Adoption Reunion Registry

Reunion services are only for adults (19 years +) who were involved in an adoption that took place in B.C. (to find people adopted outside of B.C., contact the province where the adoption was finalized).

Here are a few statistics about reunions:

• 16,000 people have been helped since the Adoption Reunion Registry began operating in 1991
• Approximately 6,000 reunions have been successfully made
• There is a high success rate for finding family members – the majority of searches end in reunions

Adopted adults can search for:

• Birth parent
• Siblings adopted into another family
• Siblings born to a birth parent, who is since deceased

Birth parents who placed a child for adoption can start searching for them as soon as they are 19 years of age.

Siblings of a child who was placed for adoption can search for an adult sibling only if the birth parent they share is deceased.

Children or grandchildren of an adopted adult who is deceased can search for:

• The adopted adult's birth parents
• Adopted siblings of the adopted adult
• Non-adopted siblings, if the parent of the adoptee is also deceased

How Reunion Services Work

Passive registry: For adoptions that happened in B.C., adopted adults (19 years old +), birth parents, siblings and other relatives can register to find:

• Birth parents
• Siblings adopted into another family
• Siblings who were not adopted
• Other relatives (e.g. grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins)

The passive registry requires two parties looking for each other to register – a match is only made if both parties register. The registry uses original adoption records to know when a correct match has occurred. When a match is made, a reunion consultant contacts both parties to facilitate contact with one another.

Active search: Before starting a search, the registry confirms whether the relative is registered already or not. If not, a reunion consultant will attempt to locate him/her (unless they've filed a disclosure veto or a no­-contact declaration).

Once the person has been located, the reunion consultant will contact you to discuss the next step. The consultant will act as a neutral middle person, extending your invitation for reunion on your behalf.

If the person you are seeking is open to having contact with you, the consultant will help you both to explore options for communicating with each other.

Required documents: A copy of the adopted adult's original birth registration and/or adoption order is required to start the search. There are a few exceptions to this:

• Siblings searching for an adult sibling who was adopted because the birth parent they share is deceased need to provide the parent's birth and death certificates
• A birth parent not named on the original birth registration will not be able to obtain a record

Only birth parents who sign a legal affidavit of their consent to the adoption can search for an adopted child. The reunion services team can help confirm whether consent was signed or not.

Birth parents who are not named on the original birth registration or did not sign their consent to the adoption are limited to just registering on the passive registry.

Register

Applications to the Adoption Reunion Registry must be made by mail. There is a $25 fee to register – a $250 fee will be requested later on if a search is conducted (a fee waiver can be requested in some situations).

• Download the adoption reunion registry application (PDF)

Make sure the application package contains:

• Signed application form
• A copy of your birth certificate
• A copy of the adopted adults original birth registration and/or adoption order, if you are applying for a search
• A cheque or money order for $25 (payable to the Minister of Finance), credit card payment information, or a completed application to waive the fee (PDF) if you are a low-­income earner