Apostille vs MFA legalization in Thailand — what's the difference?
MFA legalization is the old two-step process (MFA stamp + foreign embassy). Apostille (from 14 Dec 2025) is a one-step certificate accepted in 125+ Hague countries — faster (3–5 days vs 2–4 weeks) and cheaper.
Detailed Answer
Before 14 December 2025, every Thai document used abroad needed Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA Chaeng Watthana) legalization followed by attestation at the destination country's embassy in Bangkok — typically 2–4 weeks and THB 5,000–15,000 total. From 14 Dec 2025, Thailand recognises the Hague Apostille: a single MFA-issued certificate is accepted in 125+ member states (US, UK, EU, Australia, Japan, Korea, China-Hong Kong, etc.) without further embassy step. Apostille turnaround at NPT: 3–5 business days at THB 2,500+. The old MFA + embassy chain is still required for non-Hague countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Vietnam, Indonesia). Always confirm destination country status before filing.