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Children and Youth Service

Provide children and youth service to those with growth risks or in situation not adaptable to society due to individual and environmental reasons;
Through the collaboration with non-governmental organizations and public departments and, as well as provision of assistance to court in area of social protection regime, provide counseling and protection to children and youth, assisting them to overcome challenges, rebuild social relationship, in order to achieve the ultimate goal of healthy growth and society integration.
Provide technical support and resources assistance to non-governmental organizations and social service facilities in areas of children and youth service.

Online Information for Adoption Services

Purpose of Adoption

The purpose of adoption is to establish a bond similar to that of the affiliation, independently of blood ties, between the adopter and the adoptee. This bond is constituted by a judicial decision.

Basic Requirements of Adoption

● When all the following requirements are met, the Court may make a declaration of adoption:

Adoption will bring tangible benefits to the adoptees;
Adoption is based on justification (for example, it is not permissible for adoption only with the purpose of adoptee acquiring certain nationality);
Adoption will not lead to unjust sacrifice for the other children of the applicant or of the adoptee (although it is not necessary to obtain the consent of the other children of the applicant or of the adoptee. But if there are children above 12 years old, judges should still listen to their views);
It is reasonable to speculate on the establishment of a bond similar to parent-child relationship between the applicant and the adoptee;
The adoptee-to-be should be taken care of by the applicant for a period of time in order to assess the suitability of the adoption relationship.

The Conditions of Applicant and Adoptee-to-be

● When a joint adoption is conducted, the applicant must meet one of the following conditions:

The couple are both more than 25 years old and have been married for more than 3 years without separation;
The two people living together in de facto relationship (also known as living together) are both over 25 years old and the relationship has maintained for more than 5 years.

● When making a personal adoption, the applicant must meet one of the following conditions:

Be over 28 years old;
More than 25 years old and the adoptee-to-be is the child of their spouse;
More than 25 years old, and the adoptee-to-be is the child of a person with whom the applicant has lived together for more than 3 years in de facto relationship.

In addition, the adoptee should be under 60 years of age when the adoption is admitted, and the age gap between the two parties should, in principle, be more than 18 years and less than 50 years.

●The person to be adopted shall meet any of the following conditions

Must be under age 16 when submitting application of adoption to the Court;
At least 16 years of age and under 18 whose parental rights have not yet been removed when submitting application of adoption to the Court, and has been taken care of by one of the applicants by the age of 16;
If the adoptee is the child of the spouse of the applicant, or the child of the person who lives together with the applicant in de facto relationship, as long as the adoptee has been taken care of by the applicant by the age of 16;
If the adoptee is a person who is inhibited / deprived of full rights because of mental illness, regardless of age, he/she has been taken care by the applicant or one of the applicants by the age of 16.

In addition, the adoptee-to-be may be adopted in any of the following circumstances:

Birth parents are unknown or have died;
Prior consent for adoption;
Have been abandoned by the birth parents;
Through the birth parents’ actions or omissions, the adoptee-to-be is threatened by safety or health, moral development or education and the severity is sufficient to impair the relationship between parents and child/children;
He/She is taken care of by individuals or institutions and is entrusted to individuals or institutions for adoption purposes for at least 6 months. Birth parents are clearly indifferent to the child/children thereby impairing the relationship between parents and child/children;

Acceptation of Adoption

● Adoption is subject to the agreement of the following:

Those who are 12 years of age or over;
The spouse of the applicant (if the two are not actually separated);
Birth parents of the person to be adopted (even if they are minors or do not exercise parental rights). Provided that if a judicial solvency has been made or the person to be adopted has been living with his or her relative or guardian, the consent of the birth parents of the adoptee is not required;
If the person to be adopted is to live with his or her relatives or guardians, the consent of the relatives or guardians concerned is required.

“Consent” must be made before the judge. The judge shall explain the meaning and effect of the consent act to the person expressing the consent. But a mother can only agree to the adoption of her children after six weeks of the delivery.

