Top Reasons Certified Translations Get Rejected in Singapore (and How to Avoid Them)

If your translation was questioned or not accepted in Singapore, the issue is usually not English; it’s submission compliance. Translations are commonly flagged for practical issues like a missing Certificate of Accuracy/Translator’s Declaration, submitting a certified translation when a notarised translation (endorsed by a Notary Public with a Notarial Certificate) was requested, missing pages, unclear scans, or mismatched names/dates/numbers.

This guide shows you exactly what reviewers look for in certified translation and notarised translation documents including ICA/MOM submissions, how to avoid delays, and what to do if you’re asked to correct your translation.

Quick checklist: the 5 things to verify before you submit

Use this as your pre-submission “anti-rejection” filter:

1. Confirm whether you need a certified translation or a notarised/notarized translation (only if specifically requested).
2. Ensure a signed Certificate of Accuracy / Translator’s Declaration is attached.
3. Confirm the translation covers all pages and all key visible details (not just the main text).
4. Verify names, dates, and numbers match the original document exactly.
5. Follow the requester’s file rules (usually PDF, sometimes a single combined file, and the correct page order).

If even one item fails, that is a common reason translations get questioned or rejected.

Reason 1: The certification statement is missing or incomplete

For many official submissions, a translation is expected to include a signed certification page commonly called a Certificate of Accuracy or Translator’s Declaration, confirming the translation is true, accurate, and complete.

What triggers questions

A translation often gets flagged when:

• There is no certification statement attached.
• The statement exists but is missing a signature, date, or clear accuracy wording.
• The certification is uploaded separately, and the reviewer cannot easily match it to the translated pages.

How to prevent it

Keep the certification practical and verifiable. The safest approach is to deliver a single, clearly ordered PDF where the certification statement appears together with the translated pages, unless the requester explicitly asks for separate files.

Reason 2: Notarisation was required, but you submitted only a certified translation

This is one of the most common reasons translations get questioned in Singapore. People often confuse certified translation and notarised translation because both are described as “official. But they are not interchangeable.

Key difference

• Certified translation: Translation + a signed Certificate of Accuracy / Translator’s Declaration confirming the translation is accurate and complete.
• Notarised translation: usually a certified translation where the certification statement is witnessed by a Notary Public, who attaches a Notarial Certificate (stamp/seal).

What triggers questions from reviewers

Your submission is often flagged when:

• The requester explicitly asked for a notarised translation or Notary Public endorsement, but you submitted only a certified translation.
• Notarisation was done, but the Notarial Certificate/stamp/seal is missing from the final merged file, unreadable, or unclear what document/pages it applies to.

How to prevent it (simple confirmation step)

If the instructions do not clearly say “notarised,” do not guess. Ask clearly before ordering or submitting.

Reason 3: The translation is not complete

A common misconception is that a translator only needs to translate “the paragraphs.” For official use, completeness matters. Reviewers often compare translations against the original line-by-line and page-by-page.

What triggers questions

• Missing pages (front translated, back ignored; second page not provided; attachments omitted)
• Important identifiers omitted (document reference numbers, registration details, issuing authority text)
• Visible marks ignored (stamps/seals or handwritten annotations that the reviewer sees on the original)

How to prevent it

Treat the job as full-document translation, not “main-text translation.” If it is visible and relevant to verification, it should be reflected clearly in the translated output.

Reason 4: The source document is unclear (blurry, cropped, incomplete)

Sometimes the translation is fine, but the reviewer cannot verify it because the original scan/photo is not readable. That leads to questions and delays because the receiving party cannot confidently match your English translation to the original.

What triggers questions

• Glare/shadows obscure key fields
• Cropped edges cut off names, numbers, stamps, or dates
• Low resolution makes official text unreadable
• Only one side/page was captured

How to prevent it 

Provide a clean, full-page scan/photo with readable text. If you can, use a scanner or a scanning app that outputs a straightened PDF. A clear source file reduces questions more than any fancy wording in the translation.

Reason 5: Names, dates, and numbers don’t match exactly

This is one of the most common reasons translations get questioned in identity-linked submissions. Reviewers are strict because small differences can create identity mismatch concerns.

What triggers questions

• A name is spelled differently in English than how it appears on the original document
• A date format is changed in a way that creates ambiguity
• Digits are mistyped (document number, certificate number, reference number)
• Inconsistency across a set of documents submitted together (same person, different spellings)
  

How to prevent it

Use an “exact-match” rule for the details reviewers cross-check:

• Names: keep spelling, spacing, and order consistent across every page and every document.
• Dates: use one clear format consistently, and avoid changes that can be read two ways.
• Numbers: copy exactly and double-check digits (especially long reference numbers).
  

If multiple documents are submitted together, expect reviewers to cross-check the same name across the full set. Consistency is not optional.

Reason 6: Formatting makes it hard to compare with the original

Even an accurate translation can be questioned if the formatting makes verification difficult. Many official documents use tables, field labels, and structured entries, and reviewers want to compare the translation to the original quickly. 

What triggers questions from reviewers

Submissions are commonly flagged when:

• Tables are converted into long paragraphs, making key fields hard to find.
• Field labels are removed, renamed, or rearranged, so items no longer match the original layout.
• The translated version does not keep a clear label → value structure (reviewers must “hunt” for matching fields).

How to prevent it

Keep the structure submission-friendly and easy to scan:

• Preserve headings and field labels (as close to the original wording as practical).
• Keep lists as lists and numbered items as numbered items.
• Present table-like information in a clean format (rows/columns or clear label-value lines) so key fields can be verified quickly.

Rule of thumb: a reviewer should be able to match the main fields without searching or guessing.

Reason 7: You didn’t follow the receiving party’s submission rules

Different requesters (including ICA-related or MOM-related contexts, employers, schools) may have specific upload and packaging requirements. Many “rejections” are really file handling issues.

What triggers questions

• Wrong file format (when PDF is expected)
• Incorrect ordering (translation before source, missing certification page, etc.)
• Uploading separate files when a combined file is expected, or combining files when separate files are required
  

How to prevent it

Follow the requester’s instructions precisely. If they ask for a single PDF, keep everything in one ordered file: source → translation → certification (and notarisation pages, if required). If they ask for separate files, label them clearly.

The Safer Way to Get Your Documents Accepted in Singapore: How Certified Translation Service Helps 

If your submission is for ICA, MOM, ROM, ACRA, or another official reviewer, a certified translation service reduces the risk of delays by preparing your documents in the exact format they expect. At Certified-Translation.co, We don’t just “translate”, we make the file submission-ready: the translation is complete, the supporting certification is included, the pages are ordered clearly, and key details like names, dates, and document numbers are checked for consistency.