Certified True Copy Services in Singapore

It depends on the wording of the office. Many Singapore offices accept a practising lawyer's certification; the Family Justice Courts do for probate. For anything going overseas, or when the instructions say "notarised", use a Notary Public, because only a notary's certificate can be authenticated by SAL. If you are unsure, send us the instructions and we will tell you.

A notarised certified true copy with the SAL step starts from S$187.20 per document. The notary's fees are set by law (S$75 for the certificate, S$10 for the first page, S$2 for each extra page) and SAL charges S$87.20. A SAL certified copy of a Singapore public document costs S$11.77 in SAL fees (S$10.70 + S$1.07). You get a fixed, itemised price within an hour.

On a notarised copy, yes, always. Since 1 October 2019, every Singapore notarial certificate must be authenticated by SAL, and since 16 September 2021 SAL does it with an apostille, whatever the destination. A notarised copy without it is treated as invalid. Countries outside the Apostille Convention, such as the UAE and Qatar, then need their embassy's stamp too.

Often, yes. A lawyer's copy can be quick. A notarised copy depends on the notary's diary and the SAL counter, which is open on weekdays from 9am to 4:30pm, so allow a few working days. An embassy step adds its own time. Message us on WhatsApp today with your deadline and we will tell you honestly whether it is possible.

Yes, the certifier must see the physical original; a scan, photo or copy of a copy cannot be certified. Photos are enough for the quote. You get your original back, usually the same day, plus a PDF of the full certified set for online uploads and the signed paper set. Courier for a small fee, or collect from our office.

A Notary Public (needed for use overseas), a practising lawyer (accepted by many Singapore offices), the office that issued the document (for example, a school for its own transcripts), SAL for a Singapore public document it legalises, and a Singapore embassy abroad. A commissioner for oaths takes oaths; certifying copies is not part of that role. You cannot certify your own copy.

Some people write "for visa application only" on their own photocopy so it cannot be reused for something else. That note does not make it a certified true copy. If the embassy or visa centre asks for a certified copy, a lawyer, a Notary Public or the issuing office must still sign it. Check whether the visa centre wants the copy notarised.

It depends on what the receiver checks. In a notarised translation set, one notarial certificate usually covers the copy of the original and the translation, so SAL authenticates the whole set. If the receiver wants the copy and the translation as separate papers, each needs its own notarial certificate and SAL fee. Ask the receiver; we price both options.

Yes. A notary can certify a copy of your passport or NRIC when you bring the original. Many Singapore organisations are not allowed to collect NRIC copies unless the law requires it, so a passport copy is often the better choice. Photos you send us for the quote are used only for your order.

Usually the easier route is a notary in your country, or the Singapore embassy or consulate, which can certify copies of your originals. If the receiver wants a Singapore notary, you can courier your original to us, and we return it by tracked courier after the notary and SAL steps. A scan alone cannot be certified.