Notary vs Apostille in Thailand — what's the difference?
Notary (NSA) certifies a signature inside Thailand. Apostille is an international authentication under the Hague Convention. Thailand acceded to the Apostille Convention, which enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027 — NPT handles full Notary → MFA → Apostille routing in one go.
Detailed Answer
A Thai Notarial Services Attorney (NSA) authenticates signatures, copies, and translations within Thailand. An Apostille is a single-step international authentication under the 1961 Hague Convention. Thailand officially joined the Apostille Convention with effect from 28 February 2027 (entry into force for Thailand), replacing the multi-step embassy legalization process for 130 Contracting Parties. NPT handles the full chain: NSA notarization → MFA Department of Consular Affairs certification → Apostille (for Hague countries) or embassy legalization (for non-Hague countries like UAE, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia). End-to-end turnaround is 3–10 business days depending on destination.