How Do You Find Birth Parents If You Were Born Outside The US? A Guide.

Recognizing the need for professionals to help with your search early on can save a great deal of time as the process continues. Hiring or contacting a translator after gathering all of the information you have from your adoptive family and U.S. agency or attorney can help very helpful as you navigate original documents or individuals in your country of origin.

Your U.S. agency may have contact information for the current orphanage director from where you were adopted. They may be willing to email or speak with you regarding your placement. Many orphanages do not have excellent records, as record-keeping practices vary greatly across countries and cultures. This is especially true if the adoption was completed years ago. However, sometimes even small pieces of information can be helpful in pointing you in the right direction. Oftentimes a search is comprised of lots of little puzzle pieces that only once put together lead you to the answers you are seeking. No piece of information is too little.

Oftentimes the best next step after you have gathered all of the information you can is to hire a private investigator who specializes in adoption search and reunion. They are extremely skilled in digital research and can take the information regarding your adoption and find those individuals you need to meet with in your country of origin. A private investigator can save you thousands of dollars and hours by finding you the exact information you need. They may recommend a researcher in that country who can complete the search. Be sure the investigator does a thorough trust and safety check on all individuals with whom you choose to work with to ensure they are competent and ethical. Be sure you do this prior to giving payment to any individual who may help with the search. Private investigators are licensed in the United States, but not necessarily in every country, so it is critical for you to have them do extensive research on anyone you plan to hire or meet with. Private investigators can also help you access an original birth certificate from your country of birth as many other countries do not seal such records.

Many individuals find it most helpful to travel to their country of origin even if they have not been connected to their birth family. Visiting your orphanage, your foster family, or caretakers can be helpful, with the help of your vetted-translator or in-country searcher, in getting more answers. Deciding on when to visit in the process can be a difficult decisions based on resources, finances and timing. You may want to wait until the search has produced credible leads before you make the journey.

Once you meet, are connected to, or the private investigator or the in-country searcher has located your birth relatives, you should consider using DNA testing to ensure they truly are your biological family members. Some individuals choose to meet potential relatives first and then do the testing. Others choose to have them test before travel. Some people also choose to use easy, inexpensive DNA testing as the first step in their search process. By doing so they may be connected to biological family members through the extensive global database of participants.

The search and reunion process can be daunting and stressful for anyone looking for their biological relatives. It can especially difficult for those searching for birth family abroad. You are not alone and there are many support groups, blogs, and message boards which can offer a plethora of support and resources to you through the process.