[thesearchguru]

Welcome to the Search and Reunion Message Board!

Here is some information for searching in British Columbia. I hope you find it helpful!

General Searching Information for Adoptees born in Canada and taken to the USA.

If anyone was born in Canada and adopted by American adoptive parents and taken to the United States, contact the US Dept. of Immigration and obtain a copy of your Entry Visa. This form should show your full birthname. This is required for all persons taking up permanent residence in the U.S.

Open Records in BC as of November 4, 1996!!!

The British Columbia Adoption Act Information Line
A toll free (in Canada) line may be accessed from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) on weekdays.

The number is 1-888-236-7888

Or for more information on the new Adoption Act 1996 contact:

Project Manager, Adoption Act Implementation
Ministry for Children and Families
Adoption Division
955 Wharf Street
Victoria, B.C.
Canada, V8V 1X4
Tel: (250) 387- 2280
Fax: (250) 356-1864

REGISTRY:
(Government of British Columbia)

ADOPTION REUNION REGISTRY
c/o Family Services of Greater Vancouver
202-1600 West 6th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada, V6J 1R3
Tel: (604) 736-7917 or
Toll Free within BC: 1-800-663-7867 and request a transfer to 736-7917
Fax: (604) 736-7916

IDENTIFYING INFORMATION:
Either an adopted person 19 years of age or over or their birth parents may file an application for service for the identifying information at the Vital Statistics Agency. (Fee $50.00) For all adoptions started or completed prior to November 4, 1996, access to identifying information is subject to a disclosure veto. If a veto has not been placed then you will receive a copy of the original birth registration and the adoption order. For all adoptions started on November 4, 1996 or later, adopted persons 19 years of age or over and their birth parents will have an unqualified right of access to the identifying information and are not subject to the disclosure veto.

NON-IDENTIFYING INFORMATION:
A no fee service with a 30 day response time is now mandated under the Provincial Freedom of Information Act. PLEASE NOTE: the Adoption Reunion Registry will no longer be fulfilling requests by adoptees for non-identifying information. The NEW PROCEDURE is to write to:

Ministry for Children and Families
Information and Privacy Division
110 - 333 Quebec Street
Victoria, B.C.
Canada V8V 1X4
Tel: (250) 387-0820

Specifically request access to personal adoption information under the Provincial Freedom of Information and Privacy Act. What you will receive is a photocopy of *everything* (50-60 pages) in your adoption file with identifying particulars blanked out.

FEES: $25.00 to accompany the registration form for either an active or passive search.

PASSIVE REGISTRY:
New entries to the passive registry are processed the day they are received. A match will occur if there is a corresponding applicant. Registrants are informed right away if there is a copy of the adoption file on record to confirm the information. (Presumably, if there is no file then there is a waiting period of some duration before the information is confirmed).

ACTIVE SEARCH:
An additional $250 . The cost for a subsequent search if the initial party sought is deceased or declines drops to $180. The waiting period from the date of application until the search is ready to start can be seven months.

COUNSELLING:
Available to any registrant affected by the reunion process, at no charge. For clients outside the Lower Mainland, telephone counselling is available or a referral may be made to a counsellor in the area the client resides. Workshops are offered periodically in Victoria and Vancouver.

STAFFING:
Four searchers and five counsellors

ACCESS/OPENNESS:
Access to adoption records is in transition. Part 5 of the new Adoption Act permits Openness and Disclosure. For all adoptions completed under the new Adoption Act, unqualified access to records is mandated. For all adoptions completed prior to the new Act, access to records may be prevented by a disclosure veto. The new Adoption Act was proclaimed into law on November 4, 1996.

Other BC Adoption Information:
Dial-A-Law - A free public service of the BC Branch, Canadian Bar Association funded by the Law Foundation of British Columbia and the Volunteer Work of BC Lawyers. Call (403) 687-4680 Toll Free within BC 1-800-565-LAWS (1-800-565-5297) Includes the topics: 460... Adoption, 461... Adoption Registries.




Email:


Other great websites to check out:
http://www.adoptionchat.com
http://www.adoptionlists.com
http://www.adoption.com
http://www.adopting.org
http://registry.adoption.com/