Chinese families and business owners in Singapore have close ties with Australia: some have bought an apartment in Melbourne for a child at university, some have parents who left property in Australia, and some companies are preparing to open an Australian branch and send staff over. These matters can generally be handled by video in Mandarin, Cantonese or English, with documents signed in Singapore and sent straight back for use in Australia.
The direct answer: Singapore is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, which entered into force for Singapore on 16 September 2021. Documents notarised in Singapore can generally be apostilled by the Singapore Academy of Law and used in Australia, without further legalisation by the Australian High Commission. A grant of probate or letters of administration issued by a Singapore court is also from a jurisdiction whose grants the Supreme Court of Victoria can reseal.
Key points
- A Singapore court grant can generally be resealed in Victoria, and a Victorian grant can generally be resealed in Singapore.
- Singapore documents can be apostilled, which is simpler than consular legalisation.
- CPF savings are not governed by your will and depend on a CPF nomination; Australian super works in a similar way.
- Singapore citizens buying Australian residential property are generally 'foreign persons', so foreign investment approval and Victorian surcharges need attention.
- Singapore does not allow adult citizens to hold dual citizenship, so think carefully before taking Australian citizenship.
Visas and relocation: common options for Singaporeans
Singapore passport holders visiting Australia short-term can generally apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA, subclass 601). Singaporeans aged 18 to 30 can apply for the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462), subject to the age limits and conditions Home Affairs publishes. Professionals can consider skilled migration (subclasses 189, 190 and 491) or the employer-sponsored Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and Employer Nomination Scheme permanent visa (subclass 186). People with outstanding achievements in technology, research or business can assess the National Innovation visa (subclass 858). Children coming to study usually hold a Student visa (subclass 500).
When a Singapore company transfers staff to Australia, a common approach is to establish an Australian entity first and have it sponsor subclass 482 visas. Note that Singapore does not recognise dual citizenship for adults. Australian permanent residence usually does not affect Singapore citizenship, but becoming an Australian citizen raises the question of renouncing Singapore citizenship, which can also affect CPF, HDB and other arrangements, so look into this early.
Buying property in Australia: the foreign person rules
Singapore citizens who are not Australian permanent residents generally need approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) before buying residential property. From 1 April 2025 the federal government paused foreign purchases of established dwellings (now extended to 30 June 2029); new dwellings and vacant land can generally still be applied for. In Victoria a foreign buyer pays foreign purchaser additional duty and, while held by a foreign owner, the property may attract the absentee owner surcharge on land tax each year. On a later sale, a foreign resident for tax purposes generally cannot use the main residence capital gains tax exemption, and the buyer may need to withhold part of the price.
Wills and estates: resealing, CPF and intestacy
Singapore is on the reseal list published by the Supreme Court of Victoria. Singapore grants are currently dealt with by the Family Justice Courts; once obtained, the original, a court-sealed certified copy or an exemplification can be filed with the Supreme Court of Victoria together with the application papers, after publishing notice on the Court's website. Once resealed, the executor can sell or transfer Victorian property and close bank accounts. If most of the deceased's assets are in Australia, it may be better to obtain the grant in Victoria first and reseal it in Singapore; which comes first depends on where the assets are and the timing needed.
Singapore Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings are not property that a will can dispose of. Where there is a CPF nomination, payment follows the nomination; without one, the Public Trustee distributes the savings under the Intestate Succession Act (for non-Muslims) or according to the Muslim inheritance certificate. Australian super likewise does not automatically follow the will and depends on the beneficiary nomination. So both wills and both sets of nominations should be reviewed together to make sure the results line up.
Many Singapore families use a Singapore will for Singapore assets and a separate Australian will dealing only with Australian assets. The revocation clauses in the two wills need to work together so that the later will does not revoke the earlier one entirely. Estate planning for Muslims must also take account of the Administration of Muslim Law Act.
Married in Singapore, family law in Australia
A marriage lawfully registered in Singapore is generally recognised in Australia. If one party is an Australian citizen, is domiciled in Australia, or has ordinarily resided in Australia for 12 months before filing, a divorce can be sought in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. In a property settlement the Australian court looks at both parties' worldwide assets, including HDB flats, private property and CPF entitlements. If the other party has already started proceedings in Singapore under the Women's Charter, assess quickly which country's court is the more appropriate forum and how the two sets of proceedings will interact.
