“Because adoption is more than paperwork — it’s about protecting a child’s future across borders.”

Adoption in Singapore is often seen as a straightforward process: complete the paperwork, attend court, and bring your child home. But for many foreign parents, the journey does not end once the Singapore Family Court issues the adoption order.

Challenges often arise when foreign courts impose their own stringent requirements before recognizing a Singapore adoption. One such case involved our clients, a French-Belgian couple, who had successfully adopted a Thai-born child through the Singapore courts. Despite having a valid and final adoption order issued to them, their application to have it recognized in France was unexpectedly rejected. The French Court required detailed clarification of the Singapore adoption process — from the child’s birth history to the roles of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), accredited Singapore adoption agencies, and the Singapore Family Court.

At this critical moment, both our former clients and their French lawyers turned to Grace Law LLC. We prepared a comprehensive 85-page memorandum, complete with supporting documents, for submission to the French Court of Appeal. This urgent work was completed within weeks, for the French Court of Appeal to review and make decision accordingly.

This case reveals an important truth on the challenges on how cross-border acceptance of the Singapore Court’s adoptions, and how it can present unexpected hurdles, even years after the Singapore adoption order is granted. When foreign authorities demand clarifications, you will need a dedicated and experienced legal team that stands by you to assist you with the requirements.

At Grace Law LLC, we go the extra mile — not just securing adoption orders in Singapore but also supporting families when foreign courts demand more. Because at the heart of every adoption case is not just paperwork, but a child’s future

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