Georgia CommonsHouse · Engrossed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 181: Vital records; issuance of a Certificate of Foreign Birth by the state registrar without a judicial order if certain criteria is satisfied; provide
Last action March 31, 2026 · Senate Tabled
A Georgia House bill would let the state registrar issue a 'Certificate of Foreign Birth' to certain internationally adopted children without a court order, if the family provides specific documents.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Currently, Georgia law requires a court order (a report of adoption from a Georgia court) before the state registrar can issue a Certificate of Foreign Birth for a child born abroad and adopted by a U.S. citizen. This bill creates an exception to that rule. Under the new Code section 31-10-13.3, a child who automatically became a U.S. citizen through a foreign adoption under the federal Child Citizenship Act of 2000 and already holds a Certificate of Citizenship would not need a Georgia court order. Instead, the state registrar would issue the Certificate of Foreign Birth directly upon written request, once the parents submit the child's Certificate of Citizenship, certified adoption documents from the U.S. Embassy with an English translation, a valid photo ID for the parent or parents, and proof that the parents live in Georgia. The state registrar would also create the necessary application forms.
What the bill does
- Creates a new exception (O.C.G.A. § 31-10-13.3) letting some internationally adopted children get a Certificate of Foreign Birth without a Georgia court order.
- Limits the exception to children who already hold a federal Certificate of Citizenship under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.
- Requires parents to submit four specific documents: the Certificate of Citizenship, certified foreign adoption papers with English translation, a valid photo ID, and proof of Georgia residency.
- Directs the state registrar to create the application forms needed to request this certificate.
- Repeals any existing laws that conflict with the new process.
Who it affects
Families in Georgia who have adopted children from other countries and whose children automatically became U.S. citizens under federal law, the state registrar's office that issues vital records, and Georgia courts that previously had to issue adoption reports for this purpose.
Why it matters
Adoptive families would be able to get a Certificate of Foreign Birth for their child by submitting paperwork directly to the state registrar instead of going through a Georgia court, potentially making the process faster and less costly for qualifying families.
Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code Section 31-10-13.3, exempting qualifying children from the court-order requirement in Code Section 31-10-13.
- Subsection (a) limits the exemption to children who hold a federal Certificate of Citizenship under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.
- Subsection (b) lists the four required documents parents must submit: the Certificate of Citizenship, certified adoption documents with translation, valid photo ID, and proof of Georgia residency.
- Subsection (c) requires the state registrar to develop the necessary request forms.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
From the bill
“The state registrar, upon written request, shall prepare a 'Certificate of Foreign Birth' reflecting the actual date and place of birth for a child who was born in a foreign country, was adopted by a United States citizen, and has automatically acquired citizenship”
“The state registrar shall develop any necessary forms for adoptive parents to submit in order to request a 'Certificate of Foreign Birth.'”
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate Children and Families Committee, March 17, 2026
From 0:15:38 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 181 would let families whose international adoptions have received federal recognition and whose children have citizenship certificates apply directly to Georgia's vital records office for a Certificate of Foreign Birth. The sponsor described the current requirement to obtain a court adoption report as costly, time-consuming and duplicative, and said foreign birth certificates can cause identification difficulties. The sponsor said 29 states had already eliminated this process. The substitute reduced the required documents from six to four by removing the foreign birth certificate and Social Security card. The sponsor explained that the birth certificate had already been reviewed for other required documents, while a Social Security card was not considered identification under federal standards and might not yet be available. No substantive questions or opposition followed. The committee unanimously recommended passage of the substitute and sent it to Rules.
Senate Rules Committee, March 20, 2026
From 0:11:01 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would remove a costly, duplicative court step for families seeking a Georgia certificate of foreign birth after an international adoption. The sponsor described the affected children as having completed adoption, received U.S. citizenship certificates and been admitted through federal immigration services. The sponsor said Georgia still requires a re-adoption process. No questions or calendar decision followed.
Senate Rules Committee, March 23, 2026
From 0:35:34 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair identified HB 181 as concerning foreign birth certificates. No further explanation or vote was shown.
Senate Rules Committee, March 30, 2026
From 1:21:41 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: A member selected HB 181 for the floor calendar. No substantive explanation or debate followed. The committee unanimously approved the calendar containing it.
Status timeline
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
Show full history (14 actions)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Ginny Ehrhart (R, HD-36)
- Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
- Scott Hilton (R, HD-48)
- Sandy Donatucci (R, HD-105)
- Deborah Silcox (R, HD-53)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
Votes
- House voteFebruary 21, 2025
154 yea, 0 nay (13 not voting, 13 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 31, 2026
39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 excused)
Topics
- adoption
- vital records
- birth certificates
- citizenship
- Georgia families