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Everything Malaysians in Singapore ask us about translating, certifying and notarising documents for ICA, MOM, ROM and ACRA — sourced from real customer questions and current Singapore search patterns.
6 questions
ICA accepts translations provided by the embassy of the issuing country, translations produced by a notary public in Singapore or Malaysia, or privately created translations that are then notarised. ICA does not endorse any private translation company directly — the notarisation is what makes a translation valid for ICA, not the translator’s name or stamp alone. For PR, Citizenship, LTVP and Dependant’s Pass applications, plan for notarised translation rather than certified translation alone. Some MOM, employer and university checks accept certified translation without notarisation — check your specific letter, or send it to us and we’ll confirm.
SAL authentication is a verification stamp issued by theSingapore Academy of Law (SAL)that validates a notarised document for ICA submission. Since1 October 2019, every notarised document in Singapore must carry SAL authentication to be valid. A notarisation without SAL authentication is rejected — even if the translation itself is completely accurate. We include SAL authentication as a standard part of every notarised translation order, at no extra charge.
No. Stamps from Malaysian professional bodies such as ITBM, DBP or MTA are not, on their own, sufficient for ICA submissions. ICA only recognises translations attested by an embassy, or notarised by a Notary Public in Singapore or the issuing country. Regardless of which translator performs the work, the document must go through proper notarisation to be valid for ICA.
For most MOM work pass applications — S Pass, Work Permit, and Employment Pass qualification checks — certified translation without notarisation is usually sufficient. MOM’s bar is generally lower than ICA’s. However, this can vary by case, so we always recommend checking the exact wording on your MOM letter or checklist before ordering.
Yes. If either spouse was previously married, ICA typically requires the prior marriage certificateplusthe divorce decree (or, if applicable, the former spouse’s death certificate) to also be translated, notarised and SAL-authenticated. This is a common oversight that delays family-related ICA applications — plan to translate the full marital history, not just the current marriage certificate.
Yes, in principle. ICA accepts translations produced by a notary public in Singaporeorin the issuing country (Malaysia). In practice, a Singapore-notarised translation with SAL authentication is the most reliable route, since ICA officers are most familiar verifying this format. If you already have a Malaysian-notarised translation, send it to us and we’ll confirm whether it meets ICA’s standard or needs additional authentication.
6 questions
We most commonly translate: birth certificates (Sijil Kelahiran), marriage certificates (Sijil Perkahwinan and Sijil Nikah), SPM and STPM certificates, Borang K (Certificate of Renunciation of Malaysian Citizenship), death certificates (Sijil Kematian), divorce certificates (Dikri Nisi Mutlak and Sijil Perceraian), and degree certificates and academic transcripts. If your document isn’t listed, send us a clear scan and we’ll confirm we can help.
Standard turnaround is24–48 hoursfor most single-page Malaysian documents after you approve the quote. Same-day urgent service is available on request — WhatsApp us to confirm slot availability before ordering. Multi-page or unusually complex documents may take slightly longer, and we’ll confirm a realistic timeline upfront.
A clear scan or photograph is sufficient to begin translation and get a quote. For notarisation, the Notary Public may need to sight the original document — photocopies alone are not always sufficient at the notarisation stage. We’ll tell you exactly what’s needed for your specific document and submission once we review your scan.
You receive aPDF softcopy by emailfor every translation. For notarised translations, we also preparenotarised hardcopiescarrying the Notary Public’s certification — you can choose to collect these or have them couriered to a Singapore address, depending on what your receiving authority requires.
Yes. The entire process can be completed online. WhatsApp or email a clear scan of your document, receive a written quote, approve and pay, and we deliver your translation by email and (if notarised) by courier or collection. No walk-in appointment is required at any stage.
