Prior to starting your search:
Apply for your original pre-adoption birth certificate
This certificate shows details of your birth prior to your adoption. You can do this once you turn 20 years old, by writing to the Registrar-General at Central Registry, PO Box 10-526, Wellington, New Zealand. You will need to supply:
- Your full name (post-adoptive)
- Your place of birth
- Your date of birth
- The full name(s) of your adoptive parent(s)
- Your address and telephone number
- Your signature
- Payment for the certificate of NZ$15 (includes postage anywhere in the world)
- Nominate a counsellor (only optional, as the Registrar-General will provide a list of counsellors for you to choose from)
Note: Access to original pre-adoptive birth registrations can be restricted by veto in certain circumstances.
Background information
The following may be available to assist you in tracing birth parents:
Your original pre-adoptive birth certificate will usually show your birth mother's full name, age, marital status, her maiden name (if married), and her place of birth. All births, deaths and marriages are public property. Obtain a copy of birth mother's birth certificate from the Central Registry. This will provide details of her birth parent(s) and if she has any older siblings.
Search electoral rolls from the date of your birth for your birth mother and also for other family members (parents and siblings). Auckland City Libraries holds every New Zealand electoral roll from 1853 to present. It may be easier to trace your birth mother through her parents and siblings, especially if she was very young at the time of your birth. For instance, her parents may have resided in the same street in the same town until their deaths.
Death certificates of either parent will not only show the date of death but also how many surviving children (if any), their sex and ages. Their death notice in the local newspaper will give names of family members and possibly the married name of the birth mother and where she resided at the time of the death. This can sometimes be the fastest and easiest way to trace your birth mother, as searching the indexes for her marriage or death can be very time consuming and may not provide successful results, especially if birth parents are living and married or have died overseas. |
