Summary
Effective January 15, 2020, New York adult adopted persons and their descendants may request and obtain the adoptee’s original birth certificate, with no discriminatory restrictions. The law also allows a person adopted in New York but born outside of the state to request the identifying information that would normally appear on the original birth certificate.
More information about the new law is available here.
The state also maintains an Adoption Information Registry, a mutual consent registry that provides services to adoptees or birth parents and siblings who seek identifying or non-identifying information.
Relevant New York Law: Original Birth Certificates
Public Health Law § 4138. Birth certificate; new certificate in case of subsequent marriage of unwed parents; adoption; adjudication of parentage; change of name
1. A new certificate of birth shall be made whenever:
(a) proof is submitted to the commissioner that the previously unwed parents of a person have intermarried subsequent to the birth of such person; or,
(b) notification is received by, or proper proof is submitted to, the commissioner from or by the clerk of a court of competent jurisdiction or the parents, or their attorneys, or the person himself, of a judgment, order or decree relating to the parentage; or,
(c) notification is received by, or proper proof is submitted to, the commissioner from or by the clerk as aforesaid of a judgment, order or decree relating to the adoption of such person. Such judgment, order or decree shall also be sufficient authority to make a new birth certificate with conforming change in the name of such person on the birth certificate of any of such person’s children under the age of eighteen years whose record of birth is on file in the state health department; or,
(d) proper proof is submitted to the commissioner by the parents, or their attorneys, or the person himself or his attorney, of a judgment, order or decree relating to a change of name granted by a court of competent jurisdiction. Such judgment, order or decree shall also be sufficient authority to make a new birth certificate with conforming change in surname for any of such person’s children under the age of eighteen years whose record of birth is on file in the state health department; or,
(e) the certificate of birth of a child born out of wedlock as defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section four thousand one hundred thirty-five of this article has been filed without entry of the name of the father and the commissioner thereafter receives the acknowledgment of paternity pursuant to section one hundred eleven-k of the social services law or section four thousand one hundred thirty-five-b of this article executed by the putative father and mother which authorizes the entry of the name of such father, and which may also authorize a conforming change in the surname of the child.
2. (a) On every new certificate of birth made pursuant to this section, a notation that it is filed pursuant to section four thousand one hundred thirty-eight of the public health law shall be entered thereon. Notwithstanding other provisions of this article, when a child is adopted by an unmarried man or woman, the new certificate shall, if the adopting parent so requests, reflect the fact that it is a single parent adoption.
(b) Notwithstanding other provisions of this article, when a petition for adoption by two persons has been duly filed, and one of the petitioners dies before the adoption is complete, such deceased petitioner’s name shall be included on the new certificate as a parent, if such adoption is completed, unless otherwise requested by the other petitioner. (c) If the original certificate of birth contains fictitious names of either or both parents, a new certificate shall not be prepared until notification is received by, or proper proof is submitted to, the commissioner by the clerk of a court of competent jurisdiction or the parents or their attorney, or the person himself, or his attorney, of a judgment, order or decree relating to parentage.
3. (a) When a new certificate of birth is made the commissioner shall substitute such new certificate for the certificate of birth then on file, if any, and shall send the registrar of the district in which the birth occurred a copy of the new certificate of birth. The registrar shall make a copy of the new certificate for the local record and hold the contents of the original local record confidential along with all papers and copies pertaining thereto. It shall not be released or otherwise divulged except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction or pursuant to section four thousand one hundred thirty-eight-e of this title.
(b) Thereafter, when a verified transcript or certification of birth of such person is issued by the registrar, it shall be based upon the new certificate, except when an order of a court of competent jurisdiction shall require the issuance of a verified transcript or certification based upon the original local record of birth or application is made pursuant to section four thousand one hundred thirty-eight-e of this title.
4. The commissioner may make a microfilm or other suitable copy of the original certificate of birth and all papers pertaining to the new certificate of birth. In such event, the original certificate and papers may be destroyed. All undestroyed certificates and papers and copies thereof shall be confidential and the contents thereof shall not be released or otherwise divulged except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction or pursuant to section forty-one hundred thirty-eight-c, or forty-one hundred thirty-eight-d or forty-one hundred thirty-eight-e of this article.
5. Thereafter, when a certified copy or certified transcript of the certificate of birth of such a person, or a certification of birth for such person is issued, it shall be based upon the new certificate of birth, except when an order of a court of competent jurisdiction shall require the issuance of a copy of the original certificate of birth or application is made pursuant to section four thousand one hundred thirty-eight-e of this title.
6. When the commissioner shall receive proper proof or notification pursuant to paragraphs (a), (b), or (c) of subdivision one of this section relating to a person born outside this state, such proof or notification shall be forwarded to the appropriate registration authority for the place of birth.
7. Whenever the commissioner makes a new birth certificate for any person pursuant to the provisions of subdivision one of this section, he shall forward to such person, if eighteen years of age or more, or to the parents of such person, a certified copy, a certified transcript or a certification of birth, whichever he deems appropriate under the circumstances, without making any charge therefor.
8. An adopted person eighteen years of age or older, or the birth parent or parents, may submit to the registrar a notice of change of name and/or address and such information shall be attached to the original birth certificate of the adopted person.
