FAQ
What are your operating hours?
Mondays - Fridays
9:00am to 4:30pm
Eves of Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year
9:00am to 12:30pm
Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays
Closed
Does SAL provide authentication and legalisation services?
From 16 September 2021, the Apostille Convention will come into operation. SAL will affix an Apostille Certificate on every document which requires authentication and legalisation.
A document intended for use in a country or territory which is a Contracting Party to the Apostille Convention will no longer need to be legalised at the respective foreign consulate. Instead, members of the public can proceed to submit the document directly to the overseas recipient after the document has been legalised by SAL.
Those sending documents to non-Convention countries and territories will still require further legalisation through the relevant foreign missions in Singapore.
For more information on the Apostille Convention, please click here.
Do I need to make an appointment before coming to SAL for authentication services?
An appointment is not required. After notarisation of your documents, please proceed to the SAL Counter during the operating hours and present the notarised document for SAL’s authentication, where SAL will affix an Apostille on your document.
Will SAL still issue an Authentication Certificate after 16 Sep 2021?
From 16 Sep 2021, the Legalisation process will be streamlined. SAL will affix Apostilles for ALL documents irrespective of which country the document is destined to be used.
When the notarised document is presented at the SAL counter an Apostille will be issued in place of the Authentication Certificate and Legalisation stamp. The notarised document is deemed as authenticated and legalised by SAL. This will cut down on processing/waiting time for each document.
What are the documents that I need to submit to Singapore Academy of Law for authentication?
For notarised documents, we will require only the Notarial Certificate issued by the Notary Public and the documents attached to this certificate. Documents not accompanied by a Notarial Certificate will not be accepted. With effect from 1 Oct 2019, all documents that require notarisation by a Notary Public in Singapore will have to be authenticated by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL).
Why is there a need for Notarisation and Authentication?
The notarisation of a document by the notary public is but one step in the whole chain of authentication towards legalisation of documents for use abroad.
Authentication of the signature of the notary public by SAL is also part of the legalisation process. At SAL, an officer appointed by the Senate will verify the authority (stamp of appointment) and signature of the Singapore notary public as stated in Notaries Public Rules and ensure that the notarised document is in compliance with the Notaries Public Rules.
With effect from 16 September 2021, a Notarial Certificate shall be deemed to be validly authenticated by the affixing of an Apostille to the back of the Notarial Certificate.
Is it mandatory to notarise ALL private documents (non-government issued) for use overseas?
Legalisation is not compulsory and the need for notarisation is determined entirely by the party receiving the documents. SAL is unable to advise what is or is not acceptable by a foreign recipient overseas.
There is no need for notarisation if parties to the transaction can mutually agree to dispense with it. However, if notarisation is desired, then these documents must be authenticated by SAL.
If a private document requires legalisation, please be advised that SAL is unable to legalise a private document that has not been notarised.
Is a notarised document without an SAL authentication certificate/Apostille valid for use overseas if the receiving authority does not require an Authentication Certificate/Apostille?
A notarised document without an authentication certificate/Apostille is INVALID for use overseas.
Mandating authentication will ensure that all notarised documents originate from properly appointed notaries and are in compliance with the Notaries Public Rules. It will also bring about greater certainty and standardisation of the legalisation process.
What is the processing time for the authentication of the signature of a Notary Public?
The processing time will depend on the number of documents being submitted for Authentication. The documents will be processed on-the-spot, over the counter.
What is the fee for authenticating the signature of a Notary Public?
When you request for your document to be notarised, please make the following payments upfront at the Notary Public’s office to enable the transaction to proceed:
- Notarisation Fee to the Notary Public; and
- Authentication Fee of $87.20 (incl of GST) to the Singapore Academy of Law.
Do I need to submit the documents for authentication in person?
No. A representative may submit the document for authentication on your behalf.
Can I leave my documents with SAL to be processed and collect them at a later time or date?
No. The documents will be processed on-the-spot, over the counter and will be handed back to you immediately after processing.
How can I verify the authenticity of the notarised and authenticated documents?
Any recipient of the system-generated notarised document will be able to search and verify the authenticity of the notarised documents via a search register at https://legalisation.sal.sg/.
Am I allowed to bundle multiple documents together with one Notarial Certificate?
Subject to the requirements of the embassy and recipient country, bundling is allowed only for Certified True Copies, i.e. more than one document (i.e. Certified True Copy) can be bundled with one notary certificate.
