Apostille Act 2020

• Act Code: AA2020
• Edition: 2020 Rev Ed
• Commencement: 19 Jan 2021
• Version as at: 18 Jul 2026
• Enacted by: Parliament

Section 1 — Short title

This Act is the Apostille Act 2020.

Section 2 — Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —“Convention” means the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, done at the Hague on 5 October 1961, the English text of which is set out i

Section 3 — Purpose

(1) The purpose of this Act is to give effect to the Convention.(2) Part 2 —(a) exempts foreign public documents (as defined in that Part) from any requirement of legalisation; and (b) provides for the effect of certificates issued under th

Section 4 — Act binds Government

This Act binds the Government.

Section 5 — Application of this Part

This Part applies to a foreign public document sought to be produced in Singapore for any purpose, including —(a) the purposes of proceedings in any court or tribunal; and (b) the purposes of exercising any power or right, or performing any

Section 6 — What is a foreign public document

In this Part, “foreign public document” —(a) means —(i) a document executed in the territory of a Convention State and falling within any of the following categories:(A) a document emanating from an authority or official connected with the

Section 7 — What is meant by the origin of a foreign public document

In this Part, a reference to the origin of a foreign public document, or of a document purporting to be a foreign public document, is a reference to the following aspects of the document:(a) the authenticity of the signature on the document

Section 8 — What is legalisation of a foreign public document

In this Part, “legalisation”, in relation to a foreign public document, means the formality by which the diplomatic or consular agents of Singapore certify the origin of a foreign public document.

Section 9 — Legalisation not required for foreign public documents

(1) Legalisation is not required, and may not be performed, in relation to a foreign public document.(2) This section applies despite any written law or rule of law to the contrary.

Section 10 — What is a Convention certificate (also known as an apostille)

In this Part, “Convention certificate”, in relation to a foreign public document or a document purporting to be a foreign public document, means a certificate issued —(a) to certify the document for the purposes of the Convention; and (b) b

Section 11 — Effect of Convention certificate if used

(1) This section applies if a document purporting to be a Convention certificate (called in this section the purported certificate) is placed on or attached to a document purporting to be a foreign public document (called in this section th

Section 12 — Use of Convention certificate generally not mandatory

(1) Subject to subsection (2), a person seeking to prove the origin of a foreign public document —(a) is not required to do so by means of a Convention certificate; and (b) is not required to comply with any more rigorous formality. (2) A p

Section 13 — Other modes of proof, etc., not affected

Nothing in this Part prevents a foreign public document (or any aspect thereof) from being proven, produced, certified or accepted in any manner permitted by any other law.

Section 14 — What is a Singapore public document

In this Part, “Singapore public document” —(a) means —(i) a document executed in Singapore and falling within any of the following categories:(A) a document emanating from an authority or official connected with the courts or tribunals of S

Section 15 — What is a competent authority

In this Part, an authority specified in the first column of the Second Schedule is a competent authority in relation to the Singapore public documents specified opposite the authority in the second column of that Schedule.

Section 16 — Certification of public document executed in Singapore

(1) Subject to section 17, a competent authority must issue a certificate for a Singapore public document on the request of —(a) the person who signed the document; or (b) any bearer of the document. (2) The certificate must be —(a) numbere

Section 17 — Grounds for refusing to issue certificate

(1) An authority must refuse to issue a certificate for a document under section 16 if any of the following grounds apply:(a) the document is not a Singapore public document; (b) there are reasonable grounds for the authority to believe tha

Section 18 — Register of certificates

(1) A competent authority must keep a register of every certificate it issues.(2) The register must be kept in the prescribed manner and must record, in respect of each certificate —(a) the number and date of the certificate; (b) the name o

Section 19 — Amendment of Second Schedule

(1) The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, amend the Second Schedule.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), an order under that subsection may specify, in the second column of the Second Schedule —(a) all or a specified class of Singapore

Section 20 — Regulations

The Minister may make regulations —(a) to prescribe any matter required or permitted to be prescribed under Part 3; (b) to prescribe any fees for the purposes of Part 3; and (c) generally for the purposes of this Act.