Section 4138-e Adoptee’s right to a certified copy of his or her birth certificate.
1. The legislature hereby states its intention to acknowledge, support and encourage the life-long health and well-being needs of persons who have been and will be adopted in this state. The legislature further recognizes that the denial of access to accurate and complete medical and self-identifying data of any adopted person, known and wilfully withheld by others, may result in such person succumbing to preventable disease, premature death or otherwise unhealthy life, is a violation of that person’s human rights and is contrary to the tenets of governance. As such, the provisions of this section seek to establish considerations under the law for adopted persons equal to such considerations permitted by law to all non-adopted persons; this section does so while providing for the privacy of an adopted person and his or her birth.
2. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner or a local registrar or any person authorized by the commissioner or a local registrar, upon application, proof of identity and payment of a nominal fee, shall issue certified copies of original long form line by line, vault copy birth certificates, including any change attached to that certificate by a birth parent or parents, and any information provided to the commissioner or a local registrar pursuant to subdivision one of section one hundred fourteen of the domestic relations law, to (i) an adopted person, if eighteen years of age or more, or (ii) if the adopted person is deceased, the adopted person’s direct line descendants, or (iii) the lawful representatives of such adopted person, or lawful representatives of such deceased adopted person’s direct line descendants, as the case may be.
(b) When it shall be impossible for the commissioner or a local registrar to provide a copy of an adult adopted person’s original long form birth certificate (as may occur in the case of an adopted person born outside of, but adopted within, the state and such certificate is not part of the records of the commissioner or a local registrar), the true and correct information about the adopted person and the adopted person’s birth parents, including their identifying information, that would have appeared on such original birth certificate shall be provided to: (i) the adopted person, if eighteen years of age or more, or (ii) if the adopted person is deceased, the adopted person’s direct line descendants, or (iii) lawful representatives of such adopted person, or lawful representatives of such deceased adopted person’s direct line descendants, as the case may be by any authorized agency as defined in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision ten of section three hundred seventy-one of the social services law. In such case, the agency shall be held harmless from any liability arising out of the disclosure.
(c) For purposes of this subdivision the term “commissioner” shall include the state commissioner of health, the commissioner of health and mental hygiene of the city of New York and for records of birth prior to January first, nineteen hundred fourteen, the local registrars of the cities of Albany, Buffalo and Yonkers.
Relevant New York Law: Adoption Court Records
Domestic Relations Law § 114(2-4): Adoption Order
2. No person, including the attorney for the adoptive parents shall disclose the surname of the child directly or indirectly to the adoptive parents except upon order of the court. No person shall be allowed access to such sealed records and order and any index thereof except upon an order of a judge or surrogate of the court in which the order was made or of a justice of the supreme court. No order for disclosure or access and inspection shall be granted except on good cause shown and on due notice to the adoptive parents and to such additional persons as the court may direct. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to require the state commissioner of health or his designee to secure a court order authorizing disclosure of information contained in adoption or birth records requested pursuant to the authority of section forty-one hundred thirty-eight-c or section forty-one hundred thirty-eight-d of the public health law; upon the receipt of such request for information, the court shall transmit the information authorized to be released thereunder to the state commissioner of health or his designee.
3. In like manner as a court of general jurisdiction exercises such powers, a judge or surrogate of a court in which the order of adoption was made may open, vacate or set aside such order of adoption for fraud, newly discovered evidence or other sufficient cause.
4. Good cause for disclosure or access to and inspection of sealed adoption records and orders and any index thereof, hereinafter the “adoption records”, under this section may be established on medical grounds as provided herein. Certification from a physician licensed to practice medicine in the state of New York that relief under this subdivision is required to address a serious physical or mental illness shall be prima facie evidence of good cause. Such certification shall identify the information required to address such illness. Except where there is an immediate medical need for the information sought, in which case the court may grant access to the adoption records directly to the petitioner, the court hearing petition under the subdivision shall appoint a guardian ad litem or other disinterested person, who shall have access to the adoption records for the purpose of obtaining the medical information sought from those records or, where the records are insufficient for such purpose, through contacting the biological parents. The guardian or other disinterested person shall offer a biological parent the option of disclosing the medical information sought by the petitioner pursuant to this subdivision, as well as the option of granting consent to examine the parent’s medical records. If the guardian or other disinterested person appointed does not obtain the medical information sought by the petitioner, such guardian or disinterested person shall make a report of his or her efforts to obtain such information to the court. Where further efforts to obtain such information are appropriate, the court may in its discretion authorize direct disclosure or access to and inspection of the adoption records by the petitioner.
Thank you for this very informative info. I am an adoptee who was born in NY, which makes my journey to find my birthmother seem out of range. I will continue to search as this is an important part of my life I need to know about.
Hi Susan,
I too was born and adopted in NY and feel your pain and frustration. It’s terrible being denied your ancestry if not for relationships, at least medical history. My adopted mother told me I was adopted on her death bed after my adopted father and older brother had long passed. It was a family secret on both sides from day one when they brought me home. She did gave me my birth mother’s name who’s since passed away. I have since found and connected with my only living elder sibling sister who also believes our mother gave birth to at least one other child after me- also out of wedlock.
My birthday is 1/14/64. My birthplace was St Francis Hospital, Olean, NY. If either of these are a match, I’d love to connect with you to find out more.
