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Certified identity card translation

Identity cards are translated in both directions here. A foreign card, a Chinese resident identity card or an Indonesian KTP, is rendered into English for an authority in Singapore. A Singapore NRIC is rendered into another language for an authority abroad.

A small card carries a lot

Issuing authority, validity dates, the identity number and its check structure, and on some cards fields with no English equivalent at all. Each is reproduced in place and explained where a direct translation would mislead.

Both sides, every time

Validity and issuing authority are usually on the reverse. Send a photograph of both sides of the card.

Certified for the authority you name

Every translation is delivered with a signed certificate of accuracy issued by Notary Translations Pte. Ltd., stating the source and target languages, the document and the date, which is what an authority is looking for when it asks for a certified translation.

How it works

  1. 1

    Send the document

    A scan or a clear photograph of every page, and the language you need it in.

  2. 2

    We send a fixed quote

    We review your document and provide back a fixed quote for your approval.

  3. 3

    We translate and certify

    Your certified translation comes back digitally, ready to print or submit.

Notarisation is available through our partner law firm if required and will be quoted separately. See the full process.

Our typical lead time

  • Standard

    1 to 2 working days

    No uplift, in the quoted price

    What most documents are quoted at, and what is assumed unless you say otherwise.

  • Express

    Next working day

    +30% on the quoted price

    For a deadline that will not move. It means moving other work aside.

  • Same day

    Same working day

    +50% on the quoted price

    Realistic for shorter documents that reach us early in the day.

Express and same day are not automatic. Whether a deadline can be met depends on how long the document is, how complex it is, and what time it reaches us. We confirm what is actually possible in the quote, before you commit to anything.

Why send your document to us

Where an authority requires a certified translation, it will normally expect the translation and its certification to come from an independent professional provider rather than the applicant themselves.

That’s where we come in.

  • Certified for official submission

    A signed certificate of accuracy stating the languages and the date. Requirements differ by authority.

  • Translated by people

    A human translator does the work. That is what the certificate of accuracy stands behind, and why it carries weight.

  • Fixed fee quote upfront

    Quoted from the document itself rather than estimated from a description, and it does not move once you accept it.

  • Almost any language

    The pairs shown here are the ones asked for most, not the limit. Send the document even if yours is not listed.

Frequently asked questions

The things people write in and ask before sending a document over.

What makes a translation "certified"?+

A certificate of accuracy: a signed statement issued by Notary Translations Pte. Ltd., stating the languages, the document and the date, confirming the translation is a true and accurate rendering of what was supplied. That certificate is what an authority is asking for when it says it needs a certified translation.

Can I translate the document myself?+

Not for this purpose. However accurate your version is, the authority generally wants an independent, professional company to do the work and attach a certificate of accuracy to it. The same applies to a translation done by a bilingual friend or a relative.

Do you need the original document?+

No. A clear scan or a photograph of the full page is enough for us to translate and certify. Some authorities separately want to see your original, but that is between you and them.

How is the price worked out?+

By how much text actually has to be translated rather than by page count, and it is quoted as one fixed figure before anything starts. Express adds 30% and same day 50%, shown on the quote rather than added afterwards.

How quickly can it be done?+

Standard turnaround is 1 to 2 working days. Express is next working day and same day is possible for shorter documents that reach us early. Whether a deadline is achievable depends on length, complexity and what time we receive the document, and we say so plainly in the quote rather than after you commit.

Do I need notarisation or an apostille as well?+

It depends who is receiving it, and the difference is real. ICA publishes that it wants a translation from an embassy or a notary public, or a private translation that is then attested or notarised, so ICA work normally needs notarisation on top. MOM says the translation can be done by a translation service provider. Foreign authorities vary and often want more again. Ask whoever is receiving the document before ordering anything, and we will match what they say.

My language is not listed. Can you still help?+

Almost certainly. The pairs shown on this site are the ones we are asked for most, not the limit of what we work in. Send the document over and ask.

Do I get a hard copy?+

A digital PDF by default, ready to print or submit. If the authority receiving it wants a physical original or a notarised hardcopy, say so and we will tell you what that involves before you order.

Get a quote for identity card

Attach a scan or a photograph. We reply with a fixed price and a turnaround, usually same day.

  • A fixed price agreed before any work starts
  • A signed certificate of accuracy with every translation
  • Most languages, whether or not they are listed here
  • Usually quoted same day
  • Held in confidence and deleted automatically after 30 days, or sooner if requested

Your details

What you need

Your documents

They upload into private storage, and they are used for nothing but answering this enquiry. Thirty days after you send them, the documents and the enquiry are deleted automatically from our systems, or sooner if you ask. Nothing is shared beyond the people translating your document, and the notary if you have asked for notarisation.