[amyfk]

hi to the Boards,

I hope everyone is doing well and getting ready to EAT!

Anyway, I am trying to get a NJ birth certificate for Joanna. I havent done so up to now. Am I correct in that we New Jerseyans dont have to go to a formal court of law for readoption, in NJ we fill out certain paperwork and mail in several documents and that's that?

A kind woman on this forum named Cathy gave me the link to the NJ page where this information is located. I still have a few questions related to this. I hope anyone from NJ can answer me.

1. Does the form "State of New Jersey Report of Adoption" have to be mailed to my placing agency and filled out by a social worker there?

2. At the bottom of the form it says "Clerk of the Court" If we dont do a readoption here in NJ does that part of the document have to be filled out?

3. If this form has to be filled out by my social worker at my agency, does she only have to fill out the first two parts entitled "information from original birth certificate" and "information for amended birth record following adoption?"


Please reference the following link if you have questions:

How to Place an Adoption on File, NJDHSS

Thanks for any help you can give me.
Amy K, NJ

[hg808]

Amy, I just came back from Trenton office of Vital Statistics the day before yesterday!

Go to 140 East Front St. in Trenton. Almost no lines there. There is a great guy there by the name Bill. Very, very helpful. You will pick up an application there and complete it in 5 min. Have the birth certificate and the adoption certificate with you. Bill also looked at "foundling paperwork" in our case. Take your daughter's passport and your or your husband's birth certificate with you as well, because you need to prove your US citizenship. For me, it was more complicated as I was not born here, but have to come up with a certified copy of my husband's birth certificate.

Bill will make all the copies and you will get the birth certificate in 1-1.5 months. No need to go to your agency, your social worker, etc. No need for court. Leave the attorney's section of the application blank.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me.

Helen

[DCD]

Thanks for the question and the response, because I have not gotten birth certificates yet for either of my children.

So let me get this straight. You actually go to Trenton to the Office of Vital Statistics and bring documents you stated above and that is it?? Do you need to make an appointment? Are their hours and location posted online? This would be worth the trip to get it done for both of my kids in one trip!!

Thank you again for this info.

Dina

[hg808]

Hello Dina,

Yes, it all can be done in one trip - at least I got the impression that it can be done. No appointment is necessary. Their hours are posted on Vital Statistics website, I think 9 am to 4 pm, but they stop taking in new visitors at 3:30 p.m. You bring the documents, they will make copies there and will mail you the birth certificates in approx. 1.5 months (I haven't gotten so far yet, but this is what they told me). However, one of the parents must present the proof of being a US citizen, such as their own birth certificate. For some reason, the US passport is not a sufficient proof. Their new location is 140 East Front St. in Trenton. It's a short walk from their old location. Bill is a very knowledgeable and helpful person.

Good luck with birth certificates and let me know how it goes.

Helen

[hg808]

Catmele, I got your message, but could not reply because your mailbox is full. I was told to certify only my husband's birth certificate (probably because I did not have an original). I showed them the originals of other documents, and they made copies and did not ask me to certify anything else. They told me that after submitting the these copies together with cert.'d copy of my husband's birth certificate, I will receive my son's birth certificate in 1-1.5 months. Hope this helps.

Helen

[catmele]

Thanks Helen. When I had called they told me something different. I had our sons Adoption Certificate certified but not anything else. I sent all the originals in FEDEX & am now waiting to hear back from them. I hope they come back soon!

[DCD]

Thank you so much for the info. I am going to take a day and give it a try. It would be worth it for me and save a lot of money on a readoption.

My fear is that throughout their lives they will need copies or originals of their birth certificates and it will be tough for them to get once they get older. So I better take care of it now when all their documents are all in place.

Thanks again,

Dina

[amyfk]

Where is E Front Street in relation to W. State Street?
Thanks again,
Amy K, NJ

[hg808]

Amy, I took Rt 1 South, then the exit to State St., and then there are a couple of quick turns - all within 0.1 mile - best check it on Mapquest. Very close to the State St. exit from Rt. 1 South. Very close to Motor Vehicle Services bldg and their old location. I actually parked by Motor Vehicle Services and walked from there - about 3-4 blocks.

Helen