Document Notarization Services

In Singapore, notarization is performed by a government-appointed Notary Public to verify the authenticity of documents, declarations, or signatures. This ensures the document is legally recognized, especially for use abroad. Common notarized documents include powers of attorney, board resolutions, and declarations. Unlike China’s notary offices, Singapore notaries are mostly qualified lawyers. All notarized documents must go through legal certification (Legalization) to be valid. Singapore combines legal certification and Apostille processing into one, making notarized documents usable in over 100 Apostille countries worldwide.

An Apostille or embassy certification is required when using documents across borders to verify authenticity. Over 100 countries signed the Hague Convention to standardize document verification. Documents from member countries receive an Apostille. Documents for non-member countries require embassy consular certification to be legally recognized.

Secondary certification refers to notarization plus Apostille. Tertiary certification adds an embassy consular certification. Member countries usually require secondary certification; non-member countries require tertiary certification.

Government-issued documents can often go directly for Apostille (e.g., passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, company registration certificate, Bizfile, certificate of good standing). Other documents like powers of attorney, declarations, board resolutions, or bank statements require notarization before Apostille. If translations or multiple documents are combined, notarization is required first.

Documents being notarized can be in any language, as long as they meet the receiving authority’s requirements. Lervice issues notarization and Apostille certificates in English. If translation is required, we either notarize both original and translated documents together or translate the entire notarized document afterward, depending on your needs.

Generally, besides the document to be notarized, you need to provide proof of identity such as a passport or ID. For business documents, company registration certificates and director ID documents are also required. Government-issued documents eligible for direct Hague Apostille only need the original, no other supporting materials.

If all documents are true copies for notarization, they can be notarized and Apostilled together. However, if embassy certification is later needed, it depends on the embassy, as many do not allow combined notarizations.

In Singapore, notarized documents are issued only as originals. If you need multiple copies, each requires the same fee.

Notarized documents themselves have no set validity period. Organizations may request documents notarized within a certain timeframe, usually 6 months to 1 year. Some documents, like powers of attorney, can have a self-set validity period, e.g., valid for one year or until the matter is completed.

No. Singapore law requires all notarized documents to undergo both legal and Hague Apostille certification to be valid (in Singapore, legal and Apostille certification are combined).

Since the end of 2023, China has joined the Hague Convention. Notarized or Apostilled documents for use in China no longer require consular certification at the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, and the embassy does not provide this service. Some domestic offices may still follow old guidelines and request embassy certification. In such cases, you can provide the official notice from the Chinese Embassy in Singapore: Notice on the Suspension of Consular Certification Services After China Joins the Hague Convention