For this adoption is the OBC (orginal birth certificate) needed ?

Question

From coming here I have come to understand the importance of the OBC. We have a foster son that we have had from two days old. We have his mom name current address and birth date. We have dads name and age. Mom is not working her case plan and long story short they are moving very quickly because of her past history to PC (permanent custody) We have the proof of birth letter from the hospital and where you mail off to get the birth certificate. I want to order it but my wife says we have all the info and we are going to keep it for if and when he wants to look. Is the OBC still important or just the info that would be on it.

Answer 1

get the OBC, please.

Answer 2

I would go ahead and get it to be safe.

Answer 3

It never hurts to order it and keep it in a safe place in case your son wants it someday.  

I have all my information too, I have met and have a relationship with my bio-family, but the state still will not release my original birth certificate to me...and it is something that I wish I could have, simply because it is MY birth certificate, it is a record of MY birth, it is a piece of MY history.

Someday, he may want it, and instead of having to go through legal hoops and hurdles, why not make it easy for him and just get a copy?

If he never asks for it, then whatever, but at least it's there if he does.

Answer 4

We're involved in an open adoption.  Our son has all the information he could want... including hospital, Midwife, TOB, birth weight, even presentation at birth.. and I STILL ordered several copies of his OBC before it was sealed, so that he would have it if he wants it when he's an adult. His mom even paid to have his home state's Commemorative Certificate made up for him. (he was born during the sesquicentennial year)

I'm also an adult adoptee, in reunion, and still cannot access any of my adoption papers, or my OBC, even though my mom OPTED IN when my home state "opened" records. (birth parents must file an affidavit of consent to open records)

The problem: my father may or may not be alive, or in the country.  He was on his way to Vietnam when I was surrendered. She never heard from him again.

Answer 5

I am an adult woman who was adopted as an infant.  I have been reunited with my natural family for about 4 years.  In that, I have all the "information" that you have for your son.  I know my natural mother's name, address, etc. and -- now that she has told me -- I know the circumstances surrounding my birth.

I'm so glad that you have all the information you do for your son.  It would have been nice to have all that available to me when I asked (age 14 -- and pretty much constantly since then) rather than having to wait, post, search, pray...and still not find my mother until I was over 30!

And guess what?  I still want my birth record.  And my mother (the one who gave me life) is more determined than ever to get it for me!  She had no idea that I would not ever be entitled to have it.  In fact, she had been assured that I would receive all my birth, medical, relinquishment and adoption records as soon as I turned 18.  It was 2 workers from the agency that handled my adoption who told her that.  And, they knew they were lying at the time.

My OBC would tell me many things I still don't know.  Many things that NOBODY on planet earth can tell me.  What time was I born?  My mother was sedated, so she can't tell me.  What is the name of the doctor that delivered me?  My mother had great pre-natal care while pregnant with me, but the agency intentionally arranged with her parents (who were a doctor and a nurse) to have a different OB/GYN deliver me so she would not know who it was.  She never met him/her.  She was sedated before s/he ever came into her room.

I've been told many times that it "doesn't matter" what time I was born or who delivered me.  I've been told that "nobody cares" about that kind of stuff.  Well, I care.  I want to know because I want to know.  I have spent a lot of time (in the past) justifying why I care.  I won't and don't do that anymore.  I have a right to care about whatever I wish to.  What I don't have -- unlike ANY non-adopted person in the US, and most people, adopted or not, in the world -- is the right to have my questions answered; the right to my birth record upon request.

Please get it for him.  What would it cost you -- a few bucks?  What could it cost you (or him) if you don't?   After an adoption is finalized, he would NEVER be able to obtain that (as the law is currently written in 44 states) for himself.  While you have some information about his mother, you do not have every bit of information about HIM that may be available on the OBC.  I uderstand your wife's p.o.v. but his mother's name, address, etc. may not be the only things on that certificate that are relevant or important to him.

Best of luck!

Answer 6

Order the OBC.  I'm adopted and I have all of my information.  In fact, I even know my first family.  That's not an issue.  However, the state of California still denies me the right to access my own factual record of birth, simply because someone adopted me when I was a child.  Having access to the OBC is about having the same rights as non-adopted citizens.  So, if you adopt your foster son, he will at least have the same document that non-adopted citizens can have, even if you live in a state that denies him access.  

Answer 7

You should definitely order the birth certificate.  He will need it for many things in the future.  If I were you, I'd request at least 2 copies of it.  

Answer 8

I think you do

Answer 9

you should get it just to be safe, you might need it for random other things down the line (like to get a passport you need a copy)