Death Certificate Translation Services in Singapore
Need a death certificate translated for probate in Singapore? The Family Justice Courts need a document that is not in English to come with an English translation. That translation must be certified by a court interpreter or verified by an affidavit of a qualified translator. We give you both parts: the translation and the translator's affidavit, sworn before a commissioner for oaths. If a family member died overseas and you are reporting it to ICA, the translation must come from an embassy or a notary, so we notarise it. Banks and insurers usually accept a certified translation.
Quick answer: A certified death certificate translation starts from S$40 a page and takes 24 to 48 hours. For probate, add the translator's affidavit (usually a few working days). The ICA version (translation + notary + SAL) starts from S$202.20 for 1 page and takes 3 to 7 working days. Need it fast? Send a short document before 11am on a weekday for same-day translation. The affidavit, notary and SAL steps add working days.
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Certified, Translator's Affidavit or Notarised: Which Death Certificate Translation Do You Need?
Each office asks for a different level of translation. Pick the card that matches your office. Filing for probate or letters of administration? You need card 2. Reporting an overseas death to ICA? You need card 3.
1. Certified Translation
- Who signs it: Our professional translator, with a signed and dated statement of accuracy, name and contact details.
- Used for: Banks, insurers, CPF Board, employers and hospitals.
- Time: 24 to 48 hours.
- From: S$40 per page.
2. Translator's Affidavit
- Who signs it: Our translator, who swears an affidavit of accuracy before a commissioner for oaths.
- Used for: Grant of probate, letters of administration and other Family Justice Courts filings.
- Time: Usually a few working days.
- From: S$40 per page + affidavit fee.
3. Notarised Translation
- Who signs it: Our translator, then a Notary Public in Singapore.
- Used for: Reporting a death that happened overseas to ICA, and Singapore death certificates sent abroad.
- Extra step: SAL authenticates the notary's signature with an apostille. We arrange it, and the S$87.20 SAL fee is included.
- Time: 3 to 7 working days.
- From: S$202.20 per 1-page certificate (S$40 translation + S$75 notarial certificate + S$87.20 SAL).
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 will say yes. What ICA looks at is the route the translation took: an embassy, a notary, or a private translation that was notarised or attested later. So we do not sell you a promise. We build your file in the exact shape ICA asks for, and we tell you honestly when you do not need an extra step. Our ICA translation services page sets out the full rules in plain words.
We Translate Death Certificates From 200+ Languages
We translate the cause of death exactly as written, because insurers and courts need the original medical wording. We also translate burial and cremation permits, wills and family register pages in the same order. Thai, Malay and Chinese are the languages we see most for probate.
Also: Thai, Malay, Chinese
Rare languages cost a little more, so tell us the language and we will quote it straight away.
Using a Singapore Death Certificate Abroad
The same service works the other way. A Singapore death certificate is in English, but the family's home country may need it in its own language before it can close a record, pay a pension or pass on property.
Home-Country Records
Offices in China, Indonesia, India and the Philippines may need the translation to close the person's record there.
Pensions and Insurance Abroad
Overseas pension boards and insurers may ask for it before paying out or stopping a monthly payment.
Property and Inheritance
Land offices and family lawyers abroad may need it before property passes to the heirs.
Apostille or Embassy
We translate it, a notary signs it and SAL adds the apostille. Apostille countries accept this. The UAE and Qatar also need their embassy's stamp. Malaysia is not in the Convention, so we check what the Malaysian office needs first.
Sworn Translation
Singapore has no state-appointed sworn translators. When a foreign office asks for a "sworn" translation, it usually means a translator's affidavit of accuracy, sworn before a Notary Public in Singapore and then apostilled by SAL. Some embassies use their own list of translators, so we check with them first.
How to Get a Death Certificate Translated in 4 Steps, Even From Overseas
Four simple steps, from your scan to a set that is ready to file.
Send a clear scan
Send both sides of the certificate, every stamp and any permit or will you also need. Add a passport or NRIC page of the person who died so we can match the name.
Get a fixed price within an hour
We tell you which route your office needs (certified, affidavit or notarised) and how many sets to order. Several documents? Send them together for one bundled quote.