The Effectiveness of Adoption

When “adoption” is set by a Court decision, the person to be adopted will be treated in equivalence as the child of the adopter, while the kinship will be also ended between the adoptee and direct blood ties (including parents, grandparents, etc.) as well as the collateral bonds (such as brothers and sisters, uncle, etc.);
If the adoptee is the child of the spouse of the adopter, or the child of the person who lives together with the applicant in de facto relationship, the kinship between the adoptee and the spouse of the adopter or the person who lives together with the adopter in de facto relationship and the relationship with the blood relatives of the person will remain;
When the adoption is declared, the adoptee will lose the original surname and use the surname of the adopter;
Adoption is generally irrevocable.

Cost (or tax)

1. The services provided by the Social Welfare Bureau (SWB) of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government are free of charge;

2. The costs such as other documents, judicial procedures, handling of the documents of the adoptee as well as costs of accommodation/transportation charges are to be bored by the applicant.

Relevant Legislation:

Decree No. 65/99/M of 25 October, “Education System and Social Protection System about Minors in Judicial Area”.
The Civil Code, approved by Decree No. 39/99/M on 3 August.

Commitment to Adoption Services (Not applicable for Child Adoption in Macao by Foreign Citizens)

Declaration of Adoption Application: The SWB will issue the document within 10 working days starting from the day of receiving all the information required for the Adoption Application;
Social Report of Adoption: The relevant study will be concluded within 90 days starting from the day of receiving all the information required for the Adoption Application, then the applicant will be informed of the decision. (the above relevant time limit may be interrupted if SWB needs to require more information from other departments, then the time will be recalculated starting from the day when SWB receives the required information from the relevant department)

Adoption Application Procedure

Applicants will be able to learn about the procedures through visiting the following links:

    1. The adoption of SWB arrangements for matching children;
    2. The adoption of the children of spouse/specific minors;
    3. The Chinese citizens of the Macao SAR residents going to the Mainland to adopt children;
    4. Child Adoption in Macao by Foreign Citizens.

【 Adoption of SWB’s Arrangements for Matching Children 】

The related procedure is as follows:

Application

●Before Application

Since there are certain procedures and regulations for adoption application, it is suggested to visit the website of SWB / call (853) 83997703 or (853) 83997769) / visit the Children and Youth Service Division (Calçada de Santo Agostinho, n.º 19, Nan Yue Commercial Centre, 10.º andar, Macau), to inquire or learn about the procedures for adoption, so that the adopter will be fully prepared before submitting an application to the SWB.

●Submission of Application

Applicants of adoption can fill in the Joint or Individual Application Form for Adoption Notice ^Remark which can be downloaded from the SWB website or submit a signed letter, with related adoption assessment documents to the SWB in person or by mail (Estrada do Cemitério, n.° 6, Macau).

Applicants are required to submit adoption assessment documents, including:

Identification documents of the applicant of adoption;
“Joint or Individual Application Form”;^Remark
“The Medical Report of the Applicant of Adoption”^Remark(must be assessed at Kiang Wu Hospital or the Health Centre where the applicant’s address is applicable);;
Certificate of Criminal Record, which can be applied from Identification Services Bureau (Please send a request to the noted Department to send the document directly to the IAS). If the SWB is required to assist in obtaining a certificate of criminal record outside Macao, the applicant must download and fill in the “Consent Form” and submit it to the SWB together with the “Application for Adoption Notice Form/Letter”;
Proof of marital status;
Proof of financial and property status (such as proof of occupational earnings, movable and real estate certificates, bank passbook and other information);
Proof of education qualifications;
Family members identification and other documents.

Adoption Assessment

Upon the receipt of the application, the SWB will contact with the applicant and issued the “Declaration of Adoption Application” within 10 working days, then SWB will proceed the evaluation of the adoption application within the following three months. The SWB staff responsible for the adoption will take the initiative to contact the applicant and take assessment on the health status, personality traits, lifestyles, marital status, the reason of adoption, whether the applicant can take care of the needs of the adoptees, attitudes and competencies. In addition, if the documents are not submitted to the Social Welfare Bureau in the required period, the adoption application will be affected.

