Americans wanting to adopt in Singapore

[greendesign]

Hi all, looking for some help re local adoptions.

My husband and i are both Americans and have been living in Singapore for a year now. We are looking to adopt a child in Singapore and were wondering if anyone was able to provide some advice to us or if you have completed the process yourself maybe you could speak with us.

Would really appreciate any advice or help. We are supposed to be in Singapore for another 2 years so would love to adopt while here.

Cheers!

[PNGMK]

. Your absolute first hurdle is impossible to cross - that is having proof for the Singapore Family Court from the American embassy that if you adopt a child, that the child has the right to return to the USA with you. I am not sure how you can get around this - saying that I have seen in church a recent successful adoption by American's a year or so back (of a SC) so there must be a way around it. Talk to the Embassy. Australians' (I am one) don't have this issue as the High Comm will provide a letter.
2. Second hurdle is finding a child. Adoption agencies here are mostly for locals; exceptions apply.
3. Third hurdle - do you want to adopt a Singaporean child? IF so you need to AVOID the MFS - they do let foreigners foster SC kids but almost never permit them to be adopted (once again there are exceptions). You need to find a child who is not in the 'system' yet and MAKE SURE their idiot parents and agents don't put the child into the public system (i.e. MFS). You need to do a 'private adoption'.
4. You'll need a lawyer to handle the Singapore FC issues. I know a good one. Find one who has DONE A LOT OF ADOPTIONS; it's a speciality and your general corporate lawyer wouldn't know a child if he tripped over one on the way to the bar.
5. The American Club social committee run info sessions on adoption - they are a bunch of liberal twits who would have been burned at the stake in Salem but they do have some useful information. They will be pushing HARD on doing the HSR (Home Study Report) route to make money - ignore their shillling - if you can find a Singapore child up for adoption privately and you can convince the Family Court to go ahead with the adoption you only need a few formal visits / documentation from the MFS (yes; unfortunately they do get involved later on). If you're adopting internationally they might be more useful. I
6. Finally don't give up. It's a tacky business with some dubious morals and folks in the business here but the end (finding a child and giving them a much improved potential in life) is almost worth the means. Oh you'll need around $$30,000 in readies or more (China has upped prices on babies recently I believe).

[PNGMK]

FYI

We completed the process about 6 years ago. We adopted a Singaporean born baby. My notes apply to that scenario. It is possible I believe to adopt foreign (PI, Nepalese etc) kids into your family in Singapore but the process is slightly different and changes with the winds...

[sundaymorningstaple]

Thanks, PNGMK!

[sundaymorningstaple]

You saw the thread before you saw my PM (it's still unread in my outbox). Nevermind. Thanks

[MichelleSimpson]

Nice! Helpful thread!

[PNGMK]

Nice! Helpful thread!

Good luck. Adoption has been a +ve experience for us.

[ecwanek]

Did you have any luck with a Singapore adoption as a US citizen and if so - can you detail your process? thank you!

[PNGMK]

I'm not an American but my wife is. The process I outlined only needs two additions:

1. After two years of adoption you can apply for an N600K visa for have your child sworn in as a USC. If your child is Singaporean then you have a running start as the child can enter the US as a Singaporean and leave as a US citizen!
2. The US does not provide proof required by the FC that an adoptive child has a right to US citizenship. I don't know how you get around this - we did it as we were a mixed nationality couple (USA/Aussie) and use the system on both sides to beat the system.

[ecwanek]

Ok thank you - our current issue is the letter of approval/assurance. Did you do this? Do you know of anyone that has been able to get it? We need this letter signed from the US government in order to proceed locally. TIA.

[PNGMK]

Ok thank you - our current issue is the letter of approval/assurance. Did you do this? Do you know of anyone that has been able to get it? We need this letter signed from the US government in order to proceed locally. TIA.

If you read my very first post I pointed this out. Speak to your local adoption lawyer (you do have one right?) and ask what the Family Court might accept as a substitute . As I am an Aussie we were able to get a letter from the high comm here altho I understand that door is now closed.