Adoption Reunion Laws for
Nebraska & Kansas
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Nebraska
- Nebraska law (section 43-124. revised in
1994) mandates that the Bureau of Vital Statistics shall provide
forms to birth parents by which consent can be given to allow
the Bureau to release the adopted person's original birth certificate.
- This law also mandates that an Adopted Person
can file with the Bureau a "Request for Access to Birth
Information." If a consent from birth parents has
been filed with the Bureau, the Bureau will release the
adopted person's original birth certificate, and the address
or addresses of the birth parent(s). (Often, birth fathers are
not listed on original birth certificates; however, if a birth
father's name is on the certificate, he also must sign a consent.)
- The statute requires that a $10.00 fee must accompany the request.
The check must be made out to the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
- Nebraska law states that, if birth parents
have not filed a consent, the agency which placed the adoptee
may make a reasonable search for the birth parent and inquire
regarding his/her openness to signing the consent.
- Nebraska law (section 43-124 revised statutes)
provides for biological sibling reunions. If siblings, or half
siblings, file a consent for Release of Information, the Bureau
of Vital Statistics can release the names of their sibling, provided
the adopted sibling is 25 years of age.
- In some cases, birth parents are very difficult
to locate. Birth mothers often marry and have new names. If a
birth parent is married in Nebraska, and the adoptee's Request
for Access is filed, the Bureau of Vital Statistics, for a fee,
will provide the agency with a copy of the marriage license;
the Bureau will also make a search for divorce or death records.
Your caseworker will inform you if this is warranted and will
ask you to send a check for $9.00, again made out to the Bureau
of Vital Statistics.
- For those adoptees relinquished before
September 1, 1988, Nebraska law does not allow the release of
the original birth certificate until the adoptee reaches 25 years
of age. For adoptees relinquished after September
1, 1988, the law allows the release of the original birth certificate
when the adoptee reaches age 21, unless the birth parents sign
a non-consent form.
Kansas
- Non-identifying information: adult adoptee & adoptive parent.
- Identifying information: Original birth certificate available for adult adoptee anytime after the age of 18.
- Search and Consent for birth parents & adult adoptees.
- Adoptive parents & birth parents of minors may be contacted in cases of health or medical need.
- Age of adulthood is 18.
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