How to Notarise and Apostille a Document in Singapore

Have the document notarised by a Singapore notary public, then take it to the Singapore Academy of Law at The Adelphi, 1 Coleman Street, which issues the apostille over the counter. The SAL fee is S$87.20 per document.

No. Malaysia is not a member of the Apostille Convention. After notarisation, SAL authenticates the document and you take it to the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore for legalisation.

Yes. China joined the Apostille Convention on 7 November 2023, so a Singapore notarised document with an SAL apostille no longer needs Chinese embassy legalisation.

Yes. The Apostille Convention entered into force for Vietnam on 11 September 2026, so an SAL apostille replaces Vietnamese embassy legalisation for most documents.

Not yet. Thailand joins the Apostille Convention on 28 February 2027. Until then, documents for Thailand need SAL authentication and legalisation at the Thai Embassy.

Commonly: powers of attorney, certified copies of passports and degree certificates, company documents such as business profiles and board resolutions, declarations, and consent letters for children travelling abroad.

Notarisation usually takes about 30 minutes. The SAL apostille is processed over the counter, so both can often be done on the same day. Embassy legalisation for non-Apostille countries can take several more days.

A typical single document costs about S$200: notary fees set by the Notaries Public Rules plus S$87.20 payable to SAL. Embassy legalisation fees are extra where needed.

Not always. SAL can legalise or apostille many Singapore government documents directly. A notary is needed if the receiving country wants a certified copy, or if SAL cannot verify the document.

No. The person signing must attend in person with their own ID. A representative can, however, take already-notarised documents to SAL for the apostille.

Yes. Foreigners can use a Singapore notary public with their passport as ID, for documents to be used in their home country or elsewhere.

For Apostille Convention countries, the apostille replaces legalisation. Check with the receiving party, but an SAL apostille is usually what they need.