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What services does the Adoption Reunion Registry (ARR) provide?

The Adoption Reunion Registry has been in operation since 1991. Since the 1920s, there have been over 40,000 adoptions in the province of British Columbia. If you were involved in one of those adoptions you may access our services.

We maintain a Passive Registry, undertake searches, and provide intermediary counselling and support.

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Who can use our services?

Adopted Adults:

If you are 19 or older and your adoption was finalized in BC, you can apply on either our Passive Registry or conduct a search through the ARR.

  • Passive: You can register on the Passive Registry for contact with any or all of the following relatives: birth parents, siblings adopted into another family, siblings who were not adopted, and other relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) who are 19 or older.
  • Search: You can search through the ARR for your birth mother, birth father (provided that he is identified adequately in the adoption records — this will be determined on a case by case basis by the ARR's Senior Researcher), siblings also placed for adoption in BC who are 19 or older, and siblings related through a deceased birth parent (also 19 or older).

Birth Mothers:

You can register on our Passive Registry or conduct a search through the ARR for your birth child who is now 19 or older and whose adoption was finalized in BC.

Birth Fathers:

If you were named as the birth father in the adoption file, you may register on our Passive Registry for contact with your birth child who is now 19 years of age or older.

If you were named as the birth father on the original Birth Registration or if you signed a consent to the adoption, you can request a search.

Siblings of an Adopted Adult

If both you and the adopted adult are 19 or older, you can register on the Passive Registry to have contact with your adopted adult sibling. You can request a search for your adopted adult sibling if the birth parent you share is deceased. A copy of the common parent's death certificate (along with a copy of your own birth certificate) must be provided.

Relatives of an Adopted Adult

If you are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or cousin (19 or older), related either by birth or adoption to an adopted adult who is also 19 years of age or older, you can register on the Passive Registry.

Children or Grandchildren of a Deceased Adopted Adult

You may request a search for:

  • The adopted adult's birth mother and/or their birth father;
  • Adopted siblings of the adopted adult; or
  • If the birth parent of the deceased adopted adult is also deceased, siblings of the adopted adult who were not adopted.

A copy of the deceased adopted adult's death certificate must be provided.

Adoption Reunion Registry
PO Box 9705 Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9S1

Phone: 250 387-3660 (Victoria, BC)
For toll-free access within North America, call:
1 877 387-3660