For the applicant who meets the requirement for child matching services arranged by the SWB, a “Notification for Adoption Application (SWB Child matching)” will be issued by Social Welfare Bureau to the applicant.

In case the application for the adoption is rejected; the SWB will arrange for an interview with the applicant to explain the rejection and sign the “Reply Letter of the Non-consent Application”.

If the applicant does not accept the decision of the SWB, he/she may, within 20 days from the date of receipt of the “Reply Letter of the Non-consent Application”, appeal to the The Lower Court of Macao SAR and, at the same time, submit the related Request Letter and Declaration to the SWB.

Adoption Matching

For the eligible applicants, the SWB will arrange for an adoptee to the applicant according to their wish and request as much as possible. Before the administrative entrustment, the SWB will arrange the applicant to be in contact with the adoptee for a period of time in order to assess whether the two parties are suitable for living together.

Pre-adoption Period

The pre-adoption period is generally one year during which the SWB will carry out the monitoring and assessment. After the end of the period or when the conditions of adoption are met, the SWB will issue a conclusive report to the Public Prosecutions Office and provide a copy to the applicant.

Court Decision

The applicant of adoption is required to submit a claim of adoption to the Court within one year of receiving the SWB’s conclusive report, which shall include the general requirements in accordance with the law and shall be accompanied by SWB’s conclusive report and other related documents.

The judicial process is necessary. The adoptive relationship between the applicant and the adoptee must be set by the Court so as the link between them is to be recognized by law.

Remark: The documents can be downloaded from the homepage of Social Welfare Bureau or can be obtained at the Children and Youth Service Division of SWB

【 Adoption of the Child of the Spouse or Specific Juveniles 】

The related procedure is as follows:

Application

●Before Application

●Submission of Application

Applicants are required to submit adoption assessment documents, including:

Identification documents of the applicant of adoption (the identification documents of the specific adoptee should be also attached);
“Joint or Individual Application Form”;^Remark
“The Medical Report of the Applicant of Adoption”^Remark(must be assessed at Kiang Wu Hospital or the Health Centre where the applicant’s address is applicable);;
Certificate of Criminal Record, which can be applied from Identification Services Bureau (Please send a request to the noted Department to send the document directly to the IAS). If the SWB is required to assist in obtaining a certificate of criminal record outside Macao, the applicant must download and fill in the “Consent Form” and submit it to the SWB together with the “Application for Adoption Notice Form/Letter”;
Proof of marital status;
Proof of financial and property status (such as proof of occupational earnings, movable and real estate certificates, bank passbook and other information);
Proof of education qualifications;
Family members identification and other documents.

Adoption Assessment

Upon the receipt of the application, the SWB will contact with the applicant and issued the “Declaration of Adoption Application” within 10 working days, then SWB will proceed the evaluation of the adoption application within the following three months. The SWB staff responsible for the adoption will take the initiative to contact the applicant and take assessment on the health status, personality traits, lifestyles, marital status, the reason of adoption, whether the applicant can take care of the needs of the adoptees, attitudes and competencies. In addition, if the documents are not submitted to the Social Welfare Bureau in the required period, the adoption application will be affected.

For the applicant who meets the requirement for adoption of the child of the spouse or specific juvenile, a “Certificate of Administrative Confidence” will be issued by Social Welfare Bureau to the applicant, to confirm that the applicant has taken care the spouse’s child or the specific juvenile for a period.

In case the application for the adoption is rejected; the SWB will arrange for an interview with the applicant to explain the rejection and sign the “Reply Letter of the Non-consent Application”.

If the applicant does not accept the decision of the SWB, he/she may, within 20 days from the date of receipt of the “Reply Letter of the Non-consent Application”, appeal to the The Lower Court of Macao SAR and, at the same time, submit the related Request Letter and Declaration to the SWB.

