Virginia Adoption Records
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What You Need to Know About Virginia Adoption Records
Virginia adoption records are sealed and unavailable to the public without a court order. However, adoptees can get information about their birth families once they turn 18. Birth parents and biological siblings can also search for adoptees, but only if the adoption occurred after 1994.
In closed states like Virginia, it’s often difficult and time-consuming to access information about an adoption — and in some cases, it’s legally impossible.
Adopted.com offers an alternative route for adoptees, birth parents, and other family members who want to reunite. We provide the largest voluntary adoption reunion registry in the U.S., opening the door to potential connections for family members who consent to sharing information.
You don’t need to fill out a confusing form or get a court order. You just need to answer ten simple questions that most people know about their adoption. Register today to get started with your search. A reunion is possible, whether you’re in Norfolk, Roanoke, or any other part of Virginia.
If you want to try accessing your adoption records via the state, there are a few things to know.
The process of adoption disclosure looks slightly different depending on whether you’re the adoptee, the birth parent, or another family member. Here’s how to access adoption records in Virginia through the VDSS:
- Adoptees who are at least 18 years old can submit an Adoptee Application for Disclosure to search for their birth parents and adult birth siblings.
- Adoptive parents of a minor child can submit an Adoptive Parent Application for Disclosure to search for birth parents and adult birth siblings. However, this only applies if the adoption occurred after July 1, 1994.
- Birth parents can submit a Birth Parent Application for Disclosure if the adoptee is at least 21 years old and the adoption took place after July 1, 1994.
- Adult birth siblings can submit an Adult Birth Sibling Application for Disclosure if the adoptee is at least 21 years old and the adoption took place after July 1, 1994.
Unfortunately, biological family members cannot search for the adoptee if the adoption was finalized before July 1, 1994. However, they can send letters and submit their contact information to the VDSS. If the adoptee requests this information, it will be provided to them.
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5,901 How Do I Get My Adoption Records Unsealed in Virginia?
You need a court order to unseal your adoption records, which include the permanent court record and the official adoption file. However, if you’re looking for non-identifying or identifying information from the adoption file, you can apply to access it through the VDSS.
How Do I Get My Original Birth Certificate If I Was Adopted in Virginia?
If you were born and adopted in Virginia, you’ll need a court order to obtain your original birth record through the state Department of Health Vital Records office.
If you were adopted in Virginia but born in another state, you’ll need to contact that state’s vital records office for information.
Are Adoption Records Public in Virginia?
No, adoption records are sealed in Virginia and kept confidential by the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS). You cannot get Virginia public adoption records without a court order. However, birth families and adoptive families can access some information under certain conditions.
If you’re an adult adoptee or an adoptive parent, you can request to view non-identifying information through the VDSS. This information may include the birth parents’ medical histories and the circumstances of the adoption. It doesn’t include the birth parents’ names or any other details that may reveal their identities.
Virginia law also allows some family members to request identifying information. This may include names, dates of birth, or contact information. While you can apply to obtain this information, the other party must consent to release it. If they don’t, your application will be denied.
If you’re the spouse, child, or grandchild of an adoptee, you cannot access their adoption records in Virginia.
Are Adoptions in Virginia Open?
Virginia is considered a “closed” adoption state because it seals adoption records. However, Virginia law allows for open adoptions. In an open adoption, the birth parents and the adoptive family agree to share information or stay in contact after the adoption.
An open adoption arrangement may include letters, phone calls, or face-to-face visits. However, the official adoption records and the adoptee’s original birth certificate are sealed even in an open adoption.
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Let Adopted.com help you find your lost family today!
Adopted.com is a powerful adoption reunion registry designed to help you reconnect with your birth parents. By registering, you gain access to a growing database of over 1,204,958 profiles, increasing your chances of finding your biological relatives. The platform respects your privacy and allows you to update your profile anytime.
Registration is free, and the unique search tool ensures measurable match results. When you find your birth parents, remember to approach the reunion with an open heart and understanding, as it can be an emotionally significant experience for everyone involved.
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A Few of Our Members Currently Searching Within Virginia Who Chose To Be Featured
2341. Patrickfamily : I am looking for my brother. His birth name was Thomas Patrick and he was born in New castle‚ Pennsylvania. He should be around 24 years old. I believe i was told that he was adopted to a pastor/Christian family.
2342. 91088Dale : Adopted from agency in Lynchburg‚ VA
2343. WAR1212 : Text me if you think we’re a match. I hardly get on here.
2344. David2001 : Looking for my birth mom Jamie S Bourne
2345. Mmault85 : I was born January 2‚1985‚ In Virginia Beach‚ VA. I was taken to foster are for about a month‚ Then I was adopted. The paperwork that I have states that my moms name is Carol Ann and his name was Robert. I am hoping to find them to learn all I can about them and learn anything about a medical background.
2346. Acjohnson44 : I was born as Alesia Nashae Britt‚ I was born in Bluefield WV and have two younger bio brothers who also were adopted along with me.
2347. Maleficent44 : I want to meet you please. If you don’t want to I will accept and understand.
2348. JessieLynn82 : I’m looking for Alice Elizabeth and Kimberly Lynn. We all were born at Woodbridge Hospital in Fairfax‚ Virginia. I am the oldest daughter born in 1982. Then my brother Jonathan ( original first name is Curtis) was born in 1983. Then Alice Elizabeth was born in 1984 and Kimberly Lynn was in 1986.
2349. 2024newsearch4me : Born Medical College of VA in Richmond VA Birth name Stephen Terrance Tate‚ has been changed
2350. Nanania : My husband is searching for his son who he did not know about until 48 years after his birth. He was told he was born in March of 1973. He doesn’t know the location of his birth. The birth mother had lived in Iowa and Missouri prior to the pregnancy and the father from Iowa.
2351. Lilpots : My mother was adopted when she was a baby and she was given the name Dorothy at birth. She tried to find who her birth mother was but the info was cut out and/or blacked out in the county records. She knows that she had a half sister maybe 16 years older than her.
2352. Rgilliam27 : I was born in Richmond Virginia (Henrico county) but forgot the name of the hospital
2353. Notsurewho : I may have been a female at birth now a male
2354. Sabrina1619 : Hello‚ My name is Sabrina and I am searching for a half-siblimg named Terry. His biological mother would be named Matilda Ibarra (Alternative spelling Matilde Ibarre‚ or the last name of Botaino / Boytano). Terry would have most likely been born in either North Carolina or Virginia. It is possible that he is the last child our birth mother gave birth to before she was deported to Nicaragua. Terry could be of any racial descent. The only reason I know of Terry’s existence is because our birth mother mentioned his name to one of our other half siblings in a Facebook message. She did not provide any other details. Our birth mother had 7 children in the United States before being deported to Nicaragua. In Nicaragua‚ we have one more sibling. I have located and contacted 5 siblings in the United States‚ Terry would be the last one for me to find.
2355. AnnaNA : His name was Robert Lee Thomas. Mother’s name is Dale Thomas.
