Is it casual, compelling, urgent or critical?  Then based on your priority, establish a beginning and completion deadline.

Based on your commitment priority, set an expense budget and keep to it. 

Stay mindful of your costs, write down the amounts you spend in your search journal. Keeping good records of your search and a journal will be essential. 

Also expect to pay some document fees for birth parent or relinquished child searches.  Copies of birth, marriage or death records will have to be purchased and there may be notarization fees as well.  Some agencies now have records online and though there are fees involved, they are quite economical.  Some great records search sites are listed on the resources page. Using these resources will really help keep expenses down.

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Begin with a few basic tools

First the US Postal Service. 

Most government agencies are zealous in protecting people’s privacy and will be hesitant to give up information.  You will need to make them aware that you only want to contact this person and not invade their privacy. 

The mailing device which allows you to do this is called a letter of inquiry.  Many agencies will not respond to a phone call from someone trying to find a person but most will accept and answer your letter of inquiry. 

Sample letters are provided in our tools to help you begin to create an inquiry kit.  This is what you will send to various agencies. 

Many of these records are now online and links are provided on our resources page.

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