Notarial and documentary services guide for Thailand

Overview

The British Embassy Bangkok provides a limited range of notarial and documentary services for British nationals in Thailand.

Most notarial and documentary services can only be provided if you entered Thailand using your British passport. If you entered using another country’s passport, or a Home Office travel document, contact us to check if we can provide the service you require.

Access to the Embassy is by appointment only. Unless you have chosen a postal service, use the booking links to make an appointment.

Services we provide in Thailand

Consular staff can provide the following services only:

• administer an affirmation for the purpose of marriage under Thai law
• make a certified copy of a British passport
• issue a supporting letter for adoption in Thailand
• issue a visa transfer letter
• issue a supporting letter for a Thai nationality application

Before applying for one of our services contact the relevant Thai authority to find out what you need. This could be the local district office (amphur/amphoe), immigration office, ministries or another authority in Thailand, the UK or a third country.

Check that the document(s) we are able to provide will be accepted by the relevant authority and make sure you select the most appropriate service.

Check if you need to get a document we provide translated or legalised.

What supporting documents you need to provide

See the individual services below for details of supporting documents you need to provide. Make sure you have acceptable proof of address and identity, and payment for all fees.

Payment

We accept payment by Visa, MasterCard and Maestro debit and credit cards.

Payment links are provided within the individual services listed below. You can also pay by card on the day of your appointment.

See the full list of consular fees.

Proof of address and identity

Under Money Laundering Regulations you need to provide acceptable proof of your identity and residence for all notarial services.

We accept British passports as proof of your identity.

We accept any one of the following documents as proof of your address. DVLA issued photocard driving licence, mortgage statement, tenancy agreement or Housing Association rent card. If issued in the past three months, bank statement, letter from your bank, utility bill, council tax demand, Inland Revenue tax demand or a self assessment statement.

Documents can be in English or Thai and should contain your name as it appears on your passport.

You must provide originals, copies of these documents will not be accepted. We do not accept mobile phone bills or documents printed off the internet.

If you do not have documentation containing your name and address, you will need to show evidence of relationship to the person named on the document, for example your original marriage certificate.

How to apply for a notarial or documentary service

Affirmation for the purpose of marriage under Thai law

You need to make an affirmation of marital status in order to get married in Thailand.

This service is available by booking an appointment to attend the British Embassyembassy in Bangkok. It costs £50.

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Same Sexsex Marriages/Civilmarriages/civil Partnershipspartnerships

Same sex marriage is not recognised in Thailand. Therefore, we cannot process documentation for a same sex marriage, even if the marriage is proposed to take place in a third country.

Certified copy of a British passport

This service is available by post or by booking an appointment to attend the British Embassy Bangkok. It costs £25.

A postal service is not available for passport holders under 16 years of age. See certify a copy of your child’s passport.

You need to submit a valid and original British passport to obtain this service. We cannot accept copies or scans.

To apply by post follow the instructions in the Application pack - certified copy by post (ODT, 29.3 KB). There is an additional postage fee of £2.

To book an appointment follow the steps below.

1. Make an appointment for a certified copy of a passport

2. Pay the consular fee of £25. If you need more than one certified copy, you must pay for each copy you require. You can also pay during your appointment

3. What you need to bring

• your British passport
• payment or proof of online payment
• proof of address
• (if applicable) your written authorisation and contact details if a third party is certifying your passport on your behalf

Certified copy of a child’s passport

If your child is under 16 years of age and you require a certified copy of your child’s passport, you must book an appointment to obtain this service. You must provide written authority from both parents together with both original passports. Your child does not have to be present, provided both parents are present and provide evidence that they are related to the child as claimed. Where only one parent can be present, the absent parent must provide a letter of authorisation plus their original passport.

Letter of no objection for adoption in Thailand

This service is available by post. It costs £50 plus a postage fee of £2.

This letter is issued to accompany an application for adoption in Thailand. Issued when a Thai authority requests a letter of no objection from the British authorities.

Further information is available from Application pack - adoption (ODT, 23.2 KB) which includes instructions on how to apply for this service.

Supporting letter for Thai Nationality application

This service is available by post. It costs £75 plus a postage fee of £2.

This letter is for British nationals making an application for Thai nationality. To apply, follow the instructions in the Application Pack – Thai Nationality supporting Letter (ODT, 34.9 KB).

Transferring your Thai visa after renewing your British passport

This service is available in person at VFS Bangkok or online and is free of charge.

The Immigration Bureau in Thailand may require a letter from the British Embassy in order for you to transfer your visa from your old to your new British passport.

