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I am trying to help a friend who is looking for some birth and adoption information. She is unable to even obtain a birth certificate with any information other than her name and birthplace of Richmond VA. It has no hospital information or anything like that. VA says that there are no adoption records in that state and she has check in NJ where her adoptive family moced after her birth. If she were born in VA wouldn't her adoption had to have taken place in VA? Could it possibly be that there was no actual adoption? Wouldn't there have to be records somewhere about something???? Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks!
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No, the adoption could have taken place in any state. If they told you NJ that is likely where it happened. The state you are born in maintains the original birth certificate and when they receive the adoption order from the state that finalized the adoption - they create an amended version and send it. If it is a closed state like Virginia then the original birth certificate is sealed. Your friend should get their NON-ID from NJ. [URL="http://laws.adoption.com/statutes/new-jersey-laws.html"]New Jersey Adoption Laws[/URL] If there was an adoption agency involved (for example Catholic Charities) then they should get their NON-ID from them as well. Ask both the state and the agency for ANY and ALL information in the file, both at the time of the adoption, and anything added after. Your friend can also search the registry on this site (see tab reunite above) (don't enter the date just the month) and see if anything comes up that sounds like a match (in the past the day of birth was sometimes changed - also the hospital is not listed - sometimes even the mother was told the wrong sex - anything to make sure a search was not going to work - terrible I know). ALSO create a posting on the registry. Send a search posting to ISRR.net There are search angels and hopefully one will come along and give your friend a hand (they don't charge). They will want the NON-ID so best to get started on it. Good luck,Dickons
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Tell her to send a request in writing to the Adoption Unit (or whatever they call themselves in the link I gave you) and include: Date of birthSexHer full adoptive nameAdoptive Mothers name / date of birthAdoptive Fathers name / date of birthAddress and phone number. Make a photocopy of what you sent... They will reply with a form letter saying we have nothing or NON-ID. If it is a form letter that says we have nothing then she can take it to Virginia Vital Records / Virginia Adoption Unit (state) and ask for help. They won't without something to indicate that NJ has nothing. Not sure what they can do but you need to create a paper trail. If Virginia says go to NJ and you do and it is not in NJ, and Virginia says sorry we have nothing (get it in writing), then "I" would use that to petition the courts in both NJ and Virginia for both her adoption records, and her original birth certificate, because you have no way to prove there was a valid adoption, if neither state says they have anything but point to the other. Hope that makes sense. Kind regards,Dickons