International Child Abduction Act 2010

PRELIMINARY

This Act is the International Child Abduction Act 2010.

—(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 25 October 1980;“Court” means the General Division of the High Court or a Family Court;“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 4, 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.

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 25 October 1980;

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

“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 4, the Minister charged with the responsibility for legal aid.

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.

Despite any written law or rule of law but subject to the provisions of Parts 1 to 5, the provisions of the Convention as set out in the Schedule have the force of law in Singapore.

—(1) For the purposes of the Convention, the Contracting States (other than Singapore) are those for the time being specified by the Minister by an order in the Gazette.(2) An order under subsection (1) must 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 applies 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) are to be construed as references to that territory.

For the purposes of the Convention, the Contracting States (other than Singapore) are those for the time being specified by the Minister by an order in the Gazette.

An order under subsection (1) must 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 applies 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.

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) are to be construed as references to that territory.