SINGAPORE
Apostille Questionnaire 2021
The responses are reflected as provided by Contracting Parties subject to minor typographical corrections.
Joining the Apostille Convention
1. Did you join the Convention after 2010?
[a] Yes.
For Parties that joined the Convention after 2010.
1.1. Did you require implementing legislation to give
the Apostille Convention the force of law?
Yes.
Apostille Act 2020
Date of entry into force for Section 21(2): 20 January 2021
Date of entry into force for all other provisions: 16 September
2021
Please see uploaded document.
2. Are foreign public documents exempted from
legalisation by virtue of your internal law,
practice, or any bilateral / multilateral
agreements (excluding the Apostille
Convention)?
[a] Yes, under internal law.
Most foreign public documents are not required to be
legalised by practice, with some exceptions.
Competent Authorities
3. How many Competent Authorities have you
designated under the Apostille Convention?
If unknown, please specify the reason for this and provide an
approximate number.
1
4. Do your diplomatic missions abroad play a role
in the Apostille issuance process?
[d] No.
Substantive Scope
5. Is the concept of ‘public document’ defined in
your internal law?
[a] Yes.
For the purpose of the Apostille Act 2020, both "foreign public
document" and "Singapore public document" are defined at
sections 6 and 14 of the Apostille Act 2020 respectively.
6. Have you experienced any difficulties in
characterising a ‘public document’ for the
purposes of the Apostille Convention?
[b] No.
7. Has the exclusion of ‘documents executed by
diplomatic or consular agents’ (Art. 1(3)(a)) from
the scope of the Apostille Convention given rise
to any difficulties?
[c] No.
8. Do you think this Art. 1(3)(a) exclusion is justified
in the context of the modern operation of the
Convention?
[a] Yes.
9. Has the exclusion of ‘administrative documents
dealing directly with commercial or customs
operations’ (Art. 1(3)(b)) from the scope of the
Apostille Convention given rise to any
difficulties?
[c] No.
10. Do you think this Art. 1(3)(b) exclusion is justified
in the context of the modern operation of the
Convention?
[b] No.
Apostille Questionnaire 2021: Singapore
Questions for Contracting Parties
2
11. Do you issue (outgoing) or accept (incoming)
Apostilles for any of the following categories of
document?
Issue
Accept
Certificates of origin
X
X
Export licences
X
X
Import licences
X
X
Health and safety certificates
issued by the relevant
government authorities or
agencies
X X
Certificates of products
registration
X
Certificates of conformity
X
End user certificates
(i.e. documents certifying that the
buyer is the end user of acquired
goods)
X
Commercial invoices
X
X
Apostille Process
Certification of Public Documents
12. Do any of your public documents require some
other intermediate certification
before the
issuance of an Apostille?
[b] No, an intermediate certification is not required
for any public document; Apostilles are issued directly
upon the public document.
Requesting an Apostille (Outgoing)
13. How can an Apostille be requested?
[a] In person.
[b] By post.
[c] By email.
[d] Through a website.
X
[e] Other.
14. When issuing an Apostille, do you enquire about
the State of destination?
[a] Yes, in the application form.
15. How long does it take for an Apostille to be
issued?
In-person request
(paper Apostille)
Other requests
(from the time of
receipt) (paper
Apostille)
e-Apostille requests
On the spot
16. Does your Competent Authority impose a fee for
issuing an Apostille?
[a] Yes, a single price for all Apostilles.
S$10
Issuing an Apostille (Outgoing)
17. How is the origin of a public document verified
for the purpose of issuing an Apostille (i.e.
verification of the authenticity of the signature,
the capacity of the signer, and the identity of the
seal / stamp (Art. 5(2))?
[a] Single Competent Authority.
[ii] An electronic database of sample signatures /
seals / stamps.
18. How does a Competent Authority address
situations where it is unable to verify the origin
of the public document?
[a] The Competent Authority will contact the issuing
authority to confirm authenticity, issue the Apostille,
and then add the new signature, stamp or seal to the
database.
Apostille Questionnaire 2021: Singapore
Questions for Contracting Parties
3
19. In what language(s) are the 10 standard items
of your Apostilles available?
[a] In one language.
English.
20. In what language(s) are the blank fields of your
Apostilles filled in?
[a] In one language.
English.
21. How are the blank fields of your Apostilles filled
in?
[b] Using computer software.
The blank fields such as public agency, officer and date etc
will be selected from the system.
Apostille Registers
22. How is your Apostille register, required by
Article 7, maintained?
