Power of Attorney & Deed Polls
Note: The following is not offered as legal advice and should not be considered as an alternative to legal counsel.
A Power of Attorney (POA) is a written authorisation to represent or act on another’s behalf in private affairs, business, or other legal matters. You usually require a POA when you will be away from Singapore for a period of time, and you need someone to assist you in your affairs in Singapore.
For instance, if you are on a business trip and are unable to attend to your personal affairs in Singapore, you may need a family member to help you to sign some legal documents (e.g. a transfer instrument in respect of the sale of your private property in Singapore).
The POA is a fairly common legal document, usually prepared by lawyers and signed in the presence of a practising lawyer in Singapore. If you are signing your POA when you are overseas, you will need to sign it in the presence of a Singapore Consulate Officer or a practising Notary Public in the country of your execution.
You should be at least 21 years and have the mental capacity to sign the Power of Attorney.
To complete the process, your Lawyer in Singapore will deposit a true copy of your Power of Attorney at the Singapore High Court (Supreme Court), and the Power of Attorney is assigned a Registration Number by the High Court.