Virginia

Vital Records and Other Help

Virginia Department of Health,
Office of Vital Records,
 P.O. Box 1000, 
Richmond, VA 23208-1000,
 804-786-6228
Make check or money order payable to
 State Health Department.

State office has had birth and death records from January 1853 to December 1896 and since June 14, 1912.
 Only the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Richmond have records between 1896 and June 14, 1912. Birth certificates with dates prior to January 1, 1979 were not put on computers. 
Staff members must search for those records manually, which is very time-intensive.

State office has had divorce and marriage records since January 1853. If the records are not available from the State office, they should be available from the Clerk of Court in county where divorce was granted or the marriage license was issued.

Confidential Intermediary (CI) Program

In order to initiate a search for birth family, you must fill out an Adoptee Application For Disclosure. Forms can be obtained from and returned to, 
Adoption Reports Unit, 
730 East Broad Street,
 Richmond VA 23219-1849. 
The agency that did the adoption will be designated to search.
The agency is allowed to charge a fee for the search to be paid in advance. 
The agency has 8 months to conduct the search, but an extension can be granted on good cause with your permission.

When the search is completed the agency will send a report to the Adoptions Report Unit recommending whether to grant or deny the disclosure of id information. Applications are usually denied if the birth family is not located or is deceased.

If your application is denied, or the Adoption Report Unit fails to designate a search agency within 30 days, you can petition the court for disclosure. 
A Virginia resident can petition the Circuit Court where they reside, all others much petition the Richmond City Circuit Court.

For answers to questions you have regarding the application or search process contact,
 Jackie Gill, 804-692-1286 
or Paul Reaves 804-692-1285 at the
 Commonwealth of Virginia, 
Department of Social Services 
730 East Broad Street, 
Richmond VA 23219-1849, 804-692-1944

Virginia Adoption Registry
Also has a great page of links for Virginia sites that can prove to be very helpful in a search.

Metro Reunion Registry
was established to serve as a repository of information pertaining to adoptee/birthparent searches in Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia. You can also request a form by mail to register with the Metro Reunion Registry: send a SASE to:
Metro Reunion Registry, 6439 Woodridge Rd., Alexandria, VA 22312

Bits & Pieces
Not only does she have a registry for VA, but SC/GA/MD/NC & DC as well. She also does free DOB searches for her registrants if they have enough info to run.

Genealogy Help list, VA

Virginia Newspaper Project

VAGenWeb

The Library Of Virginia

Virginia Tech University Libraries

Birth Certificate Fees

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