Adoptive mothers are granted adoption leave in order to care for and bond with their adopted infants. They are entitled to 12 weeks of Government-paid adoption leave if they meet the following requirements:

1. The child is under 12 months of age at the point of ‘formal intent to adopt’*;
2. The adopted child is a Singapore citizen OR at least one of the parents is a Singapore citizen and the child becomes a citizen within six months of adoption;
3. The mother has served her employer for at least three months or has been self-employed for at least three months prior to the point of ‘formal intent to adopt’; and
4. The Adoption Order is passed within one year of the point of ‘formal intent to adopt’.

Where the adoptive mother meets the above requirements they may take their leave from either the date of:

• the court application, where the child is a Singapore citizen; or
• issuance or in-principal approval of a Dependant’s Pass, in the case of a foreign child;

however, the leave must all be taken before the child’s first birthday.

The Government will reimburse employers up to a cap of $10 000 for the four weeks.

*Note: ‘formal intent to adopt’ refers to either:

• the filing of the adoption petition to the Family Court, in the case where the child is a Singapore citizen; or
• the issuing of a document confirming approval of the application for the child’s Dependant’s Pass, in the case of non-Singapore citizen children.

For more information about adoption leave, please visit the MOM website.

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