Adopting a foreign child in Singapore
This is an entry about adopting a non-Singaporean child in Singapore.
- For an entry on adopting a Singaporean/ PR child in Singapore, refer here.
- For an entry on adopting a PRC child, refer here.
According to the Family Justice Courts of Singapore, the duration for most adoption applications tend to be lesser 6 months.[1] The following are the adoption agencies that work with the Ministry of Social and Family Development: TOUCH Family Services Ltd (official website), Fei Yue Community Services (official website), Lutheran Community Care Services (official website) and Apkim Centre For Social Services (ACOSS) (official website).
Prerequisites
Before adopting a child, there are a few prerequisites for the parties involved.
Adoptive parents
In order to be able to adopt, potential adoptive parents have to fulfil the following requirements.[2]
| Age | Citizenship | Marital status |
|---|---|---|
|
At least one person in the couple should be the following:
|
|
Pre-Adoption Briefing (PAB)[3]
The pre-adoption briefing is the compulsory first-step for potential adoptive parents. Both spouses are encouraged to attend the briefing together.
| Location | Duration | Fee (SGD) | Register | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOUCH Family Services Ltd
Fei Yue Community Services |
2.5 hours | $50 / person | Online registration | Available in English, Mandarin and Malay. This is a compulsory pre-adoption workshop. |
Documents required
The following are the documents needed for adopting a non-Singaporean child (in chronological order).
Letter of Support
For non-Singapore Citizens who want to adopt a foreign child, they must get approval from their home country. The Letter of Support is needed before the Home Study can commence.
| Location | Registration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Respective embassies or High Commissions | Application form | This is compulsory for foreigners who want to adopt a foreign child in Singapore. |
Home Study Report (HSR)
Potential adoptive parents must pass their HSR before applying for the Dependant's Pass.
| Fee (SGD) | Register | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Study Report | $1,500 | TOUCH Family Services Ltd
Fei Yue Community Services Lutheran Community Care Services Apkim Centre For Social Services |
The HSR is valid for 2 years and can only be used for 1 adopted child. |
Dependant's pass
If the child is not a Singapore citizen in any form, the adoptive parents will have to apply for a Dependant's Pass. This should be done after the Home Study Report (HSR).
| Fee(s) (SGD) | Register | Duration | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dependant's pass | $360 | Online registration | 3 weeks (online registration) | The HSR is valid for 2 years and can only be used for 1 adopted child. |
Successful applicants need to put down a S$1,000 - S$2,000 security deposit on the collection day. This will be refunded 2 months after the child is adopted.
Applying to the Family Justice Courts
Filing documents
Potential adopters can submit an application to the Family Courts personally or through a lawyer. A lawyer can help with the filing of necessary documents. The adoption forms can be assessed on the website (Family Justice Courts website).
GIA (Guardian In Adoption) Report
Potential adopters will then need to apply for the Director of Social Welfare to be their GIA. The GIA will decide if potential adopters are ready to adopt a child. The potential adopter or their lawyer will need to request for the Director of Social Welfare to be the GIA.
These are the documents required to receive a GIA:
| Documents | Fee(s) | Deliver & deposit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
$250 per application | Child Welfare, Child Protective Service (10th floor)
|
The cheque should be made payable to ‘AG/MSF’.
The documents have to be sealed in an envelope. |
Potential adopters will then be interviewed by a Child Welfare Officer (CWO) from MSF. There will also be a home visit. The responses collected will be used to prepare an affidavit. The adopters have to submit the affidavit to the Family Courts no later than 2 weeks after receiving it. The Family Courts will assess the adoption application based on these findings.
Adoption Order
It is compulsory for the adopter and/or their lawyer to attend the hearings. If the Family Courts grants the Adoption Order, they will inform the Registry of Births & Deaths and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to issue a new birth certificate for the child, which the adopters will be informed to collect.
If the Court dismisses the application, the child will have to be returned to the original family.
Disclosure workshop (Post-adoption)
Adoptive parents can attend a Disclosure Workshop which will guide them in breaking the news to their adopted children. This workshop is available at TOUCH Family Services Ltd and Fei Yue Community Services.
| Location | Duration | Fee (SGD) | Register | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOUCH Family Services Ltd
Fei Yue Community Services |
2.5 hours | $50 / person | Online registration | This is an optional post-adoption workshop. |
References / Citations
- ↑ "Adoption". Family Justice Courts. Accessed on 24 May 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.familyjusticecourts.gov.sg/what-we-do/family-courts/adoption
- ↑ ‘Adoption: Who can adopt?’. Ministry of Social and Family Development. Updated February 7, 2016. Accessed on 26 February 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.msf.gov.sg/Adoption/Pages/Who-can-Adopt.aspx
- ↑ ‘Adoption: How to adopt a child from the People’s Republic of China’. Ministry of Social and Family Development. Updated February 7, 2018. Accessed on 26 February 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.msf.gov.sg/Adoption/Pages/How-to-adopt-a-child-from-the-Peoples-Republic-of-China.aspx