[a] Single Competent Authority.
[i] Electronic form, publicly accessible online (e-
Register).
23. What particulars are contained in your Apostille
register?
[a] Number and date of the Apostille
(required).
X
[b] Name and capacity of the person signing
the document and /
or the name of
authority whose seal or stamp is affixed
(required).
X
[c] Name and / or type of underlying
document.
[d] Description of the contents of underlying
document.
[e] Name of the applicant.
[f] State of destination.
[g] Copy of the Apostille.
[h] Copy of the underlying document.
[i] Other.
24. Is there a limit to how long records can be
retained on the Apostille register?
[d] No.
25. If your register is not publicly accessible, how
frequently do your Competent Authorities
receive requests to verify an Apostille they have
issued in the register?
[g] Not applicable, register is publicly accessible.
Technology & the e-APP
26. Under your internal law, do you recognise
electronic / digital
signatures as functionally
equivalent to handwritten signatures (i.e. can a
public document be signed electronically)?
27. Under your internal law, are public documents
executed, or able to be executed, in electronic
form (whether or not they are to be used abroad
under the Convention)?
For Parties that answered yes to Q27.
27.1.
What categories of public documents are
executed, or able to be executed, in electronic
form (whether or not they are to be used abroad
under the Convention)?
[a] All public documents.
[b] Civil status documents (e.g. birth, death
and marriage certificates) and
certificates of non-impediment.
[c] Other administrative documents
(including decisions from administrative
tribunals or decision-making bodies).
Apostille Questionnaire 2021: Singapore
Questions for Contracting Parties
4
[d] Extracts from commercial registers and
other registers.
[e] Notarial authentications of signatures.
[f] Other notarial acts.
[g] Diplomas and other education
documents.
[h] Court documents, including judgments.
[i] Patents or other documents pertaining to
intellectual property rights.
[j] Documents relating to adoptions.
[k] Translations.
[l] Medical or health certificates.
[m] Criminal records.
[n] Import or export licences.
[o] Certificates of origin.
[p] Certificates of conformity.
[q] Other.
For Parties that answered yes to Q27.
27.2. Approximately what percentage of your public
documents are originally executed in electronic
form (whether or not they are to be used abroad
under the Convention)?
28. Do you issue e-Apostilles?
[b] No.
[i] We are studying the use of e-Apostilles and plan
to implement the e-Apostille component.
For Parties that answered no to Q28.
28.1. What challenges are you facing that may prevent
you from implementing the e-Apostille?
[a] Internal law limitations.
X
[b] Judicial or administrative structure.
[c] Implementation challenges (e.g. lack of
resources, lack of infrastructure).
[d] Cost.
[e] System interoperability / compatibility.
[f] Security concerns.
X
[g] Other.
For Parties that answered no to Q28.
28.2.
How do you issue an Apostille for a public
document executed in electronic form?
[b] By paper Apostille, attached to a hard copy of the
electronic public document.
29. Are your authorities equipped to accept
incoming e-Apostilles?
30. Do you maintain an e-Register?
[a] Yes.
For Parties that answered yes to Q30.
30.2. What technology is used to maintain your
e-Register?
[a] A government-built platform.
Apostille Questionnaire 2021: Singapore
Questions for Contracting Parties
5
31. Have you been in contact with other Competent
Authorities that operate an e-
APP component
and exchanged information and / or relevant
experience?
[a] Yes.
United Kingdom and Hong Kong.
Issues with Apostilles
32. Has an Apostille
issued
by your Competent
Authority ever been refused by the authorities of
another Contracting Party on the following
grounds:
[a] Form requirements (e.g. square-shaped,
sides of at least nine centimetres, border,
ink, etc).
[b] The manner in which the Apostille was
affixed /
attached to the underlying
document.
[c] The Apostille was not signed.
[d] One or more of the standard
informational items were not filled in.
[e] The Apostille was in electronic form (an
e-Apostille).
[f] The underlying public document was in
electronic form.
[g] The underlying public document had
expired / was not issued within a certain
timeframe.
[h] The underlying document was not a
public document
under the law of the
destination.
[i] Other.
[j] Unknown.
[k] No / Not applicable.
X
33. Has your Competent Authority ever been
requested by external Competent Authorities to
certify or confirm your procedure for issuing
Apostilles?
[b] No.
34. Has an Apostille
received
by your authorities
ever been refused on the following grounds:
[a] The issuing State was not a Contracting
Party to the Apostille Convention.
[b] Form requirements (e.g. square-shaped,
sides of at least nine centimetres, border,
ink, etc).