Pre-adoption Period

The pre-adoption period for the spouse’s child is generally three months, and for the specific juvenile is one year. During which the SWB will carry out the monitoring and assessment. After the end of the period or when the conditions of adoption are met, the SWB will issue a conclusive report to the Public Prosecutions Office and provide a copy to the applicant.

Court Decision

Remark: The documents can be downloaded from the homepage of Social Welfare Bureau or can be obtained at the Children and Youth Service Division of SWB

【 Adoption in Mainland China by Macau Citizens with Chinese Nationality 】

The related procedure is as follows:

Application

●Before Application

●Submission of Application

Applicants of adoption can fill in the Joint or Individual Application Form for Adoption Notice ^{Remark 1} which can be downloaded from the SWB website or submit a signed letter, with related adoption assessment documents to the SWB in person or by mail (Estrada do Cemitério, n.° 6, Macau).

Applicants are required to submit adoption assessment documents, including:

Identification documents of the applicant of adoption (the identification documents of the specific adoptee should be also attached);
“Joint or Individual Application Form”;^{Remark 1}
“The Medical Report of the Applicant of Adoption”^{Remark 1}(must be assessed at Kiang Wu Hospital or the Health Centre where the applicant’s address is applicable);;
Certificate of Criminal Record, which can be applied from Identification Services Bureau (Please send a request to the noted Department to send the document directly to the IAS). If the SWB is required to assist in obtaining a certificate of criminal record outside Macao, the applicant must download and fill in the “Consent Form” and submit it to the SWB together with the “Application for Adoption Notice Form/Letter”;
Proof of marital status;
Proof of financial and property status (such as proof of occupational earnings, movable and real estate certificates, bank passbook and other information);
Proof of education qualifications;
Family members identification and other documents.

Adoption Assessment

The Issue of Certificate of Assessment of the Adoption Capacity

The SWB will complete the assessment of the application and inform the applicant of the results.

The SWB will issue Certificate of Assessment of the Adoption Capacity signed by the Director of SWB to the applicant for a validity period of 120 days (If the applicant is of 60 years old within that period, the date of validity will be the day before he/she reaches 60 years of age).

In case the application for the adoption is rejected; the SWB will arrange for an interview with the applicant to explain the rejection and sign the “Reply Letter of the Non-consent Application”.

If the applicant does not accept the decision of the SWB, he/she may, within 20 days from the date of receipt of the “Reply Letter of the Non-consent Application”, appeal to the The Lower Court of Macao SAR and, at the same time, submit the related Request Letter and Declaration to the SWB.

Application of Adoption in Civil Affairs Department in the Mainland

The applicant with Certificate of Assessment of the Adoption Capacity issued by the SWB, together with the Adoption Application and the following identifications and supporting documents, are to go to the Civil Affairs Department of the regional People’s Government (direct municipalities, municipalities, autonomous regions) or the Civil Affairs Department of the Administrative Office of the Region (Union) where the adoptees are registered, to apply for adoption registration. The relevant documents include:

1. Macao SAR identification card, Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents or Home Return Permit;
2. Documentation issued by Macao SAR authority concerning the applicant’s age, marriage, whether he/she has children, occupation, property, health, whether or not subject to criminal sanctions and other conditions of proof.

After the completion of adoption registration in the Mainland, the applicant must deliver a copy of the adoption registration certificate to the SWB that will then transfer the relevant documents to Identification Services Bureau and other relevant departments for the record.

Remark 1: The documents can be downloaded from the homepage of Social Welfare Bureau or can be obtained at the Children and Youth Service Division of SWB

Remark 2: If the applicant of the adoption go to Mainland China for application of specific adoptee, after received the agreement from the applicant, Social Welfare Bureau will send letter to Civil Affairs Units/ Departments in Mainland China for requesting case information and the comment on whether the related adoptee is suitable to be adapted or not according to the situation in China, therefore the relevant time limit will be interrupted from the day of letter issued from SWB, then the time will be recalculated starting from the day when SWB receives the reply letter from the relevant department.