We translate and check
A professional translator translates every line, including the cause of death. A second linguist checks every name, date and registration number.
Affidavit or notary if needed
For probate, our translator swears the affidavit before a commissioner for oaths, and you get the signed affidavit with the translation attached, plus a PDF for your lawyer. For ICA or use abroad, the set goes to a Notary Public and then to SAL. You get a PDF of the full set (original copy, translation, notarial certificate, SAL certificate) plus the signed paper set. Certified translations come as a signed PDF, with a paper copy on request. Courier for a small fee, or collect from our office.
Why Families Trust Us With a Death Certificate
What you get with every death certificate we translate.
Real Human Translators
Every certificate is translated by a professional translator and checked by a second linguist. We do not upload your papers to public AI tools.
Exact Medical Wording
We keep the cause of death as written, and we mark unreadable words instead of guessing, so the court and insurer see the original meaning.
Affidavit and Notary Steps Handled Here
Our translator swears the probate affidavit. For ICA, we work with a partner Notary Public in Singapore and send the paper on to SAL. You do not have to queue anywhere yourself.
Honest Timelines
Certified translations take 24 to 48 hours. Probate affidavits usually take a few working days. Notarised ICA sets usually take 3 to 7 working days. If your date is too close, we tell you before you pay.
A Real Job: Malaysian Sijil Kematian From Johor Bahru Translated for a Probate File
A daughter in Singapore was applying for probate after her father died. His death certificate was a Malaysian Sijil Kematian from the JPN office in Johor Bahru: one page, two sides, two stamps and handwritten entries. The papers were going to the court, the bank and the insurer.
Death Certificate Translation
Original
One page, two sides, two stamps and handwritten entries, in Malay.
What the client needed
Daughter applying for probate in Singapore
- The cause of death was hard to read.
- Her father's name had no middle name in his Singapore records.
What we did
Four matching sets in one order
- We read both sides, both stamps and the handwritten entries.
- We kept the medical wording exactly as written.
- We added a translator's note matching the name to his passport.
- We added the registration number from the back of the page.
- We prepared four matching sets in one order.
How Much Does Death Certificate Translation Cost in Singapore?
Prices start from the figures below and depend on the number of pages, the language and the route your office needs. Most families need three to five sets. We give you a fixed, itemised price within an hour. Several documents? Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
For Probate: Translator's Affidavit
A few days+ affidavit fee, affidavit sworn before a commissioner for oaths
- For grant of probate and letters of administration
- Extra matching sets for banks and insurers
- Court abroad? Sworn before a notary and apostilled instead
Certified Translation
24-48 hrsStarting from
- For banks, insurers, CPF and employers
- Same-day: +S$20 a page if sent before 11am on a weekday (short documents)
- Signed PDF, paper copy on request
For ICA: Certified + Notarised
3-7 daysper 1-page certificate, notary + SAL included
- +S$40 for each extra page
- For an overseas death report or use abroad
- The notary and SAL steps still take a few working days.
Rare languages cost a little more. Tell us the language and we will quote it straight away.
What Families Say About Our Death Certificate Translation
Here is what families said after we translated a death certificate for them.
Real Client Experiences
Swipe to read more success stories
Helped With PR Filing
"For my immigration update, I had to submit a translated death certificate. I was afraid of mistakes. They checked all names and dates carefully. Everything was prepared neatly. The authority..."
Insurance Claim Assistance
"We needed the translated certificate for an insurance claim. It was a sensitive time for our family. The team handled the document with care. They confirmed all details before finalising...."
Support For CPF Matters
"After my mother passed away, we needed the translation for CPF submission. The service was clear and organised. They double checked spellings and dates. Everything was completed within the promised..."
Overseas Authority Acceptance
"Our family needed the translated document for overseas submission. I was concerned about format requirements. They prepared everything correctly and included certification. The foreign office accepted it without further request...."
Hospital Record Attachment
"The hospital required an English translation to attach with medical records. I emailed the document and received quick confirmation. The translation was clear and properly formatted. It was delivered within..."
Embassy Requirement Completed
"We had to submit the translated certificate to an embassy. Accuracy was very important. The team carefully reviewed all personal details. The final copy looked neat and official. The embassy..."
