Proof of Address Certification

Additional frequently asked questions

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.

Do I have to sign in person before the attorney?

For signature attestation, yes — the signer must appear with an original passport or Thai ID card and sign in the attorney's presence. Certified true copies and certain fact attestations can be handled from originals without a fresh signature, depending on what the receiving authority requires.

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

• If the signatory cannot read the language of the instrument, an interpreter must be present and that fact recorded in the certificate.
• The signatory must appear in person with an unexpired passport or national ID card; a scan sent in advance cannot substitute for appearance.
• When signing for a company, a recently issued company affidavit and evidence of signing authority consistent with the registered restrictions are required.

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.

Once the destination country and the receiving office are known, the required certificate form and the following steps can be fixed immediately. Having our team review the case first substantially reduces repeat work.