If you live in Singapore, documents for India can be notarised by a Singapore notary public and apostilled by the Singapore Academy of Law, or attested at the High Commission of India. Singapore is a reciprocating territory, so money judgments of its superior courts are directly executable in India, and awards from Singapore-seated arbitrations are enforceable under the New York Convention.
- Document route
- Notary + SAL apostille, or High Commission
- Time difference
- 2.5 hours ahead of IST
- Singapore judgments
- Directly executable (CPC s.44A)
- Apostille in force
- Since September 2021
The work Singapore clients send us
Three profiles dominate. Finance and technology professionals who own apartments in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Gurugram or Chennai and want them sold, let or passed on efficiently. Founders and investors who hold shares in Indian start-ups and operating companies, sometimes through a Singapore holding company, and need the Indian end of the structure kept compliant or, when relationships sour, defended. And permanent residents and new citizens of Indian origin whose parents' estates in India must be settled.
All three want written advice, defined fees and deadlines kept. That is how we work in any case.
Signing documents in Singapore for use in India
Singapore joined the Apostille Convention in 2021. A power of attorney, affidavit or board resolution is signed before a notary public, and the Singapore Academy of Law authenticates the notarial certificate and issues the apostille, usually within a day or two. India accepts it without further legalisation. Indian passport holders may alternatively have documents attested at the High Commission through its outsourced centre.
For company documents, such as resolutions of a Singapore entity authorising an Indian investment or litigation, the apostille route is standard. See document attestation.
Services most requested from Singapore
Transactions, corporate matters and tax.
TDS & Capital Gains on Property Sale
Lower deduction certificates and clean tax closure on property sales.
Business Setup in India
Indian subsidiaries, founder holdings and FDI reporting.
NCLT & Shareholder Disputes
Investor and founder disputes in Indian companies.
Civil Litigation & Contracts
Executing Singapore judgments and enforcing arbitral awards in India.
Buying & Selling Property
Metro property sales and purchases through an attorney holder.
Will Drafting & Probate
Indian wills coordinated with a Singapore will.
Tax and investment structures
Singapore does not tax capital gains and generally does not tax foreign-sourced income of individuals received there, so for most Singapore residents Indian tax is the only tax on an Indian property sale. That makes getting the Indian computation and deduction certificate right the whole exercise. Under the amended India-Singapore treaty, gains on shares of Indian companies acquired after 1 April 2017 are taxable in India, and treaty benefits depend on a tax residency certificate and substance.
Investments into Indian companies must be reported under the foreign exchange rules; errors in pricing or filing are common in early-stage rounds and are best compounded before a later financing or exit. For new ventures see business setup in India.
Judgments, arbitration and working hours
Singapore is a notified reciprocating territory: a money decree of its superior courts can be filed for execution in an Indian district court. Singapore is also the most common foreign seat for arbitrations involving Indian parties, and Indian courts enforce such awards under Part II of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act with narrow grounds of refusal, while also granting interim relief in support. Where a dispute concerns the internal affairs of an Indian company, however, the company tribunal retains its statutory jurisdiction.
Singapore is two and a half hours ahead; our morning is your early afternoon.
All services for NRIs in Singapore
Every service below is available to clients living in Singapore and is handled in India on your authority. Open any one for the law, documents and process.
Property & Real Estate
- NRI Property Dispute Resolution
- Property Partition Suit
- Title Verification & Due Diligence
- Power of Attorney for India
- Illegal Possession & Encroachment
- Builder Fraud & RERA Complaints
- Buying & Selling Property
- Property Transfer & Mutation
- Landlord-Tenant & Eviction
- Adverse Possession Defence
Inheritance, Wills & Documents
Family, Marriage & OCI
- NRI Divorce
- Child Custody & Guardianship
- Maintenance & Alimony
- Domestic Violence Cases
- Adoption from India
- Marriage Registration
- OCI Card Legal Issues
- Parents & Senior Citizen Rights
Tax, Banking & FEMA
- Income Tax Notices & Appeals
- TDS & Capital Gains on Property Sale
- Repatriation of Funds
- Shares Transmission & IEPF Recovery
- FEMA Compliance & RBI Notices
Business & Corporate
Criminal Defence & Recovery
- FIR Quashing & Bail
- Cheque Bounce & Money Recovery
- Fraud & Cybercrime Recovery
- Look Out Circular & Extradition
Claims & Compensation
Indian mission in Singapore
Consular applications are handled through an outsourced centre; check requirements before visiting.
- High Commission of India, Singapore
Frequently asked questions
Is a Singapore apostille accepted in India?
Yes. Singapore has been a party to the Apostille Convention since 2021, and apostilles issued by the Singapore Academy of Law are recognised in India.
Can a Singapore court judgment be enforced in India?
Yes. Singapore is a reciprocating territory, so a money decree of its superior courts can be executed directly in India under section 44A of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Will I pay tax in Singapore on selling property in India?
Singapore does not tax capital gains, and foreign-sourced gains of individuals are generally not taxed. Indian capital gains tax applies. Confirm your personal position with a Singapore adviser.
Are Singapore arbitration awards enforceable in India?
Yes, under the New York Convention as implemented in the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, with limited grounds on which enforcement may be refused.
My Singapore company invested in an Indian start-up without filing with the RBI. What now?
The reporting lapse can be regularised by late filing and compounding with the Reserve Bank. It should be done before the next funding round or exit.
Can documents for India be signed electronically in Singapore?
For property and court use in India, wet-ink signatures with notarisation and a paper apostille are still expected.
Do Singapore permanent residents need an OCI card?
Not while they hold Indian passports. OCI is for those who have taken foreign citizenship.