English service · Embassy Legalisation · All Bangkok embassies
One engagement covers the entire chain: notarisation by a Lawyers Council-registered Notarial Services Attorney, MFA Consular Department legalisation (express or standard), and destination embassy attestation in Bangkok — for every major embassy from the US to Vietnam.
Embassy legalisation is the consular act in which a foreign embassy in Bangkok confirms that a Thai-issued document — already certified by a Thai Notarial Services Attorney and legalised by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs — is genuine and may be relied on by authorities in its country. Until Thailand acceded to the HCCH Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026 (in force 28 February 2027), embassy legalisation was the only route for almost every destination country. Post-Apostille, embassy legalisation remains the only route for non-Hague countries and for many specific document types that destination authorities still prefer to verify through their embassy.
Thai Notary Law coordinates the full chain — Notarial Services Attorney → MFA Consular Department → destination embassy in Bangkok — under one fixed-fee engagement. This page is the long-form English reference: which embassies we work with, their current fees and processing times, what documents they accept, and the structural mistakes that cause embassies to reject otherwise valid Thai documents.
Thailand acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026 and the Convention entered into force on 28 February 2027. From that date, public documents issued in Thailand and intended for use in another Hague country can be certified by a single Apostille from the MFA Consular Department, in place of the longer embassy legalisation chain. However, embassy legalisation is still required for documents going to non-Hague countries (Vietnam, China for documents not covered by the bilateral arrangement, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, etc.) and for document categories where the destination authority insists on consular verification (notably commercial invoices for some Middle East importers and certain immigration files).
We assess every engagement at intake to determine whether Apostille is sufficient, embassy legalisation is required, or both must run in parallel. Where the choice is the client's, we present both with timeline and cost comparison.
The chain is sequential — each step must be completed in order, and most embassies will refuse a document that arrives without the prior step's stamp. We submit, monitor and collect each step on the client's behalf.
We are the law firm and the legalisation runner in one engagement. Every step that requires a legal certification is performed by a licensed Notarial Services Attorney; every step that requires a queue, a fee window or an appointment is handled by a bilingual case manager.
A typical embassy legalisation engagement runs 7 to 14 working days end-to-end. Embassy slot availability is the most common timeline driver; some embassies (notably US, China and Vietnam) require appointments booked 2 to 4 weeks ahead in busy seasons.
Below is a working list of the embassies we lodge legalisations with regularly. Each row reflects current practice as of 2025; fees and processing times are subject to change without notice and we confirm the current state at intake.
After Thailand's accession to the Apostille Convention, the decision between Apostille and embassy legalisation is no longer automatic. Apostille is faster and cheaper, but a meaningful minority of receiving authorities still prefer (or require) embassy legalisation. We treat the decision as a case-by-case legal opinion, not a price-list item.
Use Apostille when: the destination country is a Hague signatory, the document is a 'public document' as defined by the Convention, and the receiving authority has not specifically instructed embassy legalisation. Use embassy legalisation when: the destination country is not Hague, the destination authority has expressly required embassy attestation, or the document is a private commercial instrument that the destination customs / banking authority will not accept under an Apostille alone.
Each embassy charges its own legalisation fee, ranging quote on request (phone / LINE / email) (some EU embassies) to quoted on request+ (US documentary services). MFA Consular legalisation is quoted on request standard or quoted on request express per document. Our professional fee covers notarisation, translation, MFA filing, embassy filing, document binder assembly and tracked courier.
Yes, but we will re-check the notarisation. Many self-styled 'notary' offices in Bangkok are not actually Notarial Services Attorneys, and MFA will refuse to legalise their seal. If the original notary is unregistered, we re-notarise in our office before sending to MFA.
For most embassies, yes — a power of attorney lodged on file allows our case manager to file and collect. The US Embassy and a small handful of others require the document owner to appear in person; we still accompany and prepare the file.
The MFA does not impose an expiry, but many destination embassies require the MFA stamp to be no older than 3 to 6 months. We confirm the current requirement at intake and time the filing accordingly.
Yes. Commercial documents are notarised, then MFA-legalised, then taken to the importing-country embassy (typically Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Egypt or India for these document types). We work with multiple freight forwarders and Chambers of Commerce.
