### Adoption Ordinance 《領養條例》

29A. Placement of infants for local adoption where specific consent is given
(1) This section applies to local adoption where consent for the adoption of an infant is given in the prescribed specific form of consent.
(2) If a person is named in the consent as the prospective adopter for the infant and the person applies with the Director for an assessment under section 29(1), then as and when the Director has assessed the person to be a suitable adoptive parent, the Director may proceed with the infant’s placement.
(3) If a person is named in the consent as the prospective adopter for the infant and the person applies with an accredited body for an assessment under section 29(1), then as and when the accredited body has assessed the person to be a suitable adoptive parent, the accredited body may proceed with the infant’s placement.

29B. Placement of infants for local adoption where general consent is given
(1) This section applies to local adoption where consent for the adoption of an infant is given in the prescribed general form of consent.
(2) As and when the Director decides, having due regard to any opinion given to him pursuant to subsection (3), that—
(a) an applicant assessed to be a suitable adoptive parent under section 29(1) would be a suitable adoptive parent for a particular infant; and
(b) the placement of the infant with the applicant for adoption would be in the best interests of the infant, 
the Director, or (if the application was submitted to an accredited body) the accredited body, may proceed with the placement.
(3) Before the Director makes a decision under subsection (2), he shall seek the opinion of each and every accredited body that has proposed any prospective adopter for that particular infant and such other persons as the Director may consider appropriate.

29C. Placement of infants for adoptions other than local adoption
(1) This section applies to adoption of overseas children and Convention adoption.
(2) As and when the Director decides that—
(a) an applicant assessed to be a suitable adoptive parent under section 29(2) would be a suitable adoptive parent for a particular infant; and
(b) the placement of the infant with the applicant for adoption would be in the best interests of the infant,
the Director may proceed with the placement, or authorize an accredited body to proceed with the placement.

### Adoption Ordinance 《領養條例》

29D. Termination of placement
(1) If at any time after the Director has proceeded with an infant’s placement or authorized an accredited body to proceed with an infant’s placement with a prospective adopter, the Director opines that to continue the placement would not be in the best interests of the infant, then the Director may terminate the placement or direct the accredited body to terminate the placement.
(2) If at any time after an accredited body has proceeded with an infant’s placement with a prospective adopter for local adoption, pursuant to section 29A(3) or 29B(2), the accredited body opines that to continue the placement would not be in the best interests of the infant, then the accredited body may terminate the placement.

29E. Review of decisions of accredited bodies
(1) If a person is aggrieved by an accredited body’s decision—
(a) on the assessment of that person’s suitability to be an adoptive parent; or
(b) to terminate a placement,
the person may, within (in the case of paragraph (a)) 28 days or (in the case of paragraph (b)) 7 clear days of receiving notice of the decision, lodge with the Director a written notice requesting the Director to review the decision.
(2) In any such review, the Director may confirm, vary or reverse the decision under review.
(3) A decision referred to in subsection (1) shall have immediate effect, or have effect from a date specified in the decision (if applicable), notwithstanding any review against the decision.
(Added 28 of 2004 s. 32)

30. Appeals
(1) If a person is aggrieved by the Director’s decision—
(a) on the assessment of that person’s suitability to be an adoptive parent;
(b) to terminate a placement;
(c) on the person’s application to become or continue to be an accredited body; or
(d) to suspend or revoke his accreditation,
the person may, within (in the case of paragraph (b)) 7 clear days or (in other cases) 28 days of receiving notice of the decision, lodge a notice of appeal with the Administrative Appeals Board to appeal against the decision.
(2) A decision referred to in subsection (1) shall have immediate effect, or have effect from a date specified in the decision (if applicable), notwithstanding any appeal against the decision.
(Added 28 of 2004 s. 32)

31. Cessation of accreditation
(1) If an accreditation expires without having been renewed, or is revoked or suspended, the Director may, in relation to an adoption case handled by the accredited body concerned (the defunct accredited body

### Adoption Ordinance 《領養條例》

32. Regulation
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare may make regulations— (Amended L.N. 130 of 2007)
(a) to provide for the procedure to be followed and the requirements to be observed, in relation to—
(i) assessment and approval of any person to be a suitable adoptive parent;
(ii) placement of infants for adoption;
(b) in respect of the exercise by accredited bodies of their functions of placing infants, or making arrangements, for adoption of infants;
(c) to provide for matters related to—
(i) the grant or renewal of accreditation; or
(ii) the suspension or revocation of accreditation; and
(d) to provide for incidental and connected matters.
(Added 28 of 2004 s. 32)

33. Adoption to be effected under the Ordinance
(Amended 28 of 2004 s. 31)(1) After 31 December 1972, an adoption in Hong Kong may be effected only in accordance with this Ordinance.
(2) Subsection (1) shall not affect in any way the status or rights of a person adopted in Hong Kong under Chinese law and custom before 1 January 1973. (Amended 57 of 1995 s. 15)
(Replaced 28 of 1972 s. 2) Editorial Note:This section was originally section 25 but has been renumbered as section 33—see 28 of 2004 s. 31.

34. Transitional provisions for section 23A
(1) If a person has filed, before the commencement* of section 23A, a notice under section 5(7)(b) stating his intention to apply for an adoption order in respect of an infant, then section 23A shall not apply to any arrangement or placement for the infant’s adoption by the person.
(2) If an infant has been placed with a person for an adoption to be effected in a place outside the People’s Republic of China and the adoption has not yet been effected as at the commencement of section 23A, then that section shall not apply to any arrangement or placement for the infant’s adoption by the person.
(Added 28 of 2004 s. 33) Editorial Note:* Commencement date: 25 January 2006.