Adopting a child in Singapore starts with two mandatory MSF briefings, then an Adoption Suitability Assessment by an agency, before you identify a child or go to court. Punggol families must be Singapore Citizens, PRs, or foreigners adopting with a Singaporean spouse. None of the agencies listed by MSF is in Punggol.
Adoption is a long road, and a hopeful one. Knowing the order of the steps makes the wait easier.
This page is part of eduKate Punggol’s When You Need Help in Punggol, our practical guides for life’s occasions, big and small. It sets out who can adopt, the MSF and court steps, the agencies to contact, the fees, and the leave and support available to adoptive parents.
Quick answer
- First step: attend MSF’s Pre-Adoption Briefing and the briefing on disclosing adoptive status. Both are mandatory under the Adoption of Children Act 2022.
- Next: apply on the myMSF Portal for an Adoption Suitability Assessment (ASA). You need a favourable ASA before you identify a child.
- Who to contact: one of four agencies listed by MSF, in Toa Payoh, Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Merah and Kallang, or Ask MSF online.
- Court: the Family Justice Courts decide the adoption. The Judiciary says most applications for an adoption order conclude within a year.
- Cost: the ASA is $1,100 for a biological or step-child, or $2,000 for an unrelated child or a relative’s child, plus court fees.
Adopting a Child: The Steps in Order
MSF and the Family Justice Courts set the sequence. Each step depends on the one before, so it helps to start the first two early.
- Check you are eligible. Ask MSF says you must have lived in Singapore continuously for one calendar year before applying for the ASA, be at least 25, and be at least 21 years older than the child (which may be reviewed case by case). Only married couples can adopt jointly.
- Attend both briefings. The Pre-Adoption Briefing covers criteria, legal effects, the process and preparation; the second covers disclosing adoptive status to your child. Both are run by MSF-appointed agencies in a language you choose, and must have been attended within the past three years. Register through MSF’s adoption portal.
- Apply for the Adoption Suitability Assessment. Apply on the myMSF Portal. Social service staff at an authorised agency assess your circumstances and suitability. A favourable ASA leads to a Letter of Eligibility, and the ASA is valid for two years.
- Identify a child. MSF does not provide matching services, but can help with children under state care. For a child from overseas, you also need In-Principle Approval for a Dependant’s Pass before the child is in your care.
- Prepare the documents. These include the parents’ consent on Form ACA-2, witnessed by two adults and attested by a solicitor, commissioner for oaths or notary public; the child’s birth certificate and passport; and an itemised breakdown of any costs.
- File in court. File through eLitigation, yourself at the Service Bureau or through a lawyer. Serve the papers on the Guardian-in-Adoption, who investigates and files an affidavit.
- Attend the hearings. There is a first hearing and a final hearing. Attendance by you or your lawyer is compulsory, and hearings are on weekdays in office hours.
- Receive the order. If approved, the court sends the order to ICA, which tells you when the child’s new birth certificate is ready.
Where to Go and Who to Call
All four agencies are outside Punggol. You can make first contact by phone, email or online, so distance matters less than you might think.
| Who | Address | Contact | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOUCH Community Services | Blk 149 Toa Payoh Lorong 1, #01-943, Singapore 310149 | 6709 8425; adoption@touch.org.sg | Adoption enquiries and disclosure briefings. |
| Fei Yue Community Services | Blk 604 Choa Chu Kang St 62, #01-53, Singapore 680604 | 6416 2188 or 6769 0430; adoption@fycs.org | Adoption enquiries. |
| Lutheran Community Care Services | 3779 Jalan Bukit Merah, #02-01, Bukit Merah Community Hub, Singapore 159462 | 6441 3906; adoption@lccs.org.sg | Adoption enquiries. |
| Apkim Centre for Social Services | 2 Kallang Avenue, CT Hub, #07-33, Singapore 339407 | 6295 1011; info@apkim.com | Adoption enquiries. |
| MSF Adoption | Online | Ask MSF (say “Adoption”); myMSF Portal; briefing registration at app.adoption.gov.sg | Eligibility questions, the ASA application and briefings. |
| Family Justice Courts | 3 Havelock Square, Singapore 059725. Chinatown MRT Exit D. | eLitigation; Service Bureau for self-filers | Filing and hearings. |
Checked October 2026 — confirm on the official page before you go: MSF adoption contacts and Family Justice Courts adoption filing.
Which Situation Fits You
Adopting your spouse’s child
Step-parent adoptions follow the same steps, with a lower ASA fee of $1,100. The court process still applies, including consents and the Guardian-in-Adoption’s affidavit.
Adopting a relative’s child
The ASA fee for a relative’s child is $2,000. You still need both briefings, a favourable ASA, and a court order. Keep careful records of any money that changes hands.
Adopting a child from overseas
You need In-Principle Approval for the child’s Dependant’s Pass before the child comes into your care. MSF says sourcing, matching and placement must not break Singapore’s laws or those of the child’s country. Ask MSF notes different rules for children from China: one applicant must be a Singapore Citizen, with a spouse who is a citizen, PR or Employment Pass holder.
