Adoption of placement files Inspection

Source: BUS Rheinland-Pfalz

If you want to find out about your family background as an adopted child, you must contact the adoption agency that arranged your adoption. As a rule, these offices belong to the youth welfare offices, but there are also adoption agencies of independent carriers, for example the churches.

The specialists at your placement office will let you view the files, support you in your research and will be available to answer your questions.

An inspection of the file is not possible for you if there are overriding personal interests of persons involved.

In individual cases, the adoption agency may endeavour to ensure that your biological parents and siblings also have access to the files. However, there is no right to inspect files for members of your family of origin.

The register of births is kept by the registry office responsible for a person's place of birth.

A long retention period for adoptions files was only introduced at the beginning of 2002. If the adoption took place a long time ago, there may no longer be any mediation files.

If the adoption took place before 1977, no adoption agency was involved. At that time, a notarial contract was sufficient, which the district court had to confirm. In this case, an inquiry may refer you to the court involved.

If you wish to inspect your placement file as an adopted person, please contact the competent adoption agency directly:

Before a personal visit, you should make a telephone request and make an appointment.
The competent adoption agency will give you and your parents with custody, as far as this is possible in individual cases, access to the files on the placement of your adoption.
The specialists will inform you about your origin and life situation, provided that they have information about it and do not conflict with the interests of other people.

If you would like to consult the mediation files:
- You are
  - have been adopted and at least 16 years old, or
  - Parents who have adopted your child and have custody of your child
If you would like to receive the information or documents from the registry office:
- Documents from the civil register at the registry office can be requested:
  - parents who have adopted their child,
  - their parents,
  - legal representation of the child and
  - the child at least 16 years old.
- After the death of the child, information from the civil status register may also be obtained:
  - other persons to whom the entry in the register relates (i.e. the biological parents) and
  - their spouses, life partners, ancestors and descendants.
Other persons have a right of access if they demonstrate a legal interest.

Adoption of placement files Inspection

Process flow

Requirements

Which documents are required?

What are the fees?

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

Legal basis

Applications / forms

Appeal

Professionally released on