Resources: Guides to Translating and Legalising Malaysian Documents

Free guides from MYLegalTrans, a certified translation and document legalisation firm in Kuala Lumpur. Each guide explains which translations an authority accepts and how to legalise a document for use abroad: certified copies, notarisation, Wisma Putra attestation and embassy legalisation. Last reviewed: October 2026.

Malaysia is not a party to the Apostille Convention. A Malaysian document for use abroad is usually legalised in a chain: a certified copy or notarisation, then attestation by Wisma Putra (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), then legalisation by the destination country's embassy in Kuala Lumpur. If you are new to this, start with the Document Legalisation Guide.

Start here: common questions

• How much does legalisation cost, and how long does it take? Wisma Putra, MOHE and embassy fees and processing times in one table.

• Who can certify a translation in Malaysia? Which translators Wisma Putra, JPN, the courts and foreign governments accept.

• Apostille in Malaysia: why you can't get one, and the legalisation chain that replaces it.

• Wisma Putra attestation fees: what the attestation fee is and how much each document costs.

Guides by document

• Birth certificates: JPN extracts, translation and legalisation for use abroad. Step by step: how to legalise a Malaysian birth certificate.

• JPN certified extracts (birth, marriage, death): replacing a lost, laminated or old certificate, who may apply, official JPN fees, and how our Legal applies at JPN for you.

• Marriage and divorce certificates: civil and Muslim records, JPN marriage extracts through our Legal, and foreign documents for JPN.

• Single status certificates: JPN's marital status letter, applying through our Legal from abroad, and legalising the original for marriage overseas.

• Statutory declarations: who takes one in Malaysia, and the Notary Public, Wisma Putra and embassy steps for use abroad.

• Statutory declaration translation: when a statutory declaration needs a certified translation, who may translate it for Wisma Putra, and the right order.

• What is notarising: Notaries Public in Malaysia, SAL notaries in Singapore, and the notary, Wisma Putra and embassy chain.

• Powers of attorney: signing, High Court deposit, stamp duty, and legalisation for use abroad. By use: family matters (property, banks, ageing parents, estates); companies.

• Degrees, transcripts and SPM/STPM certificates: MOHE verification, Wisma Putra and embassy steps.

• Malaysian university admission (EMGS student pass): certified English translations of foreign-language certificates and transcripts, and what EMGS, UM, UTM, USM, Monash, Taylor's and Nottingham Malaysia ask for.

• Aviation certificates (CAAM): pilot and aircraft engineering training certificates attested by CAAM, then Wisma Putra and the embassy; CAAM pilot licence verification.

• Medical practising certificates (doctors, nurses, medical students): APCs and MMC / Nursing Board registration certificates via Wisma Putra and the embassy; medical degrees via MoHE; the Certificate of Good Standing goes directly from the council.

• Certificate of Good Conduct (police clearance): applying on e-Konsular and using it abroad.

• Legal and court documents: Malay-English translation of pleadings, judgments and contracts, what Order 92 requires and the 2026 Court of Appeal ruling.

Reference directories

• Translation rules of Malaysian government agencies: which translators JPN, Immigration, the courts, MOHE and other agencies accept.

• Embassies and consulates in Kuala Lumpur: contacts for legalisation at foreign missions.

Guides by Malaysian authority

• Wisma Putra (Ministry of Foreign Affairs): translation requirements for Wisma Putra attestation

• Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE): how to attest academic documents at MOHE

• National Registration Department (JPN): certified translation for JPN

• Immigration Department (JIM): certified translation for Malaysian Immigration

• High Court: certified court and legal translation in Malaysia

• Government procurement: the Malaysian government tender system for businesses (2026); certified translation for government tenders

Business, legal and compliance guides

• Enforcing foreign arbitral awards and judgments in Malaysia

• Serving Malaysian court documents abroad (Order 11)

• Foreign wills and estates with Malaysian assets

• Worker documents in workers' own languages (forced-labour compliance)

• PDPA privacy notices in Malay and English

• SDS and chemical labels under the CLASS Regulations

• EUDR legality documents from Malaysia

• Translation for foreign investors: land, planning and approvals

• Patent and trademark translation for MyIPO

• NPRA product registration: documents and labels

• MyHIJAU certification (MGTC): test reports and certificates

• Legalising CFS, GMP and CPP certificates for export

• Using Malaysian company (SSM) documents abroad

• Company powers of attorney: appointing agents at home and abroad (Companies Act 2016, board resolutions, China)

• Localization and sales psychology: selling in Malaysia; selling in China

• Certified translation for Malaysian government tenders

Guides by destination country

• Australia: certified translation of Malaysian documents for Australia; the Australian High Commission in Malaysia; certified translation for AHPRA; AHPRA document certification

• Singapore: Malay-English certified translation for ICA and MOM; notarisation for Singapore; documents for Singapore PR

• United States: certified translation for USCIS, visas, study and work

• United Kingdom: certified translation for the UK

• Canada: certified translation for IRCC; legalisation

• New Zealand: certified translation for Immigration New Zealand

• India: certified translation; legalisation

• China: legalising Malaysian documents for China; certified Chinese translation; company documents for China; work permit and Z visa documents; localization for selling in China

• Taiwan: legalisation through TECO

• Japan: certified Japanese translation

• South Korea: certified translation between Malaysia and Korea; legalisation and consular confirmation

• Vietnam: certified Vietnamese translation; work permit and visa documents

• Thailand: certified Thai translation; legalisation; Thailand and the Apostille Convention

• Türkiye: certified Turkish translation; legalisation

• Indonesia: certified Malay-Indonesian translation; legalisation

• Netherlands: certified translation for the Netherlands; legalisation

• Belgium: legalising Malaysian documents for Belgium

• Germany: legalising Malaysian documents for Germany

• Czech Republic: certified Czech translation; superlegalisation

• Slovakia: certified Slovak translation; superlegalisation

• Spain: sworn Spanish translation; legalisation

• Portugal: certified Portuguese translation; legalisation

• Peru: Spanish translation for Peru; legalisation

• Qatar: Arabic translation; attestation

• Oman: Arabic translation; attestation

• United Arab Emirates: Arabic legal translation; attestation

• Kuwait: Arabic translation; attestation

• Philippines: English translation for the Philippines; authentication

• Myanmar: certified translation for Myanmar (English or Burmese); legalisation

• France: sworn French translation; legalisation

• Austria: court-certified German translation; legalisation

• Switzerland: certified translation for Swiss offices; legalisation via Bangkok

• Italy: certified Italian translation; legalisation

• Italy, Declaration of Value: Dichiarazione di Valore at the Italian Embassy for Malaysian degrees and diplomas (MoHE, Wisma Putra, Italian translation, CIMEA alternative).

• Mauritius: English or French translation for Mauritius; legalisation

• Brazil: sworn Portuguese translation; legalisation

• Hong Kong: English or Traditional Chinese translation for Hong Kong; legalisation

• Macau: Chinese, Portuguese or English translation for Macau; legalisation

Our services

• Certified translation

• Notarisation

• Wisma Putra attestation

• Embassy authentication

• Same-day certified translation in Kuala Lumpur

• Bulk translation for businesses and law firms

Official sources we check

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia: attestation of documents

• National Registration Department (JPN)

• Immigration Department of Malaysia

• HCCH: Apostille Convention status table

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