Birth Search
Dillon currently has a search process in place for the countries of South Korea. We offer counseling for anyone who is pursuing a search for birth family in our Tulsa office regardless of country.
Counseling
Counseling is offered to individuals, families and couples. To set up an initial free 15-minute telephone consultation with one of our adoption professionals, please call (918) 749-4600.
Support Groups
Finding support with others that understand is important at any age. Not feeling alone, being with others that can relate, and getting education from adoption professionals is all a focus in our support groups.
Camp/Tours
Finding pride in your child's birth culture is both important for your family and your child. Our heritage programs are available to support your family into creating connections with your child's birth culture.
File Copy Request
If you would like to request a copy of your adoption record, request, please keep the following in mind:
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Adoption file contents will include all adoptee background information, legal documents, and referral pictures (if available) provided by the birth country to Dillon International. In most cases, all of these records should have been received by the adoptive family. Where dictated by law in the foreign country, some information may be redacted.
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Subject to the adoptive family providing copies to Dillon International, other adoption file contents may include passport from birth country, U.S. adoption decree, U.S. birth certificate, and Certificate of Citizenship or Certificate of Naturalization. All non-adoptee related file information, with the exception of home study reports, is being destroyed to ensure personal privacy and security.
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If an adoptee is 18 or older, the request must be made by the adoptee themselves. If the adoptee is a minor child, the request must be made by the adoptive parent(s) or legal guardian.
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All requests will be processed on a first-come, first serve basis in the order the requests are received. Due to the large volume, it could take up to 6 months to receive your file.
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There will be a $50 service fee to aid in the retrieval of the file, digitization of the content and emailing to the recipient.
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We are only able to process file requests for placements through Dillon International, formerly known as Dillon Children’s Services and David Livingstone Foundation. Dillon Southwest and Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services are separate business entities and files are not retained by Dillon.
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All requests should be made by May 31, 2024.
To request your file now, please visit the following link: File Request Form
If you need assistance or have an inquiry not addressed through the website, please email info@dillonadopt.com. This address will continue to be monitored beyond September 30.
Korea Search Services
For adoptees interested in initiating or following up with an existing birth search, please reach out to Eastern directly at postadoption@eastern.or.kr. They will provide you with the necessary forms to conduct a birth search and will oversee the search from their end.
Please keep in mind Eastern only has 2 designated post-adoption responsible for fielding hundreds of inquiries. Because of this, their response time can often take several months as they work through inquiries. If it has been more than 3 months since your initial inquiry, you may wish to send another in the event the email was missed. The birth search can take many months to complete from the time of initiation so if you are planning to travel, we recommend you send your request in at least 9-12 months in advance.
Sample subject line:
Birth Search Request for Adoptee Birth Name (Adoptee Case Number, Adoptee Adopted Name) Adoptive Parent's Names, Placement agency:
ie: Birth Search Request for Kim, TaeSeung (2001c-496, Tanner Smith) M/M John & Linda Smith, Dillon International
Visit to Eastern:
If you are planning a trip to Korea and would either like to schedule a foster family meeting or a file review at Eastern, please email Eastern directly at postadoption@eastern.or.kr. Because of limited staff and peak seasons (holidays and summer), Eastern is often unable to accommodate last-minute requests. We recommend reaching out to Eastern a minimum of 2-3 months prior to your trip during non-peak times and a minimum of 6 months for summer months, holidays or spring break.
The Eastern offices operate out of the 3rd floor of their office building. Due to changes in the adoption landscape, the Babies Home and guesthouse have closed. Below is their address and phone number:
3rd floor, post-adoption service center
Eastern Social Welfare Society
Tel) 82-2-323-1587
Address : #26, Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemungu
Seoul 03784 Korea
Correspondence:
For families and adoptees who would like to continue communication with foster families and/or birth families, you can email letters directly to Eastern’s post-adoption department at:
We suggest the letters to be translated into Korean to ensure timely delivery to the recipient. It is important to provide all pertinent information in your email to assist with your request. Information should include the Adoptee’s Korean name, Case Number, Current Legal Name, Adoptive Parent's name, and the placement agency in the subject line. Below is an example:
RE: Letter for Foster Family of Kim, TaeSeung (2001c-496, Tanner Smith) M/M John & Linda Smith, Dillon International