New York Order for Certified Copy of Adoption Order - Before sealing of records

After the adoption is finalized, the original birth certificate is sealed and kept confidential by the state registrar of vital records, according to the U.S. Department of Child Welfare.As with domestic adoptions, the state will retain the child's original foreign birth certificate or documentation under seal.

The adoptive parents' application to an adoption agency remains confidential, however. The cost for a confidential intermediary and related court fees can be around $500, but varies by state and agency.

Adoptees can request a copy of their birth certificate from the New York Department of Health by applying online, by mail or in person. And all birth certificates will be issued by mail.

Go to the county of the adoption and contact the county clerk to learn the rules about obtaining information for a closed adoption. Fill out the petition form and file it with the county court to review.

You'll need to file a petition with the county clerk's office where your adoption was finalized. The petition will explain your reasons for requesting your original birth certificate. Unfortunately, medical need is usually the only instance where strict adoption access states will approve your petition.

Under current law, an adoptee's birth certificate is sealed once an adoption is filed. To unseal the records, a person must petition the courts and all parties, including the biological parents, who must consent in order for the information to be released.

Under current law, an adoptee's birth certificate is sealed once an adoption is filed. To unseal the records, a person must petition the courts and all parties, including the biological parents, who must consent in order for the information to be released.

An adoption certificate is issued to an adopted person once the court has arranged the adoption. It becomes the document that proves the identity of that person and effectively replaces their original birth certificate.