MFA accepts certain e-documents issued by Thai government portals (e.g. DBD e-Service affidavits) under recent guidelines. Embassies vary — some accept e-Apostilles, most do not yet. We check the destination embassy's current stance at intake.
We respond to the query in writing on the client's behalf, re-prepare the corrected document and re-submit. Most queries can be resolved within 3 to 5 working days without re-doing the entire chain.
Send us a scan of the source document and tell us the destination country and authority. We will return a step-by-step roadmap, a written Apostille-vs-embassy recommendation and a fixed-fee quote within one business day.
Send a photo of your document over LINE — we reply with a fixed price within one business day.
Short answer: Thai government-issued records can go straight to the Legalization Division, while private documents first need a notarial signature certificate. The correct order is original, lawful form, translation, consular authentication, then embassy authentication.
Thai official records
Private and corporate documents
Applicants filing from abroad
1. Classify the document and map the layers
Decide whether the document is official or private, because private documents always require the notarial layer first.
⏱ Same day
2. Prepare a translation that matches the original
Names, dates and reference numbers must match the original and the passport; attach evidence where they differ.
⏱ 1-3 working days (estimate)
3. File with the Legalization Division
Submit the original with its translation through the channel the Department of Consular Affairs currently offers and collect the fully stamped set.
⏱ 2-5 working days (estimate)
4. File with the destination embassy
Follow the mission's own procedure; several require prior appointments and prescribe the translation language.
⏱ 3-10 working days (estimate)
5. Verify and deliver with the seal intact
Check every stamp layer, scan a record copy, then ship with tracking without breaking the cross-seal.
⏱ 1-2 working days (estimate)
| Criterion | Today (chain legalization) | From 28 February 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of layers | Thai consular plus destination embassy | A single Apostille for member states |
| Country coverage | All countries, under each mission's rules | Convention members only; non-members keep the chain |
| Planning impact | Extra buffer needed for embassy queues | Fewer steps, but originals and translations must still be correct |
If you want every layer completed without running the errands yourself, our advisory team handles the set from assembly to delivery. Reach us by LINE, phone or email.
All durations are working-day estimates excluding agency queues, and are not a guarantee of any authority's decision.
Sources: กองสัญชาติและนิติกรณ์ กรมการกงสุล กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ · สภาทนายความในพระบรมราชูปถัมภ์ · Last reviewed: 2026-08-10
Document and legalization advisers with 15+ years of practice
Before we start, we read your actual documents and confirm the legalization route matches what the receiving authority asks for. During the work we report progress, and after delivery we still answer questions about how to submit the file.
We prepare documents to the requirements of the receiving authority. Any approval decision remains at that authority's discretion.
Send your documents on LINE for a preliminary review, a recommended legalization route and a written quote.
General guidance, not a case-specific determination. Requirements change with agency notices — confirm with the receiving authority before you act.
Sources: กองสัญชาติและนิติกรณ์ กรมการกงสุล กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ · รายชื่อคณะผู้แทนทางการทูตในประเทศไทย (กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ) · Last reviewed: 2026-08-04
Short answer: Rejections cluster around uncertified copies, translated names that differ from the passport, source documents older than the destination allows, and steps taken out of order. The fix is to re-issue the source document and rebuild the chain in the correct sequence.
We check how many certification layers your document needs, in which order, and whether it will still be valid on filing day — send it to us for a pre-check or let our team run the full chain.
Durations are working-day estimates excluding agency queues, and are not a guarantee of any authority's decision.
Sources: กองสัญชาติและนิติกรณ์ กรมการกงสุล กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ · HCCH — Apostille Section (สถานะภาคีและวันมีผลบังคับใช้) · Last reviewed: 2026-08-10
Thai government-issued records can go straight to the Legalization Division, while private documents first need a notarial signature certificate. The correct order is original, lawful form, translation, consular authentication, then embassy authentication.
If you want every layer completed without running the errands yourself, our advisory team handles the set from assembly to delivery. Reach us by LINE, phone or email.
Durations are working-day estimates excluding agency queues and are not a guarantee of any decision.
Statements on this page follow the authorities below. Confirm current requirements with the authority before filing. Last reviewed 2026-07-29.
Fees are not published online — ask our team by phone, LINE or email for a scope-based quote.