【 Child Adoption in Macao by Foreign Citizens 】

Application

The application for child adoption shall be made directly to the Social Welfare Bureau of the Macao SAR, either by the locally authorized department of the country or region of habitual residence of the applicant, or via licensed bodies engaged in this kind of intermediary activities.

The application shall include documents proving the fulfillment of the following requirements :

The consent for the adoption has already been given by the parents of the prospective adoptee and by the prospective adoptee who has attained 12 years old, or its exemption if the relevant requirements for exemption are satisfied according to the stipulations prescribed by the law of Macao SAR;
The locally authorized department in accordance to the law of habitual residence of the applicant (the local law) has confirmed that the applicant is a suitable adopter and capable of adopting minors from overseas;
The local law should allow sufficient time for the minor and the applicant to live together, in order to decide whether they should establish an adoptive relationship;
The adoption will provide actual benefits to the adoptee, is based upon valid reasons, and on the reasonable prediction that the adoptee and the adopter will establish a quasi parent-child relationship;
In accordance to the local law, the prospective adoption can produce the same effects as those stipulated by the law of Macao SAR.

Examination of the Application for Adoption

The Social Welfare Bureau will examine the application within 10 days and notify the applying body whether the application has been accepted.

Feasibility Study of the Adoption

When an application is accepted, the Social Welfare Bureau will conduct a feasibility study on the prospective adoption. Report will be compiled and the applying body will be informed of the result.

Judicial Entrustment

In case the aforementioned report considers that the adoption is feasible, the Social Welfare Bureau will request the Court to proceed with the judicial entrustment.

Trial Period Prior to Adoption

After obtaining the authorization for judicial entrustment, the adoptee shall be arranged to go abroad to live with the adoptive family for a trial period to decide whether they can establish a satisfactory adoptive relationship. During the trial period, the Social Welfare Bureau will work together with the authorized department of the place of habitual residence of the applicant to follow up the progress.

Exceptional Cases

If the minor who resides habitually in Macao could be adopted in Macao, adoption by foreign citizens is not permitted.

However, if the minor and the applicant for adoption are of the same nationality or the minor is the child of the spouse of the applicant, or if the minor is the child of the person who has de facto marriage with the applicant or that the applicant is the guardian of the adoptee, adoption of the minor by foreign citizen is permitted despite of the aforementioned situation.

Enquiries

Anyone who is interested to apply for adoption may contact by mail Social Welfare Bureau of the Macao SAR (Address: Estrada do Cemitério, no. 6, Macao, China), or call the Children and Youth Service Division of the Social Welfare Institute during office hours for enquiries, by dialing (853) 8399 7703 or 83997769.

Preparing for adoption

● Adoption

→ The main purpose is to seek permanent and stable families for children whose parents are unable or
unwilling to take care of them and to ensure their healthy growth.

→ Through legal channels, a connection similar to the relationship by consanguinity is established
between people with no blood ties.

→ Once the adoption is completed, it cannot be reversed. It is a lifetime commitment.

● Think twice before adopting

Adoption is a very significant and far-reaching decision. Before deciding to become an adoptive parent,
one should consider and discuss carefully to assess their abilities so that they can be more prepared to
welcome a new family member.

* Age and health

→ A couple applying for joint adoption should be more than 25 years old (while an individual applying
for adoption should be more than 28 years old), and should not exceed 60 years of age when
entrusted with the care of the adopted child. In addition, the age gap between adopter and adoptee
should be more than 18 years but less than 50 years in principle.

→ Applicants should comprehensively assess if their health status (including physical, mental and
psychological aspects) allows them to raise the adopted child to adulthood and to cope with the
pressure of child raising, e.g. the child’s health issues or family history of diseases.

* Economic conditions

→ Evaluate your current financial stability and the economic burden of raising a child (food, clothing,
housing, learning and recreational expenses, etc.) in addition to daily expenses, and remake your
financial plan.

→ Determine if your residence has enough space to provide the child with a suitable living environment
and activity space.

