Court Papers, Contracts, Affidavits
Legal Translation Services Singapore
In a contract or court order, one word can change a duty. Legal translation services in Singapore keep every clause, case number and party name exact, so lawyers, courts and offices read the same meaning as the original.
In a legal document translation, "shall" means you must, and "may" means you can choose. Swap them and the promise changes, so we keep every such word exact.
- Native translators check each legal term
- Draft sent to you before the notary
- Fixed quote before any work starts
- Seals Shown In BracketsEvery signature and seal marked clearly
- Legal Files Stay ConfidentialSeen only by your assigned team
- Annexes Kept With Main PaperSchedules translated in the same order
- Registered Company LetterheadStatement issued under UEN 202215635R
Court Document Translation Requirements For ICA And Courts
First, a common question: which legal translation firm does ICA accept? The honest answer is none by name. ICA does not approve private firms. Instead, it accepts a translated legal document made in one of three ways.
Way one: the embassy of the country that issued the paper translates it. Way two: a notary public translates it. Way three: a private company translates it, and a notary public notarises it or the embassy attests it. We work the third way.
A tiny example: you are applying for PR and your divorce was granted abroad. The court's decree goes through our divorce decree translation, then a Singapore notary public stamps it. Courts and lawyers here may set their own rules, so ask them first.
Your Finished Legal File
- Full English translation of every page
- Seals and signatures shown in brackets
- Translator's statement on company letterhead
- Notary public stamp when required
- PDF plus hard copy if needed
Affidavit And Contract Translation For Courts, ICA And Company Filings
Legal papers rarely serve just one office. Affidavit and contract translation work reaches us for court files, ICA applications, ACRA filings, property matters and arbitration, and each reader expects terms, names and case numbers kept exact.
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Court Cases And Affidavits
Parties in the State Courts or Family Justice Courts must file foreign-language exhibits with an English translation, often supported by the translator's affidavit.
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PR And Citizenship Family Orders
ICA asks for divorce decrees, custody orders or adoption orders issued abroad. These need an English translation notarised by a notary public or attested by the embassy.
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ACRA Company Filings
Registering a branch or updating company records with ACRA may involve foreign constitutions, registry extracts or board resolutions that must be shown in English.
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Contract Negotiation And Disputes
Businesses sign or enforce agreements with overseas partners. Both sides need a faithful English version so each clause carries the same duty.
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Wills And Estate Matters
Lawyers handling probate in Singapore may receive a will, inheritance certificate or death record from abroad that must be translated before filing.
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Power Of Attorney Abroad
Selling or managing property overseas often needs a power of attorney in that country's language, notarised here, with the SAL step adding an apostille certificate.
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Arbitration Proceedings
International arbitrations seated in Singapore often involve foreign-language contracts, emails and expert reports that tribunals ask to see in English.
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Employment And Company Disputes
Lawyers handling a workplace claim or shareholder dispute often need foreign contracts, letters and minutes in English before filing in Singapore.
Professional Legal Translation In Singapore For Six Kinds Of Papers
Each card explains one kind of paper our contract and court translation team handles. Some readers want a sworn translator, where the translator declares it true. Others want notary public translation in Singapore, stamped by a notary.
Court Orders And Judgments
A judgment is the court's final decision. A court order tells someone what to do, like pay maintenance. We copy case numbers, names and dates exactly, so the paper matches the court file.
Affidavits And Declarations
An affidavit is a written statement someone swears is true. A statutory declaration is similar, but declared, not sworn. Our affidavit translation in Singapore keeps the signing block clear.
Contracts And Agreements
A contract is a written promise between two sides. Contract translation must keep every condition, date and amount exact, because one changed number can change who owes what.
Power Of Attorney
This paper lets one person act for another. Example: a daughter in Singapore signs for her father in Jakarta. The translation must show exactly what she may and may not do.
Wills And Family Papers
A will says who receives a person's things after death. Family court papers cover divorce, custody and maintenance. These are private, so only your order team sees them.