I wish you the best with your journey.
Question. .. How was you able to your sibling? Thank you and may the LORD continue to bless your endeavors.
My brother and sister were both adopted from St Francis Hospital in Olean, my sister is looking for her birth mother. She was born 11/26/65. If you have any helpful information on how to find her, I would appreciate any information! Thank you!
I find it interesting where you were born, as I have a friend born in St. Francis Hospital in October 1957. She was the oldest of many children who were adopted out. She did a DNA test which connected the dots to find her birth family. Eventually she found most of her siblings except one. Her birth mother died in 2011, her name was Virginia. If you haven’t already a DNA test could help you immensely. Hope this helps some.
Have you tried doing Ancestry DNA? I have found many birth parents for people that way!
Go through ancestry.com and 23andMe.com do the DNA tests. You may get instant results for close biological relatives, such as parents, siblings, and 1st and 2nd cousins. These people’s family trees can tell you who your biological family is. Adoption law is now obsolete because you can get around it with dna. We just found my adopted partner’s biological parents! Good luck.
Already did the dna and shows my cousin on my moms side. Thanks for suggestion however.
Adoptees working to pass S5169a and A6821 in 2017-18 Legislative Session
We all have day jobs, and do what we can.
Friends, We all thank you for the time and efforts you put out on behalf of others in these situations… I live in California and was told i needed to hire a New York state attorney to have my adoption records unsealed.. for my own and two siblings, we already know who our mother is and father was; my father died when i was seven and i was adopted at eight.. i’m now 68 and only looking to be able to show who my birth father was; with the laws that are in place, i can’t even show him the respect due for even existing! frustration with the laws and the given manners in which i would be dealing with them.. i’m not invading anyone’s privacy and yet the same law applies to me… Please do what you are able to to move some of these laws into the present time… I thank you for your work and would appreciate any reply or information that might apply to my situation.. again, thanks…
I was born 09-09-1962. I’ve been looking for my birth family for a little over 30 yrs. I found out a little bit but not enough to find anyone. My last hope was to send in my DNA. I didn’t get any where with that either. I guess I’m done looking. I don’t think I’m meant to find anyone. I would love to find my siblings! I found out I have 3 older brothers or sisters.
Hey , Don’t give up I looked for about the same amount of time, gave up looking for a few years then I read about 23nMe now ancestry does not any longer match up family. So be careful read if your does and you can up load DNA test and for like 35 bucks pay a bit extra for more testing . I was able to find a Cousin at first, which led to my Adopted Dads Sister, Long story short I found out I was taken away from the family by a Brother who took me away from my paternal mother, thus loosing touch with , 3 Sisters and 2 Brothers. Grand Parents, 9 Aunts and Uncles.
My father according to my up bringing was in fact a Uncle? Yes never knew of adoption never suspected being taken away from family. I have mixed feelings some days I feel like I was shot in the head and killed that day he took my family from me, to never know my mom , dad, All but one Aunt alive, 4 of six siblings gone. I just feel robbed and cheated. My be because I had a horrible up bringing with my Uncle very abusive over the years. I’m glad not to be directly related to him , yet feel cheated so deeply ( out of my real Family ). Wish you luck
I been on 23 and me. I found many supposed people. I could be potientionaly related too, but I don’t know. I’m also from ny
There’s a lot you can do with DNA. Gedmatch, Ancestry and Random acts of Genealogical Kindness as well as DNA detectives all help people with it.
Agree. DNA is a powerful tool and for some it is one of the only options (we’ve recognized this with our DNA kit donation program). But DNA won’t replace nor resolve what should be a right: simple and unrestricted availability of our own birth records.
I cannot believe that finding my mothers birth parents here in NY is so difficult. She was born in 1932. I was told by the surrogate court that there is no statute of limitations on the time frame All of the players in the story are dead and gone and yet I still cannot fulfill her life’s dream to find her family!
We have the same situation with my mother-in-law who was born in Brooklyn back in 1916 and put up for adoption. She tried repeatedly to have access to her original birth certificate only to be repeatedly denied. She died at 90 in 2006. How is it that a law passed in the late 1930’s would be applied retroactively in her case and then treat the information as being permanently sealed as if her birth somehow was above TOP SECRET. Just not right!
I’m in a similar position… My father was adopted in 1947. He had no interest in finding his birth family but told me once he passed we could pursue it. My sisters and I have health issues that we would love to pinpoint, and of course just trying to find where our biological family is from would be nice. I don’t want to invade anyone’s privacy, but it is our story too and we would like to have access to it. Unfortunately, it looks like we won’t due to no statute of limitations.
Don’t give up. I found the information of my birth mom for peace of mind. However, she was deceased and I did not connect with relatives. Found a half brother who was a manipulative. lying dry drunk, so it is not always roses. I am looking for the paternal side now. Obviously, the sisters of the mom were not close. Please consider requesting your medical records from the hospital you were born in. I was a foster kid, so I knew my last name. The hospital did not redact my birth mother’s name. From there, I used Ellis Island information and was able to get many other records. I now have dual citizenship with Ireland. I have not done dna testing yet.
