Wondering...?

Torrejon

I have an "amended" birth certificate that lists my adoptive parents as if they were my biological progenitors. Normally people don't even realize that my birth certificate is different. But if you look closely, you can tell that it was filled out with three different typewriters (the old days) and that it was registered with the county clerk almost a year after my birth. That document got me a driver's license and a passport.

It is true that children are rarely heard in the legal system, and when they are, only in very limited and sheltered situations. I was placed in foster care at the time of my birth and later with my adoptive family when I was about 7 weeks old. I was definitely not old enough to present my own wishes to the court. However, no legal representation was appointed by the courts to defend my rights. And despite the fact that I am now well over the legal age of majority, I am still treated by the courts as a child with no voice. I am not permitted to have a copy of my original birth certificate. I had to pay hefty fees and petition the courts to open my sealed records. Non-adopted people, at the age of legal majority in their state, are permitted rights and privileges that are forever removed from me...for the simple fact that I was adopted. I believe that is discrimination--pure and simple.

(No one with a brain will hate you for asking relevant questions to further your own understanding of the issues. Actually, I enjoy answering questions such as yours.)

Robin

I was adopted at age 3. As reported by others, at the time I was adopted, my a.parents received an amended birth certificate showing them as my "parents". Missing from the amended BC are the little details. What time I was born, among other things. How can I possibly get an accurate astrological chart without knowing the time of my birth!? (LOL)

Although I met my first mom in 1983, I am still blocked from having a copy of my original birth certificate. I know what my name was as listed on that birth certificate. I know my first mom's name & maiden name, her birth date, etc. In fact, I got to know HER. Yet I still am not "allowed" to have a copy of my original BC. SHE wanted to get a copy of it for me, but passed away before doing so.

I'm one of the "lucky" ones, as the state I was born in will release a copy of my original certificate - - - with the written permission of my a.mom! As an adult, a mother & grandmother, I think it's ridiculous that I need my a.mother's permission for anything!

Can you imagine needing your mommy & daddy's permission just to get a copy of your own birth certificate? Probably not...

As Torrejon wrote: "I am still treated by the courts as a child with no voice. I am not permitted to have a copy of my original birth certificate."

Silliness. As for the argument that "some people don't want to be found", well besides the point that statistics show less than 5% of first moms wish to remain annonymous, it's OBVIOUS that I didn't need a copy of my original BC to FIND MY MOM!

---Who, BTW, did not willingly give me up. She was a poor, working mom, abandoned by her husband, doing her best to raise me before welfare existed. No criminal record, no alcohol or drug problems per COURT records. Social services decided I'd be better off with a married couple. My alcoholic, verbally & physically abusive a.parents. Oops...that's another issue.. Sorry. Got off track... : )

Thanks for asking the question.

ETA:While some may not care to have a copy of their original BC, many DO want access. I AM still the person on that first birth certificate. It IS a part of who I am, just as much as the people I grew up with are a part of who I am!

I'm married & again my last name changed...that doesn't mean I'm not the person I was before I married.

anastasia beaverhausen-the real1

in answer to your first question, i'm having difficulty with my honeymoon destination.

i can't seem to get onto the island without my birth certificate. i'm working on that now.

snow flake

We don't have our ORIGINAL birth certificates. What we have are falsified documents that list our adoptive parents *as if* they are the ones who concieved and gave birth to us, with no indication that we are adopted.

Our original birth certificates are sealed and we are prevented from obtaining them EVEN AS ADULTS. What adults are prevented from seeing their own birth certificates except for adoptees? The answer is NONE. We adoptees are discriminated against and kept from knowing our origins.

ETA: With respect to Torrejon, calling the birth certificate that we adoptees have an "amended" birth certificate is a misnomer and a euphamism the adoption industry likes to use to take the sting out of the fact that our origins have been obliterated.

"Amended" implies that information has been added to the original certificate, which is NOT what the adoptee's birth certificate is. The adoptee's birth certificate is a CHANGED document...it replaces the original mother's and father's names and other information with the adoptive parent's names, with no indication that change has been made, and it REPLACES our original birth certificate.

Furthermore, the fact that we didn't choose to be adopted is what makes all of this so difficult to swallow. We are being punished for something that happened to us completely out of our control. It is not fair that we continue to be discriminated against for a decision we didn't make.

LaurieDB

Unfortunately there are a number of adopted citizens who have had difficulty in getting passports. Amended birth certificates are issued after an adoption is finalized by the court. As the laws get more strict and the government's eye becomes more watchful, birth certificates with filing dates more than 1 year after the birth can be looked upon with suspicion. Even children adopted at birth, therefore, can have difficulties if their adoptions took over a years to finalize. I was adopted at age 2. My amended birth certificate is considered suspect.

The birth certificate issue is simply one of equal ACCESS rights to one's original, factual record of birth. Although I do not need my OBC for any legal reason (nor did I need it for reunification purposes,) the fact that an adopted person is denied access rights that are equal to those granted the non-adopted person is a manifestation of discrimination on the part of the state that holds those records. People who are given up for adoption by their parents, but never actually adopted, have access to their original, factual records of birth. In fact, their OBC's are their legal birth certificates. It is the act of an adoption finalizing that seals that record. Adopted persons are the only persons in our society who do not have access.

oopsydaisy

I dont find this an offensive question at all :).
I have an origional birth cert, which I had when I was born. When I was adopted, I got an adoption cert with my new name, and my adoptive parents details on it.
My origional birth cert has my birth name on it.

My adoption birth cert is the birth cert I use for things of importance. My origional isnt used and has no need to be, as I am not that person on there. If I used my origional birth cert, then I could be commiting fraud. Its crazy, but thats the way it is here in the UK.

My origional birth cert has no importance, and is not needed.

Good question

Stina

you need a proof of being a citizen of that country to have a passport - usually a birth certificate.. or your parents' birth certificate, or you can just apply for citizenship, if you're born somewhere else.

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