On May 12, 2004 Senate Bill 335 became NH law with an effective date of January 1, 2005. The legislation passed, allows adult adoptees (18 years of age or older) who has had an original birth certificate removed from vital statistics records due to an adoption. The registrar will issue a non certified copy of the unaltered, original certificate of birth of the adoptee with procedures, filing fees, and waiting periods that are the same as non adopted citizens of the state. In order for an adoptee to obtain a copy of the original birth certificate he or she must be born in NH.

This legislation also allows natural parents to fill out contact preference forms that describe how the adoptee may or may not contact them. A blog will follow as to how to complete the contact preference form if you are a natural mother.

A request can be made by mail, in person or by phone or fax. Fax and telephone orders billed to credit cards include an extra $6 fee and there will be an extra $9.50 if expedited service is requested.

To obtain a copy of the application that needs to be completed in order for an adoptee to receive a non certified copy of your original birth certificate by clicking on the link towards the bottom of the page at http://www.sos.nh.gov/vitalrecords/Preadoption%20birth%20records.html. When requesting be sure to be clear in identifying yourself as an “adoptee seeking a pre adoption birth record in the purpose field of the application This will eliminate the error to the state incorrectly sending the amended birth certificate of legal record.

You also need to include your legal birth information which includes your full legal name after adoption, date of birth, place of birth, adopted mothers full maiden name, and adopted father’s full name. Lastly, be sure to include your mailing address and daytime phone number.

The fee for a request via mail is a $12 non refundable search fee payable to the Treasurer, State of New Hampshire. A copy of government issued ID must also be provided at the time of the request.

It may take up to four or six weeks for your request to be processed. It may take additional time if the record isn’t easily identified or found. If this would be an issue, the adoptee is notified by the state as to the results of the search and the specific problem in locating the original birth certificate.

Once the state completes it’s process, the adoptee will receive a non certified copy of the original birth certificate that is marked as a pre adoption record from a sealed file. This document will not be accepted by government as a legal birth certificate for purposes of identification. In addition, the adoptee receives a copy of the completed contact preference form and an updated medical history form if it is available.