International adoption country guide

Georgia: adoption records and family tracing

Practical guidance for adoptees based in the UK who were adopted in Georgia, were born there and adopted in the UK, or have a birth parent from there.

Research last refreshed: September 2026

Ask the Adoptee Rights Assistant
Adoptee Rights Assistant

Please leave out names and identifying details.

Start by identifying the records and rules that apply

Court, municipality, state care agency file, institution, adoption year and Georgian or Russian spellings determine the record map. A new birth certificate is separate from the final court decree, background study and earlier civil registration. Authority names may have changed over time.

If the person came to the UK, obtain the UK receiving or adoption agency file, court papers and immigration and nationality records in parallel. Confirm whether a later UK adoption order was made. UK records do not replace the records held in Georgia.

Check the current procedure before applying

This guide explains the likely process, but forms, contact details, eligibility and access rules can change. Check the linked source before sending identity documents or paying a fee.

Choose the situation that describes you

Adopted in Georgia

What applies: Confirm that the legal adoption or other arrangement was made in Georgia, and identify the date, place, court or authority and institution.

How to look for records: Identify the LEPL state care agency acting as Central Authority, the court, the civil registration service or Public Service Hall and any institution or municipal child protection body. Request the adoption decision, adoption authority or welfare dossier, original civil registration, consent and social material, and institution record separately. A later birth certificate or adoption certificate is not the whole file.

How to look for family: No verified public nationwide adult origins application was found. Ask the current state care agency to identify the administrative dossier and court, then request the court file and original and amended civil registration separately. Use background studies and institution records to establish identities before family contact.

Important: Trace predecessor authority names and keep the state care agency, court and civil registration records separate.

Born in Georgia and brought to the UK

What applies: Establish whether the legal adoption was made overseas, in the UK, or in both places; keep the two countries’ records processs open until that is known.

How to look for records: If the person came to the UK, obtain the UK receiving or adoption agency file, court papers and immigration and nationality records in parallel. Confirm whether a later UK adoption order was made. UK records do not replace the records held in Georgia. Identify the LEPL state care agency acting as Central Authority, the court, the civil registration service or Public Service Hall and any institution or municipal child protection body. Request the adoption decision, adoption authority or welfare dossier, original civil registration, consent and social material, and institution record separately. A later birth certificate or adoption certificate is not the whole file.

How to look for family: No verified public nationwide adult origins application was found. Ask the current state care agency to identify the administrative dossier and court, then request the court file and original and amended civil registration separately. Use background studies and institution records to establish identities before family contact.

Important: A UK adoption or registration record does not automatically disclose or replace the overseas birth, court, welfare or institution file. Trace predecessor authority names and keep the state care agency, court and civil registration records separate.

A birth parent was from Georgia

What applies: Start with the records of the country where the person was born and adopted. A parent being from Georgia does not by itself mean that Georgia holds the adoption file.

How to look for records: Obtain the adoptee’s own birth and adoption records first. If they confirm the parent’s identity or a locality in Georgia, use the relevant civil registration, archive and family history sources there.

How to look for family: Use verified full names, spelling variants, dates, locality and institution with the relevant civil registry, adoption authority, court or decision maker and archives in Georgia. Keep official records work separate from supported and consent sensitive family contact. DNA may provide a parallel family finding lead, but database representation for Georgia may be uneven. Check current provider availability and any rules affecting sample collection or export. A match is a lead, not proof; corroborate it with shared matches and records, consider privacy and unexpected results, and obtain consent before testing another person.

Important: Do not assume nationality proves birth, citizenship or registration in Georgia. Confirm full names, spelling variants, dates and an actual locality before making overseas enquiries.

Records and family finding

Start with records

Identify the LEPL state care agency acting as Central Authority, the court, the civil registration service or Public Service Hall and any institution or municipal child protection body. Request the adoption decision, adoption authority or welfare dossier, original civil registration, consent and social material, and institution record separately. A later birth certificate or adoption certificate is not the whole file.

Looking for family

No verified public nationwide adult origins application was found. Ask the current state care agency to identify the administrative dossier and court, then request the court file and original and amended civil registration separately. Use background studies and institution records to establish identities before family contact.

DNA

DNA may provide a parallel family finding lead, but database representation for Georgia may be uneven. Check current provider availability and any rules affecting sample collection or export. A match is a lead, not proof; corroborate it with shared matches and records, consider privacy and unexpected results, and obtain consent before testing another person.

Peer support

ICAV currently lists no Georgia specific group. General search guidance may help; independent regional groups should be checked for adoptee leadership, current activity, eligibility and privacy.

Practical next steps

If you have no namesUse the adoption certificate or order, travel papers and receiving country file to identify the authority, court or decision maker, civil registration locality and institution in Georgia. Ask each identified holder for the underlying file and current adult access procedure.
If you have a name or placeUse verified full names, spelling variants, dates, locality and institution with the relevant civil registry, adoption authority, court or decision maker and archives in Georgia. Keep official records work separate from supported and consent sensitive family contact.
If the search has stalledAsk each possible holder in writing whether the record survives, was transferred or is restricted, and what review or court process applies. Then consider archives, verified peer support and carefully corroborated DNA as separate procedures.
Ask the Assistant about Georgia

Verified sources and resources

Official services and independent or adoptee-led resources are shown separately. Check current eligibility, security, costs and capacity before supplying personal information.

Other verified resources

US Department of State country guidance

Identify the official adoption, court, civil registration or welfare process

Things to check: Published information may not state the adult access procedure; confirm it directly

Official

State Care Agency

Identify the official adoption, court, civil registration or welfare process

Things to check: Published information may not state the adult access procedure; confirm it directly

Official

Public Service Hall

Identify the official adoption, court, civil registration or welfare process

Things to check: Published information may not state the adult access procedure; confirm it directly

Official

HCCH Adoption Convention status table

Identify the official adoption, court, civil registration or welfare process

Things to check: Published information may not state the adult access procedure; confirm it directly

Official

ICAV birth country groups

Peer search and reunion safeguards

Things to check: Independent guidance, not a record holder; verify current activity and eligibility

Adoptee-led

ICAV search and reunion guidance

Peer search and reunion safeguards

Things to check: Independent guidance, not a record holder; verify current activity and eligibility

Adoptee-led

This country guide provides general information, not legal advice or a tracing service. Records and family finding across borders can involve privacy, consent and personal safety considerations. Verify the current official procedure before acting.

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