Certified & Certificate Translation
Singapore — For ICA, MOM, Courts & SAL.

Standard certified translation in Singapore costs SGD 60 to SGD 80 per standard page (up to 200 words) for common Asian and European language pairs. This rate includes translation by a qualified human linguist, second-linguist line-by-line review, our signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy with company stamp, and digital PDF delivery (including combined original-plus-translation PDFs for MOM uploads). Multi-page academic transcripts and family PR bundles receive itemised package pricing. External official steps—such as Singapore Notary Public fees, Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) authentication (currently S$87.20 incl. GST), embassy attestation, or courier delivery—are quoted separately only when your receiving authority's route requires them.

ICA requires official English translations for any document not in English and states that it does not endorse private translation companies. Under ICA's published guidance, applicants may submit: (1) a translation provided by the embassy of the document's issuing country/place, (2) a translation produced by a Notary Public in Singapore or the issuing country/place, or (3) a privately created translation that is attested by the issuing country's embassy or notarised by a Notary Public in Singapore or the issuing country/place. Translife prepares the complete English translation and coordinates the appropriate Notary Public or embassy step for your chosen route.

Yes. Because ICA's published guidance accepts translations notarised by a Notary Public in either Singapore OR the country/place that issued the document, a Malaysia-issued Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) birth or marriage certificate or SPM certificate can be translated into English and notarised by a Malaysian Notary Public (or notarised in Singapore with SAL authentication). With offices in both Singapore (Paya Lebar Square) and Malaysia (Subang Jaya, Penang, Johor Bahru), Translife can coordinate whichever route is faster and more economical for your file.

Yes. MOM's current Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass document guidelines state that non-English documents must be translated into English, that a translation service provider may prepare the translation, and that the original document and English translation must be uploaded together as one combined file. Note that English translation is separate from MOM's qualification verification requirement under COMPASS.

You need a Singapore Notary Public and SAL authentication when: (a) you choose the Singapore Notary Public route for an ICA or court submission, or (b) you are sending a Singapore-issued document or notarised translation overseas. Under Singapore law, whenever a Singapore Notary Public issues a Notarial Certificate, it is authenticated by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL), which affixes a Hague Apostille (statutory fee currently S$87.20 including GST). We coordinate the entire translation → Notary Public → SAL workflow.

We translate and certify birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates and decrees, university degrees and diplomas, academic transcripts, household registers (China Hukou, Taiwan Huji, Japan Koseki Tohon, Korea Family Relation Certificate), Indonesian Akta Kelahiran and Kartu Keluarga, Malaysian JPN certificates, police clearance certificates, employment letters, overseas tax records, ACRA BizFile+ corporate filings, medical reports, and court affidavits across 100+ languages.

Standard turnaround for 1–3 page personal certificates (birth, marriage, degree) is 1 to 2 working days. Multi-page academic transcripts or family e-PR packs typically take 2 to 4 working days. Urgent same-day and 24-hour express options are available for deadline-sensitive ICA, MOM, or ROM appointments. If your route requires Singapore Notary Public and SAL authentication, allow an additional 1 to 2 working days.

For standard certified translation (including MOM combined-PDF uploads and overseas university applications), you do not need to visit in person—clear full-page scans or photographs uploaded online are sufficient. If your receiving authority requires a Singapore Notary Public to certify a true copy of the physical original alongside the translation, we will advise you when to present or courier the original.

Under the Singapore Rules of Court 2021, documents filed in the Supreme Court, State Courts, or Family Justice Courts must be in English. Depending on the proceeding (e.g., civil litigation, foreign divorce recognition, or probate), the court or practice directions may require translations from the Court Interpreter's Office or accept certified translations verified by translator affidavit / Notary Public where parties agree or the registrar permits. Always confirm the exact filing direction with your Singapore solicitor.

Yes. We translate foreign birth certificates, single-status / non-impediment certificates, and foreign divorce decrees required by the Registry of Marriages (ROM) and Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM). We check the current ROM checklist so you know whether notary or embassy authentication is also needed before your solemnisation appointment.

Yes. We provide certified English translations of foreign certificates of incorporation, business licences (e.g., Chinese SAMR营业执照, Japanese Tokibo Tohon 履歴事項全部証明書, Indonesian NIB/Akta Pendirian), articles of association, board resolutions, and audited financial statements for ACRA filings, corporate bank account opening, and KYC/CDD compliance in Singapore.

Before issuing the final certified translation, we cross-check every person's name against their passport, FIN/NRIC card, or Singapore pass. Where a source certificate uses non-Latin script (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Tamil, Thai) or an older romanisation, we follow the official passport spelling and add a translator's note where appropriate so ICA, MOM, or university officers can trace the name unambiguously.

Yes. We translate every course title, credit value, semester header, and grading legend faithfully without converting or altering your GPA or marks. Preserving the original grading scale alongside the verbatim English translation is essential for NUS, NTU, SMU, MOE, and professional credential evaluators.

A certified translation is issued by a professional translation agency (Translife) with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy and company stamp. A notarised translation adds a Singapore Notary Public's official seal and Notarial Certificate attesting the translation. An SAL Apostille is affixed by the Singapore Academy of Law onto the Notary Public's certificate under the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Not every recipient needs all three—MOM EP/S Pass usually needs only the certified translation, whereas ICA private-translation routes and overseas submissions often require the Notary Public + SAL step.

Yes. All documents uploaded or handed over to our Singapore team are handled in strict compliance with Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Our linguists and reviewers operate under binding non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), and corporate clients may request custom NDAs prior to file transfer.

Upload clear scans or photos of your documents using the quote form on this page, and tell us the receiving authority (e.g., ICA e-PR, MOM EP, ROM, Court, or overseas embassy) and your deadline. Our Singapore desk reviews your files and replies within hours with an exact SGD price, turnaround, and recommended certification route.