Notarised Translation Services in Singapore
A notarised translation is a translation whose translator's signed declaration is certified by a Notary Public in Singapore. Every Singapore notarial certificate must then be authenticated by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL), or it is not valid. Since 16 September 2021, SAL does this with an apostille. ICA accepts this route for PR, citizenship and LTVP files. A company stamp alone is not enough. We handle all three steps for you.
Quick answer: A notarised translation starts from S$202.20 for a 1-page document, notary and SAL included. Each extra page adds S$40. It usually takes 3 to 7 working days. The order is always: translation, Notary Public, then SAL. Only non-Apostille countries, such as the UAE, add an embassy stamp. Same-day translation is possible for short documents sent before 11am on a weekday. The notary and SAL steps add working days.
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Certified, Notarised + SAL, or Plus an Embassy Stamp: Which Notarised Translation Do You Need?
The office that receives your paper decides the level of proof. Filing with ICA? You need card 2. Sending it to a non-Apostille country? You need card 3, which starts with card 2. Not sure? Send us the office's checklist and we will tell you.
1. Certified Translation
- Who signs it: Our translator and our company, with a signed and dated statement that the English is complete and correct.
- Used for: MOM work pass files, schools, banks, insurers and employers that do not ask for a notary.
- Time: 24 to 48 hours.
- From: S$40 per page.
2. Notarised + SAL (most ICA files)
- Who signs it: Our translator signs a declaration, a Notary Public certifies it, and SAL authenticates the notary with an apostille.
- Used for: ICA PR, citizenship, LTVP and Student's Pass files, and papers for Apostille countries such as China, India and the UK.
- Time: 3 to 7 working days.
- From: S$202.20 for a 1-page document (S$40 + S$75 + S$87.20).
3. Embassy Legalisation (non-Apostille countries)
- Who signs it: The Notary Public, then SAL, then the embassy of the country where the paper will be used.
- Used for: Countries outside the Apostille Convention, such as the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia and Myanmar.
- Time: 3 to 7 working days, plus the embassy's own time.
- From: Notarised price + embassy fee, quoted on request.
One thing we will always tell you straight
ICA does not endorse any private translation company. No company in Singapore can promise you that ICA, or any embassy, will say yes. What the officer looks at is the route the translation took: an embassy, a notary, or a private translation that was notarised or attested later. A company stamp on its own is not one of those routes. And a Notary Public certifies the translator's signed declaration, not the language itself, so the quality still rests on the translator. So we do not sell you a promise. We build your set in the exact shape the office asks for, and we tell you honestly when you do not need an extra step. Our ICA translation services page sets out the full ICA rules in plain words.
Notarised Translation From and Into 200+ Languages
Most notarised sets we prepare are translated into English from Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Malay, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Hindi and Arabic, and from French, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Russian, Turkish and even Latin university diplomas.
Also: Hungarian, Latin university diplomas, and English into Spanish, French, Russian, Thai or Turkish for an embassy or an office abroad
We also translate INTO other languages and notarise the result. Every stamp, seal and handwritten note is translated, because the notary set must match the original page for page. Rare languages cost more and can take longer, so tell us the language and we give you the real price and date first.
Notary Public Translation: Documents We Translate and Notarise
Each document has its own page with its own rules. These are the ones we notarise most often.
Civil Records
Birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates, death certificates and name change papers.
Legal and Company Papers
Powers of attorney, contracts, leases, ACRA documents, constitutions and board resolutions.
Good to Know
SAL only authenticates Singapore notarial certificates and Singapore public documents. It cannot apostille a foreign original, such as an Indian birth certificate. If the office abroad wants the original itself apostilled, that must be done in the country that issued it, before we translate.
Notarised Translation Steps in the Right Order: Translation, Notary, SAL, Then Embassy
Many people pay twice because they do the steps in the wrong order. This is the order that works. Order check: Translate first; the notary certifies a finished translation, not a draft. SAL comes after the notary; a notarised paper without SAL is not valid. The embassy comes last, and only for non-Apostille countries. A foreign original that must be apostilled is done in its own country, first.
Send clear scans and the office's checklist
Shoot every page flat, including the back and every stamp. Add your passport page so we can match names. Tell us the office and the country. Your original stays with you.
Get a fixed, itemised price within an hour
We list each step: translation, notary, SAL, any embassy fee and courier. We tell you if you need only a certified translation, and we say so before you pay.
Translation and second check
A human translator does the work. A second person checks every name, number, date and seal against your passport. Our translator then signs the declaration for the notary.
