Thai birth certificate translation for use overseas
In short
Request a current copy from the district registrar, translate the whole document including seals and endorsements, then add the certification your destination requires — a NAATI certified translation for Australia, or legalisation where a Thai government endorsement is asked for. Translation is usually 1–3 business days; certification runs on the authority's own queue.
A Thai birth certificate is the civil registration record that overseas authorities use to establish date and place of birth and the relationship to the parents named on it. It appears in family visa applications, registration of a child abroad, citizenship claims and school admissions. The translation must reproduce every element, including the document number, the registrar's endorsement and any handwritten marginal note.
Issued by: District registrar (Amphoe / Khet) under the Department of Provincial Administration
When it is used
- • Family or child visa applications lodged with an overseas immigration authority
- • Registering a birth or a child with the authorities of a spouse's country
- • School, scholarship or university applications that verify age and parentage
- • Citizenship or permanent residence claims that rest on a blood relationship
What to prepare
- • The original birth certificate or a registrar-issued copy, legible on every line
- • Passport copies for the document holder and both parents, to fix name spelling
- • The name of the receiving authority and country, which determines the certification route
- • Any change-of-name certificate if the current name differs from the one on the certificate
Step by step
Obtain a current copy
Contact the district registrar where the birth was recorded and request a freshly issued copy if the existing one is faded, damaged or old enough that the receiving authority may question it.
Send scans and name the destination
Provide colour scans and tell us the country and authority. That determines whether a NAATI certified translation, a legalised translation, or both are appropriate.
Translate in full and align names
Every element is translated: the Garuda emblem, document number, registrar's endorsement and marginal notes. Names follow the passport spelling across the entire set.
Add the certification the destination requires
For Australia this is normally a NAATI certified translation. Where legalisation is required, the translation and original are lodged with the Department of Consular Affairs.
Common reasons for rejection
- • Omitting handwritten notes or text on the reverse side.
- • Parents' names spelled differently from their passports within the same set.
- • Skewed phone photographs where the seal is unreadable.
- • Using a copy issued years ago when the authority sets a recency limit.
FAQ
Can a photocopy be translated instead of the original?
A clear copy can be translated, but government certification steps generally require the original or a registrar-certified copy, so have the original available.
Can an old handwritten birth certificate be translated?
Yes, provided the text is legible. Where entries have faded beyond reading, request a fresh copy from the registrar rather than leaving gaps.
Do the seals have to be translated?
Yes. Seals and the endorsement at the foot of the document are part of the record; leaving them out makes the translation incomplete.
What does Australia require?
Home Affairs requires translations made in Australia to come from a NAATI certified translator, and translations made outside Australia to carry the translator's name, address, contact details and qualifications. Always read the receiving body's own instructions too.
Related pages
Reviewed August 2026. Sources: https://consular.mfa.go.th/, https://www.bora.dopa.go.th/, https://pcscenter.sb.police.go.th/, https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/, https://www.naati.com.au/. General information for document preparation only, not immigration assistance. We are not a registered migration agent (OMARA).