Frequently Asked Questions

In order to be appointed as a Deputy, you must file the following documents:

• Originating Summons (Form 217 of the Practice Directions)
• Supporting Affidavit (Form 218 of the Practice Directions)
• Doctor's Affidavit and Medical Report (Form 224 of the Practice Directions)

In the Originating Summons (Form 217 of the Practice Directions), you will need to state clearly what sort of powers you are seeking. The Doctor's Medical Report must be current and dated not more than 6 months before the date of your application to the Court.

If there are Relevant Persons who have consented to your application, you must file their Consents (Form 221 of the Practice Directions).

If there are Successor Deputies (i.e. persons who will take over as Deputy in the event that the appointed Deputy si no longer able to serve as Deputy) named in your application, then you must file the Successor Deputies' Affidavits (Form 220 of the Practice Directions).

Please note that the Court may require further information from you and direct that you file a Supplementary Affidavit.

The documents are to be filed using the electronic filing service located at the Lawnet and Crimsonlogic Service Bureau at 133 New Bridge Road, Chinatown Point, #19-01/02, Singapore 059413.

In addition to the OSA, you must fill up the Adoption Statement (“AS”) in Form 38 of Appendix A of the PD. It is absolutely vital that all relevant and mandatory fields in the template are filled in accurately. The information required by the Schedule to the Adoption Order will be taken from this template. Further, when issuing the new birth certificate after the adoption order is made, the Registry of Births will check the said details in the originating summons against those in the Schedule, and that the details in both these documents are consistent with all the available documentation.

You would need to ensure the accuracy of information set out in the AS and the Schedule by checking the details against ALL available documentation, in particular:

·         Passport of the applicant(s), the child, and the natural parent(s);

·         Identity card of the applicant(s), the child (if applicable) and the natural parent(s);

·         Marriage Certificate (in the case of joint applicants); and

·         Birth Certificate (of the child).

The applicants’ particulars which must be double-checked are:

·         Names;

·         ID numbers;

·         Addresses;

·         Date of birth/country of birth;

·         Occupation;

·         Race/Dialect;

·         Religion; and

·         Nationality

The child’s particulars which must be double-checked are:

·         Name(s) (the child’s original name(s), as they appear in the birth certificate/ passport/ other available documents);

·         Birth certificate/passport/ID number;

·         Address;

·         Date of birth;

·         Place of birth; and

·         Gender

The natural parents’ particulars which must be double-checked are:

·         Names (the names of the natural parents should be exactly the same as in the birth certificate of the child);

·         NRIC numbers;

·         Addresses; and

·         Nationality

It is important to state in paragraph 6 (l) of the Statement that the applicants have been supporting the child. A common error is to state that the applicants have not been supporting the child.

If the natural father’s particulars are known, it is necessary to include this in paragraph 8(c) of the AS even if those particulars do not appear in the Child's birth certificate. It is also necessary to obtain his written consent to the adoption in the prescribed form.

Once the electronic template has been filled up, the e-Litigation will auto-generate the Statement.

While filing the OSA, you have to file an affidavit which shall contain the following: -

• A paragraph that states that “the Statement exhibited therein is the same Statement auto-generated by the e-Litigation, and the contents entered into the e-Litigation, and which now appear in the Statement are true and accurate”;
• The auto-generated Statement labelled as the first exhibit;
• A copy of the birth certificate and a copy of the certified translation (if the birth certificate is in a foreign language) or other means of identification of the infant;
• The dependant’s pass of the infant (if the child is not a Singapore citizen);
• The identity card or other means of identification of the applicant(s);
• The consent of the natural parent(s) and natural grandparent(s), where applicable. The consent of every person, whose consent is necessary, is required to be filed in the prescribed standard form; and
• All other documents to support the application for an adoption order.

If applicable, the affidavit has to contain the following: -

• The grounds in support of the prayer for dispensation of consent and service of documents on the natural parent(s) and/or grandparent(s);
• The marriage certificate of the applicant(s),
• Foreign adoption order; and
• Foreign divorce order in respect of the natural parents (in order for the court to ascertain the legal rights of the divorced natural father in relation to the child).

For a child with no nationality but is born in Singapore

If the child is born in Singapore but is not a Singapore citizen, nor a citizen of any other country, then a letter from ICA is necessary to state that ICA has no objections to the adoption. It will not be necessary, however, to obtain a dependent’s pass for the child.