Family Settlement Purpose
"For family matters in Singapore, an English translation was required. The staff spoke politely and guided us step by step. They understood our situation. The document was completed on time..."
Urgent Same Day Help
"We needed the translation urgently for official filing. I requested same day service. They responded quickly and delivered within hours. The document was clear and properly certified. It helped us..."
Fixed Previous Rejection
"My earlier translation was rejected due to format issues. I approached this team for help. They reviewed everything carefully and corrected the layout. The new submission was accepted without delay...."
Clear Pricing And Process
"The cost was explained clearly from the beginning. I submitted the document online without visiting the office. The translation was completed within two days. The bank accepted it without problem...."
Other Papers You May Need After a Death
A death certificate rarely goes in alone. We run the set as one job, so every name is spelt the same way.
Helpful guides
Several Documents? One Bundled Quote
Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
Common Questions About Death Certificate Translation
Short, direct answers to the questions clients ask us most.
FAQ Group
Will the Probate Registry accept a certified translation, or do I need an affidavit?
You need more than a certified translation. Under the court rules, a document not in English must come with a translation certified by a court interpreter or verified by an affidavit of a qualified translator. We provide the translation and our translator's affidavit together. Your lawyer files them with the probate papers. Banks and insurers usually accept a certified translation.
How much does death certificate translation cost in Singapore?
Certified translation starts at S$40 a page. For probate, the translator's affidavit adds a fixed fee. The ICA version with notary and SAL starts at S$202.20 for a 1-page certificate, and each extra page adds S$40. Same-day translation adds S$20 a page. Send us the scan and you get a firm, itemised price within the hour.
What is a translator's affidavit, and who swears it?
It is a sworn statement by the translator that they are qualified and that the translation is true and accurate. Our translator swears it before a commissioner for oaths in Singapore, with the translation attached. You do not need to attend. For a court abroad, the translator swears it before a Notary Public instead, and SAL apostilles it.
My lawyer is filing in a few days. Can you still help?
The translation can be ready the same day if you send a short document before 11am on a weekday. The affidavit and any notary step depend on diaries and usually add a few working days. Message us on WhatsApp today with the filing date and we will tell you honestly whether it is possible.
Do I get a paper copy as well as the PDF? And do you need the original?
A clear scan is enough to start, and the original stays with your family. Affidavits and notarised sets are made on paper because they are signed in person. You also get a PDF for your lawyer or for upload. Certified translations come as a signed PDF, with a paper copy on request. If an office asks for a certified true copy of the original, we can arrange that too.
A family member died overseas. What does ICA need?
First, the foreign authority must register the death and issue a death certificate. You then report it to ICA online. ICA accepts a translation from that country's embassy or from a notary, in Singapore or abroad. ICA does not endorse private translation companies, so we notarise our translation. ICA charges no fee and usually processes it within three working days.
Can the court translate the death certificate for me?
Only for Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The courts' own interpreters translate these into English for court use, at S$45 a page, and need at least 4 weeks. For Thai, Japanese, Dutch and every other language, or when you cannot wait 4 weeks, use a private translator with a translator's affidavit. That is what we provide.
How many copies should I order?
Most families need three to five sets, because the court, each bank and each insurer may keep one. Ordering them together is cheaper than coming back later, and every set matches. Tell us which offices you are dealing with, and we will suggest how many certified and affidavit sets you need.
Do you translate the cause of death, permits and the will too?
Yes. We translate the cause of death exactly as written, because insurers and courts need the original medical wording. Burial and cremation permits, hospital papers and wills can go in the same order. A will for probate needs the same translator's affidavit as the death certificate.
We only have hospital papers from abroad. Is that enough?
Usually not. A hospital notice or a medical certificate of the cause of death is not the same as an official death certificate. ICA asks for the death certificate issued by the foreign authority, and most offices here want the same. Ask the hospital or the local registry how to register the death first. We can translate the hospital papers now and the certificate later.
Get Your Death Certificate Translation Done the Right Way
Send us a scan and tell us which office it is for. You get a fixed, itemised price within an hour and an honest answer on whether you need a certified translation, an affidavit or a notarised set.