Can I submit my documents to SAL or to any embassy without binding the documents in the SAL prescribed format?
No. A Notarial Certificate must be issued for ALL documents notarised by a Notary Public and be bound by a Red Ribbon in the SAL prescribed format. This is mandatory regardless of any embassy requirement. A notarised document that does not conform to the prescribed format is invalid.
Can a notary public issue one single notarial certificate for multiple documents?
Rule 8 of the Notaries Public Rules (Cap 208, R1) states that it is mandatory for all notaries public to issue a Notarial Certificate for each document attested by the notary public. For multiple copies of the same document, a separate Notarial Certificate is required for each copy. The only exception applies for Certified True Copies.
When did SAL take over the Legalisation function from MFA?
Since 20 January 2021, the legalisation function of outgoing public documents issued in Singapore and intended for use in States with legalisation requirements has been transferred from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL).
Does SAL provide authentication and legalisation services?
From 16 September 2021, the Apostille Convention will come into operation. SAL will affix an Apostille Certificate on every document which requires authentication and legalisation.
A document intended for use in a country or territory which is a Contracting Party to the Apostille Convention will no longer need to be legalised at the respective foreign consulate. Instead, members of the public can proceed to submit the document directly to the overseas recipient after the document has been legalised by SAL.
Those sending documents to non-Convention countries and territories will still require further legalisation through the relevant foreign missions in Singapore.
For more information on the Apostille Convention, please click here.
Where can I legalise my documents?
SAL is located at 1 Coleman Street, #08-06 The Adelphi, Singapore 179803.
Counter opening hours are from 9:00am to 4:30pm. The counter will be closed on weekends and public holidays.
SAL will only be able to Legalise the document if it is physically handed to us in person, over the counter at the SAL office.
Do I need to make an appointment before coming to SAL for legalisation services?
An appointment is not required. After submitting an online request for legalisation, please proceed to the SAL Counter during the operating hours and present the e-mail confirmation and invoice, together with your documents for legalisation, at the SAL Office. Alternatively, you may flash the QR code on the Invoice.
Can I appoint a proxy to carry out the Legalisation on my behalf?
Yes, you may appoint a proxy to complete the Legalisation on your behalf. No authorisation letter is required. The proxy will be required to present the document physically at the SAL office for Legalisation.
How much does it cost?
A Legalisation Fee of S$10.70 (including GST) is chargeable for each document legalised. Payment by Visa or MasterCard will have to be made online at https://legalisation.sal.sg/ .
For requests for legalisation of Certified True Copies, a photocopying fee of $1.07 is payable for every Certified True Copy legalised (regardless of the number of pages). This is a flat fee. Please present original documents at the SAL counter for photocopies to be made by SAL counter staff.
Legalisation fees will be WAIVED for all notarised documents. Please inform your Notary Public that you require your documents to be legalised after notarisation
How do I legalise a government document?
Certified True Copy
Please submit the original documents (e.g. Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, etc.) at the SAL counter for photocopies to be made by SAL counter staff. A photocopying fee of $1.07 per document (regardless of the number of pages) is payable to legalise a photocopy of the original document.
Please submit the original documents (e.g. Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, etc.) at the SAL counter for photocopies to be made by SAL counter staff. A photocopying fee of $1.07 per document (regardless of the number of pages) is payable to legalise a photocopy of the original document.
Certified True Document
We will directly legalise original documents issued by the Singapore Government (e.g. Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, etc.).
We will directly legalise original documents issued by the Singapore Government (e.g. Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, etc.).
Note:
To Certify True Document, we cannot affix our legalisation stamp on laminated documents. If you need to legalise an original document that has been laminated, please request the issuing agency to
To Certify True Document, we cannot affix our legalisation stamp on laminated documents. If you need to legalise an original document that has been laminated, please request the issuing agency to
- issue a certified true copy for legalisation (SAL will then legalise the document by Certifying True Copy); or
- issue an extract of the original document for legalisation (SAL will then legalise the document by Certifying True Document);
Certified True Signature
We will be able to Certify True Signature on a document if SAL has a record of the specimen of the agency officer’s signature. The document presented to SAL must be original with a wet ink stamp and wet ink signature.
We will be able to Certify True Signature on a document if SAL has a record of the specimen of the agency officer’s signature. The document presented to SAL must be original with a wet ink stamp and wet ink signature.
