What is Legalisation?
Legalisation simply means confirming that a signature, seal or stamp appearing on a document is genuine.
Why do documents need to be Legalised?
The signature or seals of a Singapore Notary Public on certain documents from Singapore have to be confirmed
ie Legalised before those documents can be accepted in some countries.
For example, if you want to get married or start a business overseas, documents (such as you birth certificate or corporate documents) may need to be 'Legalised'. To Legalise a document, a Notarial Certificate issued and signed by the Notary Public is confirmed by the Singapore Academy of Law and the receiving country's Embassy.
Legalisation is the process by which the signature and seal of the notary are authenticated by the Singapore Academy of Law and the Embassy.
Do I need Legalisation?
Ask the agency or company in the receiving country whether you need to Legalise the documents. They will know. If in doubt, you may wish to Legalise them so as to avoid costly delay and freight expenses.
What is a Notarial Certificate? Do I need one?
Yes, it is mandatory.
A Notarial Certificate is a certificate issued and signed by the Notary Public certifying, for example, that the person(s) stated in the document have signed the document in the Notary's presence. He could also confirm in the Notarial Certificate that he had compared a copy of the document with the original and found the former to be true copies.