[c] The manner in which the Apostille was
affixed /
attached to the underlying
document.
[d] The Apostille was not signed.
[e] One or more of the standard
informational items were not filled in.
[f] The Apostille was in electronic form (an
e-Apostille).
Apostille Questionnaire 2021: Singapore
Questions for Contracting Parties
6
[g] The underlying public document was in
electronic form.
[h] The underlying public document had
expired / was not issued within a certain
timeframe.
[i] The underlying document was not a
public document under the law of the
destination.
[j] Other.
[k] Unknown.
[l] No / Not applicable.
X
Miscellaneous
35. Would you be interested in attending the 2021
meeting of the
Special Commission on the
practical operation of the Apostille Convention?
[b] Yes, via videoconference.
36. Have you encountered any persistent
difficulties, issues, or challenges in the
operation of the Apostille Convention that you
would like
discussed at the 2021 Special
Commission?
If yes, would you like your answer to this question to be
published without reference to your authority or State?
[b] No.
37. Do you have any suggestions that could assist in
the promotion, implementation, or operation of
the Apostille Convention?
If yes, would you like your answer to this question to be
published without reference to your authority or State?
[b] No.
38. Would you be interested in attending the 12
th
International Forum on the e-APP (to be held in
conjunction with the meeting of the Special
Commission)?
[b] Yes, via videoconference.
39. Are there any specific topics or practical issues
that you would like discussed at the e-APP
Forum?
If yes, would you like your answer to this question to be
published without reference to your authority or State?
[b] No.
40. The Permanent Bureau is in the process of
drafting a 2
nd
edition of the Apostille Handbook.
Are there any specific topics, suggestions for
presentation or formatting, or any other
proposals for inclusion?
Please note that answers to this question will not be
incorporated into the first draft of the 2
nd
edition.
The PB will take them into account in preparing
subsequent drafts.
If yes, would you like your answer to this question to be
published without reference to your authority or State?
[b] No.
APOSTILLE ACT 2020
(No. 38 of 2020)
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART 1
PRELIMINARY
Section
1. Short title and commencement
2. Interpretation
3. Purpose
4. Act binds Government
PART 2
PROOF OF ORIGIN OF
FOREIGN PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
5. Application of this Part
6. What is a foreign public document
7. What is meant by the origin of a foreign public document
8. What is legalisation of a foreign public document
9. Legalisation not required for foreign public documents
10. What is a Convention certificate (also known as an apostille)
11. Effect of Convention certificate if used
12. Use of Convention certificate generally not mandatory
13. Other modes of proof, etc., not affected
PART 3
CERTIFICATION OF
SINGAPORE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
14. What is a Singapore public document
15. What is a competent authority
16. Certification of public document executed in Singapore
17. Grounds for refusing to issue certificate
18. Register of certificates
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
PART 4
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
19. Amendment of Second Schedule
20. Regulations
21. Related amendments to other Acts
First Schedule — The Hague Convention Abolishing the
Requirement of Legalisation for
Foreign Public Documents
Second Schedule — Competent authorities for certifying
Singapore public documents
NO. 38 OF 20202
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
An Act to give effect to the Hague Convention Abolishing the
Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, done
at the Hague on 5 October 1961, and for connected purposes, and to
make related amendments to certain other Acts.
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the
Parliament of Singapore, as follows:
APOSTILLE 3
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
PART 1
PRELIMINARY
Short title and commencement
1. This Act is the Apostille Act 2020 and comes into operation on a
date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette.
Interpretation
2. 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 in the First Schedule;
“Convention State” means a State Party to the Convention other
than Singapore, but does not include —
(a) any State Party that objected to Singapore’s
accession to the Convention; and
(b) any State Party whose accession to the Convention
Singapore objected to;
“Model Certificate” means the model certificate set out in the
Annex to the Convention.
Purpose
3.—(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 the
Convention and facilitates (but does not require) their use.
(3) Part 3 provides for certificates to be issued under the
Convention for Singapore public documents (as defined in that Part).
Act binds Government
4. This Act binds the Government.
NO. 38 OF 20204
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
PART 2
PROOF OF ORIGIN OF
FOREIGN PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
Application of this Part
5. 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 function, duty or obligation, under or
pursuant to any written law or rule of law.
