Singapore Police Certificate of Clearance (COC) Apostille

Three routes for getting a COC to SAL

From 6 January 2025, SPF issues every COC as a digital document. You receive an email link to FileSG, where you download and can print it. The COC carries a QR code that lets anyone check it is authentic. That digital format opens three routes:

Route 1: Printout straight to SAL

We print the COC as an exact reproduction of the downloaded file, test that the QR code verifies, and present it at SAL's counter. SAL attaches a paper apostille for SGD 10.70. This is the cheapest route and suits most visa applications.

Route 2: Notarised copy, then a paper apostille

A notary public verifies the COC against SPF's records, issues a notarial certificate with a certified copy attached, and SAL authenticates the notary's signature for SGD 87.20. Government-scale fees for a one-page COC come to about SGD 172.20 (SGD 75 + SGD 10 + SGD 87.20). This route is useful when the receiving office specifically asks for a notarised document, or when a printout's QR code will not scan reliably.

Route 3: e-notarisation and e-Apostille

A notary in SAL's e-notarisation pilot issues an electronic notarial certificate for your COC, and SAL issues an e-Apostille by email. Nothing is printed or couriered, and the total government-scale cost is again about SGD 172.20. The catch: the e-Apostille is valid only as a digital file. A printout of it has no legal effect.

For the general rules on printing digital documents, see our digital certificate apostille guide.

Paper apostille or e-Apostille for your COC

Choose based on how the receiving office accepts documents, not on convenience:

• Paper apostille if you will hand in a physical file at an embassy, a visa centre or a foreign civil registry. Nearly every office understands a paper apostille.
• e-Apostille only if the receiving authority has confirmed, preferably in writing, that it accepts an electronic apostille uploaded or emailed as a file. Some online visa portals do; many paper-based consulates do not.

If you are unsure, the paper route is the safer default. A printout of an e-Apostille has no legal effect, so if the office later insists on paper, you would pay for a second, paper apostille.

Visas and permits that ask for an apostilled COC

Requests for an apostilled Singapore COC most often come from:

• Spain, for residence, work and non-lucrative visas. The Spanish Embassy asks for a criminal record certificate with a Hague apostille; the non-lucrative visa also asks for an official Spanish translation, while some work visa pages accept English. See apostille for Spain.
• China, for work permits and residence permits. Since November 2023 the apostille replaces Chinese Embassy legalisation. See apostille for China.
• South Korea, Japan and Vietnam, for work visas and some long-stay categories.
• Thailand, for work permits and long-stay visas, which need Thai Embassy legalisation after the apostille until 28 February 2027. See apostille for Thailand.
• The UAE and Malaysia, which are outside the Apostille Convention and need an embassy or high commission step. See embassy legalisation service.

Some immigration authorities accept a Singapore COC as issued, without any apostille, so read the visa instructions before paying for one. The apostille countries list shows the route for any destination.

How recent your COC must be

The receiving country decides how old a COC may be, and it counts from the COC's issue date, not the apostille date. Spain is a good example of how much this varies: the Spanish Embassy in Singapore's pages give three months for some visas and six months for others (details on our Spain page). Other authorities set their own windows.

Practical advice:

1. 1Apply for the COC only once your visa timeline is fixed. SPF takes 7 to 14 days.
2. 2Arrange the apostille and any translation as soon as the COC is issued.
3. 3If your application is delayed past the recipient's window, you will need a new COC; an old one cannot be "refreshed" by a new apostille.

COC apostille price and time

Time: once the COC is issued, a printout route apostille is usually ready within 1–2 working days, and the notarised route also takes 1–2 working days. An e-Apostille is emailed once SAL has processed the notary's electronic submission. For tight visa appointments, see our same-day apostille service. Complete pricing is on apostille price.