01
Overview
Many applications ask for company documents "certified true copy". A plain photocopy is not enough, because the recipient has no way of knowing it matches the original. A certified true copy carries the company secretary's certification, name, licence details, signature and date, confirming the copy is a true and complete reproduction of the document held in the company's records.
Banks performing KYC, the Immigration ESD system, and many licensing bodies require identity documents of directors and shareholders certified by the company secretary. These are the same people whose particulars the company notifies to SSM under Sections 58 (directors) and 51 (members), so the secretary can confirm that the copy matches the person on the company's record.
The company secretary can certify because they hold a statutory office: every company must have a secretary under Section 235 of the Companies Act 2016, and that person must be licensed or a member of a prescribed body under Section 236. A CTC is only as good as the record behind it — if the document is outdated, certify the current version, not the old one.
Who needs this
- Foreign directors whose passports are needed for bank KYC
- Companies applying for employment passes through ESD
- Companies submitting licence applications
02
Documents you need to prepare
Document to certify
- Original directors' and shareholders' identity documents, or confirmation that the original is held in the company records we keep
- Number of certified copies required
Purpose
- Who the copies are for (bank, embassy, licensing body, tender board)
- Any specific certification wording the recipient requires
- Some foreign authorities additionally need notarisation or embassy legalisation; tell us the destination country.
- Certification confirms the copy matches the original; it does not verify the truth of the document's contents.
03
How to get it done with ONEKEY BIZ
- 1Request Day 1
You tell us the document, number of copies and recipient.
- 2Verify original Day 1
We compare each copy against the original in the company records.
- 3Certify Day 1–2
The company secretary certifies, signs and dates each copy.
- 4Deliver Day 1–2
Certified copies delivered in hard copy or scanned, as needed.
You do
- Tell us the document and recipient
- Provide the original if we do not hold it
We do
- Verify against the original
- Certify, sign and date each copy
- Match any wording the recipient requires
04
What you receive
Signed and dated by the licensed company secretary, with licence details.
A scan of the certified copies for online submissions.
Rules and requirements in detail
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Can a director certify documents instead?
Some recipients accept a director's certification, but banks and agencies usually ask for the company secretary.
How many copies can we get?
As many as you need; tell us the number when you request.
Is this the same as notarisation?
No. Notarisation is done by a notary public and is sometimes required on top of a CTC for use overseas.