2024.11.03, Requesting Your Documentation

Last updated: 11/18/2024 - added US ONLY where appropriate

Here are the five major places Holt adoptees should be requesting their records from.  I have requested them multiple times over the years, and have gotten different information at different times.  The window for requesting information from Holt is closing.  All the adoption records will be sent to NCRC where it could be caught up in a huge bureaucracy and could take years or decades to digitize and sort through.

1. [US ONLY] Holt International

Email: pas@holtinternational.org

Hold International sent me a form (see commends) that I filled out to get the original adoption papers (not a copy).

2. Holt Korea

Email: pasc@holt.or.kr

3. NCRC

Web Portal: https://www.kadoption.or.kr/en/root/adpt_info.jsp

4. [US ONLY] USCIS FOIA (Freedom of Info Act)

Web Portal: https://first.uscis.gov

Rebecca Kimmel has an excellent page with additional information on making a FOIA request: https://www.paperslip.org/foia-request-for-us-adoptees

5. [US ONLY] State you were adopted into

Google "[Name of State] Vital Records" and click on the first link.

For me, I was adopted into Indiana state, so my link looks like this:

https://www.in.gov/health/vital-records/adoptions/

Birth Family Search

The Search Continues...

I am writing this as a Korean Adoptee.  Sometimes this is abbreviated as KAD (I guess for Korean ADoptee).  This has been somewhat of an exploration of self discovery, but is happening much later in my life.  I am 52 years old as of this writing, and started looking into this a year or so ago.  I have not found my birth family, but I wanted to document the process I have been going through in hopes that it would be helpful to someone else.  I should have done this from the beginning, but I didn't - so here we are.

The first thing you want to do is gather all your documents that you personally have.  You may need to ask your adopted parents for these documents.  I won't go into how to ask that question.  It may be a sensitive topic - do it with your own level of discretion.  For me, it was pretty easy.  When I moved out of the house, they basically gave me everything they had.

This information is for someone who strictly wants to search for their biological parents / family.  Although I would encourage you to tap into the KAD community, that's not what this is for.

I was adopted from the Holt adoption agency.

The Holt adoption agency has a US side and a Korean side.  I contacted the US side (debbyh@holtinternational.org) and they were able to give me a lot of additional documents.  They had me fill out a request form and send it back (to confirm I was who I said I was).  For me, it looked like this (below):

Request for information:

https://www.holtinternational.org/pas/adoptee/korea-2-adoptees/forms-and-information-korea/

How to obtain file copies:

https://www.holtinternational.org/pas/adoptee/korea-2-adoptees/file-copies-korea-aa/

I was surprised to see the additional data.  It was good to see.  There were a couple of cute pictures of me as a kid I had never seen before and a bunch of documents - some were in Korean (which I don't read or write).

I can't remember how this happened, but the Korean side of the Holt adoption agency (Holt Children’s Services of Korea) was also contacted.  I think they are part of the same organization, but it's not clear to me how in sync they are.  I think Debby Hanson wound up contacting the Korean side of Holt.  I eventually got an e-mail from holtkorea@hotmail.com.

Here was the response I got from the Korean Holt Adoption Agency:

According to the initial social history, 원일 was reported as an abandoned baby, and was admitted to Wyatt baby home on December 15^th 1970 from CBH.

Then he was admitted to Holt adoption program on December 28, 1970.

So that was a bit of a bummer.  The Holt agency also recommend I contact NCRC (http://www.kadoption.or.kr/en/) which is the government appointed office that regulates adoption in Korea, and they provide some services for adult adoptees trying to locate birth family.  On this website, you can upload your profile in hopes of contacting your birth family.  I don't know what the odds are, but it can't hurt and it doesn't cost anything, so I did it.

DNA

My paperwork ended up in a dead end.  So, the only other hope I really have is DNA (thank goodness for technology).  One of the big problems with DNA is that there is no global, centralized database.  This is the downside of privatizing tests.  So I wound up taking every DNA test out there.  I understand that may not always be possible (financially), but that's what I did.  There are a lot of DNA test companies.  Take advantage of the free DNA tests, because there are some.

