If a birth certificate is to be amended should the original information remain visible on the amended copy?

Question

Why or why not?

Answer 1

No.  

Frankly, it's too confusing for people outside of the adoption community.  There would be questions about who has custody and why.

A copy of the OBC should be issued alongside the ABC upon demand.

Answer 2

Birth certificates are supposed to record the facts surrounding the birth.  Those facts should remain.

Answer 3

i second "wholelottacats." and "sarah."

Answer 4

I'm in favor of a "birth certificate" and an "adoption certificate" - I agree that the BC is to record the circumstances of a birth, it's a form of identification - not a title or a deed that needs to be amended.

And, stamping "adopted" on a birth certificate reminds me too much of when they used to stamp "illegitimate" on birth certificates.  It should be "this person was born here to these people at this time at this place."  Adoption doesn't change those facts!

Answer 5

It's not a certificate of ownership, it's a record of the babys parents, so all of them should be on the certificate. its only right

Answer 6

I thought that my birth certificate was the official record of my birth, not who my legal parents are.  That's what adoption paperwork is for.  My birth certificate should have the true facts of my birth.

That's an interesting idea having both on there.  I would choose that over not having my first parents on their at all.

Answer 7

NO

Answer 8

Someone already asked that question earlier today.  IMO, no.  The birth certificate indicates the LEGAL parents of the child.  You would never have two sets. I do, however, think that adult adoptees should have access to their original birth certificate.

Answer 9

That is an interesting idea.  So if there was a space, box, or line incorporated on every ones birth certificates, you could just check the box for adoption and add the adoptive parents names.  That way both sets of parents would be on the birth certificate.

The way it currently works, issuing a "new" birth certificate with the adoptive parents names on it is mainly for legal purposes.  Being that birth certificates are a major piece of paperwork that identifies children, it proves who has parental rights and is responsible for the child. (like a drivers license for adults)

So absolutely if the original birth certificate is amended the original information should also stay in tact.  After all, we as adoptive parents did not give birth to our children.  Just add our names to the "adoptive status box" like i had mentioned earlier.

Answer 10

That's really a difficult question for me to answer, because I disagree with any amending of birth certificates in the first place.  It should list the facts of the birth, those don't change.  Aparents do not give birth, and just because you move a baby, that doesn't mean they were born somewhere new...  perhaps the amended copy could be stapled behind the original, or photocopied below.  Any changed BC's should have "AMENDED" stamped on them.

Answer 11

Yes, and I don't see what the big deal is about even listing both the biological genetic parent and the adoptive...and I don't see why it's a big deal to anyone...

I wouldn't care of my kids BC said just the biological and they had an additional Adoption Certificate and never have understood why this isn't how it works....?

***ETA: My children's amended BC's do state that it is Amended.... And I am very happy that the state my children were adopted from provides at least the copy of the original....

My children were adopted from the same state as my ex was... and I JUST NOW REMEMBER what happened in 1981 to him when he tried to Join the Military---They demanded the Original--his said Amended and he could not get into the military without us being able to pay a Lawyer---and come to think of it.... His Amended BC only said his name, place of birth and that fact he was born and Nothing Else....

I used to just look at it and Wonder Why?

When our siblings were adopted she was 5 he was 1 Her new BC looks just like my ex'es did and my son the younger of the siblings  has all my info.... Not sure it this was due to their ages at adoption (my ex was only 6 weeks old) or for the fact that the record looks different when requested a number of years later????