Is my foreign will valid in Singapore?

What the Law Says

The validity of a foreign will in Singapore is governed by section 6 of the Wills Act, which sets out flexible rules for recognising wills made outside Singapore.

Under Singapore law, a will made outside Singapore can be valid even if it does not follow Singapore’s formal requirements — as long as it satisfies the law of the place where it was made, the law of the testator’s domicile at the time of making the will, or the law of the testator’s domicile at the time of death.

This means that if your will was signed in France and follows French formalities (e.g., notarisation), it may still be accepted in Singapore — even if it lacks two witnesses, which Singapore normally requires for domestic wills.

Section 6 ensures legal flexibility to respect international estate planning while maintaining certainty for probate in Singapore.

Statutory Text

A will made outside Singapore shall, so far as regards the mode of its execution, be treated as properly executed if its execution conforms to the internal law in force in the place where it was made, or the internal law in force in the place where the testator was domiciled or had his habitual residence either at the time of its execution or at the time of his death, or the internal law in force in Singapore.

— Wills Act, s. 6 — Validity of wills made outside Singapore

What to Do

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