Frequently Asked Questions

>> Why should I register with CARI?
>> How do I register with CARI?
>> Are the names on the website birth names or adoptive names?
>> What happens now that I've registered?
>> When will my listing appear on the CARI Registry?
>> Will I get confirmation of my listing?
>> If I am unsure of sibling’s birth date, what do I do?
>> Why can't I list my underage child?
>> How do I verify my birth name?
>> If I don't know my birth name, can you still do a match?
>> What do I do if I made an error on the registration form?
>> Why don't you have more listings in the year I'm looking for?
>> Why have you not called me with a match?
>> What are my rights as a birth father?
>> How successful have you been in making connections?
>> What if the birth date that the adoptee has is incorrect?
>> What if I have serious medical concerns?
>> How do I search in the USA?
>> If I have my Adoption Order and Non-identifying Information and would like some help, who do I contact?
>> Who do I notify if I have found the person(s) I am looking for?
>> What is the Adoption Disclosure Register?
>> If I think I have a match, what do I do?

Q: Why should I register with CARI?

A: We have thousands of people visiting our website every month – people just like you who are searching for birth relatives. When you’re registered in our database, the information is available to our visitors and your opportunity for a successful reunion increases dramatically.

Q: How do I register with CARI?

A: Visit our Registration Information Page.

Q: Are the names on the website birth names or adoptive names?

A: Always the birth name of the child.

Q: What happens now that I've registered?

A: The birth information will be posted on our internet site. Please ensure that you are registered with the ADR in your province. Our hope is that the party you are looking for will see your listing and respond.

Q: When will my listing appear on the CARI Registry?

A: If the registration form is properly completed as requested, your listing should appear within a few days. No listing will occur if:

No current Name
No Current Address
No Current Phone Number listed
No date of birth or birth surname – we must have one or the other
Under 18 years of age
Other errors or inaccuracies.

Q: Will I get confirmation of my listing?

A: No. Our system will respond with a confirmation that your submission has been received. Please check back in a few days to see if it appears and is correct.

Q: If I am unsure of sibling’s birth date, what do I do?

A: Select Jan 01 & year of birth, include a note in the comments box that you do not know exact birth date.

Q: Why can't I list my underage child?

A: Our volunteers operate from the province of Ontario and we observe our provincial age restrictions.

Q: How do I verify my birth name?

A: In most provinces, apply for your adoption order. In BC, apply for your statement of live birth.

Q: If I don't know my birth name, can you still do a match?

A: Unfortunately not. You must apply for your adoption order or statement of live birth.

Q: What do I do if I made an error on the registration form?

A: Fill out a new registration and mark it ‘updated’.

Q: Why don't you have more listings in the year I'm looking for?

A: To ensure that our registry is current, registrations expire after 2 years and must be renewed. Additional and outdated listings are in our more complete off-line database.

Q: Why have you not called me with a match?

A: We have not had a response to your listing.

Q: What are my rights as a birth father?

A: Contact the CAS involved for information about your rights.

Q: How successful have you been in making connections?

A: View our Reunion Success Rate.

Q: What if the birth date that the adoptee has is incorrect?

A: This very rarely happens, so if your information is off by years and the name is not the same, it is NOT a match. Please DO NOT CALL US ‘just in case.’

Q: What if I have serious medical concerns?

A: Contact the Adoption Disclosure Registry in the Province where the adoption took place.

Q: How do I search in the USA?

A: Sorry, CARI only deals with Canadian adoptions. You will need to search for U.S. online registries.

Q: If I have my Adoption Order and Non-identifying Information and would like some help, who do I contact?

A: Call Gail at (905) 563-1021 weekdays between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm EST.

Q: Who do I notify if I have found the person(s) I am looking for?

A: Please send us an email so we can remove your information from our registry.

Q: What is the Adoption Disclosure Registry?

A: The Adoption Disclosure registry is operated by the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services to provide a register for adult adoptees, birth parents and birth relatives to contact each other and/or exchange and update information. It also conducts searches for birth parents and specific birth relatives at the request of an adult adoptee (18 years or older). No online service or registration is offered at this time, but this registry can be reached at:

Adoption Disclosure Registry
Ministry of Community and Social Services, Central Services
2 Bloor Street West, 24th Floor, Toronto ON M7A 1E9
Tel: (416) 327-4730
Fax: (416) 327-0573

Q: If I think I have a match, what do I do?

A: Call Gail at (905) 563-1021 between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (Ontario). After verification by us, then we obtain current background information about both parties (of the match) and determine if and how each side would like to make contact.

PLEASE NOTE: We are volunteers working from our homes and appreciate respect for our private time.