Company And Business Papers
Business registration papers, board resolutions and shareholder letters often need English for a bank or partner. We keep company names in their official spelling, never a new version.
Legal Document Translation Services From Chinese, Japanese, Spanish And More
Every legal system has its own vocabulary, so we match each file with a native translator of that language. These eight cover most requests for legal document translation services in Singapore from law firms and families.
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Chinese
民事判决书 civil judgments, 离婚调解书 divorce mediation papers, 公证书 notarial certificates and 合同 contracts from China and Taiwan
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Japanese
契約書 contracts, 登記簿謄本 company and property register extracts, 判決書 court judgments and 委任状 letters of authority
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Korean
판결문 court judgments, 법인등기부등본 corporate register extracts, 위임장 powers of attorney and 공증 notarised deeds from Korea
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Indonesian
Akta Notaris deeds, Putusan Pengadilan court decisions, Akta Pendirian company formation deeds and NIB business licences from Indonesia
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Malay
Perintah Mahkamah court orders, Surat Ikatan Amanah trust deeds and Malaysian agreements needing English-to-Malay or Malay-to-English versions
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Vietnamese
Bản án judgments, Quyết định ly hôn divorce decisions, Hợp đồng contracts and Giấy chứng nhận đăng ký doanh nghiệp company certificates
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Spanish
Escrituras públicas deeds, poderes notariales powers of attorney and sentencias judgments from Spain, Mexico and South America
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German
Urteil judgments, Vollmacht powers of attorney and Handelsregisterauszug company register extracts from Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Need a language not shown? Native legal translators work across 100+ languages; photograph or scan the pages and we reply with a fixed quote.
Legal Document Translation Terms We Handle With Care
Legal papers hide hard words. Here are some we meet often, what they mean, and how we handle them. A German legal translation follows these rules, and so do our Spanish translation services.
| On the document | What it means | How we translate it |
|---|---|---|
| "Plaintiff" and "defendant" | Who started the case, and who it is against | Matching English court terms, never swapped |
| "Shall" vs "may" | Must do vs can choose to do | The duty or choice kept exactly as written |
| Case number in a local format | The court's own file reference | Copied exactly, with the original kept beside it |
| Court seal and signatures | Proof the paper is official | Shown as [court seal] and [signature] |
| Words with no English match | A legal idea only that country uses | Original word kept, with a short note |
| Annex or schedule | Extra pages attached to the main paper | Translated too, with the same numbering |
We translate legal words faithfully but do not give legal advice; your lawyer can explain what they mean for you.
Four Clear Steps From Legal File To Final Translation
A two-page court order shows how a short paper moves through our hands. Bigger affidavit translation jobs take more days. If your case also has a recording, our transcription services can turn it into text first.
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Send Every Page Of The Legal File
Scan all pages, even blank backs with a stamp. A missing page can mean a missing condition. Tell us who will receive the translation.
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See The Legal Translation Price First
We count pages and look at the language and layout. You get a fixed price and a date. Work starts only after you agree.
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Read Your Legal Draft And Get The Final File
A native translator does the work. You then read the draft. Check names, dates and amounts. Ask about any word that seems odd; we explain our choice. The final PDF follows, plus a hard copy at Suntec or by courier.
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Notarise Your Legal Translation For Court Or Abroad
Foreign courts, embassies and ICA often want a legal translation notarised, while a Singapore court may want a translator's affidavit instead, so ask your lawyer first. We arrange the notary and the SAL authentication used since 2019 on every notarised paper, which also serves as the apostille abroad, from S$162.20 per document.
Contract Translation Cost In Singapore And Price Factors
Expect S$40 per page as the starting price for a legal paper. Think of that as the floor, not the final number. Every quote is fixed before you pay. These six things move the price up or down.
What decides your final price
Length Of The Paper
A two-page court order costs far less than an 80-page contract. Price is per page of text.
