Three levels of translation
- Plain translation — accurate translation, no certification. Fine for internal use, contract drafts and reference.
- Certified translation — translation accompanied by a signed statement from the translator or translation company affirming accuracy. Accepted by most Thai government offices, banks and universities.
- Legalised translation — certified translation that is then stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (and often the originating embassy). Required for use of foreign documents at Thai government offices and for use of Thai documents abroad.
MFA Legalisation Division — what they do
The MFA Legalisation Division at Chaeng Wattana legalises Thai-government documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, court orders, ID cards) for use abroad, and certifies certified translations of foreign documents for use in Thailand.
Standard processing is 2 working days at 200 THB per document; same-day express is 800 THB. Walk-in service runs Monday–Friday, 08:30–14:30 for submission and 13:30–16:30 for collection.
Embassy attestation
Many countries require Thai documents to be legalised by their own embassy in Bangkok after MFA legalisation. The UK, Australia and most EU countries no longer issue notarial services for Thai documents directly — they require the Thai MFA legalisation and then either Apostille (where applicable) or consular notarisation, depending on bilateral arrangements.
Thailand is not yet a full party to the Hague Apostille Convention as of 2024, so the embassy-and-MFA double-stamp is still the standard route.
Documents most often translated for visa work
- Marriage and birth certificates — for marriage visas and dependant visas.
- University degrees and transcripts — for Non-B work permits, where the degree must support the job title.
- Criminal record certificates — for several long-stay visa applications and BOI work permit packs.
- Bank statements — for visa financial-test evidence where the original is in a non-English language.
- Death certificates and probate orders — for cross-border inheritance matters.
Realistic timeline
Standard certified translation of a 1–2 page document is 24–48 hours. Add 2 working days for MFA legalisation, plus 5–15 working days for embassy attestation depending on the embassy. Budget 2–3 weeks end-to-end for a full legalisation chain — start the process as soon as you have a visa appointment date.