Notarial and document services guide for Thailand

Overview

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

Most notarial and document 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

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.

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 letter of no objection for an adoption in Thailand
• issue a letter of no objection for a Thai citizenship application

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

If you require a document not listed above, see services provided elsewhere.

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 issued worldwide. When making a payment online we also accept Apple Pay.

A third party can make a credit card payment on your behalf if you do not have access to a card.

Payment links are provided within the individual services listed below.

See the full list of consular fees. Consular fees are non-refundable.

Proof of address and identity

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

As proof of your identity we accept British passports.

As proof of your address (residence), we accept any one of the following documents:

• mortgage statement
• tenancy agreement
• Housing Association rent card or
• DVLA issued photocard driving licence

If issued in the past 3 months:

• bank statement
• letter from your bank
• utility bill
• council tax demand
• Inland Revenue tax demand or
• a self assessment statement

We also accept Thai issued Tabien Baan (Yellow Book) and pink ID cards, as well as residence certificates issued by Immigration Offices.

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

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 document 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 embassy in Bangkok. It costs £50.

Prior to attending an appointment, you need to submit documents online which are checked by consular staff at the embassy.

See getting married abroad to check what documents you must provide and to make an affirmation application.

Same sex marriages/civil partnerships

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.

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

This service should not be used to support the opening of a bank account. Read our Living in Thailand guide for information about money and banking in Thailand.

If the passport holder is under 16 years of age, see certified copy of a child’s passport.

To apply by post follow the instructions in the Application pack - certified copy by post (ODT, 23.6 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.

3. What you need to bring

• your British passport
• 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 under 16 years of age, there are additional requirements in order to obtain a certified copy of your child’s passport.

You must provide:

• your child’s British passport
• proof of online payment
• proof of parental address
• written authority from both parents
• both parents original passports
• evidence of relationship to the child (for example, a birth/adoption certificate)

The service is available by post or by booking an appointment to attend the British embassy. Your child does not have to be present if you book an appointment but at least one parent must attend.

Letter of no objection for an 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, 23.9 KB) which includes instructions on how to apply for this service.

Letter of no objection for a Thai citizenship 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 citizenship. To apply, follow the instructions in the Application pack: Thai citizenship letter of no objection (ODT, 24.2 KB).

Services provided elsewhere

Information on services provided elsewhere, including:

• certified copies of UK birth, death, marriage or degree/educational certificates
• income letters for Thai Immigration
• legalising a signature or seal
• life certificates
• marriage recognition or validity
• Power of Attorney
• proof of address
• transferring a Thai visa to a new British passport
• translating or legalising a document issued by the British Embassy Bangkok
• visa extension letters

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

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

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 as described in Legalising a signature or seal.

Income letters for Thai Immigration

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

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 signature or seal (PDF, 157 KB, 1 page) and Legalisation infographic (PDF, 448 KB, 1 page).

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.

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).

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.

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 your address.

Transferring a Thai visa after renewing a British passport

Immigration Offices in Thailand are able to transfer a Thai visa to a new British passport without the embassy issuing a visa transfer letter. If you face any difficulties transferring your visa, you can download an Information note: transfering Thai visa to a new British passport (PDF, 506 KB, 2 pages) to hand to your nearest Immigration office.

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 their legalisation offices in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, PattayaPattaya, Phuket and Phuket.Ubon Ratchathani. 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.

Legalisation Office locations

Bangkok

Chiang Mai

Pattaya

Phuket

Ubon Ratchathani

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.

Services we cannot provide

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.

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.