Saturday, September 9, 2017

Adoption Laws Change in November

PENNSYLVANIA - ACCESS WITH RESTRICTIONS (2017)

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed HB 162 into law on November 3, 2016.  Effective November 3, 2017, PA-born adoptees at age 18 will have the right to their original birth certificate (OBC) for the first time since 1984.  If the adoptee is deceased, descendants can request a copy of the adoptee’s OBC.

The bill allows birth parents to file a redaction to have their name deleted from the OBC.  A contact preference form may also be filed.

Pennsylvania-born adoptees can now apply for their original birth certificate by following this link:
http://www.health.pa.gov/MyRecords/Certificates/Documents/adoptee_app_HD02045F.pdf
This is an early acceptance for the applications; however, they will not begin processing them until November 3, 2017.  You will receive your non-certified copy of original birth record by December 18, 2017.  Please allow 45 days processing time for applications submitted on or after Nov. 3, 2017!

Complete the form and mail it back to the Department of Health with $20 check or money order made payable toVital Records”:

Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
Attn:  Adoptee Applications
PO Box 1528
New Castle, PA  16103-1528

To read the full information regarding original birth certificates, you can click this link:
http://www.health.pa.gov/MyRecords/Certificates/Pages/Adoption.aspx#forms

Forms are now available at http://www.health.pa.gov/MyRecords/Certificates/Pages/Adoption.aspx#top
For information, please contact Carolyn Hoard,

No comments:

Post a Comment