PART 3 | Division 1 — Birth in Singapore |
| Report of birth in Singapore |
7.—(1) The birth of every child born in Singapore must be reported in accordance with this section.(2) The following persons are responsible for reporting the birth of a child in Singapore:| (a) | where the child is born in a hospital — every medical practitioner who attends to the birth, and the hospital (or the person having general management and control of the hospital); | | (b) | where the child is born outside a hospital and is brought to a hospital within 24 hours after the child’s birth — every medical practitioner who attends to the child at the hospital, and the hospital (or the person having general management and control of the hospital); | | (c) | where the child is born in any premises (other than in a hospital) — the child’s parents, and every occupier of the premises who knows of the child’s birth in the premises; | | (d) | where the child is born in an aircraft, a vessel or a train (called in this section the conveyance) while the conveyance is in Singapore — the child’s parents, and the master of the conveyance; | | (e) | where the child is born in any other place — the child’s parents. |
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| (3) To avoid doubt, a person mentioned in subsection (2)(c), (d) or (e) continues to be responsible for reporting the birth of a child despite that the child is brought to a hospital within 24 hours after the child’s birth. |
| (4) A person responsible under subsection (2) for reporting the birth of a child (called in this section the responsible person) must report the child’s birth to the Registrar‑General as soon as practicable after the child’s birth. |
| (5) Where there is more than one responsible person in respect of a birth and any of the responsible persons complies with subsection (4) in respect of the birth, the duty of every other responsible person under that subsection in respect of the birth is discharged by that compliance. |
| (6) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,500 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to both. |
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| Responsibility to provide birth particulars |
8.—(1) A responsible person for a child born in Singapore must provide to the Registrar‑General —| (a) | the birth particulars for the child, within 42 days after the child’s birth; and | | (b) | any information or evidence the Registrar‑General requires that supports, or verifies the accuracy of, the birth particulars for the child, within the time the Registrar‑General requires. |
(1A) If the Registrar-General registers a child’s birth under section 9(2) —| (a) | where the child’s birth is registered without a name for the child — the duty of a responsible person for the child under subsection (1)(a) to provide the child’s name continues despite the registration until the end of 7 years after the child’s birth; | | (b) | where the child’s birth is registered without any other birth particular — the duty of a responsible person for the child under subsection (1)(a) to provide that birth particular continues despite the registration until that birth particular is provided to the Registrar-General; and | | (c) | the registration does not affect the liability of a responsible person for the child for an offence under subsection (4). [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
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| (2) Subsection (1) does not apply in the case of a child who dies within 42 days after the child’s birth. |
| (3) Where there is more than one responsible person for the child and any of the responsible persons complies with subsection (1)(a) or (b) in respect of the child, the duty of every other responsible person under that provision in respect of the child is discharged by that compliance. [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
| (4) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (1)(a) or (b) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,500 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $50 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction. [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
(5) In this section, “responsible person”, for a child, means the following:| (a) | every parent of the child; | | (b) | where the child has a legal guardian, the legal guardian; | | (c) | where the child is the subject of an order under section 49(1)(b) or 49B(2), or section 49C (read with section 49B), of the Children and Young Persons Act 1993, and an additional order is made under section 49A(4) or 49D(2) (as the case may be) of that Act that enables the Director‑General of Social Welfare or a protector to make a decision relating to the child’s name — the Director‑General of Social Welfare or the protector, as the case may be. |
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| Registration of birth in Singapore |
| 9.—(1) The Registrar‑General must register the birth of a child born in Singapore, as soon as practicable after receiving the child’s birth particulars (whether from a responsible person mentioned in section 8(1) or any other person). [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] (2) The Registrar-General may (at any time during or after the period mentioned in section 8(1)(a)) register a child’s birth despite receiving incomplete birth particulars for the child, if the Registrar-General —| (a) | is satisfied that the child is born in Singapore; and | | (b) | is of the opinion that the child’s birth is capable of being registered based on the birth particulars available to the Registrar-General at that time. [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
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| (3) Where the Registrar‑General registers a child’s birth under subsection (2) without a name for the child, the Registrar‑General may enter an identifier for the child (in the form the Registrar‑General thinks fit) in the register of births. |
