Child Born Out Of Wedlock Singapore- Find Out What To Do!

As a family lawyer in Singapore, I have come across many cases of a child born out of wedlock Singapore.

Story of Lorraine Tan (not her real name)

Little Lorraine Tan is a child born out of wedlock Singapore. Her biological mother recently adopted her and they will be treated as a “family nucleus”.

Most unwed parents in Singapore adopt their child after they marry their partner (non-biological parent of the child) and they want him/ her to become a legal parent of the child.

Cases similar to that of Lorraine Tan are not usual.

Lorraine Tan’s mother did it to:

Make the illegitimate child lawful as if she were not a child born out of wedlock Singapore;
For benefits involving housing, housing subsidies, Baby Bonus cash gift, tax relief and inheritance priority; and
To terminate all ties between Lorraine and her biological father- a married man.

Under the law, should Lorraine’s mother pass on, Lorraine will rank below her future spouse and legitimate children when it comes to inheritance. This applies if Lorraine’s mother does not have a Will and Lorraine remains an illegitimate child. Now she has the same ranking as a legitimate child.

Previously, a child born out of wedlock Singapore will not be eligible for the Baby Bonus cash gift. This has since changed and illegitimate children born from September 2016 will be eligible.

See: Koh Xing Hui, “Unwed mum adopts own biological daughter”, The Straits Times, 11 May 2017

Child born out of wedlock Singapore

One practical issue concerning a child born out of wedlock Singapore is child maintenance. It is not exactly easy to maintain a child in Singapore, given the cost of living. Even if your child is born out of wedlock, he/ she is still eligible to claim for maintenance against both parents.

Click here to find out more.