Certified True Copy of Foreign & Thai Documents for Foreigners in Thailand — Notarial Services Attorney · HCCH Apostille (มีผล 28 ก.พ. 2570) · Penal §§ 264–268 Shield

Why must I bring the original? Can't I just send a photo?

Reg. 2546 § 23 requires the Notarial Attorney to personally sight the original. Certifying from a scan or photo is Thai Penal § 264 (forgery, 3 years), § 266 (forgery of a state document, 5 years) and § 268 (use of forged document) — plus immediate licence revocation. We refuse such requests at any price.

Can a Certified True Copy replace the original everywhere?

In most settings yes (foreign banks, embassies, universities, employers, most immigration filings). But some authorities require originals — Thai Land Department (title transfers), Thai courts (litigation), some foreign probate courts. We check the destination's requirement before quoting.

Can Apostille be used with a Certified True Copy?

Yes. A notarial certificate is within Apostille scope under HCCH Convention 1961 Article 1(c). Since 28 February 2027 the MFA issues Apostille in lieu of embassy legalisation for the 130 contracting states, cutting turnaround 60–75%.

Do I need to come to your office, or can you travel to me?

We have nationwide travel notary — BKK metro quote on request (phone / LINE / email); Phuket / Chiang Mai / Pattaya quoted on request (travel + 1 night). Book 3 business days ahead. Remote Online Notarization (RON) is not recognised under Thai law — we must sight the original in person.

Bank statement covering several months — must every page be certified?

It depends on the receiving bank. HSBC HK / DBS SG typically require every page; Wise / Revolut accept just the summary. Confirm with them first. Volume discount of 30–50% applies to multi-page documents.

How long until I get my documents back?

Certified copy only — 1 business day. + Translation — 2–3 business days. + MFA Apostille — 3–5 business days (standard) or 1–2 (express, BKK only). + Embassy legalisation (non-HCCH) — 7–14 business days.

Do Thai government documents (birth, marriage certificate) need notarial certification?

Not necessarily — Thai government records can be sent to the MFA directly (via DOPA / local registrar) for Apostille without a notarial certificate. But if the receiving authority specifically requires a Notarial Certified Copy + Apostille (some universities do), we can provide it.

How do I get my transcript and diploma certified?

(1) Verification at your university registrar (officially issued copy); (2) notarial certified copy; (3) ISO 17100 TEP translation (English if needed); (4) MFA Apostille. Accepted by WES, ECE, IQAS, NACES, and foreign universities.

What if the document I bring turns out to be forged?

We inspect for watermark, UV markers, microprint, hologram and signature patterns. Forgery red flags trigger immediate refusal and an AMLA STR under § 13 / Penal §§ 264–268. Knowingly presenting a forged document for certification exposes the client to the same charges as the attorney.

How is my personal data protected?

PDPA § 24 (general) + § 26 (sensitive — health, religion, politics). ISO/IEC 27001 servers in Thailand, AES-256 + HSM, TLS 1.3, MFA + biometric access, audit log, 10-year retention (notarial standard), PDPC-registered DPO. Subject access: dpo@notary.co.th.

Free consult? What do I send?

Yes — first consult free. LINE us: (1) photo of the original document (passport bio page is enough); (2) purpose (bank / embassy / university / court); (3) destination country + authority; (4) deadline. Within 1 business day you receive a fixed-fee quote, document checklist, timeline and Apostille strategy. Lawyer-client privilege from the first message, no obligation.