Hi Ann – I have almost the same story – born in 1939 in Misericordia hospital to an unwed Irish immigrant couple; fostered through the NY Foundling Hospital and then adopted by my foster parents 2 weeks before my 14th Birthday. I also knew my birth name but not my parents’ names, and I always assumed my surname was that of my father. I tried getting information from Misericordia but they claim all records from that time were lost in a fire. I did get lots of non-ID from the NY Foundling, but all names were redacted (including my own that I already knew and used in my correspondence with them). After searching 40+ yrs, I finally got my bmother’s name through a paid searcher that was recommended by the NYF hospital, and she found my mother’s information almost overnight (draw your own conclusions). It turns out my bmother had given me her maiden name, and took my father’s name “to the grave.” By then, both bparents and both aparents were deceased, and I had given up all hope of ever knowing my bfather’s name. Then through the miracle of DNA, HIS family contacted me! and now I know more about my bfather than about my bmother. BTW, I was not aware of Ellis Island information, and I belong to all the NYS genealogical groups. What information can they give you and what information do you need to give them so that they can help you? Thanks you, Barbara
Hi Barbara I have the same beginnings. I have had no luck with getting information only a letter from the nuns there. Now I’m not even sure what they said was true. What company did you hire to help you
Hi Greg – please e-mail me – [email protected]
Thank you,
Barbara
Greg – I don’t know if you got my reply – I can’t tell from the website. Please message me at [email protected]. Thank you, Barbara A
Where were you born. Your birth certificate almost stays the same place.
Did you try Ancestry? I was adopted in 1961 and recently found a half sister which led me to my birth mom and a “cousin” who turned out to be a half nephew on my dad’s side.
I tried 23andMe not good I’ll try Ancestry and let you know [email protected]
I am glad you are working on the behalf of adoptees, as an adult adoptee I look forward to opening the records of NY State up in Albany to find my original birth certificate. I legally change back to my birth name of Holley in my late 20’s in the late 90’s
Please let me know of any updates for NY State for adult adoptees seeking there original birth certificates
My husband discovered @ 70 he was adopted thru the AncestryDNA. Whats so frustrating is the Adoptive and Biological parents are dead. Whats the harm at this stage of knowing his history. He has been welcomed by the bio fathers family that found him. We have know the biological mother but there is sibiling born before him. They have a right to know each other.
I’m an adoptive parent who has been helping my daughter to find her birth family for 5 years. She found out through the Adoption Registry and the successor agency to Louise Wise Services that her birth mother is deceased. I agree with previous poster that what’s the harm to find out her mother’s name after 35 years? She just wants to know her medical history and whether she has any siblings. Her birth father’s non-identifying information said that he was “black Hispanic.” We assumed that he was either Puerto Rican or Dominican. She DNA-tested and discovered that he was probably Panamanian. She is still looking. Name at birth Baby Dorah Bartholomew, born in Manhattan November 1983.
I recently did AncestryDNA.com and found 6 matches of 3 to 4th cousins. Which is great the problem is if they are on my birth fathers side, he didn’t know I existed. If they are on my birth mothers side, I would be a skeleton in her closet. At 51 I realized if I don’t start looking now everyone will be gone soon. I was born in New York in a closed adoption May 8, 1966 – Mother’s Day. Two of my ancestry DNA cousin matches are trying to find out how we are related, but both admit it was so long ago and they have lost contact with a lot of their family. The two ancestry DNA matches have been so kind to me. Since I’m getting older I wish New York would unseal the records. I would like to know what medical problems ran in my birth families.
Ancestry Stopped doing direct family connections . look it up in Sept of 2014. Up load your DNA to another site you will get better results and closer related
How would you upload to another site, asking for my husband that just took to Ancestry DNA test and has a first cousin and multiple second cousins as well as lots of 3rd + ? Would he have to take another kit or is there a way to get it from Ancestry? He is also New York born and no one knows or wants to admit much, he’s contacted several, and some are certain and others aren’t sure? Without more definition, it’s a rollercoaster ride for him, which is sad.
You can download the raw DNA file from Ancestry and upload it (unzipped) to other sites, such as myHeritage and GedMatch. You will find other matches, but it seems that you already have great matches on Ancestry…
GedMatch is free to upload, and it allows you to compare his matches to people who tested with other companies, not just Ancestry. You can apply for an original NY birth certificate after January 1, 2020. They changed the law.
Kate — I saw that the law hadn’t been signed by the governor yet? Can you let me know what you know. I am one of these same closed-adoption in 1955 in NY people and believe I know who my birth parents are. However, my birthmother is still alive but in frail health and the other is the sister of my birthfather. Both are older and we don’t want to disturb them until I have a birth certificate. Pls email me at [email protected]
Jennifer, I can totally relate to your post. Being 48 and always knowing I was adopted finally joined Ancenstry last year. Have currently found 1 first cousin, one second cousin 2: 3rd cousins all of whom are all related when cross referenced. Many other 3rds that appear to be on another DNA scale. Here is to hoping NY unseals these records. It is one wall after another.
I’m trying to do some research on behalf of my mother. She was born in 1964, and I know she has other siblings. It would be nice for her to get in contact with her other family, especially since her birth parents are reaching old age (assuming they have not already passed).
I am an adult adoptee who has reunited with my birth parents and all relatives, but still wants a copy of my original birth certificate. It seems ridiculous to keep this information from me at this point and knowing my birth time is very important for me (I don’t understand why this information is omitted from our amended birth certificates anyway).