Note:
We may be unable to Certify True Signature on a document if SAL does not have a record of the specimen of the agency officer’s signature. In such circumstances, a Certified True Copy or a Certified True Document will be provided by the SAL officer in place of a Certified True Signature.
We may be unable to Certify True Signature on a document if SAL does not have a record of the specimen of the agency officer’s signature. In such circumstances, a Certified True Copy or a Certified True Document will be provided by the SAL officer in place of a Certified True Signature.
How do I legalise a government document that is issued digitally?
For documents issued digitally, you are required to print out the document and present it at the SAL counter.
- SAL will verify your printed copy against the digital copy using the QR code that is on your Singapore issued document.
- If there is no QR code on the Singapore issued document, you will be required to login to the issuing government agency's portal with your Singpass account for SAL to verify the printed copy against the digital copy.
- If you are unable to provide the digital copy from the original source/issued government agency, you will be required to get the issuing government agency to certify/endorse (e.g. wet ink stamp) on each and every page of your printed document before SAL may legalise the document.
- If the issuing government agency no longer issues wet ink stamps, then SAL will require an e-mail directly (forwarded e-mails are not acceptable) from the issuing government agency to SAL confirming that the document (to be attached to the e-mail) was issued by the agency. Alternatively, you may send an e-mail to the government agency requesting their confirmation and cc [email protected] in the same e-mail.
How do I legalise a non-government document?
We can only legalise non-government documents after they have been referred to a Notary Public (any law firm offering notarial services) for notarisation and then to SAL for certification. You may refer to https://legalisation.sal.sg/ for more information.
How do I legalise commercial documents?
We can legalise commercial documents such as Invoices, Bills of Sales, Certificates of Origin, Fumigation certificates, etc. after they have been certified or seen by any of the following Chambers of Commerce
- Singapore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI)
- Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI)
- Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI)
- Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC)
- Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI)
- Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF)
What type of educational certificates are considered to be government documents and will be legalised by SAL?
We can legalise educational certificates and letters issued by mainstream primary or secondary schools and Junior Colleges (JCs) if they are printed on Ministry of Education’s (MOE) letterhead. Certificates or letters which are not printed on MOE letterhead will require the certification or stamp of MOE before we are able to legalise the document.
Certificates from the following local universities/institutions may be directly legalised by SAL:
- Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
- National University of Singapore (NUS)
- Singapore Management University (SMU)
- Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)
- Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
- Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
- Polytechnics
- Institute of Technical Education (ITE)
- National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC)
Certificates issue by SIM University (UniSIM) would require certification from SUSS before we are able to legalise the document. If SUSS is unable to certify, the certificate will be required to be presented to a Notary Public to be notarised before submitting to SAL.
Pre-school certificates would require certification from the Early Childhood Development (ECDA) before we are able to legalise the document.
I have a public document that was legalised by MFA. Can this still be used?
Yes, all documents legalised by MFA up to 19 January 2021 can still be used.
Will I still need to go to MFA after SAL legalises my public document?
Since 20 January 2021, the legalisation function of outgoing public documents issued in Singapore and intended for use in States with legalisation requirements has been transferred from MFA to SAL. You no longer need to go to MFA for further legalisation of your public document.
Will public documents legalised by SAL be accepted overseas?
Since 20 January 2021, SAL is the sole agency authorised to legalise Singapore public documents for use overseas. You should be able to use your SAL-legalised public documents overseas.
With the coming into force of the Apostille Convention on 16 September 2021, SAL has been designated Singapore’s Competent Authority responsible for authenticating the origin of official documents by virtue of the Apostille Act.
What is an e-Apostille?
An e-Apostille is an apostille that is issued in digital form. Like the paper apostille, it authenticates the origin of a public document that will be used abroad.
The e-Apostille is verifiable at https://legalisation.sal.sg/
What types of documents are eligible for the e-Apostille service?
The e-Apostille service is currently only available for the following Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority documents:
- Business Profiles
- Business Certificates (Incorporation/Registration)
The documents must be in Open Attestation format (OA) and issued from 4 March 2023 onwards.
What is the fee for the e-Apostille for an Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority Business Profile or Business Certificate (Incorporation/Registration)?
The fee chargeable is S$10.70 per e-Apostille.
Please note that fees paid are not refundable.
Will the overseas recipient accept my e-Apostille, and what should I take note of when applying for the e-Apostille service?
Before using the e-Apostille service, please ensure that the recipient agrees to accept the e-Apostille for the intended purpose.
