ICA requirements
MOM requirements
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Certified vs Notarised Translation for ICA Singapore: The Complete Decision Guide

Malaysian documents for ICA, MOM, ROM and ACRA · Malay to English

“Certified” and “notarised” translation are not the same thing — and using the wrong one is one of the most common reasons Malaysian documents get rejected by ICA. This guide explains exactly which one you need, based on real ICA and MOM requirements, so you order the right service the first time.

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The three tiers explained

What’s the actual difference?

There are three distinct levels of official translation in Singapore. Each authority accepts a different minimum tier — understanding the difference is the first step to ordering correctly.

1

Certified Translation

A signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy from the translator, confirming the translation is complete and correct. No third party verifies it — the translator takes full responsibility.

Accepted by: MOM, banks, schools, ACRA, ROM, employers

2

Notarised Translation

Everything in Tier 1, plus a Singapore Notary Public witnesses the translator’s signature and issues a Notarial Certificate confirming the translator’s identity and declaration.

Accepted by: ICA (PR, Citizenship, LTVP, Dependant’s Pass)

3

SAL Authentication

The Singapore Academy of Law authenticates the Notary Public’s signature and seal — the final step in the chain. Mandatory for every notarised document submitted to ICA since 1 October 2019.

Accepted by: ICA (always required alongside notarisation)

Decision tool

Which one do you need?

Find your situation below. This is based on actual ICA and MOM published requirements — not assumptions.

MOM — Employment Pass
Submitting your Malaysian degree or SPM certificate as part of an EP application
Certified translation only
MOM — S Pass / Work Permit
Education or marriage documents for S Pass or Work Permit applications
Certified translation only
MOM — Dependant’s Pass
Spouse or child’s birth/marriage certificate for a Dependant’s Pass
Certified translation only
ICA — PR Application
Birth, marriage or education certificates supporting a PR application
Notarised + SAL authentication
ICA — Citizenship
Any non-English document supporting a Singapore Citizenship application
Notarised + SAL authentication
ICA — LTVP / Borang K
Long-Term Visit Pass documents, or Borang K renunciation certificate
Notarised + SAL authentication
ROM — Marriage Registration
Foreign marriage or divorce certificate for ROM registration purposes
Certified translation (check letter)
ACRA — Business Registration
Foreign incorporation or shareholder documents for company registration
Certified translation only

Still not sure? Send us a photo of your ICA or MOM letter and we’ll tell you exactly which tier applies — before you pay for anything.

Moving from work pass to PR?

The upgrade path most people miss

Today: Certified translation for your MOM work pass application

Later: Apply for PR — ICA requires notarised + SAL authenticated versions

Result: Same documents, translated twice — unless you plan ahead

Practical tip: if you know PR is on the horizon, order notarised translation with SAL authentication from the start — even though MOM only requires certified. The extra cost now is small compared to re-translating later.

Avoid costly delays

7 reasons translations get rejected by ICA

These are the most common, verified causes of ICA translation rejection — most are not about translation quality at all.

Partial translation — a missed stamp, seal or marginal note triggers resubmission under ICA’s zero-omission policy
Name spelling mismatches — the translated name must match your passport exactly, including spacing and punctuation
Certified-only submission to ICA — works for MOM and schools, but ICA requires notarisation for PR and Citizenship
Skipping SAL authentication — common when a Notary is engaged directly without ICA-specific experience
Self-translation by a family member — a translator with a personal relationship to the applicant is not accepted
Laminated original documents — SAL and Notaries need to verify watermarks and security features, which lamination blocks
Missing supporting documents — if either spouse was previously married, the prior marriage and divorce documents must also be translated and notarised

Acceptance guarantee: if your ICA or MOM submission is rejected due to an error in our translation or notarisation, we correct it at no charge.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Real questions from Malaysians submitting documents to ICA and MOM in Singapore.

Does ICA accept certified translation, or do I need notarised translation?

ICA requires notarised translation with SAL authentication for PR, Citizenship, LTVP and Dependant’s Pass applications. Certified translation alone is accepted by MOM, schools and banks, but not by ICA for these immigration applications. If your instruction letter says “notarised translation” or “Notary Public”, you need Tier 2 plus SAL authentication.

Is certified translation enough for my MOM Employment Pass or S Pass application?

Yes. MOM’s translation requirements are significantly less strict than ICA’s. A certified translation with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy is generally sufficient for EP, S Pass and Work Permit applications. Notarisation and SAL authentication are not typically required by MOM.

What is SAL authentication and how much does it cost?

SAL authentication is the Singapore Academy of Law’s verification of a Notary Public’s signature and seal on a notarised translation. It has been mandatory for all notarised documents submitted to ICA since 1 October 2019. The current SAL authentication fee is S$87.20 (including GST) per notarial certificate, payable through your Notary Public.

I’m on an Employment Pass now but plan to apply for PR later — what should I do?

Consider ordering notarised translation with SAL authentication from the start, even though MOM only requires certified translation for your current EP. If you only get certified translations now, you will need to re-translate and re-notarise the same documents when you apply for PR — which costs more in total than doing it once, correctly, from the beginning.

Can I use a certified translation from Malaysia (ITBM, DBP or MTA stamped) for ICA?

No. ICA only accepts translations from an embassy, a Notary Public in Singapore or the issuing country, or a privately produced translation that is then notarised or embassy-attested. Stamps from Malaysian professional bodies such as ITBM, DBP or MTA are not, on their own, sufficient for ICA submissions — this is a common and costly misunderstanding.

Does the MOM portal have specific formatting requirements for translated documents?

Yes. MOM requires the original document and its English translation to be merged into a single PDF file, with the translation page placed first. This is a common cause of upload-stage rejection that has nothing to do with translation quality — we format every MOM submission to this exact specification.

If my spouse was previously married, do I need to translate that marriage certificate too?

Yes. If either spouse was previously married, ICA typically requires the prior marriage certificate plus the divorce decree (or the former spouse’s death certificate, if applicable) to also be translated, notarised and SAL-authenticated alongside your current marriage certificate.

Can a family member translate my document if they’re fluent in both languages?

No. A translator with a personal relationship to the applicant — such as a spouse, parent or sibling — is not accepted by ICA, even if they are genuinely bilingual and the translation is accurate. The translation must be produced by an independent, qualified translator.

Still unsure which tier applies to you?

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Ready to start?

Know which tier you need? Order now.

Whether you need certified or notarised translation, we handle the full chain — translation, Notary Public, and SAL authentication — in one order. From S$60.