Since 16 September 2021 one stamp does it all: the Singapore Academy of Law affixes an apostille on every document it legalises — but private documents must see a Notary Public first.
Overview
Singapore acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention with effect from 16 September 2021, and the designated competent authority is not a ministry but the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL), through its legalisation service at 1 Coleman Street, The Adelphi. Since accession, SAL affixes an Apostille Certificate on every document it legalises — there is no separate 'apostille vs legalisation' choice on the Singapore side. Public (government-issued) documents such as birth, marriage and court documents are legalised directly; private documents must first be notarised by a Notary Public at a Singapore law firm, whose Notarial Certificate is issued only on payment of a S$87.20 authentication fee to SAL — after which SAL's legalisation fee is waived. Commercial documents (invoices, certificates of origin) route through one of six recognised Chambers of Commerce instead. Foreign documents headed the other way — into ICA or MOM applications — must be authenticated in their country of origin, and ICA applies its own strict translation rules. Verified against legalisation.sal.sg, ica.gov.sg and mom.gov.sg as of June 2026.
Who Stamps What — The SAL Apostille
- Competent authority: the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) issues apostilles for Singapore documents. Its legalisation counter is at 1 Coleman Street, #08-06 The Adelphi, Singapore 179803, open 9:00am–4:30pm on weekdays (closed weekends and public holidays).
- One certificate since accession: from 16 September 2021, SAL affixes an Apostille Certificate on every document requiring legalisation — the apostille replaced SAL's old Authentication Certificate and Legalisation stamp in a single step.
- Originals only: photocopies are not accepted. If an original has been laminated, the issuing agency must issue a certified true copy or extract for legalisation. Computer-generated documents must be certified by the issuing department before SAL can authenticate them.
- No personal attendance needed: you may send a proxy to SAL on your behalf — no authorisation letter required. Requests are submitted and paid online before presenting documents at the counter.
- What the apostille does: it certifies the origin of the document (signature, seal, capacity of signatory) for use in any of the 120+ Hague Convention states — it does not validate the content.
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues apostilles in Singapore — a ministry or someone else?
The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) — not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and not ICA. Singapore joined the Hague Apostille Convention with effect from 16 September 2021, and since then SAL affixes an Apostille Certificate on every document it legalises, at its counter at 1 Coleman Street, #08-06 The Adelphi (9:00am–4:30pm weekdays). You submit the request and pay online first, then present original documents at the counter. You don't have to go yourself — a proxy can attend without any authorisation letter. MFA's role is limited to consular assistance for documents abroad.
What does it cost to apostille a Singapore document?
It depends on the document type. Government-issued (public) documents are legalised directly for S$10.70 per document including GST, plus a flat S$1.07 photocopying fee if SAL makes a certified true copy. Private documents must first be notarised by a Singapore Notary Public, and the Notarial Certificate is issued only on payment of SAL's S$87.20 authentication fee (including GST) — the S$10.70 legalisation fee is then waived for notarised documents. The notary's own professional charge is separate and set by the law firm. All SAL fees are non-refundable.
Can SAL apostille my foreign degree or birth certificate for my Singapore PR application?
No. Apostilles are always issued in the country where the document originates — SAL only handles Singapore documents. If your home country is a Hague Convention party, get the apostille from its designated competent authority (check the HCCH status table) before you relocate. If it is not a party, the document needs legalisation by your home country's foreign ministry and the relevant chain. For ICA applications also note the translation rules: non-English documents need translations from the issuing country's embassy, or notarised/embassy-attested translations — ICA will reject applications with insufficient documentation.
My document is a private letter or power of attorney — why won't SAL stamp it directly?
Because SAL can only directly legalise public (government-issued) documents. Private documents — powers of attorney, statutory declarations, company resolutions, employer letters — must first be notarised by a Notary Public, who in Singapore is a senior lawyer appointed under the Notaries Public Act, practising at a law firm. Since 16 September 2021 the Notarial Certificate is deemed validly authenticated by the apostille affixed to its back; your notary issues the certificate upon payment of the S$87.20 SAL authentication fee, and SAL then waives its separate legalisation fee. Budget for the notary's professional fee on top.
Does an apostilled degree satisfy MOM for my Employment Pass application?
No — these are two different systems. MOM does not ask for apostilles. If your employer claims COMPASS C2 qualification points, the qualification must be supported by verification proof obtained through background screening checks, as set out on MOM's documents-required page; MOM has stated that notarised certificates and school letters do not substitute for the prescribed verification channels. The apostille route matters for other purposes — ICA applications, overseas use of Singapore documents, or court use. If your degree needs to serve both an EP application and a later PR application, run the MOM verification and origin-country authentication separately.
I'm sending Singapore documents to a country that isn't in the Hague Convention — what changes?
The SAL step stays the same — your document still gets SAL's certificate — but it then needs a further layer: certification by the destination country's embassy or consulate in Singapore, whose fees and requirements vary by mission. Commercial documents bound for such markets (certificates of origin, invoices) must first be certified by one of the six recognised Chambers of Commerce — SCCI, SCCCI, SICCI, SICC, SMCCI or SMF — before SAL will legalise them. Check the destination embassy's checklist before starting, because some missions require specific wording or supporting documents that are easier to fix early.