How to Locate Unknown Siblings
Whether you were separated from your siblings because of adoption, divorce or family estrangement, finding an unknown sibling can take time and patience. Before you start to search for your lost siblings, begin by compiling as much information as you can about your family, including your parents' full names, dates of birth, places of birth and known residences. Even if you do not know your siblings' names or approximate ages, information about your family can give you clues to help you with you search.
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Instructions
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Register with a search and reunion registry. Groups such as the International Soundex Reunion Registry allow adult adoptees and their siblings to enter their basic information and add it to a database. By providing your current contact information, information about your birth and parents, these registries can help you locate information on your unknown siblings.
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Contact the agency that facilitated the adoption. If you and/or your siblings were adopted, you may be able to locate unknown siblings by filing a written request with the private adoption agency or state child welfare agency that facilitated the placement. As of April 2011, only 15 U.S. states provide information on adoptions to adult siblings, according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway. Even if your siblings were not adopted in one of these 15 states, the facilitating agency still may be able to put you in touch with local search and reunion resources.
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Obtain a court order to open you and your siblings' adoption files. Most courts will not open sealed adoption files solely for the sake of reuniting family members. If you have a medical reason or other compelling interests for locating your siblings, however, prepare a written petition outlining your reasons for seeking out your siblings and file it with the court where the adoption was finalized. Once you file the petition, a judge will hear your case and determine whether you can view the adoption file.
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Use public records and online databases. If you are able to locate basic contact information such as a sibling's name, approximate age or state of residence, search for her using marriage, divorce, property and criminal records databases. From here, you may be able to identify her current name and whereabouts.
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Retain a private investigator. If your own searches do not turn up any meaningful results, for a fee, a private investigator may be able to find your siblings, regardless of where they are currently living.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are unsure about your jurisdiction's adoption records laws, contact the clerk of the court or an adoption attorney.
References
Resources
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