What Happens to Original Birth Certificate After Adoption in Georgia?

When a child is adopted, many people wonder, “What happens to original birth certificate after adoption in Georgia?”

The simple answer is that the original birth certificate is not destroyed or lost, it’s sealed and kept confidential by the state’s Department of Public Health.

In order for this to happen, you must submit an adoption amendment to the DPH vital records department, along with the applicable fee, to update the birth certificate.

Then, the DPH will issue you an updated birth certificate, for you and your child’s records.

In this blog post, we will explore this question and shed light on the legal process surrounding adoption and birth records in the state of Georgia.

Let’s dive right in.

Adoption Process in Georgia

It’s necessary to understand the overall adoption process in Georgia.

In a nutshell, the adoption process is the way to sever or terminate the parental rights from the child’s biological parents, and then create and memorialize the parental rights of the new adoptive parents.

Once a child is legally adopted, a new birth certificate is generated for the child that reflects their adoptive parents’ names.

This new birth certificate replaces the original one in official records.

Original Birth Certificate After Adoption

So, what exactly happens to the original birth certificate after adoption in Georgia? As stated earlier, the original birth certificate is sealed and becomes confidential once the adoption process is complete.

The primary reason for this is to protect the privacy of all parties involved – the adoptive parents, the birth parents, and most importantly, the adopted child.

While the original birth certificate is inaccessible to the public, it remains preserved within the state’s records.

Accessing Birth Records Post-Adoption

While the original birth certificate is sealed, an adoptee may have reasons to access it later in life.

In Georgia, an adoptee who is at least 18 years old can request their original birth certificate by petitioning the court that granted the adoption to allow them to access their sealed adoption records.

If the court agrees, then the court will issue an order allowing the adoptee to view their sealed court records and directing the office of vital records to provide the adoptee with a copy of their original birth certificate.

It’s important to note that if you only want access in order to find out more about your birth family, you must contact the Georgia Adoption Reunion Registry first. Then, they will assess your case and provide you with resources and direction from there.

Final Thoughts

While the original birth certificate is replaced and sealed after adoption in Georgia, it’s not lost.

It remains a confidential document that can be accessed under certain conditions.

This process respects the privacy of all parties involved while still providing an avenue for adoptees to learn more about their origins if they choose to do so.