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Birth Certificate

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Birth certificates are legal documents issued by the state at the time of a U.S. citizen's birth. It's perhaps one of the most important pieces of paper one will have throughout his or her life, as it's often requested for proof of one's citizenship and identity.

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A certificate of birth generally includes the names of one's parents and details pertaining to one's birth, such as the date, city or hospital from which it was issued. Copies of one's certificate of birth are required for a number of important things later in life, most notably job or college applications or when applying for a passport or replacing a lost social security card.

When a child's birth parents either voluntarily or involuntarily terminate their legal parental rights, the certificate with their names on it that was issued at the adoptee's birth is no longer applicable by law. Therefore, an adoptee requires a new certificate of birth identifying his or her adoptive parents as the people with legal parental responsibility. When an adoption is finalized, then, the ruling judge issues an adoption decree to the adoptive family. This functions as a temporary and make-shift certificate and has all of the same information a certificate issued at birth would have, such as the adoptee's birth day. The main difference is it will have the adoptee's adoptive parents' names listed as being his or her parents and legally responsible for the child. When this is issued, an adoptee's original birth certificate is filed away with the state in a sealed adoption record that may be accessed partially or in-full after the child turns 18.

The laws regulating an adoptee's right to access his or her original birth certificate varies from state to state. Some states allow access to these by request with "good cause" and others require mutual, independent consent by the birth parents before opening an adoption record. An adoptee may want to access his or her certificate for the purpose of searching for and contacting his or her birth parents, which is what makes releasing that information controversial and confidential. One's original certificate is essentially powerless, as a new one is issued by a judge when an adoption is finalized.

Category: Adoption

See Also: amended birth certificate, original birth certificate

Articles About "Birth Certificate"

Moldova Adoption Factsheet
DISCLAIMER: The information in this circular relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is provided for general information only. Questions involving interpretation of specific foreign laws should be addressed to foreign legal counsel. All Immigrant Visa processing for...
India Adoption Factsheet
REQUIREMENTS OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN COUNTRIES IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN COUNSEL. BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE U.S. U.S. immigration and visa laws provide for advance...
How Do I Apply to Bring a Foreign-Born Orphan to the United States?
Who is Considered an Orphan? Under U.S. immigration law, a foreign-born child is an orphan if he or she does not have any parents because of the death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from, both parents. A foreign-born child is also an orphan if his or her...
Using Donor Sperm
THERAPEUTIC INSEMINATION BY DONOR means using the sperm from a donor to achieve a pregnancy, and is a treatment option if the man is infertile. While TID is a well-established method for treating male infertility, it can be very difficult for the couple to accept. With the newer options for...

"Birth Certificate" in the News

Supreme Court to Arizona: No, You Cannot Ask Voters to Prove Citizenship
The Supreme court overturned an Arizona law Monday that requires proof of citizenship from people registering to vote. Since 2004, Arizona has not accepted registration forms without a proof of citizenship (e.g. birth certificate, passport, etc.). Even though the state and the federal government...
Paperless and cast aside!
An estimated 250,000 Jamaican children have no birth certificate. Many of that number are out of the formal school system because their parents have not taken the time to apply for their birth papers.
Teen girl and mother win case to change birth cert
A teenage girl and her mother have won their High Court case against the State over the refusal of the Registrar General to change her mother's name on her birth certificate.
Video: SCOTUS: States can't require voters to prove citizenship
An Arizona law required residents to show a driver's license, birth certificate, passport or other proof of citizenship when they registered to vote. The state said it was necessary to combat fraud, but the Supreme Court ruled Monday that Arizona was asking too much. Jan Crawford reports.

