---
title: 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
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb181
cite_as: HB 181, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb181
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb181.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb181/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69660
date: 2026-03-31
status: engrossed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 1005
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb181.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 181
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-21
last_action: Senate Tabled
sponsors:
- Ginny Ehrhart
- Beth Camp
- Scott Hilton
- Sandy Donatucci
- Deborah Silcox
- Kay Kirkpatrick
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB181/2025
upstream_id: 1947549
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- adoption
- vital records
- birth certificates
- citizenship
- Georgia families
---
# 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
## Text
The Senate Committee on Children and Families offered the following
substitute to HB 181:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 10 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to vital
records, so as to provide for the issuance of a "Certificate of Foreign Birth" by the state
registrar without a judicial order if certain criteria is satisfied; to provide for necessary forms;
to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 10 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to vital records,
is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"31-10-13.3.
(a) A child who has automatically acquired United States citizenship following a foreign
adoption and who possesses a Certificate of Citizenship in accordance with the federal
Child Citizenship Act of 2000, P. L. 106-395, 114 Stat. 1631, shall be exempt from the
provisions of Code Section 31-10-13, requiring a report of adoption from a court of
competent jurisdiction in this state to acquire a 'Certificate of Foreign Birth.'
(b) 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 in
accordance with the federal Child Citizenship Act of 2000 upon the production of the
following documents:
(1) The child's Certificate of Citizenship;
(2) The original documents related to the foreign adoption certified by the United States
Embassy abroad and a certified English translation;
(3) A valid government issued form of identification possessing a picture of the parent
or parents, such as a passport or driver's license; and
(4) Proof of residency of the parent or parents in the State of Georgia.
(c) The state registrar shall develop any necessary forms for adoptive parents to submit in
order to request a 'Certificate of Foreign Birth.'"
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
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.
### Plain-language summary
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 it does
- Creates a new exception (O.C.G.A. ยง 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.
## Status
- Status: Engrossed (2025-02-21)
- Last action: Senate Tabled (2026-03-31)
- Sponsors: Ginny Ehrhart, Beth Camp, Scott Hilton, Sandy Donatucci, Deborah Silcox, Kay Kirkpatrick
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69660
> The history, votes, and amendments (1,005 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb181.md?full=1