Any advice?
Anne-Marie–
You are in luck. I was part of the effort in New York to enact legislation that will allow an adult adoptee to obtain the original birth certificate upon request. There are still some steps remaining (most significantly the signature of Governor Cuomo) but more information is available at the New York Adoptee Rights Coalition and with a FAQ here on my site.
Good. I’m in the same situation…I’m 74 and know all my birth family, but wanted an original copy. Hope I live long enough to get it.
That is amazing THANK YOU!!!
I’ve been waiting to hear or read anything about the status of this bill. I’m under the impression if not signed within 10 days it defaults to passed. I called my city’s vital statistics office, I was told “ never heard of it”….so frustrating!
Incorrect. It still must be signed, and will be. January 15, 2020 is the day!
Just thought I would let you know that you cannot assume the time of your birth will be on your OBC. Mine wasn’t, to my great surprise. Like you, I had assumed such a piece of information would certainly be included, along with my birth weight. That wasn’t there either.
What? That seems crazy to me. Why would standard info not be recorded. So frustrating! Thanks for the heads up!
I am Joanne a NY born and raised adoptee. I have been searching for my siblings for almost 40 years, Ny Foundling and other agencies need to be held accountable for lying to adoptees about where they came from and who was their siblings.I needed information for my sister who got very sick, only to find out 37 years later my grandmother died of the same illness and nobody ever told my adoptive parents anything, they lied and said”they had no medical history” that’s pretty darn funny. Then they never told my parents my Birthmother had mental illness {i don’t have it but it’s passed down}, then they lied about my aunt adopting My brother born Male Sideratos {a bogus last name a cover up Bm used} and when in fact a cousin confirmed my aunt didn’t she didn’t want any kids. My own older Brother Michael J Schenk who lived in the Bronx with my step grandmother and my Aunt ,I can’t locate him i know where he used to live but don’t know where he is now and I have looked for him the longest. We as adoptees deserve our OBC’s doesn’t matter what state although NY needs to step up but all States need to step up because why make an adoptee have to pay a court to find out about them selves ,the Birthparents signed their rights away and in some cases didn’t but still it isn’t really about them it’s about US, where did we come from, who are we, where do we fit in? It all matter’s the Same.
The laws for adoptees was made in the 1930’s old laws still on the books this long need to be looked at and changed
[ed. note: video removed for technical reasons]
Hi Joanne,
I too am looking for Informatio n.
Ny Foudling agency did not give any.
If you want to contact me please do.
[email protected]
Maybe we can find something g by sharing Info.
Thank you for this information and working to allow the release of information. I was adopted in Rochester, NY. [Ed. note: birthdate removed for privacy]
Hello Shana,
I also was adopted in Rochester NY. I am looking for 3 younger siblings whose between ages 27 and 18. A set of twins birth names Faith and Hope. Not sure if this fits you but hey gotta try ya know! Lol. Hope you find your peace either way.😊 May the LORD bless you and your endeavors.
Have we talked before, Shana? I do genealogy in Rochester.
Hi – we are all in the same boat, let’s hope NY gets it together as not everybody gets so lucky with DNA testing. If you are still searching for bio parent info and have not done testing, I strongly encourage you to do so. I found both sides of my family last year at age 51. I used both 23andMe and Ancestry and GEDMatch. Good luck to you all, and thank you Gregory for your information here.
Born in Canandaigua, NY on September 12, 1945 At Thompson Memorial Hospital. The name Sesan was my adopted last name. Looking to find either or both set of parents name & if I have any bothers or sisters. I am 72 years old & I don’t expect my bio-parents are still alive but I would like to at least find out what family I do come from & get medical info.
Hey there, I’m Brook. I am an adopted since 12… I am looking for 3 younger siblings of mine and I’m NEW to this… I know just of their birth first names ONLY and our deceased mother’s death certificate. Where can I go from her? Any help is greattttttly adorned😊…
May THE LORD bless us all.
It seems NY will allow transgender people the ability to change the sex on their BC but I cant get into mu original live birth BC as an adoptee! Wack
Wow. My fiance has a twist on this. He was born in NYC (Queens) and a couple of years of his birth, his mother remarried and his step-dad adopted. He knows his biological fathers name. The problem now is, his drivers license has expired and he applied for a new birth certificate in order to renew his license. He has applied for his birth certificate, listing his birth father on the information, that was asked for. Will he receive that last name on the certificate, or will he need to supply the adopted fathers name? He has used the adoptive fathers name all of his life, growing up, to present.
It’s possible his application for a birth certificate will be rejected. If not, he will likely receive his amended birth certificate with his adoptive parents’ names on it.
I was born in S. Korea and adopted at 5 and moved to NY. I then was adopted again at 16 and had my birth certificate amended. I joined the military and somewhere, I lost my birth certificate, adoption decree and naturalization paperwork. If i apply for copy of my birth certificate from NY, and if they issue a amended birth certificate, can that be used as a form of id for employment purpose? Yes this is a weird one.
