All services are carried out in Singapore by a Singapore Notary Public. Information checked: October 2026.
Need Someone to Act for You Overseas? Start With the Right Power of Attorney
A power of attorney lets someone you trust (your "attorney") act for you (the "donor") in another country, while you stay in Singapore.
Most people who contact us are in one of these situations:
- You work in Singapore and a flat, house or piece of land back home needs to be sold, bought, rented out or registered.
- A brother, sister or parent needs to run a bank account, claim an inheritance or deal with a court or tax office for you.
- Your company must appoint a representative abroad. That is a different document, covered on our page about a company POA for an overseas representative.
Recent enquiries include a special POA for property in India and POAs for Hong Kong and Malaysia. The worry is always the same: will it be accepted? A rejected POA costs courier fees, weeks of delay and sometimes a deal. So we check your draft and destination country before anyone signs.
General, Special, Property, Banking or Vehicle POA: Which Fits Your Situation?
The type decides how much power you hand over. The lawyer or office abroad usually tells you which one they need.
General power of attorney
A general POA gives your attorney broad authority over many of your affairs in that country. It's convenient but hands over a lot of control, so ask the lawyer abroad how you would revoke it.
Special power of attorney
A special POA (SPA) covers one specific act or a short list, such as selling one named property. Many authorities prefer it because the limits are clear. It's the type we see most, including SPAs for the Philippines and India.
Property power of attorney
A property POA lets your attorney buy, sell, rent or register a named property abroad. Property offices are strict about wording and details. If your property is in India, read our guide to notarise your power of attorney for India, which covers stamping and registration.
Banking power of attorney
A banking POA lets someone operate or close an account for you. Many banks insist on their own form, so ask your bank for it first.
Vehicle power of attorney
A vehicle POA lets someone sell, transfer or register a vehicle abroad. The transport authority there usually sets the format.
Not the Same as a Singapore LPA: Know the Difference Before You Sign
A Singapore Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is for use in Singapore and is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). A POA for overseas use is a separate document, notarised here and legalised for the country where it will be used.
| POA for overseas use | Singapore LPA | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Someone acts for you abroad, usually for a specific matter | Someone makes decisions for you in Singapore if you lose mental capacity |
| Who prepares the wording | Usually a lawyer or authority in the destination country | You, on the OPG form |
| Who certifies or witnesses | A Singapore Notary Public, then SAL | An OPG-registered Certificate Issuer, while you are in Singapore |
| Where it is used | The country it is sent to | Singapore |
OPG says a Singapore-registered LPA is valid for use in Singapore. For assets abroad, check with the foreign institution and take legal advice.
Who Writes the POA Wording: You, Your Overseas Lawyer or Us?
The best person to write your POA is the lawyer, bank or office in the country where it will be used. Most customers arrive with their draft.
Before you sign, we check the practical points that cause rejections:
- your name matches your passport exactly
- your attorney's details and the property, account or vehicle details are complete
- there's room for the Notary's certificate and no blank spaces left to fill in later
The Notary Public witnesses and certifies your signature but doesn't advise on foreign law. No draft yet? Tell us where the POA is going and we'll explain what to ask the lawyer abroad for. If you need the wording prepared in Singapore, ask us: drafting isn't part of notarisation and is quoted separately.
Sign Your Power of Attorney at Home or at Work: Our Notary Comes to You
Signing takes one short appointment. You can book a notary home visit, or have the Notary come to your workplace, a hospital or a care home.
- 1Send us the draft. A phone photo on WhatsApp is fine. Tell us the destination country and who is signing.
- 2We check and quote. You get an all-in quote: statutory fees, SAL, any embassy step, our visit fee (from S$99) if we come to you, and courier.
- 3You sign in front of the Notary. Bring your original passport or NRIC. The Notary confirms who you are and that you understand what you're signing, then issues the notarial certificate.
- 4We finish the chain. We take the POA to SAL for the Apostille, arrange embassy legalisation if your country needs it, and courier it to your attorney.
What to prepare:
- the unsigned POA (don't sign it beforehand, because it must be signed in front of the Notary)
- your original passport, or NRIC/FIN, in the same name as the POA
- your attorney's full name and ID number
- any instructions or checklist from the lawyer or office abroad
- passport photos, only if your draft has a space for one
If a parent is signing, the Notary speaks with them directly to make sure they understand the document. That check protects your family if anyone questions the POA later.
“I needed a Power of Attorney notarised for a property matter in India. I work long hours, so having the notary come to my home made things much easier. The appointment was on time and everything was explained before I signed.”
