Guidance

The Adopted Children Register: note for parents (accessible version)

Updated 6 August 2024

Once an Adoption Order has been granted a copy of the Adoption Order relating to each child will be sent to you from the Court where the Adoption hearing took place.

The Court also sends a copy of the Adoption Order to the General Register Office in Southport, Merseyside who use the information contained in the Adoption Order to make an entry in the Adopted Children Register. A new birth certificate is then produced in the child’s adoptive name. This document is known as an adoption certificate and replaces the original birth certificate for all legal purposes.    

Please read the following questions and answers carefully as it is very important that all the details in the Adoption Order are correct before the entry is made in the Adopted Children Register as this is the information that will appear on the new adoption certificate.

What should I do when I receive the Adoption Order? 

Please check that all the details on your copy of the Adoption Order are correct and let the Court know immediately if there is a problem so that an amended Order can be produced by the Court and sent to the General Register Office. Use this checklist to make sure all the details are correct

• Are all the names shown including middle names?

• Are all the names spelt correctly?

• Are all of the dates shown correct? 

Failure to check your Adoption Order could result in a delay making the entry into the Adopted Children Register and you may incur a further fee for a replacement adoption certificate if the register entry needs to be amended at a later date. 

What will I receive from the General Register Office?

You will receive a letter confirming the entry has been made in the Adopted Children Register and how to order copies of a short or full certificate. A full certificate is needed for most legal and administrative purposes and it is this certificate that will be required to support your child’s passport application. 

How long will it take before I receive the new birth certificate? 

The processing time is approximately 4 weeks once the General Register Office has received the

Adoption Order from the Court.  It can take approximately three weeks for the General Register Office to receive the Adoption Order from the Court. When the Adoption Order has been processed you will then be able to apply for an adoption certificate.  The processing times are 15 days for a standard certificate application and 1 day for a priority certificate application. 

Please note: If your child requires their new certificate to obtain a passport you should keep in mind the above timescales. Further information on passports can be obtained at Get a passport for your child. You will not be able to travel without a passport so it is advisable to wait until it is received before booking any travel.

What do the new birth certificates look like? 

The short certificate makes no reference to the adoption and is entitled “Certificate of Birth.” The full certificate is a full copy of the entry in the Adopted Children Register and examples of both the short and full certificates are shown below. 

What should I do if I want any further copies of the full or short certificate in the future?  You should apply to the General Register Office for duplicate copies using the contact details supplied. Adoption certificates cannot be obtained from the local register office. 

Who should I contact if I have any queries about this guidance note? 

Please do not hesitate to contact the General Register Office if you have any queries about this guidance. 

Telephone:    0300 123 1837 

Email:            adoptions@gro.gov.uk

Web:              www.gov.uk

Example of a short birth certificate and a full birth certificate