States With Open Adoption Records

States With Open Adoption Records

There are several states that have open adoption records.  In these states, an adult adoptee can get an original birth certificate and in some instances more adoption record information.

If you are an adoptee looking for your birth parents in an open adoption records state, please request your open adoption records.  However, when you obtain your original birth records, your search might still be difficult.  Having information such as your birth mother’s maiden name and perhaps her old address is a great start, but you will still need to get her current name and address information.  Your birth mother might have changed her name several times, or she might not live in the state where you were adopted.

If you need help with your search, please contact OmniTrace!

Here is a list of states where adoption records for all or some years are open.  In some states, birth parents can sign a no-contact veto: Read More

Hiring A Private Investigation Agency For Your Adoption Search

Hiring A Private Investigation Agency For Your Adoption Search

So, you are ready to begin the journey and start your adoption search.  You now need to decide whether to search on your own or hire a private investigation agency.  Here are a few things to consider when opting for the latter:

1)  Be sure to hire a licensed private investigation agency (such as OmniTrace).   Most states have their own licensing requirements.  Some states require investigators to have several years of experience working in law enforcement or working for a law firm.  Special testing is typically required for a license.  Most licensed agencies and investigators need to be bonded and are required to carry errors and omissions insurance.  A licensed agency requires a professional office location and cannot operate out of a living room.  Ask any agency you are considering for their license number and verify it.

(Buyer Beware: If you hire an unlicensed investigator / researcher to conduct your adoption search, they do not Read More

Birth Mother Search – Obtaining Necessary Identifying Information

A birth mother search can be quite difficult for an adoptee to successfully resolve.  That’s because most adoptees have very little identifying information on their birth mother when they begin to search. They also lack state-of-the-art search tools that are currently available to professional adoption researchers and investigative agencies such as OmniTrace.  These tools allow access to and the capability to sort through virtually millions of public records.  With the above mentioned search tools, you may be surprised to read that, in most instances, very little identifying information is needed to find your birth mother!  Provided here are a   Read More

Troy Dunn The Locator on Dr. Phil

Troy Dunn The Locator on Dr. Phil

We want everyone to know that Troy Dunn The Locator will appear on the Dr. Phil Show this coming Friday, 10/21/11, at 4:00 pm Eastern Time. 

Troy Dunn has been reuniting adopted adults with their birth parents for many years now.  He’s a great guy and fantastic showman, and you should take a look at this episode. 

Here’s an excerpt on what the show will be about, obtained from the Dr. Phil episodes page:

“Twins Search for Twins

Dr. Phil’s guests are immersed in an adoption mystery steeped in so many secrets, it took expert locator, Troy Dunn, to reconnect the pieces of their fractured family. Lori, her twin sister, Lonnie, and older sister, Linda, say that even as children, they had a stark memory of their pregnant mother leaving for the hospital and returning without a child and a story that didn’t add up. The siblings say they’ve always had their suspicions about a possible sibling, but it wasn’t until their mother’s death that they discovered a piece to the puzzle — paperwork about twins who were placed for adoption decades ago. Delving into the case, Troy uncovers a shocking surprise, but before a reunion can take place, he must deliver some bad news. Find out what happens as Lori, Lonnie and Linda prepare to meet their long-lost loved ones. It’s a family reunion you don’t want to miss! Plus, if you’re searching for someone, don’t miss Troy’s tips for locating a missing relative.”

We hope you take the time to enjoy Troy Dunn The Locator on the Dr. Phil Show. 

If you need immediate assistance locating your birth parents or child given for adoption, please give one of our OmniTrace search consultants a call at 1-888-965-6696 and receive a FREE search evaluation.

Who Do You Think You Are Premieres February 4th On NBC TV

OmniTrace is happy to announce that the second season of  Who Do You Think You Are premieres February 4, 2011 at 9 Eastern time on NBC.  The TV show follows some of today’s biggest celebrities as they trace their birth family trees.  The celebrities featured in the second season are:  Gyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Rosie O’Donnell, Steve Buscemi, Kim Cattrall, Lionel Richie, Vanessa Williams and Ashley Judd.