Small Print And Dense Clauses
Tight clauses with tiny text hold more words per page, so they may cost more than a short order.
Language Pair
English to Malay legal translation or Chinese to English is common. Rare pairs, like Dutch to English, can cost more.
Notary Public Stamp
Needed for ICA and by some courts or lawyers. Notarisation including SAL authentication starts from S$162.20 per document, not per page.
SAL Apostille For Foreign Use
SAL authentication is already in the notarisation price. For papers going overseas, it adds an apostille certificate at no extra step.
Filing Deadlines And Courier
Is a filing date close? Express is +50%. Courier for hard copies starts from S$15.
quote
Starting from
S$40
per page
Notarisation + SAL authenticationfrom S$162.20 / document
Certified true copy (notary + SAL)from S$172.20 / document
Express same day+50%
Courier hard copyfrom S$15
Starting prices. Your exact price comes in one fixed quote before you pay.
Get my exact priceIncluded In Every Legal Translation Order
Legal files come with a fixed quote and a native translator who knows court terms. Party names are checked against passports, and wording a court or office queries is fixed free. WhatsApp us for a sample with case details removed.
See a sample translation first
Want to check our work before you order? Ask us on WhatsApp for a past translation of the same kind of document, with all personal details removed.
What every order includes
- A draft for you to check
- Names matched to your passport
- Free fix if ICA asks for a change
- Notarised PDF for upload
Frequently Asked Questions
01Do you send an interpreter to court with me?
No. We translate written papers, not spoken words at a hearing. For a court interpreter, ask the court or your lawyer. We can still translate the papers you file before and after.
02Will a Singapore court accept your translation?
Each court and office sets its own rules. Some want a notarised translation, others an affidavit from the translator. Ask your lawyer which form is needed, and we will prepare it that way.
03Can you translate a legal paper from English into Malay or Japanese?
Yes. We translate in both directions, for example a contract for a partner in Kuala Lumpur or Tokyo. Tell us the country that will use it, because each has its own style and rules.
04My contract mixes English and another language. What do I pay for?
We translate only the parts not in English and keep the English as it is. The result reads as one complete paper. Your quote counts only the pages that need work.
05Can a lawyer's certified true copy replace a notarised translation?
Not usually. A certified true copy only proves a copy matches the original; it does not check a translation. For ICA, a private translation must be notarised by a notary public or attested by the embassy.
06Is my legal file kept confidential?
Yes. Only the people on your order see it, and files are handled under Singapore's PDPA. You may hide parts that are not needed, but tell us first so the translation still makes sense.
07The other side's lawyer disputes a word in the translation. What happens?
Send us their comment and we review it again. If we made an error, we correct it at no cost. If it is a matter of wording, we explain in writing why we chose that term.
08My legal paper is going overseas. Is the notary stamp enough?
Every notarised paper must also be authenticated by the Singapore Academy of Law, and our notarisation price includes it. For apostille countries, that same SAL step adds an apostille certificate. Check with the receiving office in case it wants more, such as embassy legalisation.
09Where can I translate legal documents in Singapore?
For ICA there are three routes: the embassy of the country that issued the paper, a notary public, or a private translation that a notary public then notarises. We follow the third route, with notarisation including SAL authentication from S$162.20 per document. Courts and lawyers may set their own format, so ask them first.
10How long does legal document translation take?
Most short papers, like a court order or certificate, are ready in 1–2 working days. Long contracts or bundles of affidavits take longer, and the quote states the ready date. Express service adds 50% when the length allows it.
11Is a certified legal translation the same as a sworn translation?
Not exactly. A certified translation carries the translator's or company's statement of accuracy. A sworn translation usually means the translator makes a formal declaration, such as an affidavit, which some courts ask for. Singapore does not run an official register of sworn translators, so ask your lawyer which form fits.
Translate Legal Documents With A Fixed Quote Today
Start with a photo of the first page and tell us who will read it. As a translation company in Singapore, we reply with a fixed price, a ready date and whether a notary step is needed.