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Certification work is carried out by attorneys registered as Notarial Services Attorneys with the Lawyers Council of Thailand under the Regulation of the Lawyers Council on Registration of Notarial Services Attorneys B.E. 2551. Licence numbers and personal data in the images below are redacted for privacy; originals can be verified in person.
Miss Anutaree
Mr. Jiraphan
Mr. Jirasak
Mr. Patipan
Mr. Warawut
Mr. Wiwat
Issued by the Lawyers Council of Thailand · personal data partly redacted
An apostille is a single standardised certificate under the Hague Convention that allows a public document issued in one contracting state to be accepted in another without further embassy legalisation. Thailand deposited its instrument of accession on 30 June 2026 and the Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027. Before that date Thai documents still follow the existing route: legalisation at the Department of Consular Affairs, then, if the receiving country requires it, at that country's embassy in Thailand. For documents submitted to Australian authorities, an apostille does not replace a NAATI-certified translation — they answer different questions.
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Thai Cabinet approved accession to the Convention | 9 December 2025 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand — accession to the Apostille Convention |
| Thailand deposited its instrument of accession in The Hague | 30 June 2026 | Department of Consular Affairs — deposit of the instrument of accession (1 July 2026) |
| Objection period for existing contracting parties | 8 months from the date of deposit | Department of Consular Affairs — deposit of the instrument of accession (1 July 2026) |
| Entry into force of the Convention for Thailand | 28 February 2027 | Department of Consular Affairs — deposit of the instrument of accession (1 July 2026) |
| Status of Australia | Already a contracting party; DFAT issues apostilles for Australian documents | DFAT Australia — Notarial services |
Ask the receiving authority in writing whether they require an apostille, Department of Consular Affairs legalisation, embassy legalisation, or a certified translation only. Before 28 February 2027 Thai documents cannot receive an apostille, so plan around the existing route.
Civil registry records come from the district office, education records from the institution, and police clearance certificates from the Royal Thai Police. Seals and signatures must be crisp originals, not repeated photocopies.
Translate everything: letterhead, the Garuda emblem, document numbers, text inside seals and stamps, and any endnotes. Spell names exactly as in the passport. Australian authorities usually require translations produced by a NAATI-certified translator.
Before 28 February 2027, submit for legalisation at the Department of Consular Affairs and then, if required, at the destination country's embassy. Once the Convention is in force, check the Department's announcements for which document types are eligible, how to lodge, and what fees apply.
Check name spellings, dates, document numbers, and page completeness across the original, the translation, and the certificate. Any mismatch should be fixed first — most receiving bodies return the whole bundle rather than a single page.
| Item | Apostille | Legalisation (consular + embassy) | NAATI-certified translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | The designated Competent Authority of a contracting state | Department of Consular Affairs, then the destination country's embassy | A translator or agency certified by NAATI |
| What it certifies | The signature, capacity, and seal on a public document | Signatures and seals, step by step through each authority | That the translation corresponds to the source document supplied |
| What it does not certify | The truth of the content of the document | The truth of the content of the document | The truth of the content, and it does not replace government certification |
| When it applies | Both origin and destination are contracting states and the Convention is in force for both | The destination is not a contracting state, or the Convention is not yet in force for the origin state | The receiving body requires a translation from a certified translator |
Timeline from official announcements: Cabinet approval 9 December 2025, instrument of accession deposited 30 June 2026, entry into force 28 February 2027, plus what to do during the transition.
Compares apostille with Department of Consular Affairs legalisation and embassy legalisation: who certifies, what is certified, how many steps, and when the older route still applies.
Public Thai documents commonly certified for use abroad — birth certificates, marriage records, transcripts, police clearance certificates — and what to prepare before lodging.
What Australian authorities actually require — certification of the original document versus a NAATI-certified translation — and the preparation order that reduces the risk of rejection.
How documents from contracting states are used in Thailand before and after 28 February 2027, including the Thai translation requirement.
Not yet. Thailand deposited its instrument of accession on 30 June 2026 and the Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027. Until then, Thai documents follow the existing legalisation route through the Department of Consular Affairs and, where required, the destination country's embassy.
No. An apostille certifies the signature, capacity, and seal on the original document. A NAATI-certified translation states that the translation corresponds to the source document. Australian authorities generally set the translation requirement separately, so check the written requirement from the body handling your case.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the competent authority for Australian documents. Details of the service, including what DFAT will and will not certify, are published on the Australian Government's notarial services pages.
Public documents such as civil registry records, court documents, education records from recognised institutions, and documents certified by a public officer. The definitive list of eligible categories, channels, and fees will be published by the Department of Consular Affairs.
Not between contracting states where the Convention operates, which is the point of the single certificate. It still applies where the destination country is not a contracting state, or where the Convention does not operate between the two states concerned.
Processing times vary by authority and time of year, and are set by the authority rather than by a translation provider. Check the current announcements from the Department of Consular Affairs before you commit to a lodgement date, and allow buffer time.
Yes for translation and document review — send clear scans and we will confirm what the receiving body requires. Certification steps that a Thai authority must perform in person are coordinated by our team in Thailand. Contact us by phone, LINE, or email for the current process.
Government fees are set by the authorities and change from time to time, and translation scope varies by document. Please contact our team by phone, LINE, or email with scans of your documents for a quote and a realistic timeline.
Content reviewed August 2026. This is general information for document preparation, not legal advice for a specific case. Fees, turnaround, and eligible document types are set by the Legalisation Division, Department of Consular Affairs, and party status can be verified in the HCCH — Apostille Section. For service details, contact us by phone, LINE, or email.