| (4) [Deleted by Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
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| Division 2 — Birth in conveyance bound for Singapore |
| Report of birth in aircraft, vessel or train bound for Singapore |
10.—(1) The birth of every child born in an aircraft, a vessel or a train (called in this section the conveyance) outside, but bound for, Singapore must be reported in accordance with this section if —| (a) | the birth occurs —| (i) | in the case of an aircraft — during the flight of the aircraft to an airport or any other place in Singapore; | | (ii) | in the case of a vessel — during the voyage of the vessel to a port or any other place in Singapore; or | | (iii) | in the case of a train — during the passage of the train to a station or any other place in Singapore; and |
| | (b) | the child (or where the child dies before arriving in Singapore, the child’s body) arrives in Singapore, and the child (or the child’s body, as the case may be) was not taken to any foreign country or territory during the period between the time of the child’s birth and the arrival of the child (or the child’s body, as the case may be) in Singapore. |
(2) The following persons are responsible for reporting the birth of a child mentioned in subsection (1):| (a) | in every case — the master of the conveyance in which the child (or the child’s body, as the case may be) arrives in Singapore, and every parent of the child who arrives in Singapore with the child (or the child’s body, as the case may be) in the conveyance; | | (b) | in the case where the child is brought to a hospital in Singapore within 24 hours after the child’s birth — every medical practitioner who attends to the child at the hospital, and the hospital (or the person having general management and control of the hospital). |
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| (3) To avoid doubt, a person mentioned in subsection (2)(a) continues to be responsible for reporting the birth of a child despite that the child is brought to a hospital within 24 hours after the child’s birth. |
| (4) A person responsible under subsection (2) for reporting the birth of a child (called in this section the responsible person) must report the child’s birth to the Registrar‑General as soon as practicable after the child (or the child’s body, as the case may be) arrives in Singapore. |
| (5) Where there is more than one responsible person in respect of a birth and any of the responsible persons complies with subsection (4) in respect of the birth, the duty of every other responsible person under that subsection in respect of the birth is discharged by that compliance. |
| (6) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,500 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to both. |
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| Application of sections 12 and 13 |
| 11. Sections 12 and 13 apply to a child whose birth is required to be and is reported to the Registrar‑General under section 10. |
| Application for registration of birth mentioned in section 11 |
12.—(1) A responsible person for a child mentioned in section 11 may apply to the Registrar‑General for the child’s birth to be registered.(2) The application by the responsible person (called in this section the applicant) under subsection (1) —| (a) | must be made within 42 days after the child’s birth; and | | (b) | must contain the birth particulars for the child. |
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| (3) The applicant must also provide to the Registrar‑General any information or evidence the Registrar‑General requires that supports the application, or verifies the accuracy of the matters contained in or accompanying the application, within the time the Registrar‑General requires. |
| (4) In this section, “responsible person”, for a child mentioned in section 11, has the meaning given by section 8(5). |
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| Registration of birth mentioned in section 11 |
13.—(1) The Registrar‑General may, on an application made under section 12, register the birth of a child mentioned in section 11 if —| (a) | the Registrar‑General is satisfied that the applicant mentioned in section 12 has complied with the requirements relating to the application; | | (b) | there is no uncertainty or dispute as to the birth particulars for the child or registration of the birth in Singapore; | | (c) | the name provided by the applicant for the child complies with section 19(1), and the Registrar‑General does not refuse the name under section 19(2); | | (d) | the Registrar‑General is satisfied that the child’s birth is not registered under any corresponding law of a foreign country or territory; and | | (e) | the child is in Singapore at the time of registration. |
(2) Despite subsection (1) and section 12, the Registrar‑General may, on the Registrar‑General’s own volition, register the birth of a child mentioned in section 11, at any time during or after the period mentioned in section 12(2)(a), if the Registrar‑General —| (a) | is satisfied that the child’s birth is not registered under any corresponding law of a foreign country or territory; [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] | | (b) | is of the opinion that registration of the child’s birth is necessary —| (i) | where the child is in Singapore — in the interest of the child; or | | (ii) | where the child is deceased — to facilitate registration of the child’s death under Part 4 (where applicable); and [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
| | (c) | where the birth particulars for the child are incomplete — is of the opinion that the child’s birth is capable of being registered based on the birth particulars available to the Registrar-General at that time. [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
