Section 6

This section applies to a maintenance order made, whether before or after 3 May 1976, by a court in a reciprocating country, including such an order made by such a court which has been confirmed by a court in another reciprocating country but excluding a provisional order which has not been confirmed.

Where a certified copy of an order to which this section applies is received by the Minister from the responsible authority in a reciprocating country, and it appears to the Minister that the payer under the order is residing in Singapore, the Minister must send the copy of the order to the prescribed officer of the appropriate court.

Where the prescribed officer of the appropriate court receives from the Minister a certified copy of an order to which this section applies, the prescribed officer must, subject to subsection (4), register the order in the prescribed manner in that court.

Before registering an order under this section, an officer of a court must take such steps as the officer thinks fit to ascertain whether the payer under the order is residing within the jurisdiction of the court, and if after taking those steps the officer is satisfied that the payer is not so residing, the officer must return the certified copy of the order to the Minister with a statement giving such information as the officer possesses as to the whereabouts of the payer.