to conduct a search through an agency post-adoption search program once 5 years have elapsed since the birth parent filed the Birth Parent Preference Form, on which Option E was selected, with the Registry.
(iii) Determine if a birth parent named on the original birth certificate has filed an Information Exchange Authorization.
(iv) If the Registry has confirmed that a requesting adult adopted or surrendered person or the parent of a requesting adult child of a deceased adopted or surrendered person or the husband or wife of a requesting surviving spouse was not the object of a Denial of Information Exchange filed by a birth parent on or before December 31, 2010, and that no birth parent named on the original birth certificate has filed a Birth Parent Preference Form where Option E was selected prior to the receipt of a Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate, the Registry shall provide the adult adopted or surrendered person or his or her surviving adult child or surviving spouse with an unaltered non-certified copy of the adopted or surrendered person’s original birth certificate.
(3) In cases where the Registry receives a Birth Parent Preference Form from a birth parent subsequent to the release of the non-certified copy of the original birth certificate to an adult adopted or surrendered person or to the surviving adult child, adult grandchild, or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person, the Birth Parent Preference Form shall be immediately forwarded to the adult adopted or surrendered person or to the surviving adult child, adult grandchild, or surviving spouse of the deceased adopted or surrendered person and the birth parent who filed the form shall be informed that the relevant original birth certificate has already been released.
(4) A copy of the original birth certificate shall only be released to adopted or surrendered persons who were born in Illinois; to surviving adult children, adult grandchildren, or surviving spouses of deceased adopted or surrendered persons who were born in Illinois; or to 2 registered parties who have both consented to the release of a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate to one another through the Registry when the birth of the relevant adopted or surrendered person took place in Illinois.
(5) In cases where the Registry receives a Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate from an adult adopted or surrendered person who has not completed a Registry application and the file of that adopted or surrendered person includes an Information Exchange Authorization, Birth Parent Preference Form, or Medical Information Exchange Questionnaire from one or more of his or her birth relatives, the Registry shall so inform the adult adopted or surrendered person and forward Registry application forms to him or her along with a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate consistent with the procedures outlined in this subsection (e).
(6) In cases where a birth parent registered with the Registry and filed a Medical Information Exchange Questionnaire prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly but gave no indication as to his or her wishes regarding contact or the sharing of identifying information, the Registry shall contact the birth parent by written letter prior to January 1, 2011, and provide him or her with the opportunity to indicate his or her preference regarding contact and the sharing of identifying information by submitting a Birth Parent Preference Form to the Registry prior to November 1, 2011.
(7) In cases where the Registry cannot locate a copy of the original birth certificate in the Registry file, they shall be authorized to request a copy of the original birth certificate from the Illinois county where the birth took place for placement in the Registry file.
(8) Adopted and surrendered persons who wish to have their names placed with the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange may do so by completing a Registry application at any time, but completing a Registry application shall not be required for adopted and surrendered persons who seek only to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate or any relevant Birth Parent Preference Forms through the Registry.
(9) In cases where a birth parent filed a Denial of Information Exchange with the Registry prior to January 1, 2011, or filed a Birth Parent Preference Form with the Registry and selected Option E after January 1, 2011, and a proof of death for the birth parent who filed the Denial or the Birth Parent Preference Form has been filed with the Registry by a confidential intermediary, a surviving relative of the deceased birth parent, or a birth child of the deceased birth parent, the Registry shall be authorized to release an unaltered non-certified copy of the original birth certificate to an adult adopted or surrendered person or to the surviving adult child, adult grandchild, or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person who has filed a Request for a Non-Certified Copy of the Original Birth Certificate with the Registry.
(10) On and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, in cases where all birth parents named on the original birth certificate of an adopted or surrendered person born after January 1, 1946, are deceased and copies of death certificates for all birth parents named on the original birth certificate have been filed with the Registry by either a confidential intermediary, a surviving relative of the deceased birth parent, or a birth child of the deceased birth parent, the Registry shall be authorized to release a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate to the adopted or surrendered person upon receipt of his or her Request for a Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate.
Relevant Illinois Law: Court Records
750 ILCS 50/18. Records confidential
(a) The word “illegitimate”, the words “born out of wedlock”, and words of similar import shall not be used in any adoption proceeding in any respect.
(b) The court call of adoption proceedings shall not identify any of the parties by name. The parties may be identified by initials or pseudonyms. The case shall be identified by its general number. The names of the lawyers representing the parties may appear on the court call, and the type of application that is being made to the court may also be identified.