What is a foreign public document
6. 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 courts or tribunals
of that State, including a document emanating
from a public prosecutor, a clerk of a court or a
process-server;
(B) an administrative document;
(C) a notarial act;
(D) an official certificate that is placed on a
document signed by a person in his or her
private capacity (for example, an official
certificate recording the registration of a
document or the fact that the document was
in existence on a certain date, or an official or
a notarial authentication of a signature); or
(ii) a document (including a document that is not signed,
sealed or stamped) that —
APOSTILLE 5
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
(A) emanates from a Convention State; and
(B) is treated as a public document by the law of
that State; but
(b) does not include a document executed by a diplomatic or
consular agent.
What is meant by the origin of a foreign public document
7. 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;
(b) the capacity in which the person signing the document has
acted;
(c) where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp that the
document bears.
What is legalisation of a foreign public document
8. 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.
Legalisation not required for foreign public documents
9.—(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.
What is a Convention certificate (also known as an apostille)
10. 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
NO. 38 OF 20206
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
(b) by an authority that, at the time of issuing the certificate, is
designated by the State in which territory the document
was executed, or from which the document emanates, as
competent to issue the certificate in respect of the
document.
Effect of Convention certificate if used
11.—(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 the certified
document).
(2) Subject to subsection (3), the origin of the certified document is
presumed to be sufficiently proven.
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply —
(a) if the contrary is proven;
(b) if it is proven that the certified document is not in fact a
foreign public document;
(c) if it is proven that the purported certificate is not in fact a
Convention certificate in relation to the certified
document; or
(d) if, and to the extent that, it is proven that —
(i) the purported certificate suffers from any of the
following defects:
(A) the certificate is not in, or substantially in, the
form of the Model Certificate;
(B) any information required by the Model
Certificate is omitted (unless the omitted
information is not applicable to the certified
document);
(C) the purported certificate has been damaged,
tampered with or modified;
APOSTILLE 7
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
(D) the purported certificate is no longer placed on
or attached to the certified document; and
(ii) the defect affects the authenticity or reliability of the
purported certificate in relation to the certified
document.
Use of Convention certificate generally not mandatory
12.—(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 person seeking to prove the origin of a specified foreign public
document —
(a) may be required to do so by means of a Convention
certificate; but
(b) is not required to comply with any more rigorous formality.
(3) This section applies despite any written law or rule of law to the
contrary.
(4) In this section —
“more rigorous formality” means a formality that is more
rigorous than placing a Convention certificate on, or
attaching a Convention certificate to, a foreign public
document;
“specified foreign public document” means a foreign public
document falling within any of the following classes:
(a) any class of documents for which legalisation is or
may be required by or under any written law or any
practice before the date of Singapore’s accession to
the Convention;
(b) any class of documents that did not exist before the
date of Singapore’s accession to the Convention.
NO. 38 OF 20208
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
Other modes of proof, etc., not affected
13. 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.
PART 3
CERTIFICATION OF
SINGAPORE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
What is a Singapore public document
14. 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 Singapore, including a document emanating
from a public prosecutor, a clerk of a court or a
process-server;
(B) an administrative document;
(C) a notarial act;
(D) an official certificate that is placed on a
document signed by a person in his or her
private capacity (for example, an official
certificate recording the registration of a
document or the fact that the document was
in existence on a certain date, or an official or
a notarial authentication of a signature); or
(ii) a document (including a document that is not signed,
sealed or stamped) that is prescribed to be a
Singapore public document; but
APOSTILLE 9
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
(b) does not include any of the following documents:
(i) a document executed by a diplomatic or consular
agent;
(ii) a prescribed private document.
What is a competent authority
15. 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.
Certification of public document executed in Singapore
16.—(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) numbered and dated in the prescribed manner;
(b) in the form of the Model Certificate, subject to any
prescribed modifications; and
(c) placed on, or attached to, the Singapore public document
or a copy thereof in the prescribed manner.
(3) Regulations may provide for a certificate to be issued in
electronic form, whether or not the underlying public document is
also in electronic form.
Grounds for refusing to issue certificate
17.—(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
that the document is forged or falsified;
(c) the authority is not competent to issue the certificate;
NO. 38 OF 202010
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
(d) the person requesting for the certificate fails to provide any
prescribed information or any other information required
by the authority;
(e) the prescribed fee is not paid;
(f) any prescribed ground.
(2) A competent authority may refuse to issue a certificate for a
public document if any of the following grounds apply:
(a) the authority is unable to verify the authenticity of the
signature, seal or stamp on the document;
(b) any prescribed ground.
Register of certificates
18.—(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 of the person who signed the certified Singapore
public document and the capacity in which he or she acted;
(c) if applicable, the name of the authority that affixed the seal
or stamp on the certified Singapore public document; and
(d) any other information that may be prescribed.
