Hong Kong Ordinances

ADOPTION ORDINANCE - SECT 19

Registration of adoptions

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

(1) Every adoption order shall contain a direction to the Registrar to make in
the Adopted Children Register an entry in the form set out in Schedule 2, and
(subject to the provisions of subsection (2)), shall specify the particulars
to be entered under the headings in items 2 to 6 of that form. (Amended 28 of
2004 s. 23)

(2) For the purposes of compliance with the requirements of subsection (1)-

   (a)  where the precise date of the infant's birth is not proved to the
        satisfaction of the Court, the Court shall determine the probable date
        of his birth and the date so determined shall be specified in the
        order as the date of his birth;

   (b)  where the name or surname which the infant is to bear after the
        adoption differs from his original name or surname, the new name or
        surname shall be specified in the order instead of the original, and
        where the country of birth of the infant is not proved to the
        satisfaction of the Court, the particulars of that country may,
        notwithstanding anything in that subsection, be omitted from the order
        and from the entry in the Adopted Children Register.

(3) Where upon any application to the Court for an adoption order in respect
of an infant (not being an infant who has previously been the subject of an
adoption order made by the Court) there is proved to the satisfaction of the
Court the identity of the infant with a child to whom an entry in the
registers of births relates, any adoption order made in pursuance of the
application shall contain a direction to the Registrar to cause the entry in
the registers of births to be marked with the word

"Adopted" or the words "受領養".

(4) Where an adoption order is made by the Court in respect of an infant who
has previously been the subject of an adoption order made by the Court, the
order shall contain a direction to the Registrar to cause the previous entry
in the Adopted Children Register to be marked with the
word "Re-adopted" or the words "再受領養".

(5) The prescribed officer of the Court shall cause every adoption  order to
be communicated in the prescribed manner to the Registrar, and upon receipt of
such communication the Registrar shall cause compliance to be made with the
directions contained in the order both in regard to
marking any entry in the registers of births with the word "Adopted" or the
words "受領養", and in regard to making the appropriate entry in the
Adopted Children Register.

(6) Without prejudice to the operation of the provisions in this Part,
Schedule 1 shall have effect in relation to the registration of a registrable
adoption made outside Hong Kong (as defined in section 1(4) of that Schedule).
(Added 28 of 2004 s. 23) (Amended 80 of 1997 s. 120) [cf. 1950 c. 26 s. 18
U.K.]