Adoption is synonymous with so many words: love, forever, happiness, heart, and as many soon come to learn: paperwork!
You have that sweet baby of yours now, and though you didn’t suffer through delivery, your labor was one of the red tape variety: the profile book, the attorney’s retainer paperwork, the financial proof, the medical forms, the insurance, the Social Security Number, the adoption decrees, adoption leave paperwork for employers, more court legal jargon, and on and on.
And as if adapting to the life of parenting a newborn weren’t enough, you now need to figure out how to obtain a birth certificate, possibly from across the country.
Here are a few helpful tips to ease you along to obtaining a birth certificate in Phoenix.
Determine Who Is Eligible
First things first: You must be eligible. As a parent requesting a birth certificate for your child in the State of Arizona, you should be named on the birth certificate. We are adoptive parents so odds are high that we will NOT be named. In that instance, we have to provide other information:
- The parent needs a certified copy of a court order which would name the birth certificate applicant as the registrant’s parent(s).
- The parent must submit a signed application (found here).
- The parent must provide a valid government-issued ID or a notarized signature on the application.
- The parent must submit the appropriate fee. (As of June 2018, the fee is $30. Additional copies are $20 each.)
- Do you need to amend the birth certificate? You may need to change the last name, or the entire name, of the child after the adoption, has been finalized. For more information about the additional steps to amend, click here.
Apply
Applying Online
You can also get the process expedited. The State of Arizona has partnered with an outside company to complete the online process. To apply online click here.
Ordering online has a fast turnaround time. Once you submit the information, it is sent the next business day electronically to the government. It is reported that the whole process online takes less than 10 minutes. If you are planning to apply online, they do take a wider variety of credit cards.
Applying by Mail
1. Print out and complete the application.
2. Find your office in Phoenix (PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005).
3. Submit a copy of the front and back of your government-issued ID.
4. Make sure you enclose a self-addressed and stamped envelope.
5. Send the fee via money order, personal check, cashier’s check, or credit card (MasterCard or Visa only). Each certified, official copy of a birth certificate* is $20.
After receiving your child’s birth certificate, inspect it to ensure there are no mistakes.
*Certified copies of the birth certificate are available by mail only.
If you have any questions about this process, call 602-506-6805 or visit Azdhs.gov.
Are you and your partner ready to start the adoption process? Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98 to begin your adoption journey. We have 130+ years of adoption experience and would love to help you.
