When you plan to use your personal documents, educational certificates, or commercial documentation abroad, you will need an apostille or document attestation. The process of document attestation adds a layer of credibility to your documentation, proving its authenticity to organisations in foreign countries. Below, we discuss what document attestation is, outline the attestation process, clarify the difference between attestation and apostille, and explain how you can obtain legalisation of your documents in Singapore.
Key Takeaways
- In the legal domain, document attestation refers to the full-chain legalisation of your documents to verify their authenticity. You may need document attestation if you plan to use your documents abroad.
- You will need document attestation if you plan to use your document in countries that are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention, or in those that still require full legalisation.
- When using documents in Hague Convention countries, a simplified legalisation through notarisation with an apostille is sufficient in most cases.
- Unlike an apostille certificate, attestation or full-chain legalisation involves multiple steps, including notarisation, authentication with the Singapore Academy of Law, verification with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore, and final attestation with the embassy of the destination country.
What Is Document Attestation?
The term “document attestation” is often used interchangeably with various forms of document authentication for use abroad. In some contexts, it may refer to true copy certification, legalisation of documents, authentication with an apostille, or embassy verification.
In Singapore, attestation usually refers to the full-chain legalisation of documents, which includes notarisation, authentication by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL), verification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if required, and final legalisation by the embassy of the destination country. You will need document attestation when you plan to use your Singapore-issued documents in countries that have not signed the Hague Apostille Convention.
Attestation Process in Singapore
Accordingly, the attestation or full-chain legalisation process for Singapore-issued documents includes several separate stages.
Notarisation
At first, you need to have your documents notarised by a Notary Public in Singapore. While notarisation of Singapore public documents, such as birth certificates or marriage certificates, is not required, you will need notarisation for true copies of these documents, as well as for all non-government documents, such as academic records.
During your appointment, a Notary Public will verify your identity, compare copies of your documents with the originals, and attach a notarial certificate, confirming the authenticity of the copies.
Legalisation with the Singapore Academy of Law
After notarisation, the Notary Public submits the documents to the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) for legalisation. The SAL affixes an Apostille Certificate on every document that requires legalisation.
Verification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The next step in the full chain of document authentication for non-Hague countries involves verification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For some countries, like the UAE and Taiwan, legalisation is transferred from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Singapore Academy of Law.
Attestation by an Embassy or Consulate
At the final stage, the documents are attested by the embassy of the destination country where you plan to use them. In most cases, this step completes the full chain of document legalisation in Singapore.
Countries Where Attestation Is Required
Speaking of attestation as full-chain legalisation, you will need it in most countries that have not joined the Hague Apostille Convention. For Hague member countries, a simplified document authentication with an apostille applies.
At the moment, you will need a full chain of legalisation for documents issued in Singapore to be used in most countries of the Persian Gulf, including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Other countries that recently joined the Hague Convention, like China or Saudi Arabia, have started accepting simplified authentication with an apostille. However, in some cases, government authorities in China and Saudi Arabia may still require full legalisation, so it’s best to clarify the exact requirements with the recipient.
Attestation vs Apostille
Both apostille and embassy attestation serve the same purpose of verifying the authenticity of documents for use in foreign countries.
At the same time, these processes have key differences in their scope and applications:
| Apostille | Attestation |
|---|---|
| Authenticates documents for use in countries that have joined the Hague Convention | Authenticates documents for use in non-Hague countries |
| Involves a simplified process of notarization and legalisation by the Singapore Academy of Law | Involves a full chain of legalisation, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy or consulate of a foreign country |
| Takes 1-2 working days after notarising the documents | It may take 3-5 working days, depending on the destination country. |
How IRB Law Can Help
At IRB Law, our notary team provides expert attestation services in Singapore, including authentication by apostille and full-chain legalisation for non-Hague countries.
When you turn to us for certificate attestation or the legalisation of other documents, we will:
- Provide a comprehensive notarial service and issue a Notarial Certificate,
- Submit your documents to the Singapore Academy of Law for legalisation,
- Arrange for authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore,
- Finalise document attestation with the embassy or consulate of the destination country.
Conclusion
As you prepare your documents for international use, you will need to ensure their legalisation by apostille or embassy attestation, depending on the destination country. While member countries of the Hague Convention accept documents authenticated with an apostille, non-member countries require full-chain legalisation.
When you work with IRB Law for document attestation in Singapore, our team will handle notarisation, legalisation with the SAL, verification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and embassy attestation. Please contact our team to arrange an appointment with our Notary Public for any of your document attestation needs in Singapore.
FAQs
What is the difference between attestation and apostille?
Both document attestation and apostille serve the same purpose of authenticating documents for use abroad. While apostille authentication is accepted in member countries of the Hague Convention, non-member countries require full legalisation. Compared to an apostille, document attestation also requires authentication with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassy verification.
Which documents are required for a document attestation in Singapore?
When you meet a Notary Public for the legalisation of documents, for example, for birth certificate attestation or educational certificate attestation, you need to bring your government-issued photo identification, such as your passport, identity card, or immigration card, along with the original document and its photocopy.
How long does a document attestation take?
Simplified document attestation with an apostille can take 1-2 working days after your appointment with a Notary Public. Meanwhile, full-chain legalisation with embassy verification can take 3-5 working days, depending on the destination country.