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| (3) Where the Registrar‑General registers a child’s birth under subsection (2) without a name for the child, the Registrar‑General may enter an identifier for the child (in the form the Registrar‑General thinks fit) in the register of births. |
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Division 3 — Registration of birth in other cases
and related matters |
| Registration or re‑registration of birth of adopted child |
14.—(1) Subject to subsection (3), if an adoption order is made by a court in respect of a child under the Adoption of Children Act 2022 or any corresponding previous written law, the Registrar‑General must, as soon as practicable after receiving (from the Registrar of the court) a copy of the adoption order and the particulars mentioned in section 44(1) of the Adoption of Children Act 2022 —| (a) | in the case where the birth of the adopted child has not been registered under this Act — register the birth of the adopted child; or [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] | | (b) | in the case where the birth of the adopted child has been registered under this Act — indicate on the record of such registration in the register of births that the child is adopted, and re‑register the birth of the child. [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
[Act 20 of 2022 wef 15/10/2024] (2) The particulars to be entered in the register for registration or re‑registration (as the case may be) of the birth of an adopted child under subsection (1) include the following:| (a) | subject to subsection (3), the name conferred by the adoption order for the child must be entered in the register as the child’s name; [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] | | (b) | the particulars of the adopting parent or parents mentioned in the adoption order must be entered in the register as the particulars of the child’s parent or parents, as the case may be. |
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(3) If the name of an adopted child, as conferred by the adoption order, does not comply with section 19(1), or is refused by the Registrar-General under section 19(2), the Registrar-General may —| (a) | withhold registration or re-registration (as the case may be) of the child’s birth under subsection (1) until the adoption order is amended to confer a name for the child that complies with section 19(1) and is not refused by the Registrar General under section 19(2); or | | (b) | register or re-register (as the case may be) the child’s birth under subsection (1) without a name for the child. [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
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| (4) If the Registrar-General registers or re-registers a child’s birth under subsection (1) without a name for the child, the Registrar-General may enter an identifier for the child (in the form the Registrar-General thinks fit) in the register of births. [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
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| Re‑registration of birth of person legitimated by Legitimacy Act 1934 |
15.—(1) This section applies to a person (called in this section the subject person) —| (a) | whose birth is registered under section 9 or 13 (or section 9, 17 or 23 of the repealed Act); and | | (b) | who is legitimated by the Legitimacy Act 1934, on the marriage of the subject person’s parents, after the birth registration. |
(2) An application may be made to the Registrar‑General for re‑registration of the subject person’s birth by any of the following persons (called in this section the applicant):| (a) | where the subject person is a minor — a parent of the subject person; | | (b) | where the subject person is not a minor —| (i) | the subject person; or | | (ii) | a parent of the subject person, with the consent of the subject person. |
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| (3) The application under subsection (2) may include a change of name for the subject person, but only to the extent of altering the subject person’s name entered in the register of births to reflect the paternity of the subject person. |
| (4) The applicant must also provide to the Registrar‑General any information or evidence the Registrar‑General requires that supports the application, or verifies the accuracy of the matters contained in or accompanying the application, within the time the Registrar‑General requires. |
(5) The Registrar‑General may re‑register the birth of the subject person if —| (a) | the Registrar‑General is satisfied that —| (i) | the applicant has complied with the requirements relating to the application; and | | (ii) | the subject person is legitimated by the Legitimacy Act 1934; and |
| | (b) | where the application includes a change of name for the subject person —| (i) | the new name complies with the requirements of subsection (3), and with section 19(1); and | | (ii) | the Registrar‑General does not refuse the new name under section 19(2). |
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| (6) This section does not affect the legitimation of a person by the Legitimacy Act 1934. |
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| Birth registration and Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 |
16.—(1) If the Registrar‑General is informed at or before registration of a child’s birth under section 9 or 13 that the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 applies to the child, the particulars of the child’s parents to be entered in the register of births for registration of the child’s birth must be —| (a) | in the case where a court order is made under that Act declaring or determining the child’s parenthood — in accordance with the court order; or | | (b) | in any other case — subject to subsection (2), in accordance with that Act. |
