Document legalisation in Malaysia, start to finish

For Malaysian documents going overseas, check the receiving authority's requirements, then the document-specific prerequisite for Wisma Putra. Ministry or notary endorsement is required for some categories, rather than every original government document.

An endorsement authenticates a signature or seal. Complete the steps required for your document in the prescribed order, and confirm whether the destination mission or a further authority needs to attest it.

1. 01

   Check the document and intended use

   Confirm the issuing country, document type, destination and receiving authority before arranging authentication.

2. 02

   Meet the document-specific prerequisite

   Some categories require a notary, education authority or another issuing body. Original federal or state government documents can have different prerequisites from copies.

3. 03

   Wisma Putra, where required

   Arrange Consular Division attestation after the applicable prerequisites; foreign-issued documents need a separate route check.

4. 04

   Destination requirements, where required

   Confirm any mission endorsement, translation or further receiving-country attestation. These are possible stages, not four compulsory steps for every document.

Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia: attestation requirements

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets out the prerequisite for each category. These are its requirements, not ours.

Preparation guide: Statutory declaration: preparation and recipient checks

For a foreign-issued document to be used in Malaysia, check the issuing country and the Malaysian receiving authority first. The Ministry describes authentication by the issuing country's mission in Malaysia before Consular Division verification; an origin-country route through the Malaysian mission may instead be relevant. Confirm the applicable route with the mission and Wisma Putra rather than applying the Malaysian outbound sequence automatically.

Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia: attestation requirements · MQA: context-specific examples of foreign-document authentication

If your Malaysian recipient asks for legalisation of a Singapore-issued document, check its requirements first. The Malaysian High Commission in Singapore says to complete legalisation with the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) before seeking the High Commission's endorsement.

SAL affixes a Singapore apostille during its legalisation step. Malaysia is outside the Apostille Convention. The High Commission endorsement is a separate step.

Before sending the document, confirm the format the Malaysian recipient accepts and whether it asks for any further checks in Malaysia.

Sources: Malaysian High Commission Singapore: document notarise and attestation (updated 26 October 2026) · Singapore Academy of Law: legalisation FAQ · Verify a Singapore apostille (SAL register)

The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur publishes separate consular legalisation instructions for Thai documents going to Malaysia and Malaysian documents going to Thailand.

For Thai official documents to be used in Malaysia, the published route starts with a certified English translation, followed by authentication at Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, endorsement by the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and then attestation by Wisma Putra.

For Malaysian official documents to be used in Thailand, the published steps include a certified English translation where needed, preliminary authentication, Wisma Putra attestation and endorsement by the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, then further legalisation by Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The embassy groups Malaysian-issued and foreign-mission-issued records together; confirm which preliminary endorsement applies to your own document rather than assuming a single route.

Confirm the current embassy instructions and what the receiving authority accepts before arranging legalisation. The Apostille Convention is scheduled to take effect for Thailand on 28 February 2027. Malaysia remains outside it.

Sources: Royal Thai Embassy KL: legalisation of Thai official documents for use in Malaysia · Royal Thai Embassy KL: legalisation of Malaysian or foreign documents for use in Thailand · Thailand Apostille Convention timing

For a Malaysia-issued document going to mainland China, start with the record type. The Chinese Embassy in Malaysia lists the Ministry of Education or Ministry of Higher Education for academic records and a Malaysian notary for documents that require notarisation. Certain original public or court records can go directly to Wisma Putra. Confirm the first step and whether a copy needs certification.

After Wisma Putra attestation, the embassy directs non-Chinese applicants to the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Visa Application Service Center. Chinese citizens applying for their own documents can use the embassy’s consular office, following its published instructions before visiting. The embassy’s China-bound guidance accepts Chinese or English documents and calls for a Chinese translation of documents in Malay or other languages.

For a mainland China-issued document going to Malaysia, ask the Malaysian recipient which authentication it requires. If the document is still in mainland China, confirm the route with the Malaysian mission for that region. For example, Malaysia’s Xi’an Consulate lists translation and notarisation in China, followed by provincial foreign affairs authentication before its consular step.

If the recipient specifically asks for Wisma Putra endorsement, check its separate instructions for foreign-issued documents. Those instructions call for authentication by the relevant foreign mission in Malaysia before endorsement and an English translation for documents in another language. The Chinese Embassy in Malaysia states it does not legalise documents issued in China, so confirm where the required authentication can be obtained before submitting.

Sources: Chinese Embassy in Malaysia: consular legalisation guidance (English) · Chinese Embassy in Malaysia: consular legalisation guidance (Chinese) · Malaysia Consulate Xi'an: authentication of documents · Wisma Putra: Putrajaya counter · Wisma Putra: attestation of documents (foreign-issued document route) · HCCH Apostille Convention status table (China party, Malaysia not party)

If a Malaysian organisation asks you to authenticate a U.S.-issued document, first identify who issued it. Federal and state records have different preparation steps. For a diploma or transcript, check what the registrar can provide and ask the recipient which version it needs.

