Document Legalisation and Apostille in Thailand

How legalisation works today

The Department of Consular Affairs certifies that the signature on a Thai document belongs to an authorised official. Translations normally need to be certified before submission, and some documents must first be certified by the issuing office. After the Ministry's certification, many countries also require legalisation by their embassy or consulate in Thailand, each with its own forms, appointment rules and processing times.

• Civil documents: birth, marriage, divorce and name-change certificates
• Education documents: degrees and transcripts
• Police clearance certificates
• Company documents and powers of attorney

Thailand and the Apostille Convention

Thailand deposited its instrument of accession to the Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026, and the Convention is scheduled to take effect for Thailand on 28 February 2027. From that date, documents for other member countries are expected to need a single Apostille instead of the embassy step. Until then, the legalisation route above applies, and countries outside the Convention will continue to require embassy legalisation.

Implementation details are set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We follow official announcements and update our guidance as procedures are published.

Why use a service

Delays usually come from small issues: a translation not in the expected format, a missing prior certification, or an embassy form completed incorrectly. We check the whole chain in advance so that each office receives what it asks for. Pricing depends on the documents, the destination and the government fees involved, so we quote after reviewing your file.

Typical legalisation sequences

A Thai degree for use overseas may first need a translation certified by the translator, then certification by the Department of Consular Affairs, and then legalisation by the embassy of the destination country. A foreign document for use in Thailand follows the reverse path: legalisation in the issuing country or at its embassy, translation into Thai, and certification of the translation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The exact steps vary by country, by document type and by the office that will receive it. A university, an immigration department and a civil registry in the same country can ask for different things, so we confirm the receiver's instructions before preparing the file.

Documents issued abroad for use in Thailand

Thai district offices, the Department of Employment and other authorities frequently need foreign documents such as birth certificates, divorce decrees, police clearances and degree certificates. These usually need to be legalised in their country of origin or by that country's embassy in Thailand, translated into Thai, and then certified by the Department of Consular Affairs.

Once the Apostille Convention takes effect for Thailand, documents from other member countries carrying an Apostille are expected to follow a shorter route. We will update this guidance as Thai authorities publish their implementing procedures.

Planning your timeline

Legalisation is often the last step before a deadline, such as a visa appointment or university enrolment. Each office has its own processing time, and some embassies require appointments booked in advance. Build in a margin, and ask us early if you are working towards a fixed date; we can tell you which steps are likely to take longest for your destination.

Our team does not control government or embassy processing, and we cannot shorten official timelines. What we can do is prepare the file so that it is right the first time.

Frequently asked questions