New York Adoption Reunion Registries

Step Three: Sign Up if Searching in New York

There are many adoption related search registries available. As many are created by individuals wishing to provide assistance, sometimes the information found on them is somewhat outdated, so please keep that in mind when reviewing information.

The New York State Health Department does maintain a Free Adoption Registry that can help an adoption search and even facilitate a reunion. It is a mutual consent adoption registry which means that both parties searching must be signed up for a match to be made. Available medical information and non-identifying adoption information is also provided to adoptees over the age of 18 in New York.

For more information on who can register and how, please see Access to Adoption Records in New York State

The two most important hints about using adoption search registries are:

Keep track of where you searched and where you have registered: It can get very confusing after searching through data bases over and over again. Create an Excel spread sheet to keep track of each registry, your log in informational and any results you find.
Make sure you keep your contact information up to date: Nothing is more disappointing then finding a potential match and then having the first contact email bounce back. If you move, get a new phone number or use a new email address, do make sure you update your info where you have listed.

National Adoption Search Registries

You might have it easy and your biological family might have begun searching for you as well, so try the two best national adoption reunion registries first.

The International Soundex Reunion Registry – The ISRR is an important first step as it is an active search registry; meaning volunteers there will actively compare and try to find a match: http://www.isrr.org

Adoption.com – Another good registry that you can search and add your information. As this adoption registry shows up first on most internet searches, they usually have the greatest number of records to search through: http:/registry.adoption.com/

Then there are a few others that have been around for a long time or have features worth looking into:

The Alma Society Adoption Search Registry– Requires the adoptee to have the non–id information provide form New York State first and a one-time $50 tax-deductible, however, they will also assist in making a match for you: http://www.almasociety.org/

The Seeker – Free search site for finding anyone (not just adoption) but very adoption friendly with more resources: http://the-seeker.com/

DOB Search – Different people finder search features, but the ability to search for others just on the date of birth is very helpful: http://www.dobsearch.com/people-finder/search-dob.php

New York Specific Adoption Search Information and Registries

The following adoption search registries have New York only sections, which makes narrowing down the field of possibilities a bit easier.

Adoption Registry Connect New York ListingsThe New York Database area has over 20 thousand listing on it. One can also sign up for email alerts to be notified when a new listing gets added which is a really helpful feature: http://www.adopteeconnect.com/p/a/1034/

Quick Base New York Adoption Registry – A sortable and searchable data base that also allows printed reports to be generated: https://adoptiondatabase.quickbase.com/db/7c2gsmqv?a=q&qid=74

Find My Family Adoption Data Base – Another site to check, register plus more information and even more links to more registries: http://www.findmyfamily.org/

New York Adoption – Created by a New York birth mother searching for her son, the site hosts a New York Adoption Data base to search through, a message board and a private mailing list for support and assistance. The most visible update to the site seems to be from 2008, o please take note when reviewing the information there; http://www.nyadoption.org/

G’S Adoption Registry New York Pages – Includes a data base (with multiple New York pages broken down by years), a forum and more helpful information; http://www.gsadoptionregistry.com/newyork.html

Tina’s New York Adoption Page – An older search site, but still some helpfulinformation: http://www.oocities.org/tmusso.geo/states/newyork.html

Of course, the easiest way to find another person is to search for their name:

The Coalition is not a government agency, does not provide direct search services, and is unable to assist you with accessing information in closed adoption records. We ARE NOT SEARCHERS, however, we can point you in the right direction. Please see the Guide to Finding Your Birth Parents if Born and Adopted in New York State

REQUEST YOUR ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE!

AS OF JANUARY 15th, 2020: On June 20th 2019, the New York State Assembly overwhelmingly approved the bill that ends 83 years of secrecy over the original birth certificates (OBC) of adult adopted persons. The vote was 140-6 in the Assembly, with the Senate passing the measure 56-6 earlier in the month. On November 14, 2019, it was signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo into law and restores the right for adults over the age of 18 to request and receive their own pre-adoption birth records. As part of the larger New York Adoptee Rights Coalition, the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York is please to state that after over 40 years of failed legislative efforts, we have FINALLY CHANGED THE LAW!!! On January 15, 2020 , both New York City and New York State will release the necessary forms and begin processing applications. Click here to find out how to apply!

HOW TO REQUEST AN OBC

By Claudia Corrigan D'Arcy|2020-01-08T14:53:36-05:00August 1st, 2019|