(2) Subsection (1)(b) does not apply if the Registrar‑General —| (a) | is not satisfied as to the parenthood of the child under the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013; or | | (b) | is informed of any dispute as to the parenthood of the child under that Act. |
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(3) If subsection (2)(a) or (b) applies in respect of the child, the Registrar-General may —| (a) | in the case of registration under section 9 or 13(2) — register the child’s birth under section 9(2) or 13(2) (as the case may be) without entering the particulars of either or both of the parents in the register; or | | (b) | in the case of registration being considered under section 13(1) — refuse to register the child’s birth under that provision. [Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
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| (4) This section does not affect the parenthood of a person under the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013. |
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| Re‑registration of birth in relation to Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 |
17.—(1) This section applies to a person (called in this section the subject person) —| (a) | to whom the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 applies; and | | (b) | whose birth is registered under section 9 or 13 (or section 9, 17 or 23 of the repealed Act) —| (i) | without the Registrar‑General being informed of the application of the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 to the subject person; or | | (ii) | without entering the particulars of either or both of the subject person’s parents in the register of births due to the application of section 16(2)(a) or (b) at the time of the birth registration. |
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(2) An application may be made to the Registrar‑General for re‑registration of the subject person’s birth by any of the following persons (called in this section the applicant):| (a) | a person who is a parent, or claiming to be a parent, of the subject person; | | (b) | where the subject person is a minor and has a legal guardian — the legal guardian; | | (c) | where the subject person is not a minor — the subject person; | | (d) | where a court order is made under the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 declaring or determining the subject person’s parenthood — the person who applied for the court order. |
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| (3) The application under subsection (2) may include a change of name for the subject person, but only to the extent of altering the subject person’s name entered in the register of births to reflect the parenthood of the subject person. |
| (4) The applicant must also provide to the Registrar‑General any information or evidence the Registrar‑General requires that supports the application, or verifies the accuracy of the matters contained in or accompanying the application, within the time the Registrar‑General requires. |
(5) Where a court order is made under the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 declaring or determining the subject person’s parenthood, the Registrar‑General may re‑register the subject person’s birth in accordance with the court order if —| (a) | the Registrar‑General is satisfied that the applicant has complied with the requirements relating to the application; and | | (b) | where the application includes a change of name for the subject person —| (i) | the new name complies with the requirements of subsection (3), and with section 19(1); | | (ii) | the Registrar‑General does not refuse the new name under section 19(2); and | | (iii) | where the subject person is not a minor and is not the applicant — the subject person consents to the new name. |
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(6) Where there is no court order declaring or determining the subject person’s parenthood under the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013, the Registrar‑General may re‑register the subject person’s birth in accordance with that Act if —| (a) | the Registrar‑General —| (i) | is satisfied that the applicant has complied with the requirements relating to the application; | | (ii) | is satisfied as to the parenthood of the subject person under that Act; and | | (iii) | is not informed of any dispute as to the parenthood of the subject person under that Act; and |
| | (b) | where the application includes a change of name for the subject person —| (i) | the new name complies with the requirements of subsection (3), and with section 19(1); | | (ii) | the Registrar‑General does not refuse the new name under section 19(2); and | | (iii) | where the subject person is not a minor and is not the applicant — the subject person consents to the new name. |
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| (7) This section does not affect the parenthood of a person under the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013. |
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| Re‑registration of birth of person legitimated by Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 |
18.—(1) This section applies to a person (called in this section the subject person) —| (a) | whose birth is registered under section 9 or 13 (or section 9, 17 or 23 of the repealed Act), or re‑registered under section 17 (or rule 8A or 8B of the Registration of Births and Deaths Rules (Cap. 267, R 1) as in force immediately before the date of commencement of this section), in accordance with the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 or an order made under that Act declaring or determining the subject person’s parenthood; and | | (b) | who is legitimated by the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 after the birth registration or re‑registration. |
