Requesting a Birth Certificate for a Person Who Was Adopted
If the adopted person was born in Connecticut, the birth certificate may be obtained from the town where the event occurred or the State Vital Records Office. The birth certificate that you will receive will list the child’s adoptive name and the names and demographic information pertaining to the adoptive parents.
If the adopted person was born in another state, you must request the birth certificate from the state in which the person was born.
If the person was born in another country, you may obtain a Certificate of Foreign Birth from the State Vital Records Office.
How Do I Request a Certificate of Foreign Birth for Persons Born Out of the Country and Adopted by Connecticut Residents?
The adoptive parent(s), or the adopted person if at least 18 years old, may purchase a Certificate of Foreign Birth for a child who was born out of the country and whose adoption was: (1) finalized in Connecticut; or (2) finalized in the foreign country of birth and authenticated/validated by a Connecticut court.
Submit the Application for Certificate of Foreign Birth for persons born out of the country and adopted by Connecticut residents. Along with the application you must submit a copy of a government issued photographic identification (do not submit originals) and the applicable fee.
How Do I Request an Original Birth Certificate of an Adopted Person?
Note: You may only obtain an uncertified copy of the original birth certificate. Uncertified copies of original birth certificates are for informational purposes only. It is a superseded certificate that has no legal purpose. It cannot be used for legal proof of identity or as a substitute for an official certified birth certificate.
If a new birth certificate is created at the time a person is adopted, the original birth certificate is sealed in a confidential file.
As of July 1, 2015, certain persons are eligible to obtain an uncertified copy of an original birth certificate of an adopted person without a court order. To be eligible you must be the person named on the original birth certificate and at least 18 years old, or such person’s adult child or grandchild, and the adoption must have been finalized on or after October 1, 1983.
If you are eligible to request a copy of an original birth certificate without a court order, complete the Application For Copy of Original Birth Certificate for Adult Adoptees.
Submit the completed application to the State Vital Records Office along with a photocopy of a government issued photographic identification. Do not submit originals. Also, send the applicable fee ($65). If you are the adopted person’s adult child or grandchild, you must also send documentation verifying the relationship to the registrant.
If you or your adoption does not meet the requirements above, state law requires a court order allowing the release of the original birth record. After receiving the court order, follow the directions on how to order an original certificate of an adopted person mentioned above. Be sure to include the original court order along with your application.
Requests for Original Birth Certificates of Adopted Persons are processed by the State Vital Records Office only. Original records of adopted persons are stored off-site and therefore are not available for walk-in service. If the State Vital Records Office is unable to locate an original birth certificate, the $65 fee will be returned to the requester.
Health History information related to the adopted person’s birth family may be available at the Department of Children and Families. Also, there may be a form on file at the Department of Children and Families indicating whether a birth parent would like to have contact with the adopted person, or the adopted person’s child or grandchild. To find out whether this information is available and to obtain this information go to the Department of Children and Families website or contact them at:
DCF/Adoption Search Unit
505 Hudson Street, 10th Floor
Hartford, Connecticut 06106
(860) 550-6582