I live in San Diego, and I learned that the Korean Consulate in Los Angeles (a good 1.5-2 hr drive from San Diego) provides a free DNA test for KADs.  They send this DNA sample to the police in Korea in hopes of finding a match (apparently, DNA testing in Korea still has a stigma associated with it, so it's not wide spread).  Here was the response I got (it took much longer than I expected to get the result - several months, so be patient).

Dear Philip

Thank you for your participation and interests in the DNA Collecting Testing at the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles.

The National Forensic Service has endeavored to search for a matching through the analysis of collected DNA through its database resources.

However, we are sorry to inform you that no match was discovered through the analysis.

DNA Testing Companies

• 23andme.com
• Ancestry.com
• FamilyTreeDNA.com
• MyHeritage.com
• HomeDNA.com
• LivingDNA.com

DNA Resources

• Centimorgan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VmgHOhG6io
• 3400 cMs - You share a parent, or they are your parent
• 1700 cMs - You share a grandparent
• 850 cMs - You share a grandparent or great grandparent
• 425 cMs - You share a great grandparent (possibly grandparent if generational)
• 212 cMs - You share a great grandparent
• 106 cMs - You share a 2x great grandparent (possibly 1x great grandparent if gen)
• 26 cMs - You share a 3x great grandparent (possibly...)
• 13 cMs - You share a 3x great grandparent
• 6 cMs - You share a 4x great grandparent (possibly...)
• 0 cMs - Beyond 4x great grandparent
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhTRJzYX9Ac

DNA Databases

The FamilyTree DNA website will allow you to download the raw form of your DNA data.  You can take this data and upload it to an open database (which could provide more match opportunities).

• gedmatch.com
• dna.land

Free Stuff

• See Free DNA test at Korean Consulate above (your area may have something similar)
• There is a free Family Tree DNA kit available (thanks to the generosity of Thomas Park Clement).  The details are in one of the pinned posts in the KAA (Korean American Adoptees Facebook private group).

Resources

• 325Karma

Conclusion

No one can really understand your journey but you.  Good luck to you, and I wish you nothing but the best.  I would encourage you to tap into the KAD community.  Sharing that common experience can be helpful to finding yourself.  I will try to keep this page updated as my own journey continues.  Like I said earlier, I have not found my birth family yet.  Please realize that despite having a shared experience, we all have different life experiences.  Be careful not to be too judgemental - just listen, learn and love.  Peace out.

My Adoption Timeline

I went through all my adoption papers and created this adoption timeline.

• 1970.12.15, Admitted to Wyatt Baby Home from City Baby Hospital (CBH)
• 1970.12.28, Admitted to Holt Adoption Program
• Remained at Wyatt Orphanage instead of with a Foster Family.
• 1971.03.24, Petition for Naturalization Filed
• 1971.04.03, Admitted to Mapo Hospital for TB
• 1971.04.04, Admitted to Mapo Hospital with Pneumonia.
• 1971.05.20, Orphan Investigation Completed
• 1971.06.02, Petition for Naturalization Approved
• 1971.06.14, Discharged from Mapo Hospital
• 1971.06.24, Receipt for Child from Hold Adoption Agency
• 1971.09.09, Receipt for “Purchase”
• 1972.06.30, Legal Adoption Date
• 1972.07.18, Final Decree of Adoption (Indiana)
• 1973.02.22, Baptism at St. Thomas Aquinas in Boulder, CO
• 1975.04.18, Naturalized (Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate 10079377)
  

2019.07.02, Contacting the Adoption Agency

I read about people able to get somewhere by contacting their adoption agency and asking for paperwork.  I am beginning this adventure and will document it here.

From a fellow KAA regarding whether you were adopted from Holt International or Holt Korea.