Follow the receiving authority’s exact instructions. If ICA, MOM or another authority asks for a single combined PDF, we deliver the source document, translation and certification (and notarisation pages, where applicable) in one ordered file. If separate files are requested, we label each file clearly. Many “rejections” are actually file-handling issues rather than translation errors — we format every delivery to match what your specific authority expects.
5 questions
At certified-translation.co, notarised translation costs S$150 for single-sided documents (birth certs, civil marriage certs, SPM, death certs) and S$180 for double-sided documents (Borang K, Sijil Nikah, two-page divorce certs). The price includes translation, Notary Public certification, SAL authentication, PDF softcopy and hardcopy preparation — no hidden charges.
Notarised translation includes everything in certified translation, plus a Singapore Notary Public’s verification (a separate legal service with its own statutory fees) and SAL authentication. These are real third-party costs, not markup — a Notary Public charges a fixed notarial certificate fee, and SAL charges a separate authentication fee per document. We bundle all of this into one flat price so you don’t need to coordinate multiple appointments yourself.
If your notarised translation is rejected by ICA, MOM, ROM, ACRA or any other stated Singapore authority because of an error in our translation or notarisation, contact us within 14 days with the rejection details. We will correct the document at no charge, or provide a full refund.
Yes. If you find a cheaper equivalent notarised translation service in Singapore, show us and we will match the price — no questions asked. We also guarantee no hidden fees: the quote we confirm before work begins is the final price you pay.
Often, yes. Many clients need several documents translated for the same application — for example, a birth certificate, marriage certificate and SPM certificate together for an ICA PR application. Send us the full set and we’ll provide a combined quote, which is typically more efficient than ordering each document separately.
5 questions
01
Untranslated stamps or seals
Every visible mark — registry seals, re-issuance stamps, watermarks — must be translated or described.
02
Name mismatch with passport
Spelling, order and spacing must match your passport exactly across every document submitted.
03
Certified instead of notarised
Submitting certified translation when the authority’s instructions specifically required notarisation.
04
Missing SAL authentication
Mandatory on every notarised document submitted to ICA since 1 October 2019.
05
Machine translation
Google Translate or AI-generated text is never accepted by ICA, MOM or any Singapore authority.
The most common reasons are: a stamp, seal or handwritten note left untranslated; a name that doesn’t match your passport exactly; submitting a certified translation when notarisation was required; missing SAL authentication; or using a machine-translated document. ICA follows azero-omission policy— every visible mark on the original document must appear in the English translation, including faint watermarks and marginal annotations.
Yes — every single one. ICA treats every visible mark on the original document as part of its content. A red registry seal, a re-issuance stamp, a faint watermark or a handwritten correction must all be translated or described (for example: “[Red circular seal: National Registration Department]”). Omitting any of these is the single leading cause of ICA rejection that we see.
ICA returns the document with a note explaining the issue and a deadline for resubmission. The corrected translation must go through the same approval channels (translation, notarisation, SAL authentication as applicable). This typically adds4–10 weeksto your application timeline, depending on the complexity of the fix — which is why getting it right the first time matters.
It can, if not handled correctly. The translation should reflect the original document’s name order exactly as written — not be “corrected” to match your passport. If there’s a genuine discrepancy (for example, a maiden name on one certificate and a married name on another), you’ll need a separate bridging document, such as a deed poll or a notarised letter of explanation, alongside the translation.
No — this is one of the most common misconceptions. ICA officers compare the translation against the original line-by-line and page-by-page. A “partial” translation that skips a stamp, a marginal note, or what looks like a decorative seal is treated as incomplete, not as an acceptable summary. Every visible element on the original must appear in the translation.
Our acceptance guarantee covers every cause above. If your notarised translation is rejected by ICA, MOM, ROM, ACRA or any stated Singapore authority due to an error in our work, we correct it immediately at no charge — or provide a full refund within 14 days.
Ready to get started?
Now that you know what ICA requires, send us a clear scan of your document. We’ll confirm exactly what you need, issue a written quote and deliver within 24–48 hours.
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