Now that they have the legal right, New York adoptees are demanding their original birth certificates.
January 15 marked the start of a new era of adoption openness in the Empire State. On that day, a new law that gives adoptees the right to their original birth certificates took effect. Unlike other states that have unsealed birth certificates for some adoptees, New York provides the right to all adoptees, with no restrictions or conditions.
Since the law went into effect, the response has been overwhelming. Like a stampede, thousands of adoptees from all around the state have requested copies of their OBCs. By Jan. 17, the New York State Department of Health had received more than 3,600 requests for certified copies of OBCs, and that’s not counting the hundreds, maybe thousands, of requests from New York City adoptees.
In the first two months since the law went live, more than 10,000 requests have been sent to the state and New York City combined.
Given that more than 19.4 million people call the Empire State home, it’s no wonder the law caused a major pileup.
Patience is required, my friends. It takes longer than a New York minute for birth certificate requests to be fulfilled. I heard a couple of people who submitted requests for birth certificates on Jan. 15 received their documents about one month later.
How To Request Birth Certificates from New York
At this time, New York City and New York State are not taking walk-in requests. On its website, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene noted the need to limit the number of people gathered in one place as a protection against the coronavirus.
If you haven’t already requested a copy of your birth certificate, here’s what you need to do:
- If you were adopted in the state of New York but not in New York City, the quickest way to apply is online at VitalChek’s website (www.VitalChek.com). You can also call the VitalChek Network at 877-456-7747. Warning: I called and the friendly recorded voice informed me that the wait time for connecting with a human being could be lengthy. For faster turnaround, New York State encourages everyone to use the online system. If you must fill out a paper application, go to the New York State Department of Health’s vital records site. Fill out the application and mail to: New York State Department of Health Bureau of Vital Records, PAC Unit PO Box 2602 Albany, NY 12220-2602. The fee is $45. If you have questions, send an email to AdopteeBillPublic@health.ny.gov
- If you were adopted in New York City, you can request your birth certificate from VitalChek. You can learn more about the process at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website. According to the site, online orders take 10 to 15 business days to process while orders by mail can take up to 90 days. The fee for an online order is $15 for each certificate, plus an $8.30 processing fee for each order.
Adoptees Treasure Original Birth Certificates
You cannot put a price on the importance of these documents to adopted folks. Remember that many adults do not have their pre-adoption birth certificates because laws keep the records sealed. The most determined people have obtained court orders or taken other drastic steps to get their birth records.
OBCs are important because they reveal facts about birth parents that state governments and adoptive parents had concealed.
For other adoptees, birth certificates are not full of revelations. They simply confirm known facts, which in no way diminishes the document’s value. People who already know who their birth parents are and the circumstances that led to their adoptions still appreciate having the official document. Getting the birth certificate is like savoring the icing on a piece of cake.
For example, I know of a man who is happily united with blood relatives. While he probably didn’t learn anything new from the New York birth certificate, just obtaining the piece of paper made him feel “whole.”
New York adoptees are fortunate. Many states continue to treat adoptees like second-class citizens by keeping original birth certificates sealed. Unlike other states that have unsealed birth certificates for some adoptees, New York adopted a clean law that provides access to all adoptees, with no restrictions or conditions.
Big Reveal for Late Discovery Adoptee
Receiving the original birth certificate was my big “a-ha” moment, a revelation if ever there was one. On an unforgettable day in 2012, the OBC from the state of Illinois landed in my mailbox. Nervously I carried the thin white envelope to the kitchen, the sunniest room in my house. I wanted to see the truth under bright light. Tom was just as curious as I was. He and I stood together at the kitchen table, not knowing what we were about to find out.
Holding the document with both hands, I scanned it for a name. Seeing my birth mother’s name didn’t ring any bells. My first mother had not been a member of Mom’s family or anyone I’d known from school or the neighborhood. The birth certificate provided other details, each one fascinating, new and precious. My birth mother’s signature was not so much a fact as a detail that made her feel human and real.
I think of that day as the great unveiling. It was like a kindly stranger from Springfield, Illinois took me by the hand, walked me to a heavy curtain, lifted the curtain and showed me, for the first time, a truthful if incomplete picture of the first day of my life.
That was eight years ago. In 2020, people who were adopted in New York are having a-ha moments like I did. They are ripping open envelopes and marveling at the facts before them, or just enjoying the satisfaction that comes with having their birthright.