Priyanka Shah — Singapore
POA Notarisation · June 2026
Will Your POA Be Accepted Abroad? Apostille or Embassy, Country by Country
Every POA notarised in Singapore goes to SAL, which attaches an Apostille. Whether you need another step after that depends only on the destination country.
| Destination | What usually follows SAL (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| India, the Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea | SAL Apostille is normally the final Singapore step |
| Australia, the UK, the USA, Canada, most of Europe | SAL Apostille is normally the final Singapore step |
| Saudi Arabia | Apostille country since 7 December 2022 |
| Vietnam | Apostille country since 11 September 2026. Older guides may still describe the embassy route |
| Thailand | Joins the Apostille system on 28 February 2027. Until then, legalisation at the Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore after SAL |
| Malaysia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Myanmar | Not Apostille countries. Usually a further step at that country's embassy or high commission in Singapore |
Requirements are set by the receiving country and can change, so always check with the receiving authority. We confirm your route before booking.
An Apostille confirms the Notary's signature and seal. It doesn't confirm what the POA says, and it doesn't replace local steps abroad such as stamp duty or registration. Your attorney's office can check any Apostille on SAL's online register. For the full picture, see how the SAL Apostille step works, or the longer embassy legalisation route for non-Apostille countries.
Getting the Signed POA Into Your Attorney's Hands Overseas
After you sign, you don't need to go anywhere. SAL accepts documents from a proxy, so we handle the SAL and courier steps for you. SAL's counter at The Adelphi is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm, and processes documents on the spot. For embassy countries, we submit there too, with WhatsApp updates at every step.
What it costs: one signer, one POA, Apostille country
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Notary witnessing, first signer (statutory) | S$40 |
| Notarial certificate (statutory) | S$75 |
| SAL Apostille, per notarial certificate (official) | S$87.20 (S$80 + 9% GST) |
| Our visit fee, if we come to you | From S$99 per visit (Central / CBD); from S$119 (other areas) |
| Our document check and SAL handling | Free document check + from S$39 per document + government fees |
| Courier to your attorney | quoted by destination |
The prices shown above are starting prices. Your final price depends on the document type, number of pages and destination country, and will be confirmed in a written quotation before any work begins.
The statutory fees are fixed by law and the same at every notary. Only the visit, handling and courier costs differ, and we quote them upfront. Embassy fees and extra signers are added when they apply. See the full fee breakdown.
How long it takes: signing usually takes under an hour, and SAL processes documents over the counter on working days. Embassy steps and courier add time that depends on the country. Your quote includes a realistic date: signing is the same day, notarisation plus the SAL Apostille usually takes 1–2 working days, and an embassy step adds about 5–10 working days.
Power of Attorney Questions to Settle Before You Sign
What's the difference between a general and a special power of attorney?
A general power of attorney gives your attorney broad authority over many of your affairs in that country. A special power of attorney is limited to specific acts, such as selling one property or operating one account. Many authorities prefer a special POA because its limits are clear. The lawyer or office abroad will usually tell you which one they will accept.
Is a power of attorney the same as an LPA?
No. A Singapore Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) lets someone make decisions for you in Singapore if you lose mental capacity, and it is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. A POA for overseas use lets someone act for you abroad, usually for a specific matter. It is notarised by a Singapore Notary Public and then legalised through SAL.
Must I sign in front of the notary?
Yes. You sign in person in front of the Notary Public, with your original passport or NRIC, so don't sign the POA beforehand. Remote or video notarisation isn't available from notaries in Singapore, so you can't notarize a POA over a video call here. Instead, our Notary can come to your home or office.
Does my POA need an Apostille?
Almost always. Every document notarised in Singapore is authenticated by the Singapore Academy of Law, which attaches an Apostille. For Apostille countries such as India or the Philippines, that is normally the last Singapore step. Non-Apostille countries such as Malaysia or the UAE usually need embassy legalisation as well. Check with the receiving authority; we confirm it before booking.
Who writes the POA wording?
Usually the lawyer, bank or government office in the destination country, because they know what their registrar or bank will accept. Our Notary witnesses and certifies your signature but doesn't advise on foreign law. Before you sign, we check names, ID details and blank spaces against your passport so that simple errors don't cause a rejection.
Can you send it to my attorney abroad?
Yes. After the Notary certifies your POA, we take it to SAL for the Apostille, handle any embassy step, and courier it to your attorney anywhere in the world with tracking. You get WhatsApp updates at each stage. The courier cost depends on the destination and is included in your all-in quote.
What if I'm already living outside Singapore?
If you must sign the POA personally and you are abroad, you need to sign before a notary or your embassy where you live, or sign when you are next in Singapore. We only provide notary services in Singapore. If your matter involves Singapore documents rather than your signature, see our help for clients living abroad.
Not sure which POA you need? Send a photo of the draft and the country's name, and we'll reply with the route and one all-in price. For other documents you need to sign, see how signature witnessing works.
All services are carried out in Singapore by a Singapore Notary Public. Read how we work with our partner Notary Public on our About page.
Information checked: October 2026. Sources: Singapore Academy of Law (legalisation.sal.sg), Office of the Public Guardian (msf.gov.sg/opg), HCCH Apostille Convention status table (hcch.net).