Hong Kong Ordinances

ADOPTION ORDINANCE - SECT 20

Amendment of adoption orders and rectification of Registers

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

(1) The Court by which an adoption order has been made may, on the application
of the adopter or of the adopted person, amend the order by the correction of
any error in the particulars contained therein, and may- (Amended 28 of 2004
s. 24)

   (a)  if satisfied on the application of the adopter or of the adopted
        person that within 1 year beginning with the date of the order any new
        name has been given to the adopted person (whether in baptism or
        otherwise), or taken by him, either in lieu of or in addition to a
        name specified in the particulars required to be entered in the
        Adopted Children Register in pursuance of the order, amend the order
        by substituting or adding that name in those particulars, as the case
        may require;

   (b)  if satisfied on the application of any person concerned that a
        direction for the marking of an entry in the registers of births or
        the Adopted Children Register included in the order in pursuance of
        section  19 (3) or (4) was wrongly so included, revoke that direction.
        (Replaced 48 of 1977 s. 7) [cf. 1976 c. 36 Schedule 1 para. 4 U.K.]

(1A) Where an adoption order is amended or a direction revoked under
subsection (1), the prescribed officer of the court shall cause the amendment
to be communicated in the prescribed manner to the Registrar, who shall as the
case may require-

   (a)  cause the entry in the Adopted Children Register to be amended
        accordingly; or

   (b)  cause the marking of the entry in the registers of births or the
        Adopted Children Register to be cancelled. (Added 48 of 1977 s. 7)
        [cf. 1976 c. 36 Schedule 1 para. 4 U.K.]

(2) Where an adoption order is quashed or an appeal against an adoption order
allowed, the Court shall give directions to the Registrar to cancel any
marking of an entry in the registers of births, and any entry or any marking
of an entry in the Adopted Children Register, which was effected in pursuance
of the order. (Amended 48 of 1977 s. 7) [cf. 1950 c. 26 s. 21(3) U.K.]

(3) A copy or extract of an entry in any register, being an entry the marking
of which is cancelled under this section, shall be deemed to be an accurate
copy if and only if both the marking and the cancellation are omitted
therefrom. [cf. 1950 c. 26 s. 21(6) U.K.]