Adopting as a single person
Ask MSF says only married couples can adopt jointly, and that single males are not permitted by law to adopt females, unless there are special circumstances such as adopting a biological child. Ask an agency how the rules apply to you.
Adopting a child under state care
MSF can assist with matching children under state care. Start by talking to one of the agencies after your briefings. If you would rather open your home first without adopting, our fostering guide explains how MSF fostering works.
Fees, Leave and Financial Support
Fees
- ASA for a biological or step-child: $1,100, plus $315 for each additional child.
- ASA for an unrelated child or a relative’s child: $2,000.
- Originating Application in court: $100.
- Affidavit: $10 for up to 10 pages, then $1 a page.
- Consent: $10.
- Extracting the adoption order: about $50.
These court figures are the Judiciary’s estimates and exclude MSF and Service Bureau fees. If the court does not approve the adoption, the child must be returned to their family at your own cost. An appeal must be filed within 14 days, with $3,000 security for costs.
Leave
MOM says eligible adoptive mothers, including the self-employed, get 12 weeks of paid adoption leave. The child must be under 12 months at “formal intent”: for a local child, when the court application is filed; for a foreign child, when the Dependant’s Pass In-Principle Approval is granted. Other conditions include the child being a citizen (or, for a foreign child, becoming one within six months of adoption, with one adoptive parent a citizen), three months’ continuous service, and the adoption order within a year of formal intent. From 1 April 2025, you give four weeks’ notice.
Shared parental leave also covers adoptive parents whose formal intent is on or after 1 April 2025 and whose child is under 12 months. It is 10 weeks for formal intent from 1 April 2026, and six weeks for 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
Baby Bonus and what was announced in 2026
Adopted children can qualify for the Baby Bonus, with birth order set by the date of adoption or citizenship, whichever is later. As of October 2026, Made for Families lists the cash gift as $11,000 for a first or second child and $13,000 from the third.
Two changes were announced at the 2026 National Day Rally and, as of October 2026, are not yet in force. Made for Families (updated 23 August 2026) says a new SG Child Support Package will replace the Baby Bonus Scheme, with existing members moved across automatically. MOM (updated 24 August 2026) says the Government will in future reimburse employers for the full duration of adoption leave for parents of citizen children, with details and dates “released at a later stage”.
Neighbour’s Tips
- Book both briefings as soon as you decide. They come before everything else and stay valid for three years.
- Do not take a child into your care before a favourable ASA. MSF requires the ASA first.
- Keep a cost log from day one. The court asks for an itemised breakdown of costs under section 54(2) of the Act.
- Plan leave around the filing date. For a local child, formal intent is the day the court application is filed.
- Bring hard copies of everything to each hearing. The Judiciary recommends it.
- Clear your calendar for weekday hearings. You must be able to attend in office hours.
- Never pay anyone who advertises a child. MSF says agencies must not advertise children for adoption, and everyone involved must report suspected offences.
If It’s Urgent
Adoption is not usually urgent, but a child’s safety always is. If a child is in danger, call the Police on 999. Our family violence and protection orders guide lists the 24-hour help available.
If someone offers you a child for money, or you suspect an illegal arrangement, report it to MSF through its adoption page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can adopt a child in Singapore?
MSF says only Singaporeans, PRs, and foreigners adopting with Singaporean spouses can adopt. Applicants must usually be at least 25 and 21 years older than the child. People convicted of serious crimes cannot adopt.
How long does adoption take?
The court stage alone usually takes up to a year. Allow extra time before that for the briefings, the ASA and identifying a child.
Do we need a lawyer?
No. You can file yourself at the Service Bureau through eLitigation, or use a lawyer. Our legal clinics guide lists free advice options.
Is there an adoption agency in Punggol?
No. The four agencies listed by MSF are in Toa Payoh, Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Merah and Kallang.
Will our child get a new birth certificate?
Yes. Once the adoption order is made, the court sends it to ICA, which tells you when the new birth certificate is ready.
What is the disclosure briefing?
It is a briefing on disclosing adoptive status, in other words on talking with your child about their adoption. Under the 2022 Act it is mandatory, alongside the Pre-Adoption Briefing, before you apply for the ASA. Ask the agency what it covers.
More Help on eduKate Punggol
- Fostering a child from Punggol: how MSF fostering works.
- Birth registration, Baby Bonus and parental leave
- Lasting Power of Attorney, wills and deputyship: planning for your child’s future.
- Free legal clinics and legal aid in Punggol
- Official: MSF adoption · Going to court for adoption · MOM adoption leave
Welcoming Your Child
The paperwork is long, but it ends. One day the forms are filed, the order is made, and the rest is the ordinary, wonderful work of raising a child. Take each step as it comes, and lean on the agency staff; they have walked many families through this.
And if your family is also looking for calm, small-group English, Mathematics or Science, eduKate Punggol teaches classes of three in Punggol. Come find out more: Book a consultation · Chat on WhatsApp
eduKate Punggol
Small-group English, Mathematics and Science
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By appointment · +65 8823 1234
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Checked October 2026. Addresses, opening hours, fees and rules change, so please confirm with the official source before you go.