(c) All adoption records maintained by each circuit clerk shall be impounded in accordance with the procedures provided by the Illinois Supreme Court’s General Administrative Order on Recordkeeping and shall be opened for examination only upon specific order of the court, which order shall name the person or persons who are to be permitted to examine the file. Certified copies of all papers and documents contained in any file so impounded shall be made only on like order. The guardian ad litem for a minor sought to be adopted shall have the right to inspect the court file without leave of court during the pendency of the proceeding. The attorney of record for the petitioners and other parties may inspect the file only with leave of court. The petitioners to the adoption, the attorney of record for the petitioners, and the guardian ad litem of the person who is the subject of the proceeding shall be entitled to receive certified copies of the order of adoption in the proceeding at any time within 30 days after the entry of the judgment of adoption without order of court. After 30 days from the entry of the judgment of adoption, no copies may be obtained without prior order of court, but good cause is not necessary to be shown by one of the petitioners to the adoption.
(d) If an appeal is taken from an adoption proceeding, the papers filed in the court of review and the opinion of the reviewing court shall not identify the true names of the parties; instead, initials or pseudonyms shall be used to identify the parties.
I received a copy of my birth certificate in 2012 it listed my dads age but not his name my birth mother claims she wrote his name down they claim they did not omit it. I decided to apply for another one this year and received a letter saying I was not allowed to get more than one. I’ve been scouring the web and find no reference to a limit to one per adoptee – can you help? Anyone?
This is the original birth certificate in Illinois? I’m aware of a five-year time limit in Illinois to request certain information if a birthparent has filed a Denial of Information Exchange (Illinois’ fancy phrase for redaction). But not any kind of once-per-lifetime limit. That makes no sense. I’ll reach out to you by email to get more details if possible.
I am also an adoptee from Illinois, 59 years ago. My sister and I were both adopted together. In 2013, she sent and received her original birth certificate that had our birth father’s information blackened out. Our birth mom has been deceased since 1964 and after all this time, I am sure our birth father is as well. I feel we should now, at our age, be able to have an unaltered original birth certificate. I also believe, we should have full access to the DCFS and adoption files. I am trying to put a family tree together for my grandchildren but the law says I cannot have this information. How cruel. We are the innocent ones who just want to make sense of the missing pieces in our lives. Being an adoptee, you know what I mean.
I over•stand. 1965, The Cradle, Evanston, IL, “where BobHope got his kids,” I was told, a hundred times. I’m not sure if I can emotionally hold it together and enter the IL process, go through it and be denied. Cruel is an understatement.
For those following this issue of a single “lifetime” copy of the OBC in Illinois, an update is here on the post The Myth of the Once-Chance OBC. Illinois acknowledged that a once-per-lifetime limit on a copy of your OBC was “in error.”
Hi Gregory,
I relinquished my daughter in a private adoption in 2007 in Illinois. Do you know if it’s possible for a birth parent to obtain a copy of their relinquished child’s obc? I’ve never seen anything about this scenario before…
Thanks!
Most states, once the original birth record is sealed, do not allow birth parents to obtain the original birth certificate without a court order. I believe this is the case in Illinois, though it’s not generally an issue I research. The OBC would, however, be available to the birthparents named on the record up until the time the original record is sealed and replaced. That obviously doesn’t help birthparents who wish to obtain a copy later, after the adoption. I personally think it is dumb that a birthparent is unable to obtain a copy of a record they signed and for which they were likely the primary informant. But you may wish to research this further in Illinois and call the department of health to determine what may be available to birthparents.
my brother was adopted in chicago in 1946. as his legal sister is there anyway i can get a copy of his original birth certificate? he is deceased and his original parents and adopting parents are all deceased. my name is paula adam chadsey and his name was henry hervig chadsey.
I was adopted in Chicago in May of 1945. I requested an original birth certificate and was sent a non-certified copy of my original birth certificate. All of the information was inaccurate. How do I get the real original birth certificate?
I really wish we were allowed to have our records from when we were in a Foundlings home. Why can’t we? What was our life like? It is part of our story and an important part yet the state deems it unimportant.
I was born Billy Joe McCool, at home, on the south side of Chicago -July 1961-trying to get medical Information…. if anyone can please help… I’ve tried everything. My adoptive parents adopted me at age 5 from an orphanage. I really need medical info- listed on myheritage if you can help
Billy Joe,
My name is Thomas E. McCool, and we are 2nd-3rd cousins, according to GEDmatch. I already know that you descend from my 2GGF Andrew J. McCool and his second wife, Nancy Ashcraft. They had five sons, but only three survived the Civil War in Texas. I hope that we can narrow the possible ancestors for you with AncestryDNA. I would like to communicate with you via E-mail: genemccool(at)aol(dot)com
I was adopted in IL in 1967 and now live abroad. After 2011 I requested and received a non-certified copy of my original birth certificate, and it turns out my birth father was a citizen of a European country when I was born. I believe this makes me a jus sanguinis citizen of that country as well, and I would like to register my birth there and apply for a passport, but I don’t have any legal, certified document that proves I am my father’s daughter. Can I petition the circuit court to unseal the record and provide me with some document which can be certified which will demonstrate my parentage to a foreign court? Is there anything else I can do?