Notary, then SAL, then delivery
The Notary Public certifies the set and SAL adds the apostille. For a non-Apostille country, the set then goes to that embassy. You get a PDF of the full set (original copy, translation, notarial certificate, SAL certificate) for upload, plus the signed paper set. Courier for a small fee, or collect from our office.
Notarized Translation Singapore for Overseas Clients: No Travel Needed
Many of our clients live abroad or work long hours. You do not need to meet the notary or queue at SAL.
No Travel Needed
Send scans from anywhere. We work with a partner Notary Public in Singapore and take the set to SAL. We courier the paper set to you, in Singapore or abroad.
Your Passport Is Handled With Care
Your files are used only for your job and seen only by the people working on it. Ask us, and we delete them after delivery.
Names Match Your Passport
Officers compare every name and date with your passport. We follow the passport spelling and add a translator's note where papers differ.
Honest Timelines
Certified translation takes 24 to 48 hours. With the notary and SAL steps, the whole job usually takes 3 to 7 working days. If your date is too close, we tell you before you pay.
A Typical Job: Thai Birth Certificate Translated and Notarised for an ICA File
This is how a typical notarised job runs. A client sent us a 1-page Thai birth certificate (สูติบัตร) through this page. It was for an ICA file, and they ticked "notarisation". ICA does not take a company-stamped translation on its own, so we quoted the full route.
Notarised Birth Certificate Translation
Original
A 1-page Thai birth certificate (สูติบัตร), for an ICA file.
What the client needed
Client filing a Thai birth certificate with ICA
- ICA does not take a company-stamped translation on its own.
- The child's and parents' names had to match their passports.
What we did
One itemised quote, all steps in one order
- We translated the Thai birth certificate into English.
- Our translator signed the declaration.
- We matched the child's and parents' names to their passports.
- The Notary Public's certificate and the SAL apostille were added.
- The client received one PDF of the full set for the ICA upload, plus the signed paper set.
Notarised Translation Cost in Singapore: Itemised Fees for Translation, Notary, SAL, Embassy and Courier
You get a fixed, itemised price before we start. Several documents? Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
Notarised + SAL (for ICA)
3-7 daysStarting from, 1-page document, notary + SAL included
- Includes the notary fee (S$75) and the SAL fee (S$87.20)
- +S$40 for each extra page
- PDF of the full set for upload, plus the paper set
Certified Translation
24-48 hrsStarting from
- Translator's signed statement and company details
- For MOM, schools, banks and employers
- Signed PDF, paper copy on request
Urgent
Same day*Extra charge
- *Same-day translation if sent before 11am on a weekday (short documents)
- The notary, SAL and embassy steps still take working days
Itemised example 1 (ICA, 3 documents): A PR file with 3 one-page documents, on our standard basis of one notarial certificate and one SAL apostille per document. Translation: 3 × S$40 = S$120. Notarial certificates: 3 × S$75 = S$225. SAL: 3 × S$87.20 = S$261.60. Total: S$606.60, in 3 to 7 working days. Courier is a small extra fee. Itemised example 2 (non-Apostille country): A 2-page Chinese document translated into English for the Malaysian High Commission. Translation: 2 × S$40 = S$80. Notarial certificate: S$75. SAL: S$87.20. Subtotal: S$242.20. Malaysian High Commission legalisation: the mission's own fee, quoted on request. Courier: small fee. Notary extras: Some notaries also charge for the translator's declaration (S$40), each exhibit (S$10) and GST. Our "from" price assumes these are included. Your quote always shows the final figure. Rare languages: Chinese, Malay, Indonesian and Thai are standard languages for us. Rare languages, such as Latin or Hungarian, and translation into non-English languages may cost more, so we quote them first.
What Clients Say
Here is what clients said after we translated their documents.
Real Client Experiences
Swipe to read more success stories
Arabic Affidavit Accepted by UAE Embassy
"Finally, my Arabic affidavit was ready in English with notarized translation for submission to the UAE Embassy in Singapore. The team checked every detail carefully. Embassy officers accepted it immediately...."
Chinese Statutory Declaration for MFA
"Recently, I had a Chinese statutory declaration that needed English translation for MFA legalisation in Singapore. The notarized translation was precise, and MFA processed it without any queries. Using this..."
Russian Power of Attorney for Court Filing
"Yesterday, I submitted a Russian Power of Attorney to a Singapore court. They required an English notarized translation. The service team translated and notarised it properly. The court accepted it..."
Japanese Marriage Certificate for ICA
"Today, my Japanese marriage certificate needed English translation for ICA record update. The notarized translation carried the correct seal. ICA staff accepted it immediately. I felt relieved because my spouse..."
German Birth Certificate for PR Application
"Last week, ICA asked for my German birth certificate in English. The team prepared a notarized translation that met Singapore authority requirements. ICA accepted it without additional checks. It made..."