(2) An application may be made to the Registrar‑General for re‑registration of the subject person’s birth by any of the following persons (called in this section the applicant):| (a) | where the subject person is a minor — a parent of the subject person; | | (b) | where the subject person is not a minor — | (i) | the subject person; or | | (ii) | a parent of the subject person, with the consent of the subject person. |
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| (3) The application under subsection (2) may include a change of name for the subject person, but only to the extent of altering the subject person’s name entered in the register of births to reflect the paternity of the subject person. |
| (4) The applicant must also provide to the Registrar‑General any information or evidence the Registrar‑General requires that supports the application, or verifies the accuracy of the matters contained in or accompanying the application, within the time the Registrar‑General requires. |
(5) The Registrar‑General may re‑register the birth of the subject person if —| (a) | the Registrar‑General is satisfied that —| (i) | the applicant has complied with the requirements relating to the application; and | | (ii) | the subject person is legitimated by the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013; and |
| | (b) | where the application includes a change of name for the subject person —| (i) | the new name complies with the requirements of subsection (3), and with section 19(1); and | | (ii) | the Registrar‑General does not refuse the new name under section 19(2). |
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| (6) This section does not affect the legitimation of a person by the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013. |
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| Division 4 — Name in register of births |
| Name in register of births |
19.—(1) The name of a person to be entered in the register of births or, where the person’s name in the register is to be altered, the person’s altered name to be entered in the register —| (a) | must be in a form expressed in characters in the modern English alphabet; | | (b) | may include a permitted character; and | | (c) | must not exceed the number of characters permitted in the electronic form of the register for the entry of a name. |
(2) The Registrar‑General may refuse to enter or alter a person’s name in the register if the name or altered name (as the case may be) —| (a) | contains anything that represents or resembles a title, a rank or an award; | | (b) | where the name or altered name (as the case may be) adopts a patronymic or matronymic naming system to signify lineage — includes any expression or abbreviation (for the purposes of that naming system) that does not correspond to the child’s sex entered or to be entered in the register; | | (c) | is obscene or offensive; or | | (d) | is contrary to the public interest. |
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| (3) [Deleted by Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] |
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| Child’s name omitted during birth registration |
20.—(1) Where a child’s birth is registered without a name, a responsible person for the child may apply to the Registrar‑General for a name to be entered for the child in the register of births.| (2) The responsible person (called in this section the applicant) must make the application under subsection (1) within 7 years after the child’s birth. |
| (3) The applicant must also provide to the Registrar‑General any information or evidence the Registrar‑General requires that supports the application, or verifies the accuracy of the matters contained in or accompanying the application, within the time the Registrar‑General requires. |
(4) The Registrar‑General may enter the child’s name in the register if —| (a) | the Registrar‑General is satisfied that the applicant has complied with the requirements relating to the application; and | | (b) | the name provided by the applicant for the child complies with section 19(1), and the Registrar‑General does not refuse the name under section 19(2). |
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| (5) In this section, “responsible person”, for a child, has the meaning given by section 8(5). |
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| Alteration of child’s name in register of births |
21.—(1) This section applies to a child whose name is entered in the register of births at the time of registration of the child’s birth, but does not affect any application for change of name under section 15(3), 17(3) or 18(3).| (2) A responsible person for a child mentioned in subsection (1) may apply to the Registrar‑General to alter the name of the child entered in the register of births. |
| (3) The application by the responsible person (called in this section the applicant) under subsection (2) must be made within one year after the child’s birth. |
| (4) The applicant must also provide to the Registrar‑General any information or evidence the Registrar‑General requires that supports the application, or verifies the accuracy of the matters contained in or accompanying the application, within the time the Registrar‑General requires. |
(5) The Registrar‑General may alter the child’s name in the register of births if —| (a) | the Registrar‑General is satisfied that the applicant has complied with the requirements relating to the application; | | (b) | the altered name provided by the applicant for the child complies with section 19(1), and the Registrar‑General does not refuse the altered name under section 19(2); | | (c) | the child’s name entered in the register has not been altered before under this section or section 11(1) of the repealed Act; and | | (d) | the child is not deceased. |
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| (6) In this section, “responsible person”, for a child, has the meaning given by section 8(5). |
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