International Child Abduction Act

(CHAPTER 143C)

(Original Enactment: Act 27 of 2010)

REVISED EDITION 2011

(31st December 2011)

An Act to give effect to the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and for matters connected therewith.

[1st March 2011]

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the International Child Abduction Act.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

“Convention” means the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction which was signed at The Hague on 25th October 1980;

“Court” means the General Division of the High Court or a Family Court;

[Act 27 of 2014 wef 01/10/2014]

[Act 40 of 2019 wef 02/01/2021]

“Minister” means —

(a)	except as provided in paragraph (b), the Minister charged with the responsibility for child welfare and protection; and
(b)	for the purposes of Part IV, the Minister charged with the responsibility for legal aid.

(2) Unless the contrary intention appears, words and expressions used in this Act have the same meanings as in the provisions of the Convention set out in the Schedule.

Certain provisions of Convention to have force of law

3. Notwithstanding any written law or rule of law but subject to the provisions of Parts I to V, the provisions of the Convention as set out in the Schedule shall have the force of law in Singapore.

Contracting States

4.—(1) For the purposes of the Convention, the Contracting States (other than Singapore) shall be those for the time being specified by the Minister by an order published in the Gazette.

(2) An order under subsection (1) shall specify the date of coming into force of the Convention as between Singapore and any Contracting State specified in the order, and, except where the order otherwise provides, the Convention shall apply as between Singapore and that Contracting State only in relation to —

(a)	wrongful removals or retentions of children; or
(b)	breaches of access rights to children,

occurring on or after that date.

(3) Where the Convention applies, or applies only, to a particular territory specified in a declaration made by a Contracting State under Article 39 or 40 of the Convention, references to that Contracting State in subsections (1) and (2) shall be construed as references to that territory.

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