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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

• Using signature-witnessing wording when the destination asked for a certified true copy; the two forms are not interchangeable.
• Name spellings that differ from the passport, even by a diacritic or the ordering of a middle name, are enough to justify refusal.

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.