FAQs

To start an adoption process, you and your spouse will need to attend 2 mandatory adoption briefings:

1. Pre-Adoption Briefing
2. Disclosure Briefing

Click on this link to register for the briefings.

Take note: be sure to register for the right briefings according to the type of adoption (a) related child adoption (i.e. adoption of biological child or stepchild), (b) unrelated child adoption (i.e. adoption of unrelated child or niece/nephew)

Yes, for stepchild adoption, both spouses must apply together. Therefore, your spouse will also need to attend the mandatory briefings.

No.

3 years, from the date of attendance.

If you and your spouse meet the eligibility criteria and are ready to proceed with an adoption application after the briefings, you may apply for an ASA through this website.

Yes, we provide personalised, in-person assistance in submitting an ASA application via the myMSF portal. Please contact us to find out more.

Yes, you may do so. However, please note that the assessor will conduct a 15-20 minute phone call / WhatsApp call / Teams call / Zoom call interview with the referee during your ASA process. Such call will be made during office hours according to Singapore time.

Applicants may approach any clinic, SATA commhealth or hospital for physical examination by a certified doctor.

Short interviews may be conducted with

• applicants’ child/ren
• household member/s who will be involved as secondary caregiver/s to the adoptive child
• Referees
• Alternative caregiver
• Biological parents (for adoption of nephew/niece)
• Any other party deemed important to the assessment

No, as the ASA interviews serve important purpose in assessing the applicants’ suitability and readiness to adopt a child, applicants are strongly encouraged to treat the interviews seriously and set aside time for them. There are at least 2 interviews of 3 – 3.5 hours each, applicants are required to attend both the interviews together. The assessor will inform the applicants on the mode of interview (i.e. face-to-face in office or applicants’ home OR online).

Applicants who wish to adopt an unrelated child or nephew/niece are encouraged to focus on building a strong marriage first and only apply for adoption after at least 2 years of marriage. Marital stability is an important part of the ASA.

Applicants must not identify a child for adoption before obtaining a favourable ASA. Applicants are required to declare that they have not brought a prospective adoptee home prior to the start of their ASA.

Your ASA application will be assessed fairly. Assessors will seek to understand in detail the type of your past offence/s, month and year of the incident/s, the penalty, reoccurrence of incident etc. to determine your suitability to adopt a child.

The bank account statement is an important part of the ASA to verify the declared savings of the applicants, which contributes to the overall assessment on applicants’ financial stability and ability to provide for the needs of an adopted child. Therefore, it is compulsory for ASA applicants to provide the assessor with their latest bank account statements.

Yes, provided the two children are twins or siblings, for related child adoption. For unrelated child adoption e.g. relative’s child, please check with MSF (email: [email protected]) for eligibility to proceed before applying for an ASA.

You may seek help from a lawyer to prepare an affidavit detailing all efforts made to locate the biological parent/s.

Adoption of a child from China: please note that China does not accept an affidavit. It is a requirement for the biological parents to provide a notarized consent for adoption, without this, your application will not be approved. If you have exhausted all means but is still unable to locate the biological parent/s, please approach the Provincial Civil Affairs of which the child’s household record belongs to for advice.

Applicant must provide valid reasons for adopting alone and must obtain consent from his/her spouse. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult MSF (email: [email protected]) for advice.

An adopted child does NOT automatically become a Singapore citizen upon adoption. You may wish to consult the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) or seek legal advice for guidance on the citizenship application process.

Please note that Immigration matters are distinct from adoption.

It will generally take about 1 year for a non-PRC adoption to be completed from the start of ASA application.

For PRC adoption, it may take about 1.5 years from the start of ASA application. It is recommended to begin the ASA application before your child’s 16th birthday.

You should approach the AAA 2-3 months before your ASA expires. The AAA will find out from you if there is any material change since your ASA was approved. If there are no material changes, you may make a declaration and apply to extend the validity of your ASA for another 2 years. If there are material changes, AAA will assess areas where there are material changes and if you and your spouse are still assessed to be suitable and ready to adopt, the validity of your ASA will be extended for another 2 years.

(Note: A service fee is payable to the AAA for verifying your declaration &/ reassessing areas of materials changes.)

The biological father of the child is still the legal father even though custody was granted to the mother upon a divorce. Therefore, a notarized consent for adoption from him is still required.

Yes, you will still need to apply for a Dependent’s Pass for your stepchild. A child holding Student’s Pass cannot be adopted in Singapore. Only children who are Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents or Dependent’s Pass holders may be adopted in Singapore.

Yes, you can adopt a child from the PRC provided that the child is your stepchild or a biological child of your sibling or first cousin. If uncertain, it is advisable to check with the Provincial Civil Affairs on your eligibility to adopt the identified child before you proceed with the adoption application in Singapore.

Before you can adopt a child from the PRC, you must first obtain a favourable Adoption Suitability Assessment (ASA) from one of the two MSF-accredited adoption agencies appointed by the China Centre for Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA) — Fei Yue Community Services or Touch Community Services.

Once you receive a favourable ASA, the AAA will assist you in preparing the adoption dossier for submission to China and guide you through the specific legal requirements and procedures involved in the process.

Yes, applicants and their child will need to personally travel back to China to complete the Adoption Registration at the Provincial Civil Affairs. The birth parents are also required to be present then to finalise legal formalities with the local authorities.

You are advised to check with MSF (email: [email protected]) on whether you are required to undergo an ASA to adopt your biological child.

Yes, single parents may adopt their biological or stepchild, subject to approval by the Family Court. The other birth parent’s consent must be sought.