In January of 2017 the final stages of the Adoptees’ Birthright Act went into effect. Now children who were born in New Jersey and who were adopted can have access to a copy of the original birth certificate.

This Act has also provided preferences for contact. This could include no contact at all, contact through an intermediary including a named intermediary, or direct contact. This does require filing of certain forms with the New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics.

Since this Act is retroactive, it does provide that birth parents who placed their children for adoption prior to this Act can have their identities remain confidential but that requires a specific request for such confidentiality and the filing of updated medical background information. The details of this as well as all forms can be found at the website of the New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics at www.nj.gov/health/vital/adoption.