Each week on TV, a celebrity embarks on a quest into his or her birth family ancestry, as they uncover stories of heroism, tragedy, love, betrayal, secrets and intrigue.

Who Do You Think You Are also celebrates the twists and turns of this great nation and the people who made their way here in search of freedom and opportunity.

So, we suggest you tune in to NBC TV and travel through time into the birth family stories of our fascinating celebrities as they solve centuries old mysteries, uncover long lost birth family ties and make shocking discoveries about their ancestors.

If you are reading this post, chances are you are not a celebrity and will not be discovering your birth family on TV on Who Do You Think You Are.  No worries–OmniTrace can assist you.  Please give us a call, toll free, at 1-888-965-6696 and speak with one of our friendly OmniTrace search consultants. 

Oprah Reunites With Her Birth Sister

Oprah Winfrey Reunites With Her Half Birth Sister

Oprah Winfrey revealed on her TV show today that she has a new birth family member – Patricia, her half birth sister (her sister’s last name was not revealed).

Apparently, Oprah’s birth mother gave Patricia up for adoption, shortly after her birth, but kept the adoption from Oprah.  Oprah was nine years old and living with her father at that time.  Oprah never knew her birth mother was pregnant.

Oprah’s birth sister lived in foster homes until she was 7—some of them “not so good.”  By 17, she was a single birth mother, Patricia said, and six years later, she had another child.  When she was 20, she searched for information about her birth mother and then let it go until years later.

Patricia said she started thinking Oprah might be her sister when she saw an interview with Oprah’s birth mother, Vernita Lee, on TV.  The birth family information coincided with what she already knew about her family.  “We realized that Oprah could be my sister,” Patricia said.  She tracked down Oprah’s niece who is the daughter of Read More

The Locator Episodes – New Ones Coming

The Locator Episodes

The Locator Episodes have been phenomenal at reuniting birth parents, adoptees and birth siblings.  The Locator investigative team is top-notch and provides great entertainment when they go into action.  During The Locator episodes, you become part of the emotional rollercoaster that we here at OmniTrace are so familiar with.

Troy Dunn and his staff are inundated with search requests and have to choose from hundreds, if not thousands of cases.  According to WE TV, “…for one week each month, Troy devotes all of his staff and resources to one important case that they call the Read More

New Jersey Open Adoption Records

After thirty years of adoptees attempting to gain access, New Jersey open adoption records may finally become a reality.

The Assembly Human Service Committee unanimously approved a bill that has now been moved to the full Assembly for a vote.

This open records bill–The Adoptees’ Birthright Bill–will give adult adoptees, adoptive parents of a minor or relatives of a deceased adoptee access to original birth certificates.  These records contain the names of the birth mother and Read More

Adoption Searching for Birth Mother or Adoptee

Adoption searching for a birth mother or adopted child is tough work.  Each search is unique and the methods and resources OmniTrace uses vary depending on a number of circumstances:

• When was the adoptee born?
• Where was the adoptee born?
• When and where did the adoption take place?
• Was the adoption done through an adoption agency?
• Was the adoptee born in a hospital?
• Which hospital?
• Any name info on the birth mother (adoption searching for birth mother)?
• Any name info on the adopting parents (adoption searching for adoptee)?

Of course, for most adoption searching cases, we usually begin with Read More

Biological Family Search – What OmniTrace Provides…

Biological Family Search

When you request OmniTrace to conduct your biological family search, here’s what we will make every attempt to provide you:

• The name of your biological mother
• The name of your biological father
• The names of your biological siblings and any additional family relatives (e.g., grandparents, aunts, uncles)
• Non-identifying information and identifying information covering the background history of your adoption  (In other words, what the heck happened when you were born.)
• Any available medical records on your biological mother (when records have not been destroyed)
• Background and genealogical history on your biological family members
• The current addresses and phone numbers of all biological family members that we identify.

Complete the simple form on THIS PAGE and start your biological family search now!