Hague Apostille Convention – Which Countries Accept Singapore Apostille?
Check whether the receiving country accepts the Apostille issued in Singapore under the Hague Convention.
Check whether the receiving country accepts the Apostille issued in Singapore under the Hague Convention.
Singapore is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (formally known as the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents). Countries that are also parties to the Convention generally accept an Apostille issued in Singapore without requiring further legalisation (such as embassy or consulate authentication).
The Apostille simplifies the process of authenticating documents for use in foreign countries. Instead of requiring a chain of certifications from multiple authorities, a single Apostille certificate issued by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) is sufficient for the document to be recognised in another member country.
China is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention and can generally accept Apostille without further legalisation. Documents notarised in Singapore and accompanied by an Apostille issued by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) are generally accepted in China.
Requirements may vary by authority or institution within each country. Always confirm with the receiving party whether they accept Apostille. Some institutions may have additional requirements or may prefer embassy legalisation even if the country is a member of the Convention.
For the full and up-to-date list of member countries, refer to the official Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) status table: HCCH Apostille Convention Status Table.
The following is a list of commonly requested countries and their status under the Hague Apostille Convention. Countries marked as "not a member" require embassy or consulate legalisation instead of an Apostille.
Countries marked as "not a member" are not parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents intended for use in these countries may require authentication or legalisation through the relevant embassy or consulate, rather than an Apostille. Please contact the relevant embassy or consulate for their specific requirements.
If the country where you intend to use your documents is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the Apostille may not be accepted. In such cases:
If you are unsure whether the receiving country accepts an Apostille, we recommend confirming directly with the overseas recipient or the relevant embassy before proceeding.
Yes. Singapore is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) is the sole competent authority for issuing Apostille certificates in Singapore. Countries that are also parties to the Convention generally accept an Apostille issued in Singapore without requiring further legalisation.
Countries that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention generally accept the Apostille issued in Singapore. This includes major countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the United States, and many others. Countries that are not parties to the Convention (such as Canada, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia) may require embassy or consulate legalisation instead of an Apostille.
If the receiving country is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents may need to be authenticated or legalised through the relevant embassy or consulate instead of receiving an Apostille. A Notary Public can still notarise your documents, and you should contact the relevant embassy or consulate for their specific authentication requirements.