Notary Public by Destination Country — Hague Apostille & Embassy Legalization

Additional frequently asked questions

Do Thai-language documents need translation first?

If the recipient is a foreign authority, an English translation (or the official language of that country) is normally required, and the translation itself may need certification. The correct order is translate, certify the translation, then legalise.

What is needed to certify corporate documents?

Typically a company affidavit issued by the Department of Business Development within the recency window the recipient allows, ID or passport of the authorised director, the company seal if one is used, and the document to be attested. Scope and requirements are confirmed case by case by phone, LINE or email.

How long does an attested document stay valid?

The attestation itself has no expiry, but recipients such as embassies, banks and universities commonly require documents issued within the last 3–6 months. Always check the recipient's recency rule first.

What if the destination authority rejects the document?

Ask for the rejection reason in writing. Most rejections come from wording of the attestation clause, the order of the legalisation chain, or a translation that does not match the required format — each of which can be corrected without redoing the whole set.

Can the process be started from outside Thailand?

Document review, drafting the attestation wording and coordinating with authorities can all be done remotely. Only steps that legally require personal appearance must be completed before the attesting attorney or through a channel the destination accepts. Scope and requirements are confirmed case by case by phone, LINE or email.

Does Thailand have a Notary Public in the common-law sense?

Thailand has no common-law notary. The equivalent is a Notarial Services Attorney registered with the Lawyers Council of Thailand under Royal Patronage. Foreign authorities, embassies and universities generally accept this attestation where a notarised document is required. Scope and requirements are confirmed case by case by phone, LINE or email.

In depth: the real requirements and why documents get rejected — Notary Public

Written from the competent authority's published rules, not marketing copy.

A notarial certification issued in Thailand by a Notarial Services Attorney does not attest that the statements inside a document are true. It attests to procedural facts: that the signatory appeared in person, presented valid identification, and signed in the certifier's presence. Receiving authorities abroad read the certificate wording first, and that wording is where most files fail.

Conditions you actually have to clear

• The certificate must state the date, the place, the signatory's name, the identification method, and the certifier's registration number; a missing element makes the certificate incomplete abroad.
• Thai-language documents intended for foreign use need a translation permanently bound to the original rather than loosely attached.
• For a true-copy certification, the original must be produced on the day; comparison against an image file is not accepted by most authorities.

Common causes of rejection

• A company affidavit older than the destination's accepted age leaves signing authority unproven as at the certification date.
• Re-binding the file or removing a seal after certification breaks continuity and forces the process to restart.

The safest approach is to obtain the receiving authority's requirements in writing first, then match the certificate wording and the chain order to them. If anything is unclear, send us the destination country and the intended use by phone, LINE, or email before any signing appointment.

Status of the Apostille Convention for Thailand (verified 30 July 2026)

Thailand deposited its instrument of accession to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026, and the Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027. Until that date, Thai documents used abroad still require legalisation by the Department of Consular Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) followed by legalisation at the destination country's embassy.

Today (before 28 February 2027) Thai documents used abroad still follow the existing chain: certified translation → notarial attestation → legalisation by the Department of Consular Affairs (MFA) → legalisation at the destination country's embassy in Thailand.

Once the Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027, Thai public documents sent to any of the 130 Contracting Parties will require only a single Apostille from the Department of Consular Affairs, with no further embassy legalisation.

Source: HCCH (Hague Conference on Private International Law) Thailand accedes to the 1961 Apostille Convention