Thank you
Matt: yes, this is complicated but unfortunately not so weird for intercountry adoptees. I’m assuming that by mentioning naturalization papers you have become a US citizen and, because you had to apply for citizenship you must have been born prior to 1983. Your issue will be not so much the amended birth certificate but proof of citizenship for employment purposes. An amended certificate may not suffice. But a passport or certificate of citizenship would. Feel free to email me to see if I can help you sort this out and point you in the right direction. My email is [email protected].
I was born 1965 in Bronx NY.
Found both birth mom & dad in 1990. Thanks to ALMA.
Moms side = great experience
Dads side = not so much
Dads brother & his 6 girls have been amazing.
Dads daughters (my 1/2 sibs) blocked me & my other 1/2 sub sister (same dad) with whom I connected in 2016 from meeting dad.
Unfortunately this continued until too late…
Our birth father (Ron) passed away 04MAY2018.
What can we do (if anything) to compel the family to acknowledge who we are?
What is ALMA?
It’s the Adoptees’ Liberty Movement Association.
I am trying to find my family. I think I was switched at birth by the hospital. I was born April 10, 1952. I was born to a Puerto Rican family but once I did the DNA testing I found out that I am 99% Jewish. I was born in Trafalgar Hospital in Manhattan. I have my birth certificate and it has both of my parents name. My dad’s cousin is still alive and he said he saw me right after the hospital and he was sure I was not adopted as the procedure was very complicated and took a long time. At the same time my mother was pregnant with me and the doctor that delivered me was a well known Doctor the inventor of the Margarlies Coil .. on of the first IUD.’s.
Hi, Gary
You might want to get other Mercados tested, a sibling, if possible. That would prove whether you are related to them. Do you want help with your DNA matches? Step 1 is uploading to GEDmatch, which is free. Email me and I can get you started. Linda Wolfe Kelley. [email protected]
Is it possible to get an original birth certificate for an adoptee who is deceased, and was born in 1924? Do they open the originals after a certain amount of time?
Thanks in advance- (I do have his adoption records, but the father is unnamed, and his birth mother is listed in the public records as well as on the adoption papers. I have since found out who she was.)
Currently, nearly impossible. I wrote about this a little bit here, in a post entitled The Nutso Workd of New York Adoptee Rights, which should give you an idea about what you are up against.
Thanks. I’ll read it, but if the father was listed as “unknown” on the adoption papers, then I doubt that the original certificate would contain any relevant information anyway.
I am 73 years old and was adopted when I was between 8 to 12 years old. I have always known who my birthparents are but was adopted by my stepfather. I lived with my mom and know all of her history. My birth father passed away in 1967, and his twin sister, who I was in touch with until she died, in 2000. All of their parents, grandparents, etc., have passed away. There is no one alive on my birth father’s side of the family. Even my two half sisters have now passed away. I have always wanted my original birth certificate, since doing genealogy, and for entry into the D.A.R. How do I go about getting it.? Are there any forms I can fill out to accomplish this?
Hello everyone, I see we are all sisters and brothers here with a common cause. I am 60 now, found out I was adopted around 18 years of age by an older cousin she let that slip( yeah right). Both of my parents have gone on , I have no one left. Would love to know my history so I can tell my children. Its a shame that we aren’t allowed to find out who we are, that people sit back and decide if we should know things about ourselves Let me know when something changes or when I can help.
DNA is the way to go…. I found out who my father’s mother was within 5 days of getting my DNA back from Ancestry….
I was born Carolin Mann in 1953 , my birth mom is Irene Archer, father George E Mann was christened Deborah Patalano was never finalized adoption. We moved to Georgia , was told I had a younger brother name Pete was not going to be told he was adopted in N Y.
I am trying to find out protocol for adoptions in New York City/Brooklyn in 1918. My grandmother was adopted, I have the original adoption papers from a judge in Kings County dated September 1918 which includes her birth name, birth mothers name and adopted mothers name. Did they ammended birth certificates back then? She was apparently born in Brooklyn, I have searched appropriate birth indexes for that area and neither her birth name or adopted name are in the index.
My father was born in Manhattan in 1924. His birth certificate said “Birth Certificate by Adoption” on it. He does show up in the NY birth indexes under his mother’s name (The father was not named on the adoption papers.)
Adopted at birth in ny. 71yrs old.I know my biological birth name from a birth cert I found after adopted parents died but not bio parents.Will be doing ancestry.Thoughts!?parents also told me where birth Mom was from..Thought it might be mothers surname but now think maybe fathers…Amended cert 6months after born. Googled alot.May have my bio father but does not resemble me.He’s famous enough if him to have long wiki..
What is really disheartening is that the legalization of recreational marijuana will happen before we ever hear anything about ny state’s revised adoption bill.
Everyone is so, so excited about how they can make money from this. Gov. Cuomo and all the rest who could get the revised adoption bill passed don’t care at all about how long we have been waiting to get some sense of closure about our ancestry. Politicians don’t care how long the bill sits in “committee” in Albany. All people care about is getting high and the money to be made on something that will continue to ruin humanity because of greed.
Quick question.
If we have the birth mother, now-adult child, and adoptive father each willing to sign off, can we get all records released in NY? (The birth father’s name is definitely blank on all paperwork.)
I am not an expert or anything, but I came across this earlier tonight in my searching and I think you all might want to consider doing this:
https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/adoption.htm
I would think if you all register, even though it might take years, they could release information at that point for certain without the need for legal action.
