Sri Lanka: Information on whether an adopted person could receive a birth certificate if his/her adopted parents did not want him to know who his/her natural parents were, and if not, how this person could obtain a national ID card and a passport
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LKA18822.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sri Lanka: Information on whether an adopted person could receive a birth certificate if his/her adopted parents did not want him to know who his/her natural parents were, and if not, how this person could obtain a national ID card and a passport, 1 October 1994, LKA18822.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac04a6.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
A professor of political science specializing on Sri Lanka at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton provided the following information on the above subject during a telephone interview on 25 October 1994.
A child can be adopted in Sri Lanka upon receipt of a court order permitting the adopters to apply for a birth certificate identifying them as the parents of the adopted child. In such case Sri Lankan authorities issue birth certificates to children whose births have not been registered and therefore have no birth certificates, or issue new birth certificates to children who have birth certificates identifying their biological parents as their original parents. Since Sri Lankan authorities keep birth records of any person whose birth was registered, an adopted child who has reached legal age and wishes to know who his/her biological parents are can receive a copy of the original birth certificate issued prior to adoption. Adopters cannot prevent their legally adult children from receiving their original birth certificates.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Professor of political science specializing on Sri Lanka, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton. 25 October 1994. Telephone interview.