[sonata]

Pam, you have just found out the hard way what most adoptees our age already know (if you are indeed adopted!). That is that upon finalization of adoption an "amended" birth certificate is issued. It looks just like the "real" thing and it lists your ADOPTIVE parents as the parents who gave birth to you. Nowhere does it indicate on the birth certificate that it is amended or give any mention of the birth parents.

This was/is the common procedure in adoption. It doesn't necessarily mean that the adoption was illegal or involved an illegal immigrant.

Of course if you know for sure where you were born you could request your birth records. "If" you are adopted, they probably won't be "found". Your hospital records would be in your birthmother's name which you wouldn't know.

Now that I think about it, except for circumstantial evidence (like you have) none of us would have any way of knowing we are adopted unless our parents told us. The birth certificate wouldn't give it away. Theoretically a person could go through their whole life and never know! But since you are looking for the answer I hope you find out. Good luck and let us know how it goes. Sonata