Adoption is an enriching and fulfilling new adventure that couples or individuals undertake to start a new chapter in their lives.
Singapore facilitates the seamless transition of a child into a safe and healthy new environment.
It ensures the security and well-being of the child, as couples need to provide their financial and social status accompanied by legal documents and national ID numbers.
Adoption is a two-stage process.
While the process is structured to ensure a robust adoption process, it is time-consuming and financially draining.
The first stage is the initiation and preparation, followed by the legal formalities to complete the process.
It is broken down into concise steps to assist couples through the entire procedure –
- Singapore law mandates the attendance of pre-adoption briefings to initiate the adoption process.
- You can now choose the child you wish to adopt either through MSF (Ministry of Social and Family Development) or independently. Adoption rules also apply to stepchildren.
- Once you choose the child, you must obtain notarized consent from the child’s biological parents. In case the parents are unavailable, the custodian or guardian gives consent. The court can overrule the requirement for consent if exceptional circumstances arise.
- Collect and verify the national identities and registrations of the child. It usually involves their passport and birth certificate.
- Sanction any financial transactions to the court. In addition, section 11 of the Adoption of Children Act prohibits any payments from manipulating the adoption course.
- Apply to the Family court. You may or may not require a lawyer.
- According to Section 10(3) of the ACA, you need to obtain consent from the Director of Social Welfare at the MSF to act as Guardian-in-Adoption.
- Now the MSF conducts interviews with you, addressing your family background and the child’s circumstances. Then, the Child Welfare Officer (CWO) takes charge.
- MSF notifies you or your lawyers of the hearing date upon completion of the application process.
- The family court grants an order based on the case hearing and informs the Registry of Births and Deaths. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority issues a new birth certificate, closing your child’s adoption.
Adoption is often not perceived as the same as childbirth, leading to altercations with employers over leaves and allowances.
With the involvement of agents and lawyers, the adoption process often faces delays and added expenses.
Learn more about the adoption process and required documents by filling out the form on our website and talking to expert lawyers and legal advisors.