Setting up a company or branch in Australia
A Singapore company entering the Australian market can set up an Australian subsidiary or register as a foreign company carrying on business in Australia, which requires appointing a local agent. An Australian proprietary company must have at least one director who ordinarily resides in Australia, and each director needs a Director ID. The two countries have a free trade agreement and a double tax agreement, but the tax structure should be worked out with accountants in both countries.
Signing documents: the Apostille route
Documents signed in Singapore for use in Australia are generally signed before a Singapore notary public and then apostilled by the Singapore Academy of Law. Some purposes, however, only need ordinary witnessing: for example, certain Australian statutory declarations can be witnessed by a consular officer at the Australian High Commission in Singapore, while Victorian land transfer documents have their own verification of identity requirements. So before signing, confirm the signing method and witness the receiving body requires. Australian documents for use in Singapore can be notarised in Melbourne by our notary public and then apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Practical matters: time zones and getting started
Singapore is 2 hours behind Melbourne, or 3 hours during Melbourne daylight saving. Justin Chua has studied and worked in Singapore, currently holds a Singapore work pass and is familiar with how Singapore families and businesses commonly arrange their affairs. Before the first consultation, prepare:
- Copies of your passport and NRIC or pass, and any Australian visa details.
- A list of Australian assets: property, bank accounts, shares, super and company shares.
- Existing wills, CPF nomination records and any Singapore grant.
- Company information: ACRA business profile, shareholding and the proposed Australian business.
- Family law matters: marriage certificate, separation date, assets in both countries and any Singapore court papers.
Related reading
- Cross-border wills
- Cross-border estates and Victorian probate
- Inheriting Australian property from overseas
- Family trusts and overseas beneficiaries
- 482/186 visas and opening an Australian branch
- National Innovation visa (subclass 858)
- Moving to Australia checklist
Frequently asked questions
Can a Singapore grant be used in Victoria?
You can generally apply to the Supreme Court of Victoria to reseal it. Once resealed it can be used for Victorian assets, without a fresh probate application in Victoria.
Must Singapore documents always be apostilled for Australian use?
Not always. Courts and some bodies require notarisation plus an apostille, while some documents only need a consular officer or another qualified witness. Confirm what the recipient needs before signing.
Can my Singapore will deal with Australian property?
It may be formally valid, but using it to obtain a Victorian grant is more complicated. A separate will dealing only with Australian assets, coordinated with the Singapore will, is usually recommended.
Do CPF and Australian super follow my will?
Generally not. CPF follows the CPF nomination, and Australian super follows the fund's beneficiary nomination and rules, so check each separately.
What comes first when a Singapore company sends staff to Australia?
Usually decide first whether to operate through a subsidiary or a registered foreign company, then assess the requirements for sponsoring subclass 482 visas, including labour market testing and salary thresholds.
Contact us
To get started, call +61 3 9602 3988 or contact us through the website, letting us know where you are and what you need help with. We will arrange a video consultation in Mandarin or Cantonese at a time that suits your time zone. Initial consultations are charged.
This page is general information only and is not legal advice.
案例 Case examples
新加坡遗产执行人与墨尔本房产 · A Singapore executor and a Melbourne property
遗产执行人住在新加坡，遗产包括墨尔本房产。视情况，我们在维州为新加坡遗嘱认证办理重新盖印（reseal），或另行申请维州遗嘱认证，再办理房产出售或过户。执行人无需来澳，全程通过视频和快递完成。
The executor lived in Singapore and the estate included property in Melbourne. Depending on the estate, we either resealed the Singapore grant in Victoria or obtained a new Victorian grant, then handled the sale or transfer. The executors did not need to travel.
澳新两地财产的分居 · Separating with a home in Melbourne and a flat in Singapore
一对夫妇在两地都有财产。我们就由哪国法院处理财产提供意见，协助双方达成协议，并在澳洲和新加坡签订相互对应的协议，使安排在两国都可执行。
A couple separated with property in both countries. We advised on which country’s courts should deal with the property and helped them reach agreement, recorded in matching agreements in Australia and Singapore.
新加坡公司收到澳洲法院文件 · A Singapore company served with Australian court papers
一家新加坡公司经其新加坡律师转介，在收到澳洲法院诉讼文件后委托我们。我们代表该公司在澳洲应诉抗辩。
A Singapore company was referred to us by its Singapore lawyers after being served with Australian court proceedings. We acted for the company and defended the claim in Australia.
客户资料已更改或省略以保护隐私，每个案件结果视具体情况而定。Client details have been changed or left out to protect confidentiality. Every matter turns on its own facts.
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