Legal service for foreign clients
Notarial Certification Aimed at a Named Authority Overseas in Thailand
Certification the receiving office actually accepts, because we ask who receives it before we sign anything.
Quick answer
A document heading overseas usually passes three layers: a Thai lawyer holding a notarial services attorney licence, then the legalisation counter operated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and frequently one more stamp at the destination country's embassy in Bangkok. Countries inside the Hague framework take the apostille route instead of the embassy layer. Which layers apply is decided by the office receiving the document, not by the document type. Fees start at THB 1,500 per certification.
From THB 1,500 — From THB 1,500 per certification. Government and embassy fees are charged at cost, separately from the professional fee. · The attorney layer is same-day, the consular layer normally two to three working days, and the embassy layer ranges widely from one day to three weeks.
Who this is for
- People sending a power of attorney to a bank or court abroad
- Students and job applicants whose receiving body wants certified copies of qualifications
- Companies proving director authority to an overseas counterparty or regulator
- Anyone whose paperwork was bounced because the wrong layer was used
What you receive
- A written route for the document, agreed with you before any stamp is applied
- Signature or true-copy certification by a licensed attorney whose registration you can verify
- Queueing and running the consular layer on your behalf
- Coordination with the destination embassy where that layer still applies
- Copies and receipts from every layer, kept in case the receiving office queries it later
Documents to prepare
- The signer's original passport or Thai identity card
- The original document, with a translation if the destination sets a language requirement
- The name and address of the office that will receive it
- A current company certificate when the signer acts as a director
How it works
5-step process
- 1
Identify the receiving office and its rule
We ask for the body's name, its form, or the email stating its condition, because the word certified means a different layer in each jurisdiction.
- 2
Check the wording and name consistency
A single-character difference between the passport spelling and the document is the most common refusal we see, so it is checked before the signing appointment.
- 3
Sign in the presence of the certifying attorney
The signer attends in person with original identification. Signing in advance and asking for retrospective certification is not something we can do.
- 4
Run the consular and embassy layers
The file goes through the consular layer, then to the embassy where required, with a collection date given in days.
- 5
Hand over with filing guidance
You receive the original plus a note on what the destination checks first and the freshness window many of them impose.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which destinations still need the embassy layer?
It turns on whether the destination is inside the Hague framework. If it is, the apostille route ends at the consular layer. If it is not, its embassy in Bangkok usually adds a stamp. The position changes over time, so we check with that embassy for each file rather than relying on an old list.
Can a degree copy be certified without the original?
No. A true-copy certification states that we compared the copy against the original in front of us. If the institution holds the original, request a freshly issued certificate from them and bring that instead.
Translate the Thai text before the stamps go on, or after?
Usually before, since the consular layer and the destination read the translated text. Some bodies require translation after every stamp is applied so the translation covers them all. Ask the destination first, because getting the order wrong means restarting the whole set.
How does a Thai certifying attorney differ from a notary abroad?
Thailand has no civil-law notary office. The function sits with attorneys licensed by the Lawyers Council to certify signatures and documents, so the power covers witnessing signatures, copies, oaths, and facts observed first hand — not drafting public instruments the way a European notary does.
What if the destination rejects a document we already certified?
Ask them for the reason in writing first. Nearly always it is a missing layer or certification wording that differs from their template, not the document itself. With the reason in hand most cases are solved by adding a layer or reissuing the certificate, without restarting everything.
Are there cases where the attorney declines?
Yes. When the signer plainly does not follow what they are signing, when the text carries unsigned alterations, or when we are asked to certify a fact we cannot verify ourselves — such as that a person owes nothing anywhere. In those cases we propose an alternative the destination will accept.
Related services
Powers of Attorney That the Land Office, Banks and Courts Actually Accept
A mandate drafted too widely endangers the grantor; drafted too narrowly it leaves the attorney unable to act.
Company Registration in Thailand for Foreign Shareholders
A shareholding structure that is lawful from day one — no nominee arrangements.
Written by: Thai Law & Accounting Services — attorneys and licensed accountants
Reviewed by: Reviewed by a Notarial Services Attorney registered with the Lawyers Council of Thailand.
Last updated: 2026-08
Information as of August 2026. Government fees and processing times change — verify with the relevant agency before acting, or let our team verify for you.