1. You will be given a template visa transfer letter from VFS Bangkok when you collect your new passport. You can also request a letter in person by visiting their offices, from 8:30am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, at 8th Floor, VFS, The Trendy Building, Sukhumvit Soi 13, Klongtoey-Nua, Watthana, Bangkok 10110. Alternatively, apply online for a letter to be sent to you. To request the online serviceservice, send a message via our online contact form, giving the reason for your request along with your name and address in Thailand.

2. Add your personal details by hand and submit the completed letter to the Immigration Bureau along with your passport(s).

Services provided elsewhere

Translating or legalising a document issued by the British Embassy Bangkok

You may need to get a document we provide translated into Thai or legalised before it can be recognised by an authority in Thailand. Ask the authority where you intend to use the document about these or other requirements.

If the document needs to be translated. Go to any translation agency. We provide a list of translators and interpreters in Thailand. There are translation services available at the Legalisation Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (see below).

If the document needs to be legalised. This can be done in person at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Bangkok or at thetheir legalisation offices in Bangkok, Chiang MaiMai, GovernmentPattaya Complex.and Phuket. Book a Legislation Office appointment online or use their walk-in service.

The MFA have provided a quick guide to the legalisation process in Thailand.

Contact the MFA for further details.

LocationsLegalisation ofOffice MFA officeslocations

Bangkok

Chiang insideMai

Pattaya

Phuket

Ubon 1Ratchathani

Proof of address

You can obtain a residence certificate from your local immigration office. Most authorities and banks in Thailand will accept a Thai Work Permit, household registration or a residency certificate from the Thai Immigration Bureau as proof of residence.your address.

Certified copies of UK birth, death, marriage or degree/educational certificates.certificates

Thai authorities require documents issued outside of Thailand to be authenticated. The only authority permitted to provide this service is the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in the UK.

Before arriving in Thailand you are advised to get your UK certificates legalised before you travel. If you are already in Thailand you will need to follow the 3-step legalisation process under ‘services provided elsewhere’.

Legalising a signature or seal

Legalisation is the official confirmation that a signature, seal or stamp on an official public document is genuine. UK public documents such as birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates can be legalised by the UK government in the UK. This is also known as an apostille.

More information on how to get your UK document legalised for use in Thailand can be found on Three Steps of Legalising a Signatures or Seal (PDF, 157 KB, 1 page) and Legalisation Infographic (PDF, 448 KB, 1 page).

Recognition or validity of marriage

We do not provide a recognition of marriage document. Only Courts in England and Wales can recognise a marriage under English and Welsh Law, for more information see Information Note on Recognition or Validity of Marriage (PDF, 465 KB, 1 page).

Services we cannot provide

Visa extension letters

There are a range of visa extension options available under Thai immigration rules.

Thai Immigration Bureau does not require a letter from an embassy in order to consider an application to extend or renew a visa. You may be able to complete an affidavit or provide additional documents to support a visa application at your local Immigration Office.

If you are currently in Thailand and not able to extend or change your visa to an alternative you should discuss your options with your local Immigration Office. This may include having to leave Thailand. Visit the Thai Immigration website for further information on visa extension options.

Information on visa requirements for Thailand are available from FCDO Travel Advice Thailand.

Income letters for Thai Immigration

The British Embassy does not provide letters confirming income. If you are required to show evidence of as part of a visa application or extension of stay, you can provide your Thai bank account showing the required deposit(s).

Life Certificates

We do not provide life certificates for British nationals claiming a British pension abroad. Someone in a recognised profession can witness your life certificate if you are claiming State Pension abroad. They do not need to live in the UK, or have a British passport. The list of people who can sign the form are the same as those who can ‘countersign’ a passport photo.

Any form of affirmation, affidavit or statutory declaration to confirm identity, address, family relationships or marital status

Unless it is to marry in Thailand, then follow the steps above for Affirmation of Marital Status.

Witness a signature on a Power of Attorney

The British embassy is not able to provide advice or act as a witness for powers of attorney (POA). You should seek advice from a qualified lawyer. We provide a list of English speaking lawyers in Thailand.

Statutory declaration to confirm your identity

If you have been requested to obtain a document from the British Embassy Bangkok which is not listed above, contact us by sending a message via our online contact form.

The British Embassy Bangkok is not responsible for any costs incurred through booking an appointment for a service that we cannot provide. If in doubt, contact us for advice.

Data Protection

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office holds and uses data for purposes notified to the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act 2018. Such personal data may be disclosed to other UK government departments and public authorities.

Disclaimer

This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the British Embassy Bangkok by the relevant authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. Accordingly the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the British Embassy Bangkok will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. For all notarial and legalisation services, it is the responsibility of the customer to ascertain the precise requirements of the person requesting the notarial or legalisation service and to satisfy themselves that the service provided by the British Embassy Bangkok will be accepted.