Embassy legalisation
Embassy Attestation in Singapore — For Countries That Don’t Accept an Apostille
If the country receiving your document isn’t a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille alone isn’t enough. After the notary and the Singapore Academy of Law, the document must also be legalised by that country’s embassy or consulate in Singapore. We do every step, including the embassy queue.
Is your destination outside the Apostille Convention?
Usually needs embassy legalisation
The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Cambodia. Thailand joins the Convention on 28 February 2027 and needs embassy legalisation until then. Bangladesh has joined, but several countries have objected to its accession, so the route is checked case by case.
Only needs an apostille
India, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and many more. For these, see our apostille service.
The legalisation chain: notary, SAL, then the embassy
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1
Notary public
Notarises your signature or certifies a copy (not needed for some government-issued documents).
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2
Singapore Academy of Law
Authenticates the notarial certificate or the government document.
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3
The embassy or consulate
Confirms SAL’s authentication with its own stamp.
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4
In the destination country
Some countries, such as the UAE, usually add a final attestation by their foreign ministry after arrival.
If one step is done wrongly, the next office refuses the document, so the order and format matter.
Embassies we queue at on your behalf
Embassy counters keep limited hours, have their own forms and fees, and sometimes need an appointment. We know each one’s requirements and handle submission and collection with your authorisation letter. The embassies we handle most often are those of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia (High Commission), Thailand (until it joins the Convention on 28 February 2027), Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Cambodia. If your destination isn’t listed, ask — we’ll check that embassy’s current requirements before quoting.
Degree and business documents for the Gulf
Degree certificates
For employment visas in the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait — certified copy, SAL, embassy.
UAE routeCompany documents
For setting up a business, bidding for tenders, or appointing a local agent.
Corporate documentsPersonal documents
Marriage and birth certificates for family visas.
Embassy timelines and fees
Each embassy sets its own processing time and fee, and both can change without notice. As a guide, UAE Embassy attestation in Singapore usually takes 3–5 working days after SAL legalisation. We pass embassy fees on at cost and give you the typical timeline for your destination in your quote, on top of the 1–3 working days SAL usually needs. Our embassy add-on — submission, queue and collection — starts from S$79 per document, plus the embassy fee at cost, on top of the official notary and SAL fees. Note: The prices shown above are starting prices. Your final price depends on the document type, number of pages, visit location and destination country, and will be confirmed in a written quotation before any work begins. Pricing.
Embassy attestation questions
Do I still need an apostille if I’m going to the embassy anyway?
Can you get documents legalised for two different countries?
My deadline is close. Can the embassy step be rushed?
Skip the embassy queue.
We take your document through the notary, SAL and the embassy — and stand in line for you.