Please also ensure that the email provided during the request process is accurate, as an email containing the e-Apostille link will be sent to the email provided. Please note that fees paid are not refundable.
Do I need to visit your office to legalise this document?
No, you can complete this process remotely from any location of your choice.
How do I request an e-Apostille for an Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) document?
Simply upload the Open Attestation format (OA) issued by ACRA to the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) website.
Can I request for an e-Apostille at the Singapore Academy of Law office?
No, the e-Apostille service is currently an online service.
I have an Apostille certificate issued by Singapore Academy of Law. Can I convert it to an e-Apostille?
No, you will need to submit a request for an e-Apostille.
Can I request a single e-Apostille to be issued for multiple documents purchased on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) website?
No, a single e-Apostille is issued for each Open Attestation format (OA) document purchased on the ACRA website.
Please note that the following ACRA documents are accepted:
- Business Profiles
- Business Certificates (Incorporation/Registration)
The documents must be in Open Attestation format (OA) and issued from 4 March 2023 onwards.
How do I obtain the Open Attestation format of the following Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) documents:
- Business Profiles
- Business Certificates (Incorporation/Registration)
You may purchase the Open Attestation format of ACRA Business Profiles and Business Certificates (Incorporation/Registration) via the ACRA website (https://www.acra.gov.sg/). Please note that the Open Attestation format must be issued from 4 March 2023 onwards.
How does the recipient verify the e-Apostille?
A recipient can verify SAL's e-Apostille at https://legalisation.sal.sg/
Does Singapore Academy of Law provide the services of a Notary Public?
Singapore Academy of Law is the statutory body that appoints Notaries Public and Commissioners for Oaths who practise in Singapore. Singapore Academy of Law provides authentication services for the signatures of Notaries Public and does not provide notarial services. You are required to contact a Notary Public directly if you would like your documents notarised. Click here for a list of Notaries Public in Singapore.
What are the documents needed for notarisation?
Please check with a Notary Public directly. Click here for a list of Notaries Public.
What should be stated on a Notarial Certificate?
Please check with a Notary Public directly. Click here for a list of Notaries Public.
What are the fees charged by a Notary Public?
The information on fees charged by a Notary Public can be found in the fees schedule in the Notaries Public rules. Alternatively, please check with a Notary Public directly. Click here for a list of Notaries Public.
Does Singapore Academy of Law provide the services of a Commissioner for Oaths?
Singapore Academy of Law is the statutory body that appoints Notaries Public and Commissioners for Oaths who practise in Singapore. Singapore Academy of Law provides authentication services for the signatures of Notaries Public and does not provide commissioning services. Click here for a list of Commissioners for Oaths in Singapore.
What are the documents needed for commissioning?
Please check with a Commissioner for Oaths directly. Click here for a list of Commissioners for Oaths.
What are the fees charged by a Commissioner for Oaths?
The information on fees charged by a Commissioner for Oaths can be found in the fees schedule in the Commissioners for Oaths rules. Alternatively, please check with a Commissioner for Oaths directly. Click here for a list of Commissioners for Oaths.
What is the procedure for making a statutory declaration?
Please contact a Commissioner for Oaths or Notary Public on the procedure for making a statutory declaration. Click here for a list of Commissioners for Oaths and Notaries Public.
How can I request for a Certificate of Clearance (COC)?
You may refer to https://eservices.police.gov.sg/content/policehubhome/homepage/certificate-of-clearance-hub.html for information on the issuance of Certificate of Clearance (COC).
Alternatively, you may contact the Criminal Records Office at:
Tel : +65 6435 8277 (between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Singapore time (GMT+8), from Mondays to Fridays, excluding Public Holidays)
Email : [email protected]
An alternative for non Singapore Citizens (Singapore Permanent Residents & Foreign Nationals) would be for the applicant to make a Statutory Declaration in the presence of a Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary Public. Please contact a Commissioner for Oaths or Notary Public on the procedure for making a Statutory Declaration. Click here for a list of Commissioners for Oaths and Notaries Public.
For documents to be used abroad, please ascertain with the person/authority that requires the documents (the end-user), on whether the Statutory Declaration is to be made in the presence of a Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary Public, and whether a Statutory Declaration will be accepted in place of Certificate of Clearance.
If you are not currently in Singapore, we would suggest that you check with a Commissioner for Oaths or a lawyer in the country that you are currently residing in, on the procedure for making a Statutory Declaration there.