But honestly, based on what I’ve seen on this website with regard to how messed up NYS laws are regarding adoption, I wouldn’t think anything is a “for sure thing”. Even in a situation as the one you’re referring to.
No. I went with both birth parents & notarized letters from my adoptive parents, and got nothing. Nada. Zip. Even tried Catholic Charities. It’s not legal in NY. I am fortunate enough to be a Booth Baby & I was able to get all my birth records from the Salvation Army.
Know how frustrating this is. I am a birth father who, with birth mother, is looking for adopted son. He was born within 10 days, plus or minus, of 17 April 1965, at Central Gen. Hospital, Plainview, Nassau Co., NY. No luck. Mom was heavily sedated, never saw or held child, unaware even of exact birth date. Remembers social worker asking for a name for the child (William David), and that adoptive parents were both teachers. On positive note…my mother had a female child out of wedlock two yrs before marrying my Dad; and my half sister has connected with me, and my brother and sister. No thanks to NYS Dept of Health!
I was born in Hempsted,Long Island,NY In 1939 and adopted in 1943 but no told I was adopted untill 21 yrs old . I did use the Ancestry DNA and found out my nationality ,I know my birth mother’s name but with records sealed lost out on any birth family I might have.
I was born in Yonkers NY in 1954 but adopted through an agency in Connecticut in that same year. Which state’s laws govern the release of my original birth certificate?
Your original birth certificate would be held by the New York State Department of Health and it would be available through this bill once enacted and implemented.
Thanks Gregory!
I am trying to find information about my grandmother who was adopted in New York, Brooklyn in 1918. Amongst her papers we found after she passed we found an original copy of her adoption papers, a birth certificate with a different child name than her birth name on the adoption papers and a copy of a birth certificate with her adopted name (the name we have always known). Apparently she requested a copy of her birth certificate (in 1998), my Mother has what she thinks is my grandmothers ORIGINAL birth certificate, which has a different name than her “birth name” on her adoption papers. Is it possible that my Grandmother, requested a copy of her original 1918 pre adoption birth certificate in 1998 and received a copy from the state of New York? From what I have read and researched, this is not possible. I wonder if they sent her the wrong certificate in 1998. SO CONFUSED!! Anyone who can shed some light, comments and contact is welcome.
My mother-in-law was born in Brooklyn in 1916. When she turned 90 in 2006 we learned that she had been adopted. Quite a surprise! She passed on about five months later.
In her papers she has evidently tried to have her records opened in the early 1990s. However, the request was denied. The birth certificate she hans clearly states it was by adoption in New York. That said, the certificate had a birth certificate number issued in 2016.
With that number we were able to cross-walk it to the birth certificate file compiled in the 1930s and available for Kings County. Once we looked up that number we found her original name.
Suggest you take a similar approach and look to match the certificate number. Good luck!
We found two birth certificates. The copy she received in 1998 for McLaine has the same certificate number as an uncertified copy she has (unknown date and origin) for Cole, which has her life long given name. What puzzles me is if the original birth certificate (McLaine) was pre adoption and sealed how did she get a copy? Also the supposed “pre adoption” birth certificate has a completely different name than her “pre adoption” name in the original adoption papers. TIA for any light shed!!
I was born in Greenburgh NY in March of 1963 and adopted immediately by my adoptive parents. My birth records are sealed in Albany NY with no access to them short of a court order which for most of us is damn near impossible to get. I was told by my adoptive parents at around 6 years old that I was adopted and my mother told me if I wanted to know anything about my birth parents that she would tell me if she knew or if I wanted to know in which i did. She had little or no information except my birth last name of “Duncan” which was still on my ID wristband when I was brought to her and my adopted dad.
I’ve spent years casually looking for my birth parents and was successful in acquiring non-identifying information from Albany letting my know that my mom is African American and had me very young and had to drop out of school in8th grade because she had to get a job to help out my family. I was told that my birth mom had another child before me about a year and a half prior to me which from what I gather her kept.
The kicker for me was a story in the file stating that my mother said that one day walking home from work she passed by a man standing on the side of the road. When she passed the man the story says when she awoke awhile later to find her clothes where disheveled implying that my mother may have be sexually assaulted/raped . I may be the product of that incident which stopped my search in its tracks. It does also state that the doctor she told this story to didn’t believer her.
As much as I long to find my birth family, I don’t want to meet my mother or any relative for that matter and possibly resemble the man who raped my mom 56 years ago.
Now as depressing as that all sounds, I was told another story that my parents we’re an interracial couple in the 60’s that wasn’t welcome and i was a product of their union and placed in adoption as a choice by my birth parents for whatever reason. Unfortunately this story has the same tragic ending. I also heard that both my parents have passed on along with my brother basically leaving my alone again. I want desperately to find the right information but it’s hard and sad. i can’t wait for January 15th 2020 to get here so i can finally have a modicum of peace on this very important piece of my life. Good luck to all Searcher and happy Hunting.
Hi Gregory,
I was just perusing the Adoptee Rights Law website, reading over the NYS law as it now stands, prior to the sweeping changes that will be in effect in 11 days, and I found this:
“(c) If the original certificate of birth contains fictitious names of either or both parents, a new certificate shall not be prepared until notification is received by, or proper proof is submitted to, the commissioner by the clerk of a court of competent jurisdiction or the parents or their attorney, or the person himself, or his attorney, of a judgment, order or decree relating to parentage.”