It makes a worlds difference. I thought I was completely at a loss but it turns out it was just the wrong agency. So I emailed Holt international they told me they didn’t have my file that at one point Holt split into two. If you’re trying to contact Holt International you can email this lady: 

DebbyH@holtinternational.org 

She responds pretty fast. If they were not in charge of your adoption and do not have your file they will tell you right away. If they say no you can almost guarantee it was through Holt Korea like myself.If you’re looking for Holt Children’s services (Holt Korea) you will email them at this address:

pasc@holt.or.kr

In the subject line include your Korean name, case number and I was told to put the following as well: 
Attn: ESTHER KIM

A different person answered me but it was the same day I sent the email so I didn’t mind one bit. Just to be sure if email them at this address as well. It won’t hurt to 

holtkorea@holt.or.kr

Tell them you are searching for your birth family and you would like a copy of your Korean adoption file.

Petition for Adoption
Request Form

Here's the e-mail I sent:

From: Phil Pellouchoud <pellouch@yahoo.com>

To: DebbyH@holtinternational.org <DebbyH@holtinternational.org>

Sent: Tuesday, July 2, 2019, 04:25:14 AM PDT

Subject: Hello from a Korean American Adoptee (KAA) - Philip Pellouchoud, San Diego, CA 92130

Hello,

I am a Korean American Adoptee.  I am in search of my birth parents.  I have attached the following request forms based on feedback from a Korean Adoptee Facebook group.

Also included is a Google Drive link with all the adoption information I have regarding my personal adoption:

[ REDACTED ]

I thank you in advance with any assistance you can provide.

Thank you,

-phil

2019.05.23, The Korean Consulate

Today, I learned that the Korean Consulate in Los Angeles will take your DNA and send your information to Korea for free.  I learned this through the KAD Facebook group.

I e-mailed the consulate to set up an appointment at:
consul-la@mofa.go.kr

Apparently, you need to set up an appointment.  After you do that, you will need to drive up there, and get your DNA taken.  You should bring the following things with you:

• Your ID
• Adoption Info
• Date you were adopted
• Korean Name
• Personal description (height, weight, etc...)
• Name of your adoption agency
• Where you came from and where you went to once in America

This is all very exciting, but like all things, I'll wait and see how it goes.  I initiated the process by sending an e-mail to the Korean consulate.

UPDATE: 5/24/2019, 9:00am - I got a response from them that I have to call them and schedule an appointment.  They didn't give me a phone number to call.  :-) . Looked on FB and found a phone number: 213-385-9300, ext 321.  Apparently, they only have appointments on Tuesday between 2:00 and 4:00pm.

UPDATE: 5/24/2019, 2:45pm - I finally got through to them.  It was kinda funny because the call went to a Korean voice-mail.  I waited and eventually got someone, I asked for someone who spoke English and then explained my situation.  They called me back, I set up an appointment and I'm ready to go.  Planning on taking a day off of work so i can drive up there and do it!

UPDATE: 6/11/2019 - I drove up to the Korean Consulate of LA today and provided some adoption information and a DNA sample.  They will send this to Korea in hopes of finding a match.
The drive up and back from San Diego was horrible, but the overall process was pretty painless and took less than 20 minutes.

UPDATE: 12/18/2019 - I received an e-mail indicating that no match was found.  :-(

From: 라성(총) <consul-la@mofa.go.kr>
To: "pellouch@yahoo.com" <pellouch@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 04:39:40 PM PST
Subject: DNA TEST RESULT
Dear Philip

Thank you for your participation and interests in the DNA Collecting Testing at the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles.

The National Forensic Service has endeavored to search for a matching through the analysis of collected DNA through its database resources.

However, we are sorry to inform you that no match was discovered through the analysis. Please check the translation (attached file) below. 

Gene Analysis Report

Analysis factor

Search through “Missing Child, etc. Database” by DNA type analysis of the sample above.

Analysis Result

No parental relationship is found by the search through “Missing Child etc. Database” with the extracted DNA types Sample 1 – Sample 10. 

Your sample number is 4.

----

Korean Consulate of Los Angeles
3243 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Tel: (213) 385-9300
http://overseas.mofa.go.kr/returnInfoPage.do