Apostille Services Singapore — SAL Certified

An apostille is a certificate issued by the Singapore Academy of Law under the Hague Convention that makes your Singapore document legally recognised in 129 member countries. Notarisation is a separate step — a Notary Public verifies your identity and witnesses your signature. For private documents, notarisation must happen first. SAL then adds the apostille on top. For government documents like ICA certificates and ACRA profiles, SAL apostilles them directly — no Notary needed.

As of April 2026, the Hague Apostille Convention has 129 member countries. This includes USA, UK, Australia, Canada, India, most of Europe, and — importantly for Singapore businesses — China (joined March 2024) and Vietnam (joined 2026). Documents apostilled by SAL are accepted in all 129 countries without any additional embassy legalisation. Countries that are not Hague members — like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar — still need embassy legalisation after the SAL apostille.

For government documents going directly to SAL, the apostille fee is S$10.70 per document including 9% GST. For private documents needing a Notary Public first, the total base cost is S$202.20 — made up of S$40 Notary witnessing fee, S$75 Notarial Certificate fee, and S$87.20 SAL apostille fee. These are all statutory rates regulated by the Singapore Academy of Law. Our service charge is added on top and told to you upfront before any work begins.

No. SAL allows proxy submission. You do not need to be personally present. No authorisation letter is required. We act as your proxy and submit your documents to SAL on your behalf. We collect the apostilled document and pass it to you. Particularly useful for clients based overseas or who cannot visit the SAL office during counter hours of 9am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday.

The SAL apostille certificate itself does not carry an expiry date. However, the foreign government, bank, or institution receiving your document may have its own rules. Some countries ask for apostilles issued within the last 3 to 6 months. Others accept older apostilles. Always confirm the recipient's requirements before commissioning the apostille work. We can advise you on this for free before you start.

No. SAL cannot affix the apostille stamp to a laminated document. You need to request a certified copy or extract from the original issuing agency — ICA for birth certificates, or the relevant educational institution for degree certificates. Once you have the un-laminated certified copy, it can go through the normal SAL apostille process. Contact us and we will advise you on who to approach for a replacement copy.

The SAL apostille process does not require translation first — it apostilles the document in its original language. However, the country receiving your document may require an English translation alongside the apostilled original. We provide certified translation in over 200 languages and can handle both the apostille and the translation together.

The digital e-Apostille is an electronic apostille certificate issued by SAL through their online Legalisation Portal — launched in 2025. Currently covers ACRA documents in Open Attestation format issued from 4 March 2023 onwards. Upload online and receive the e-Apostille by email in minutes. Cost is S$10.70 including GST. Always confirm the recipient accepts e-Apostille before applying — SAL does not issue refunds if rejected.

China joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 7 November 2023, entering into force on 7 March 2024. Previously, documents going to China needed a separate embassy legalisation step after SAL. Now, a standard SAL apostille is sufficient for most documents going to mainland China. However, specific Chinese authorities may still have their own requirements — always confirm with the receiving party in China first. Hong Kong and Macau have different rules and still require separate legalisation.