(3) Regulations must provide for the means by which a person may
verify the authenticity of a document purporting to be a certificate
issued by a competent authority.
(4) Regulations may provide for a joint register to be kept by 2 or
more competent authorities.
APOSTILLE 11
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
PART 4
MISCELLANEOUS
Amendment of Second Schedule
19.—(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 public documents
opposite an authority in the first column; and
(b) the same class of Singapore public documents opposite
2 or more authorities in the first column.
Regulations
20. 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.
Related amendments to other Acts
21.—(1) The Evidence Act (Cap. 97, 1997 Ed.) is amended by
inserting, immediately after section 80A, the following section:
“Proof of signature, seal, etc., on foreign public document
under Apostille Convention
80B. To avoid doubt, sections 76 to 80A do not affect the
operation of Part 2 of the Apostille Act 2020.”.
(2) Section 4(1) of the Singapore Academy of Law Act (Cap. 294A,
1997 Ed.) is amended by deleting the word “and” at the end of
paragraph (ka), and by inserting immediately thereafter the following
paragraph:
NO. 38 OF 202012
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
“(kb) to certify the following aspects of documents
executed in or emanating from Singapore for the
purposes of their production in another country:
(i) the authenticity of the signature on the
document;
(ii) the capacity in which the person signing the
document has acted;
(iii) where appropriate, the identity of the seal or
stamp that the document bears;”.
FIRST SCHEDULE
Section 2
THE HAGUE CONVENTION ABOLISHING THE
REQUIREMENT OF LEGALISATION FOR
FOREIGN PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
The States signatory to the present Convention,
Desiring to abolish the requirement of diplomatic or consular legalisation for
foreign public documents,
Have resolved to conclude a Convention to this effect and have agreed upon the
following provisions:
ARTICLE 1
The present Convention shall apply to public documents which have been
executed in the territory of one Contracting State and which have to be produced
in the territory of another Contracting State.
For the purposes of the present Convention, the following are deemed to be public
documents:
(a) documents emanating from an authority or an official connected with
the courts or tribunals of the State, including those emanating from a
public prosecutor, a clerk of a court or a process-server (“huissier de
justice”);
(b) administrative documents;
(c) notarial acts;
(d) official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons
in their private capacity, such as official certificates recording the
APOSTILLE 13
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
FIRST SCHEDULE — continued
registration of a document or the fact that it was in existence on a
certain date and official and notarial authentications of signatures.
However, the present Convention shall not apply:
(a) to documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents;
(b) to administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or
customs operations.
ARTICLE 2
Each Contracting State shall exempt from legalisation documents to which the
present Convention applies and which have to be produced in its territory. For the
purposes of the present Convention, legalisation means only the formality by
which the diplomatic or consular agents of the country in which the document has
to be produced certify the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the
person signing the document has acted and, where appropriate, the identity of the
seal or stamp which it bears.
ARTICLE 3
The only formality that may be required in order to certify the authenticity of the
signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted and,
where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which it bears, is the addition
of the certificate described in Article 4, issued by the competent authority of the
State from which the document emanates.
However, the formality mentioned in the preceding paragraph cannot be required
when either the laws, regulations, or practice in force in the State where the
document is produced or an agreement between two or more Contracting States
have abolished or simplified it, or exempt the document itself from legalisation.
ARTICLE 4
The certificate referred to in the first paragraph of Article 3 shall be placed on the
document itself or on an “allonge”; it shall be in the form of the model annexed to
the present Convention.
It may, however, be drawn up in the official language of the authority which issues
it. The standard terms appearing therein may be in a second language also. The
title “Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)” shall be in the
French language.
ARTICLE 5
The certificate shall be issued at the request of the person who has signed the
document or of any bearer.
NO. 38 OF 202014
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
FIRST SCHEDULE — continued
When properly filled in, it will certify the authenticity of the signature, the capacity
in which the person signing the document has acted and, where appropriate, the
identity of the seal or stamp which the document bears.
The signature, seal and stamp on the certificate are exempt from all certification.
ARTICLE 6
Each Contracting State shall designate by reference to their official function, the
authorities who are competent to issue the certificate referred to in the first
paragraph of Article 3.
It shall give notice of such designation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Netherlands at the time it deposits its instrument of ratification or of accession or
its declaration of extension. It shall also give notice of any change in the
designated authorities.