* Changes in lifestyle

→ To raise a child, you need to take care of their daily life, and also get along and grow with them in
order to build intimacy, security and trust. Your current lifestyle or schedule must be adjusted, and
personal leisure time will be significantly reduced.

* Acceptance of adoption by individuals and family members

→ An adoption grants the legal parent-child relationship between the adopter and the adoptee, and the
adopters must perform the obligation of education and care. They should treat the adopted child as
their own child and give him/her love.

→ Adoption is to make the adoptee a part of the family. Therefore, it is very important for family
members to accept the adoptee’s presence. It is crucial to discuss with the family before adoption
and reach a consensus. This will help family members support the adoption more, and make it easier
for the child to adapt to the family.

→ If you already have children in your family, you should assess how well they will accept the new
family member. You should take into consideration the material and spiritual needs of your biological
and adopted children, give them same material, educational and emotional support and avoid
favouring one more than another.

Enquiries

Executive Unit:

Children and Youth Service Division

Address:

Calçada de Santo Agostinho, n.º 19, Nan Yue Commercial Centre, 10.º andar, Macau

Telephone:

8399 7703 / 8399 7769

Fax:

2832 9995 <

Opening Hours:

Monday to Thursday	9:00am to 1:00pm; 2:30pm to 5:45pm
Friday	9:00am to 1:00pm; 2:30pm to 5:30pm

Download

Application documents	Download
Application Form for Adoption Notice (Joint Adoption Application Notice)
Application Form for Adoption Notice (Individual Adoption Application Notice)
Application for Joint Adoption
Application for Individual Adoption
The Medical Report of the Adoption Applicant
Questionnaires	Download
Questionnaire on Public Satisfaction Level by the Social Welfare Bureau (Only Use for The First Phase of Adoption Service – Adoption Evaluation)
Questionnaire on Public Satisfaction Level by the Social Welfare Bureau (Only Use for The Second Phase of Adoption Service – Minor Arrangement)
Questionnaire on Public Satisfaction Level by the Social Welfare Bureau (Only Use for The Third Phase of Adoption Service – Adoption Probationary Period)

Frequently Asked Questions on Adoption

This Q&A guideline applies to all types of adoptions.

1. Q: What is the primary consideration in adopting a child?

A: The best interests of the child.

2. Q: Are there any other adoption services besides the one provided by the Social Welfare Bureau (hereinafter “IAS”)?

A:	IAS is the only legitimate agency to offer adoption service in the Macao Special Administrative Region.

3. Q: How long does it take to assess an applicant’s qualifications to adopt a child?

A:	IAS will complete the assessment in three months (90 days) upon receiving an application. The applicant should cooperate with the IAS to facilitate such assessment.

4. Q: What is the legal effect of adoption?

Once the adoptive relationship is established, the adopted child will be granted the legal status as the adopter(s)’s natural child, and the original kinship between the adopted child and his/her immediate relatives (e.g. parents, grandparents) and collateral relatives (e.g. brothers, sisters, uncles) will be terminated. The adopted child will lose his/her original family name and use the adopter(s)’s family name. The adoptive relationship is irrevocable.

Adoption of SWB’s Arrangements for Matching Children

1. Q: What’s the adoption procedure?

A:	Since the adoptive relationship, once validated by the court, will become irrevocable, to safeguard the best interests of the adopted child, the law requires a rigorous adoption procedure: application, assessment, matching, observation period for adoption, and court validation, etc.

2. Q: Which department is responsible for the assessment of the applicant’s qualifications to adopt a child? What will be assessed?

A:	The assessment is handled by IAS. The assessment items include the applicant’s physical status, personality traits, life style, family and financial status, capacity to educate a child, attitudes, and reasons of adoption, etc.

3. Q: What children will be put on the adoption list?

The children fit for the conditions stated in the Civil Code are available for adoption, especially those whose parents are unknown or already dead and who have agreed to be adopted, or who have been abandoned by their parents, etc. These children will be accommodated in the child and adolescent’s home at Macao first, and will be, after a judiciary confirms that the child can be adopted, put into adoption matching.

