Part A: General

Since 1 April 2004, all prospective adopters who wish to adopt children from the PRC must apply through agencies accredited by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS). Currently, two not-for-profit organizations to handle all adoptions of children from the PRC have been accredited and are recognised by the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) of the PRC. The two agencies, also voluntary welfare organisations, are Touch Family Services Limited and Fei Yue Community Services. Please see contact details in the last paragraph below.   

Prospective adopters (or “applicants”) should approach either one of the accredited agencies for an assessment on their eligibility and suitability to adopt; and for a Home Study Report (HSR). The two accredited agencies can submit an adoption application and the HSR on the prospective adopters to the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) which is authorized by the MCA to process all applications of adoption.

The accredited agencies will also follow-up with post-placement reports on the child and provide administrative and support services to the adopters. For the process and procedures, please download the document by clicking here.

Please note that current adoption of children from PRC applies only to orphans from social welfare institutions in PRC and to stepchildren.  For orphans, the CCAA will match a child to the prospective adopters. Applicants should not approach the Social Welfare Institutions directly or any other bodies or individuals, here or in the PRC, to identify or select the children to be adopted. Applications will not be processed if prospective adopters do not meet the criteria spelt out in Part B or if they are not done according to the approved procedures spelt out under Part C below.

*Note: Foreigners wishing to adopt a child from PRC will have to do so back in their countries of origin which may have entered into separate bilateral or multi-lateral agreements with the PRC regarding inter-country adoption.


PART B: Criteria

For a Child from the Social Welfare Institutions in the PRC

1     The following basic requirements of the CCAA apply:

(a) Marital status: Be a couple of one male and one female with a stable marital relationship. Should not have more than 2 ex-marriages. If either spouse had a previous marriage, the length of the current marriage should have reached 5 years;
(b) Age: Be at least 30 years old and under 50 (For adoption of special needs child, both must be at least 30 years old and under 55);
(c) Financial: Be financially stable, with family annual per capita income of at least US$10,000 (i.e. for each family member including the prospective adopters). The family net assets value should be at least US$80,000;
(d) Health: Be physically and mentally healthy;
(e) Nationality: At least one of the applicants must be a Singapore Citizen and the other party must be a Singapore Permanent Resident;
(f) Family size: Have not more than 5 children;
(g) Qualification: Have received education of at least senior high school (i.e. GCE “A” Level) or equivalent vocational skills training (i.e. at least ITE equivalent); and,
(h) Offence records: Have no criminal records for seizable offences, including but not confined to, child abuse, sexual offences, violent offences and drug/alcohol abuse and other offences which will make them unsuitable for adoption.

For a Stepchild from the PRC

(2a) At least one of the applicants must be a Singapore Citizen and the other party must be a Singapore Permanent Resident or an Employment Pass Holder.

(2b) All applicants must obtain consent from the natural parents giving up the child for adoption. If the natural parent(s) is/are deceased or missing, the applicants must produce the death certificate(s) or make an application to the Chinese court to declare that the natural parent(s) is/are deceased.  


Part C: Procedures

All applicants to adopt children in PRC must observe the adoption procedures both in Singapore and the PRC.

I. Adoption Proceedings in Singapore

Applicants make an application through one of the accredited agencies below. The agency will do an assessment on their eligibility and suitability to adopt and prepare a HSR on the applicants. Professional and administrative fees are chargeable by the accredited agencies.

Applicants who are assessed to be suitable to adopt are required to authenticate and notarise all their documents with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Singapore.  The agencies will assist with the authentication and submission of the adoption applications and the HSRs to the CCAA.  Additional translation fee and other administrative fees chargeable by the CCAA will be borne by the applicants.

The agency will notify the applicants when the CCAA informs them of the outcome of their application.

Upon successful application, the applicants may apply for a Dependent’s Pass (DP) at MCYS to bring the child into Singapore.  All other adoption proceedings in Singapore apply thereafter.

II. Adoption Proceedings in PRC:

PRC will notify the accredited agencies on the outcome of each application.

Upon successful application, the prospective adopters are required to make a trip to the PRC to receive the child and be present at the Civil Affairs Department or the authorised adoption registration centre where the child is habitually residing, to register the adoption.  The CCAA will advise on the bodies or agencies to complete the adoption.

a) For children from Social Welfare Institutions

The prospective adopters will accept all children matched by the CCAA.  Rejection is considered only on medical grounds certified by the doctor in the PRC.

b) For stepchild from the PRC

Upon successful application, all parties involved in the adoption, i.e. the child, the applicants and the biological parent(s) giving up the child for adoption, are required to be physically present at the Civil Affairs Department in the PRC where the child’s permanent residence is registered, to register the adoption. 

For more details, please contact any of the following agencies:

TOUCH Family Services Limited
Tel: (65) 6317 9995
Fax: (65) 6317 9989
Email: adoption@touch.org.sg
Website: http://adoption.tcs.org.sg/

Fei Yue Community Services
Tel: (65) 6566 9830 / 6593 6456
Fax: (65) 6274 5453
Email: adoption@fycs.org
Website: http://www.fycs.org/