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"Birth Certificate" in the Adoption Blogs

When a Name is Much More Than a Name
November 10, 2011, 7:08 am
While the pressure to find the perfect name is a standard for any parent, for adoptive parents there is a door that opens up to a whole new set of questions that can become completely overwhelming. The Birthmother. Will she choose a name first? If she does should we keep it or change it? What if...
Texas offers Free Pre K for Foster (and Former Foster) Children
December 28, 2011, 6:43 am
If you have a 3 or 4 year old in your Foster Care home in Texas, that child is eligible for free Pre-K through the local school district.  Some school districts begin the program at age three and some at age 4;  check your district's website to discover the age limits for your school district. ...
When Birth Parents Don't Want to be Found
March 17, 2013, 7:56 pm
States across the nation are entertaining legislation that open up adoption records and give adoptees access to their original birth certificates. The laws that currently govern adoptee rights are decades old, dating back to the days when adoption itself was considered shameful by most and, thus,...
Find more blogs on birth certificate

"Birth Certificate" in the Adoption Forums

Passport and delayed birth certificate
June 11, 2013, 11:58 am
My dd is talking about going on a mission trip to Peru next year. She was adopted at age 10, so her birth certificate is obviously very "delayed." The original is sealed. I look at the requirements for using a delayed certificate and I don't know how a birth certificate would list the documents...
Fake Birth Certificate
June 11, 2013, 12:58 pm
My birth certificate shows my adoptive parents as my natural parents. It is the original. 56 years old. Was this legal back then? I know a lawyer handled the adoption. Could it be an illegal adoption? Anyone else have adoptive parents on their birth cert?
Seeking half-bro born January 25, 1947 in Goldsboro NC
June 4, 2013, 7:25 am
Sister seeks half-brother born January 25, 1947 (1/25/47) in the afternoon in the Goldsboro hospital in Wayne County, NC, possibly placed for adoption by Johnston Co., NC social services. Could have even gone to a military family? Original birth certificate lists white male’s name as McLeod. Mother...
Seeking half-bro born January 25, 1947 in Goldsboro NC
June 4, 2013, 7:30 am
Sister seeks half-brother born January 25, 1947 (1/25/47) in the afternoon in the Goldsboro hospital in Wayne County, NC, possibly placed for adoption by Johnston Co., NC social services. Could have even gone to a military family? Original birth certificate lists white male’s name as McLeod. Mother...

Stories About "Birth Certificate"

In Search of My Birthmother
I always knew I was adopted. My parents broke the news when I was just old enough to understand. "We chose you out of all the babies in the world to be ours." Even though my adoptive...
Encouragement and Caution
I am a 55-year-old adoptee with an amazingly short and fully successful story about my search for my birth parents. Very few adoptees have ever been able to so quickly locate their families with such...
The Day I Threw My Guilt Away
Randomly scanning the familiar women's section in the bookstore, my eye caught the title "How Could You?" a book about mothers without custody of their children by Harriet Edwards. She had...

"Birth Certificate" on Adoption.com

Birth Certificate: Birth Certificates, Adoption, Family ...
Comprehensive resource for information on birth certificate ... A certificate of birth generally includes the names of one's parents and details pertaining to one's birth, such as the date, city or hospital from which it was issued.
Birth Certificate: Birth Certificates, Adoption, Family ...
Comprehensive resource for information on birth certificate ... A certificate of birth generally includes the names of one's parents and details pertaining to one's birth, such as the date, city or hospital from which it was issued.
Birth Certificate - Adoption Encyclopedia
Click to learn more about Birth Certificate ... Adding your comments contributes to the adoption community. Please keep all comments on topic and civil.
Birth Certificates
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Web Results for "Birth Certificate"

Birth certificate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a child. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth. Depending on the ...
Order an Official Birth Certificate - Birth Certificates ...
Fast Turnaround . Once your birth certificate order is complete, it is electronically sent the next business day to the government agency for processing.
Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate - Texas Vital ...
Instructions on ordering a certified copy of a birth in Texas ... The Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics Unit does not publish searchable birth indexes on our website.
Visitor Comments (2)
Adding your comments contributes to the adoption community. Please keep all comments on topic and civil. Visitors are invited to comment and vote for or flag comments based on appropriateness and helpfulness. All comments must adhere to our commenting rules and are subject to moderation.
sulynn houng roach - 3 weeks ago
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I need to find out wete I can get my birth certificte adopted vinal records in sacremento office or sanfrancesco cal #1
priscilla cooper - 2 months ago
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I really want to know who my birth mom is #2
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