French Divorce Certificate for Embassy
"Recently, I needed my French divorce certificate translated into English and notarized for embassy submission in Singapore. The notarized translation was accurate, and the embassy processed it immediately. I did..."
Malay Declaration for Court Submission
"Last month, my Malay statutory declaration had to be submitted to a Singapore court. They required an English notarized translation. The service delivered it promptly. The court accepted the document..."
Indonesian Agreement for MFA
"I needed an Indonesian contract translated into English with notarization for MFA authentication in Singapore. The notarized translation met all requirements. MFA accepted it without further review. It made my..."
Tamil Academic Certificate for Embassy
"A Tamil education certificate needed notarized English translation for submission to the Singapore embassy. The team prepared it correctly. Officers accepted it at once, allowing my student visa application to..."
Arabic Commercial Document for Court Filing
"Our company's Arabic trade document required an English notarized translation before submitting to Singapore court. The translation was precise, and court officers approved it immediately. This saved our case from..."
Other Services You May Need With a Notarised Translation
A notarised set often needs one more step. We run it as one job, so every name is spelt the same way on every page.
Helpful guides
Several Documents? One Bundled Quote
Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
Common Questions About Notarised Translation
Short, direct answers to the questions clients ask us most.
FAQ Group
Does ICA accept a certified translation, or must it be notarised?
For PR, citizenship and LTVP, it must be more than certified. ICA accepts an embassy translation, a notary's translation (in Singapore or the issuing country), or a private translation that is notarised or embassy-attested. A company stamp alone is not enough. ICA does not endorse any private translation company. Our notarised set follows the notary route, with SAL included.
How much does a notarised translation cost in Singapore?
From S$202.20 for a 1-page document: S$40 translation, S$75 notarial certificate and S$87.20 SAL. Each extra page adds S$40. Same-day translation adds S$20 a page. An embassy fee and courier are extra when needed. Send all your papers together and you get one fixed, itemised quote within an hour.
What is SAL, and do I need it?
Yes, for every Singapore notarisation. SAL is the Singapore Academy of Law. It authenticates the Notary Public's signature, and since 16 September 2021 it does this with an apostille. A notarised paper without SAL is not valid. For ICA, nothing more is needed. The S$87.20 SAL fee is already in our price. A digital e-Apostille is possible on request, at the same fee.
My ICA or visa date is in a few days. Can you still help?
Often, yes. A short document sent before 11am on a weekday can be translated the same day. The notary and SAL steps depend on their diaries and usually add a few working days, and SAL's counter is open on weekdays only. Message us on WhatsApp with your deadline, and we will tell you honestly whether it is possible.
Do I get a PDF or paper? And do you need my original?
Both. A clear scan is enough to start, and your original stays with you. The notary signs a paper set, which we courier to you or you collect. You also get a PDF of the full set (original copy, translation, notarial certificate, SAL certificate) to upload. If the office wants a certified true copy of the original too, we arrange it.
Do I need notarisation before an apostille?
For a translation, yes. SAL only apostilles Singapore public documents and Singapore notarial certificates. A translation is a private document, so a Notary Public must certify it first, and then SAL adds the apostille. A Singapore public document, such as a ROM marriage certificate, can go to SAL without a notary (SAL fee S$10.70), but its translation still needs one.
Should the apostille go on the copy, the translation or both?
In Singapore, SAL's apostille goes on the notarial certificate, which is usually bound to the copy of your original and the translation. So one apostille usually covers the whole set. If the office abroad wants the foreign original itself apostilled, that must be done in the country that issued it. Check the office's checklist, and we will build the set to match.
Is the UAE a Hague (Apostille) country?
No. The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia and Myanmar are not in the Apostille Convention. After the notary and SAL, the set also needs that country's embassy stamp in Singapore. Saudi Arabia, China, India and Vietnam are members, so SAL's apostille is enough there. Thailand joins on 28 February 2027.
I already have a translation, or used Google Translate. Can you just notarise it?
Not as it is. The notary certifies a translator's signed declaration, so a qualified translator must check the text and stand behind it. ICA also wants an official translation, not a self-made or machine one. Send us your version: if it is sound, we review it, correct it and our translator signs it. If not, we translate it again.
My notarised translation or legalisation was rejected. What now?
Send us the rejection note and the set you used. Common causes are a company stamp with no notary, a name that does not match the passport, a missing back page, steps done in the wrong order, or a missing embassy stamp for a non-Apostille country. We tell you which step to redo, and we redo only that step where we can.
Get Your Notarised Translation Done in the Right Order
Send scans of your papers, tell us the office and the country, and get a fixed, itemised price within an hour.