6.5. Your NP applies to SAL for an appointment to submit the original NC for SAL authentication;
6.6. Your NC is submitted to the SAL at the allotted appointment date time. SAL will affix a stamp onto your NC;
6.7. Your NP applies to the MFA for an appointment to submit the original NC (authenticated by SAL) for legalisation;
6.8. Your NC is submitted to the MFA at the allotted appointment date time. MFA will stamp your NC upon payment of the MFA legalisation fee (currently S$10.00);
6.9. Your NC is submitted to the Embassy. Different countries have different process and requirements.
6.9.1. An admin fee may be payable to the Embassy at the submission. Different fees may apply depending on your Citizenship and whether the application is a civil or commercial matter;
6.9.2. The Embassy will review your documents and if it is approved, the Embassy will affix a stamp onto your NC. Your NC will have to be collected from the Embassy and the applicable legalisation fee paid.
7. Notarization is a certification required by overseas authorities. Accordingly, local laws will not provide you any answer whether your document is lawful or valid overseas. Even if it is valid under local laws, it may not meet the requirements of your overseas authorities. Conversely, even if the document may not conform with local laws, the document may still be good for the overseas authorities. Accordingly, the CO or NP cannot advise you even if they are lawyers. Please note:
7.1. Some overseas authorities may not require legalisation by MFA or even the Embassy.
7.2. Some overseas authorities may accept documents certified by a CO. It is best that you check with your overseas authorities, agents or lawyers whether you must have notarization, if not, whether a CO is acceptable.
C. What Needs To Be Notarized?
8. Some common examples of certifications involving notarization are as follows:
8.1. Declaration of same identities for foreigners who acquired local citizenship;
8.2. Declaration of single status, not married, family relations and/or no children;
8.3. Power of Attorney to appoint a representative to transact matters on your behalf overseas, for example, sale or purchase of your overseas property, overseas litigation;
8.4. Renunciation of inheritance or succession in overseas estates or properties;
8.5. Certification of copies of documents, for example certified true copy of Degrees, Diplomas, Identification Documents, Passports, busines profiles, company resolutions;
8.6. Notarization of contracts, for example sale or purchase of properties overseas;
8.7. Statutory Declarations or affidavits to support applications or court processes;
8.8. Signing your Will for your overseas properties or setting up trusts.
D. What Are The Charges?
9. Notarization fees are fixed by Singapore law. In addition to any fees charged by the authorities:
9.1. For a Certified True Copy, the notarization fee is S$10 for the first page and S$2 each subsequent page;
9.2. For an individual, the notarization fee is S$40 for signing a document and S$10 per annexure to the document;
9.3. For a corporate representative, the notarization fee is S$150 for signing a document and S$10 per annexure to the document.
10. Commissioner for Oaths (CO) fees are fixed by Singapore law. In addition to any fees charged by the authorities:
10.1. For signing, the CO fee is S$25 for signing a document and S$5 per annexure to the document.
11. Such fees do not include other services, for example, translation, drafting, postage, attendance, out of office attendance where the signing cannot be done in the NP Office, for example where the person signing is old sick disabled or hospitalised.
12. Currently, Singapore law does not allow notarization to be conducted by video conferencing.
E. Other Services
13. The NP usually provides other services as the NP would have many years of experience in the local scene. The NP would also be up to date with the latest requirements. So it is best that you approach an NP even though it is possible for you to undertake various parts of the process. The NP however probably does not provide pet grooming.
14. Some other matters which could be handled:
14.1. Certificate of Clearance by the Police to prove that you had no criminal record. This can be done by the NP Office even though you are having a vacation in North Pole;
14.2. Drafting a simple Will for your overseas properties;
14.3. Transferring your properties overseas;
14.4. Incorporating your business companies branches or subsidiaries overseas;
14.5. Immigration matters.
15. At the end of the process, it is also time for you to think about integrating into the local society. Sometimes the best advice is through your Wechat friends and WhatsApp groups. What better way then to get to know your NP first!
16. Because of CoVid-19, the process can take a while. Get in touch with us early and start the process early so that your notarized documents can be submitted early.
17. Get in touch with us today!