ARTICLE 7
Each of the authorities designated in accordance with Article 6 shall keep a
register or card index in which it shall record the certificates issued, specifying:
(a) the number and date of the certificate,
(b) the name of the person signing the public document and the capacity in
which he has acted, or in the case of unsigned documents, the name of
the authority which has affixed the seal or stamp.
At the request of any interested person, the authority which has issued the
certificate shall verify whether the particulars in the certificate correspond with
those in the register or card index.
ARTICLE 8
When a treaty, convention or agreement between two or more Contracting States
contains provisions which subject the certification of a signature, seal or stamp to
certain formalities, the present Convention will only override such provisions if
those formalities are more rigorous than the formality referred to in Articles 3
and 4.
ARTICLE 9
Each Contracting State shall take the necessary steps to prevent the performance
of legalisations by its diplomatic or consular agents in cases where the present
Convention provides for exemption.
ARTICLE 10
The present Convention shall be open for signature by the States represented at the
Ninth Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law and Iceland,
Ireland, Liechtenstein and Turkey.
APOSTILLE 15
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
FIRST SCHEDULE — continued
It shall be ratified, and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
ARTICLE 11
The present Convention shall enter into force on the sixtieth day after the deposit
of the third instrument of ratification referred to in the second paragraph of
Article 10.
The Convention shall enter into force for each signatory State which ratifies
subsequently on the sixtieth day after the deposit of its instrument of ratification.
ARTICLE 12
Any State not referred to in Article 10 may accede to the present Convention after
it has entered into force in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 11. The
instrument of accession shall be deposited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
the Netherlands.
Such accession shall have effect only as regards the relations between the
acceding State and those Contracting States which have not raised an objection to
its accession in the six months after the receipt of the notification referred to in
sub-paragraph (d) of Article 15. Any such objection shall be notified to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
The Convention shall enter into force as between the acceding State and the States
which have raised no objection to its accession on the sixtieth day after the expiry
of the period of six months mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
ARTICLE 13
Any State may, at the time of signature, ratification or accession, declare that the
present Convention shall extend to all the territories for the international relations
of which it is responsible, or to one or more of them. Such a declaration shall take
effect on the date of entry into force of the Convention for the State concerned.
At any time thereafter, such extensions shall be notified to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Netherlands.
When the declaration of extension is made by a State which has signed and
ratified, the Convention shall enter into force for the territories concerned in
accordance with Article 11. When the declaration of extension is made by a State
which has acceded, the Convention shall enter into force for the territories
concerned in accordance with Article 12.
NO. 38 OF 202016
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
FIRST SCHEDULE — continued
ARTICLE 14
The present Convention shall remain in force for five years from the date of its
entry into force in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 11, even for
States which have ratified it or acceded to it subsequently.
If there has been no denunciation, the Convention shall be renewed tacitly every
five years.
Any denunciation shall be notified to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Netherlands at least six months before the end of the five year period.
It may be limited to certain of the territories to which the Convention applies.
The denunciation will only have effect as regards the State which has notified it.
The Convention shall remain in force for the other Contracting States.
ARTICLE 15
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands shall give notice to the States
referred to in Article 10, and to the States which have acceded in accordance with
Article 12, of the following:
(a) the notifications referred to in the second paragraph of Article 6;
(b) the signatures and ratifications referred to in Article 10;
(c) the date on which the present Convention enters into force in
accordance with the first paragraph of Article 11;
(d) the accessions and objections referred to in Article 12 and the date on
which such accessions take effect;
(e) the extensions referred to in Article 13 and the date on which they take
effect;
(f) the denunciations referred to in the third paragraph of Article 14.
APOSTILLE 17
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
FIRST SCHEDULE — continued
ANNEX TO THE CONVENTION
Model of certificate
The certificate will be in the form of a square with sides at least 9 centimetres long
APOSTILLE
(Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)
1. Country: .......................................................................................................
This public document
2. has been signed by .......................................................................................
3. acting in the capacity of ................................................................................
4. bears the seal/stamp of ................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
Certified
5. at .................................................. 6. the ..............................................
7. by .................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
8. N
o
: .................................
9. Seal/Stamp:
......................................................
10. Signature:
....................................................
NO. 38 OF 202018
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
SECOND SCHEDULE
Sections 15 and 19
COMPETENT AUTHORITIES FOR CERTIFYING
SINGAPORE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
First column Second column
Authority Documents that
authority may certify
1. Singapore Academy of Law Any Singapore public document
APOSTILLE 19
Informal Consolidation – version in force from 20/1/2021
