Family & Safety
Worried about doing this on your own? You may be able to get free legal help.
A putative father is a man who might be a child's biological father, but is not yet the legal father. For example, if a man has sex with a woman who he is not married to, and that woman later has a child as a result, that man would be a putative father. If you are a putative father, you can protect your rights by registering with the Putative Father Registry. You will then be notified if the child is put up for adoption .
You can register before the birth of the child. If you do not register with the Putative Father Registry within 30 days of the child's birth, the child can be adopted without your knowledge or consent . You could permanently lose all rights to the child.
To register with the Illinois Putative Father Registry
, you need to completely fill out a registration form, sign it, and mail it to the address below. You may also register in person. Registering is free.
The Illinois Putative Father Registry
10 W. 35th Street, Ste. 9F7-1 Chicago, IL 60616
Tel: 1-866-PFR-DCFS (1-866-737-3237)
E-mail: [email protected]
After you register with the Putative Father Registry , the court will make sure that you are notified if someone tries to adopt the child. You can then go the court to protect your rights in the adoption case, or hire a lawyer to go for you.
Worried about doing this on your own? You may be able to get free legal help.