The U.S. Department of State gives separate instructions for federal and state records for use in a country outside the Apostille Convention. A federal record such as an FBI background check goes to the federal authentication office. Its guidance lists vital records, diplomas and transcripts under state preparation. For these, confirm the issuing state and the authority that authenticates the document.

The U.S. Department of State’s Malaysia reference, last updated in 2013, describes state authentication first for state documents, followed by federal authentication and the Malaysian Embassy in Washington. Check the current requirements with the Malaysian mission that handles your document before paying or sending originals.

Malaysia’s Los Angeles Consulate gives a different published route for documents from states it serves. Its July 2026 guidance lists a state-issued apostille before consular legalisation and calls for certain vital records to be certified by a county official or registrar. Malaysia’s New York Consulate publishes its own requirements for its jurisdiction. Ask the relevant mission which route applies to your document.

If the recipient also asks for Wisma Putra endorsement, confirm that step with KLN and the applicable mission.

Sources: U.S. Department of State: authentication of documents (non-Convention countries) · U.S. Department of State: Malaysia judicial assistance (last updated 2013) · Malaysian Consulate Los Angeles: legalisation of documents · Malaysian Consulate New York: certification and attestation of documents · Wisma Putra: attestation of documents (foreign-issued document route)

If a Malaysian organisation asks you to authenticate a UK-issued document, ask the recipient first what format and endorsements it needs. Not every document requires every stage described below.

For full legalisation to a country outside the Apostille Convention, UK Government guidance describes three stages: an apostille from the UK Legalisation Office, endorsement by the destination country's mission in the UK, and a final step with that country's foreign ministry. Malaysia is outside the Convention. If full legalisation is requested, check the document's eligibility for a UK apostille and confirm the Malaysian steps with the mission and the recipient.

The Malaysian High Commission in London lists legalisation of foreign documents among its consular services. Confirm directly with the mission whether your document type requires its endorsement and what preparation it expects.

For a UK degree or transcript, ask the issuing university or the official UK legalisation service which preparation the document is eligible for. Check whether the Malaysian recipient requires the original, a certified copy or a particular format before sending.

Sources: UK Government: legalising UK documents for use abroad · UK Government: get a document legalised · HCCH Apostille Convention status table, checked 8 November 2026 · Malaysian High Commission London: consular services

A document in Bahasa Malaysia may still need translating for use abroad. For foreign-issued documents submitted to Wisma Putra, the ministry says documents written in a foreign language must be translated into English. Its guidance separately lists providers for translation between Bahasa Malaysia and English. Ask the receiving authority which language, translator and endorsements it accepts before ordering a translation.

Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia: attestation requirements · Destination-specific translation sequence examples

The main counter is at the Consular Division, Wisma Putra, Precinct 2, Putrajaya. It operates on a walk-in basis, Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 4.00pm, and on Friday from 8.30am to 12.00pm and 2.45pm to 4.00pm. The Ministry states documents submitted at Putrajaya are usually collected the same day or the following working day.

The Ministry also operates regional consular offices in Sabah and Sarawak. Check whether the regional office handles your document type and its own submission arrangements.

ThinkPlus can submit documents on your behalf at Putrajaya.

Wisma Putra counter details: Putrajaya counter guidance · Regional consular offices

The chain is not one counter, it is several, and they are in different buildings.

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wisma Putra, Putrajaya
• Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education
• Colleges and universities, for certificate verification
• Labour attaches and cultural mission attaches
• Government agencies
• The destination country embassy in Kuala Lumpur

Tell us the document type, issuing country, destination, requesting authority and deadline. We can then confirm the route, any originals or translations needed, and a quotation for your specific documents.

What you pay depends on the steps your document needs. Check whether your recipient requires originals, a translation or a particular endorsement. Each can change the quote or add time.

After reviewing your document details, we confirm which steps the quote covers and give you an expected timeline. For UAE documents, check which steps apply in Malaysia and which belong to the separate UAE MoFA service.

Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia: attestation of documents · UAE MoFA: attestation services (separate from Malaysia-side work) · UAE attestation fee components: an example of destination-specific charges in a published route

This is the service, step by step, once you share the document details.

• An initial consultation on what your document and destination require
• Receipt of your documents by courier, or by hand at the office
• Secure handling of the documents from start to finish
• Daily reporting on the progress of the processing
• Return of the completed attested or stamped document to you

Fill in and print this worksheet before contacting us, or bring it to the office. The answers help us confirm which steps apply to your document.

Relevant guides: certified true copies · degree certificates · UAE documents · Wisma Putra · visa processing · get a quote from ThinkPlus

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