Integrated birth certificate

The integrated birth certificate (IBC) shows both the birth and adoptive families of an adopted person. 

What is an integrated birth certificate

Since 16 November 2020, all adopted people in NSW are automatically issued with both a post-adoptive birth certificate and an integrated birth certificate (IBC).  

If you were adopted in NSW before this date, you or your birth or adoptive parents can apply for an IBC.  

The IBC is a legal document that shows the adopted person’s:  

  • birth parents and older siblings  
  • adoptive parents and siblings.  

The post-adoptive birth certificate only shows the adoptive parents and siblings.  

Both certificates identify:  

  • the adoptive parents as the legal parents of the adopted person  
  • the person’s adopted name as their legal name.  

Either certificate can be used as an official identification document.  

The IBC was made possible by the Adoption Legislation Amendment (Integrated Birth Certificates) Act 2020. This amended the Adoption Act 2000 and Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1995.  

The IBC:  

  • supports a child’s right to know their origins  
  • encourages openness in the adoptive family  
  • encourages ongoing relationships with birth families.  

Who can apply

You can apply for an IBC if you are the:  

  • adopted person aged 18 or over  
  • adopted person aged under 18  
  • adoptive parents  
  • birth parents.  

Depending on the registration date and adopted person’s age, you may need the adopted person’s consent and/or an Adoption Information Certificate (AIC). This is a copy of the memorandum of an adoption order and contains information about the adoption.  

Important information about applying for an IBC

You can apply for an IBC for if the adoption was registered in NSW. 

When the adoption took place will affect who and how you can apply.

For adoptions which occured in or after 2010

  • adopted persons aged 18 or over can apply directly for an IBC
  • adoptive parents and birth parents can also apply directly for an INC.

Adopted persons aged under 18 will need:

  • their adoptive parents to apply, or
  • their adoptive parents' written consent.

Birth parents wishing to apply will need an Adoption Information Certificate (AIC). To get an AIC, birth parents need to complete and submit an application to obtain adoption information.

For adoptions which occured before 2010

To apply for an IBC for an adoption which took place before 2010, you will need either:

  • an Adoption Information Certificate (AIC), or  
  • an original birth certificate issued under the Adoption Information Act 1990.  

To get an AIC, you need to complete an application to obtain adoption information.  

If you are the adoptive parents, you need:  

  • an AIC, and  
  • the adopted person's consent.  

Adopted persons under 18 applying to an AIC will also need:

  • written consent from their adoptive parents, and  
  • written consent from their birth parents.  

If it's not possible to get consent from your adoptive and/or birth parents, contact the Adoption Information Unit.  

If an adopted person or birth parent is deceased

If an adopted person or birth parent is deceased, a relative or a significant other person can apply to get adoption information, including the adopted person’s IBC.  

You can apply if you are:  

  • a grandparent, son, daughter, grandchild, brother, sister, aunt or uncle of the deceased adopted person, or  
  • a spouse, de facto or another person who had a close relationship with a now deceased birth parent or deceased adopted person.  

For more information, visit Adoption.  

Incomplete information on an IBC

For some historical adoptions, information may be missing about the birth family. This could be because of forced adoption and removal practices in the past.  

Where information is incomplete, a dash or ‘unknown’ is recorded in the relevant fields on the IBC.  

Adoptions which took place outside of NSW

If the adoption was registered in a different state to NSW, contact the relevant government department in that state or territory.  

International adoptions

To apply for an IBC for an overseas adoption, the adoption must be registered in NSW. This happens when the Supreme Court of NSW:  

  • makes an intercountry adoption order, and/or  
  • grants a declaration of validity for an overseas adoption order.  

Information about the birth family recorded on the IBC reflects the information that is made available by the adopted person’s country of origin.  

Application fees

There is no fee for an IBC if:

  • it is issued at the time of adoption
  • you have a post-adoptive birth certificate. 

A single fee applies if you are applying for:

  • both an IBC and a post-adoptive birth certificate
  • a replacement of a lost or damaged IBC.

We may waive the fee in some circumstances. For more information about fees, visit certificates and searches for adoption.

How to apply

For information on how to apply, visit our certificates and searches for adoption page. 

More information

If you need more information related to the IBC, contact the Department of Communities and Justice Adoption Information Unit.

Email: adoption.Information@facs.nsw.gov.au  or phone the Open Adoption Hotline on 1800 003 227 (note this operates Monday-Friday 9am-4:30pm) or for local calls within Australia, 1300 799 023.

Download

Download factsheet integrated birth certificates.pdf PDF 102.9KB File last updated on: 13 November 2020.

If you have any accessibility feedback or concerns related to this resource, please contact us.

Type: Fact sheet
Author: NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Publication Date: 31 October 2024

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