Breaking that down into simpler language, it appears to be saying that when fake names were used on an OBC, an amended birth certificate was not be prepared until legitimate proof was received of the birth parent’s (or parents’) identity/identities. Am I reading this correctly?
Such a scenario applies to me, because my birth mother lied about her own maiden name, my birth father’s surname, their marital status, his age and occupation, and of course, my surname at birth (which of course was the same fake name she used for him and for her “married” surname). If I am understanding this particular provision correctly, I assume this means that somewhere in NY State, either in the Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Statistics OR in the county Surrogate’s Court where my adoption was finalized, there is a record of my birth mother’s REAL full name and possibly my birth father’s as well.
Or does this mean that such information is still filed in Florida, where I was born? (I received my OBC from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville, FL.)
Thank you for your help!
P.S. A final question: do you have any information on where I will need to apply for my OBC or any other pertinent papers in my file, once the law in NYS changes?
Am I correct?
I was born 4/4/1944 My bn was Shirley Anne Alford, My Father was in Military, was English born in Florida. My Mother was Mary Bassano I have info regarding my Mother, looking for info about Father.
I am helping a couple sisters figure out their biological grandparents – their mother (Madeline Longo) was adopted in 1953 in Brooklyn. The birth certificate that they have for her was filed / created in 1955 – so at 13 months. Unfortunately, Madeline died in the 1980s in Texas.
The sisters have their DNA on 23andMe and a few other sites – working on AncestryDNA now.
When I look at the NY birth index – I’m not seeing a Madeline Longo being born on her birthdate (23 December 1953). But I am seeing a Regina McHugh born on that date in Brooklyn with a certificate number of “54427”. The certificate number on Madeline’s birth certificate is 156-53-354427. Does the last five digits of “54427” mean that Regina McHugh might be Madeline’s birth name? Just wondering if the birth index was not amended because it appears she was 13 months at adoption (and maybe a clerical error?). I’ve seen these errors a few times for whatever reason in other states. Thoughts on here? One of the daughters is going to fill out the original birth certificate record for an adoptee – figured I would post this on here as well. Thanks for any meaningful feedback. Gary Gibson
I really don’t see any conclusion other than that is a match on the New York City birth index. The added “3” was often the last digit of the year of birth, in this case 1953. The number 54427 is generally the number of births in that borough up to that date, which was December 1953. Good luck getting confirmation through requesting the original birth certificate, which is the obvious next step.
Hi! I am trying to help my fiance find any leads for him. He found out he was adopted at the age of 51, right before his adopt mother passed away.
We know he was born in NY. We did the basic DNA testing, but no relatives showed on the test.
We also have half of a paper from the courts just saying adoptee…but no name can be seen as the adopted mother blacked everything out on the paper.
Can any one suggest steps for us to take?
So with the new law that was passed, what do we need to do to get an original birth certificate with the bi logical mother listed?
Thank you so much for this forum.
Hi! I’m trying to help my husband, Michael Pack, find his biological family. He was born in Harlem, NY in Feb.1966. Birth parents were teens ( Georgeanna Pack and Michael Jackson). He was adopted with his sister, Michelle in 1984. Judge Claire Pearce signed the adoption papers. We know he has several siblings. Praying for everyone searching!
Hi Dawn.. assuming he has done DNA testing with the top sites? Has he also gotten his OBC from NY state?
Hi Jean! Thank you for your response. Michael (Pack- Jackson) has enlisted the help of 2 of the top DNA services. He hopes to get results any day now!
Great! Best of luck and apply for his Original Birth Certificate if not already done!
Dawn – can you also clarify his adoption year? Thanks!
I was adopted at age 2 from Albany county adoption agency in 1972. My name before adoption was Joe Maier and i was born March 5th 1970. I do not know anything about my birthparents but I did have the great pleasure to meet my real sister Kelly , my half sister Dorothy and I have never meet my younger brother Joe. I was recently diagnosed with some medical conditions and it is all gene related. I am really wanting to find my mother who I know from my sister put us all up for adoption. The only things I know are from my sister and we do not have any info about the medical side, So please if someone here knows or hears anything or can give me any good ideas, I am going to try to get the pre adoption birth certificate. Thanks for your time.
Hello, Joe,
Your mother had two sons named Joe? That is unusual.
There might be some clues from DNA testing.
It would be great if you all got tested and put your DNA on multiple websites, including GEDmatch.
If you want help, email me at [email protected].
Linda Wolfe Kelley
Portland, OR
How accurate are original, sealed pre-adoption birth certificates?
I recently obtained mine from the NYC Dept. of Vital Records, and noticed some illogical notations.
Through prior research, I confirmed that my birthmother, age 24, was not married at the time of my birth. Yet, she identified herself as “Mrs.” on the birth certificate. Moreover, she listed her maiden last name and “married” last name as one and the same! In addition, she referred to my birth father as having that very same last name.
While I assume all birth certificates are legal documents, it seems obvious that back in 1956, at least, there was little, if any, effort to verify the facts, especially when it came to parents who were putting their child up for adoption.