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Legalisation of a foreign document and its certified Thai translation

Using foreign documents in Thailand: guides by issuing country

Quick answer

Thailand acceded to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026; it enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027, so Apostilles are not yet issued. An Apostille from the issuing country alone does not automatically make a document usable before a Thai authority. The foreign document is legalised either at the Royal Thai Embassy in the issuing country or at that country’s mission in Thailand, then translated into Thai, and the translation is certified by the Department of Consular Affairs, MFA, before it is filed with the Thai receiving authority.

The six-step chain

  1. 1. Obtain an issuer-certified original

    Request the copy signed and sealed by the registrar or issuing office, not a self-made photocopy. For older documents, request a fresh issue so the signatory is still on the specimen-signature register.

    Caution: Photocopies and self-printed PDFs are usually rejected at the very first counter.

  2. 2. Authentication in the country of origin

    The issuing country’s foreign ministry (or the body it designates) authenticates the signature on the document. Some countries issue an Apostille at this stage; because Thailand is not a party, a further step is still required.

    Caution: Many people stop at the Apostille and fly to Thailand, then have to send the document back for further legalisation.

  3. 3. Legalisation by the Thai mission abroad, or the issuing country’s mission in Thailand

    Route A: legalise at the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General in the issuing country. Route B: have the issuing country’s embassy or consulate in Thailand certify it instead. Choose according to what the receiving authority accepts and where the holder is.

    Caution: Some missions only certify documents that already carry their own foreign ministry’s seal; skipping the order restarts the chain.

  4. 4. Translation into Thai by an accountable translator

    The translation must mirror the original line by line, including every seal, signature block and legalisation stamp. Personal names must match the passport spelling or the Thai records already on file.

    Caution: Name spellings that differ from existing Thai records are the single most common rejection reason at the translation-certification stage.

  5. 5. Certification of the translation by the Department of Consular Affairs

    File the legalised original together with the Thai translation at the Legalisation Division, Department of Consular Affairs (Chaeng Watthana) or a passport office that accepts legalisation work. Officers check the translation before affixing the certification.

    Caution: A translation filed without the legalised original will not be certified.

  6. 6. File with the Thai receiving authority

    Submit the completed bundle to the receiving body: district registrar, Department of Provincial Administration, Immigration Bureau, Department of Business Development, a court or an educational institution. Each may ask for supporting papers.

    Caution: Some authorities count a validity window from the legalisation date, so check before booking travel.

Papers required in almost every file

  • The foreign original, legalised through the full chain
  • A Thai translation mirroring the original line by line
  • Passport copy of the document holder (photo page)
  • Thai ID card or house-registration copy where the filer is Thai
  • Power of attorney plus the agent’s ID copy where someone else files
  • Change-of-name evidence where the names do not match the Thai records

Doing it yourself versus a managed file

AspectSelf-managedWith our team
Pre-check before startingYou read the authority notices yourself and risk starting at the wrong stepOur team reviews what you already hold and says whether a fresh issue is needed before you travel
Coordinating with missionsYou contact and queue at each mission, all with different rulesWe track each mission’s current requirements and sequence the filings correctly
Translation qualityTranslations that miss a seal or misspell a name are commonly returnedWe transcribe every seal and reconcile name spellings against your existing Thai records
Advisory roleNo one to advise when the authority asks for extra papersOur team advises through the whole matter, not just processing paperwork

By document type

  • Foreign birth certificate — District registrar and the Department of Provincial Administration
  • Foreign marriage certificate — District registrar (family-status record, Kor Ror 22)
  • Foreign divorce decree — District registrar, and the Juvenile and Family Court where contested
  • Foreign death certificate — District registrar, the Civil Court, insurers and banks
  • Foreign police clearance certificate — Immigration Bureau, Department of Employment and employers
  • Foreign degree certificate — OCSC (Office of the Civil Service Commission), Thai universities and the Department of Employment
  • Foreign academic transcript — Thai universities and the OCSC
  • Foreign power of attorney — Land Department, DBD, banks and the courts
  • Foreign certificate of incorporation — Department of Business Development, Revenue Department and the BOI
  • Foreign board resolution — Department of Business Development and banks
  • Affidavit of marital status — District registrar
  • Foreign adoption order — Department of Children and Youth and the district registrar
  • Foreign court judgment — Thai courts and the opposing party
  • Foreign medical certificate — Immigration Bureau, hospitals and insurers
  • Foreign driving licence — Department of Land Transport
  • Foreign bank statement — Immigration Bureau, embassies and scholarship bodies
  • Foreign employment certificate — Department of Employment and Thai employers

Oceania

North America

Central America & Caribbean

South America

Europe

Middle East

Asia

Africa

Have your bundle checked first

Send a photo of the foreign document to LINE @Thainotary or call 094-895-8999 and we will tell you which step comes next.

Contact the team