4. Q: How long does it take to be matched with a child after assessment?

IAS will put the qualified applicant on the waiting list and issue the applicant a notice. Whenever there is a child available for adoption, matching between the child and the potential adopter will be conducted according to the child’s conditions, the adopting family’s conditions and their requirement as to the child’s sex, age and health conditions, etc.

It is difficult to tell when the applicant will be matched with a child since the best interests of the child are the primary consideration in adoption arrangement and there are many people on the waiting list. So the applicant must be prepared and patient.

5. Q:What about the disclosure of the adopted child’s health condition?

IAS will examine the child’s physical conditions, collect information on the child’s family medical history, and disclose such information to the applicant in matching.
There is no such machine that can peep into the child’s future health conditions and personal development. For that, the applicant must consider carefully as to whether he/she or his/her family can assume the relevant future responsibilities.

6. Q: What’s the subsequent procedure after successful matching?

Once the applicant is matched with a child, IAS will arrange the applicant to spend some time with the child at the child and adolescent’s home to see if they can live happy together. IAS will follow up on the child’s conditions and, if all adoption requirements are met or the observation period is over, prepare a conclusive social report. If the report grants consent on the adoption, the applicant can apply to a court for adoption with this report as a certificate, and the court will judge if the adoptive relationship can be established.

Adoption of the Child of the Spouse or Specific Juveniles

1. Q: What procedures have to be completed before adopting the partner’s child/or the child of the de facto partner?

To adopt the partner’s or the de facto partner’s child, the applicant shall apply to IAS even if the applicant has been living with the child. The adoptive relationship can only be established after the adoption assessment and the observation period of no more than three months is over, and the court grants permission.

Adoption in Mainland China by Macau Citizens with Chinese Nationality

1. Q: What procedures have to be completed for a Macao resident who wants to go the Mainland China to adopt a child?

The law states that applicants who have not informed IAS about their adoption intention will not be allowed to adopt a child. Meanwhile, if a Chinese citizen living in Macao wants to go to the Mainland China to adopt a child, he/she must first obtain the Assessment Certificate on Adoption Capacity before going through relevant formalities.
Thus, the applicant shall inform IAS about their adoption intention so that they can start looking into the application. If the applicant is deemed qualified and the legal requirements of Macao and Mainland China are met (e.g. Mainland China requires the married must adopt the child in the couple’s name), IAS will issue an Assessment Certificate on Adoption Capacity to the applicant.

2. Q: What is the period of validity for the Assessment Certificate on Adoption Capacity?

A:	The period of validity for the Assessment Certificate on Adoption Capacity is 120 days. If the applicant reaches 60 years old during this period, the validity period will be shortened to the day before the applicant’s 60th birthday.

3. Q: What departments in the Mainland China are responsible for adoption affairs?

A:	The civil affairs department is responsible for adoption registration. The applicant shall go to the local civil affairs department for adoption registration or consulting.

4. Q: What other matters should be attended to after adoption registration is complete?

A:	After completing all adoption procedures in the Mainland China, the applicant shall inform IAS and submit a copy of the adoption registration form to IAS who will then transfer relevant documents to the Identification Services Bureau and the Civil Registration Office for record.

For Non-Chinese Residents in Macao SAR Who Want to Adopt A Child in the Mainland China

1. Q: What agencies in the Mainland China can non-Chinese residents or expatriates in Macao resort to if they want to adopt a child?

A: Non-Chinese residents or expatriates who want to adopt a child in the Mainland China can consult the China Centre for Children’s welfare and Adoption based in Beijing.

Child Adoption in Macao by Foreign Citizens

1. Q: What’s the procedure for non-residents who want to adopt a child in Macao?

A:	Non-residents can submit an application to IAS of Macao SAR through the authority in their resident country or place, or through an authorized agency.

2. Q: What are the pre-conditions for outbound adoption?

A:	The law states that outbound adoption is prohibited if matching can be done in Macao. For that reason, outbound adoption is possible only if local matching is impossible.