A few years ago, when NYARC formed, we promised we’d always give it to you straight. The truth, even if it’s not what we want to hear, matters.
Last night, one of our supporters forwarded us an email response from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She had been inquiring about the processing status of her application for weeks and had, like the rest of us, consistently received auto-replies. This time, she got a response with some information. The (unsigned) reply read as follows:
“When an adoption occurs the original record is placed in a sealed envelope and stored offsite. When the Governor signed into law that pre-adoption records can be issued to customers, NYC began the following process, obtain the sealed envelope with the pre-adoption record from our offsite facility, open the sealed document, scan the pre-adoption record and the supporting documentation (Adoption Decree) to make it available electronically, and print on certified paper. When we were given stay at home orders the process stopped. We have not had staff return to the offsite facility to locate these envelopes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing rules policies implemented by the CDC and government officials. The processing time for opening a sealed record and preparing for issuance is sixteen weeks. I cannot provide a time frame as to when we will resume normal business functions at this time. I understand that adoptees have waited many years to obtain their pre-adoption record, NYC apologizes for the interruption in services and appreciates your understanding during these challenging times.”
Sooo…it looks like those of us who were born or adopted in any of the five boroughs New York are going to have a long wait on our hands.
We wish the news was better. We’ll try to follow up on this. Hang in there.
Thanks, Leigh for passing this along. We’ll try to follow up on this. Hang in there.
New York Adoptee Rights Coalition
That’s very upsetting
Thank you for the update and it is upsetting that we are the forgotten boroughs of NYC. By the time they get to us, our applications will be returned because the checks are outdated!!
I paid by credit card online. Was given back a fraction of what I paid. Yes, we are the forgotten ones….as usual. Very upsetting.
Sorry If i have already posted this but I am so angry.
Is there anyone else who ordered their OBC back in February still waiting? Vital Records now States too much time has passed and my order is voided and no longer valid ,plus it is impossible to get them on the phone.
HI RENEE
II sent my application on 1/22/20 with a $15 check (that was the fee at that time) which will probably be returned. By the time they get to me, I probably won’t be around anymore!!
Yes, I probably won’t be around either.
I have an encouraging update for adoptee’s that sent in applications in Januaary. I received an email from the person working on mine. I had to send in a replacement check. So, hopefully, it won’t be long before I get an answer or my original biirth certificate.
Yes, I received an email stating my OBC was ready to ship but to wait until 10 days have passed before tracking. The worry I have is that it’s the same tracking number that they gave me back in February and UPS says they don’t have a record of a tracking number that’s that old. Guess I’ll wait until the 10 days have passed to see what UPS says until I reach out again.