Why do I have to pay a fee for a non-certified copy of my original birth certificate?

The fee of $15.00 pays for the non-certified copy of the original birth certificate. We accept either a check or money order made payable to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Why isn’t the fee waived for a non-certified copy of my original birth certificate if I’ve submitted a medical questionnaire?

The medical questionnaire is exclusively related to individuals registering with the IARMIE program or birth parents filing a Birth Parent Preference form. To obtain a non-certified copy of an original birth certificate, the interested individual must submit the required $15 fee.

What does redact mean?

Redact means to omit or edit. Certain identifying information will be covered or blacked out on the original birth certificate if one or both parents request that their identifying information be redacted.

What name should I use to complete my request for an original birth certificate?

In order to search for your original birth certificate, we need your adopted name, the name you were given when you were adopted.

If I forget to send something in the mail with my request, should I send it as soon as I discover my error?

No. We ask that you wait for a written response from this office. Whenever we receive an incomplete request, we send everything back to the requestor to ensure that it is processed only when all the requirements have been met.

With this public act, will all adoptions be open unless there is a Birth Parent Preference Form?

Before the passage of this act, all court documents relating to an adoption were sealed at the circuit court level. Under this act, the original birth record filed with the Illinois Department of Public Health at the time of the birth will be releasable to the adopted person once they reach the age of 21. Information to be released is dependent on whether a birth parent has filed a request to remain anonymous and to have their identifying information removed from the record.

What information is considered identifying on the birth record? On the Birth Parent Preference Form?

Birth Record: name of parent, last name of child, address of parent, and city of parents’ birth.

Birth Parent Preference Form: if Option E is selected, name(s) and signature(s), as well as the notary county, notary name and seal.

Does this public act make it easier for adoptees to find their birth parents?

Adoptees can submit a request for a non-certified copy of their original birth certificate, which may include the birth parent name(s) and last known address. Birth parents may file a Birth Parent Preference Form indicating what information they would like, or would not like, to be released, and if they welcome contact with their child.

I do not know where my adoption took place. How can I find out?

The adoption has to be finalized either in the county where the birth took place or the county where the adopted parents lived at the time of the filing of the adoption. It is recommended that you look at your birth certificate to determine those counties. You may need to ask family members.

I do not know if there was an adoption agency involved. How can I find out?

You will need to ask family members.

On my birth record where parents’ names are located, it states “legal withheld.” What does this mean?

The parents’ names were not given at the hospital to be placed on record when filed.

On my birth record where parents’ names are located, it states “illegitimate.” What does this mean?

The birth parents were not married.

I called the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange (IARMIE) and was told that they are waiting on court files. How long will that take?

The local court is not required to respond within a certain time frame; however, it typically takes four to six weeks.

Why must I wait to receive my original birth record?

A number of variables determine the length of time to respond to your request. These include the completeness of the application, the need for the Illinois Department of Public Health to write to the circuit court for a copy of the adoption decree or the need for the Department to contact the adoption agency. Also, due to the volume of requests, it may take longer to respond.

How do I get just medical information?

Register with the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange (IARMIE) and agree to exchange medical information. You will receive a medical questionnaire only if a biological family member has provided one.