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Last updated on September 5, 2026
An apostille (การรับรองเอกสาร (อะพอสตีล), kan raprong ekkasan; also written apostil or Hague certificate) is a standard certificate under the 1961 Hague Convention that authenticates the signature and seal on a public document so that it can be used in any other member state without embassy legalisation. Thailand was outside the Convention for decades, but deposited its instrument of accession on 30 June 2026, and the Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027. Until that date every foreign document used in Thailand, and every Thai document used abroad, still goes through the traditional legalisation chain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the relevant embassy.
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How the Convention will work for Thailand
Under the Convention a document issued in one member state and bearing an apostille from that state’s designated authority must be accepted in every other member state as authentic, with no further legalisation. Thailand designated the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as its issuing authority when it deposited the instrument. The Convention allows existing members six months to object to a new accession; that window closes on 30 December 2026, and the Convention then takes effect sixty days later, on 28 February 2027, between Thailand and every state that did not object.
From that date a birth certificate, power of attorney, court order or company document apostilled in a non-objecting member state can be presented in Thailand with a Thai translation and nothing else, and a Thai document apostilled by the Department of Consular Affairs can be used in those states directly. Documents to or from a state that objects, or that is not a member at all, continue to need the embassy step. The guide to legalisation of documents in Thailand tracks which states have objected.
What foreigners must do until then
Foreign document for use in Thailand. Have it certified in the country of origin (a notary and, where that country uses them, an apostille or foreign ministry stamp), then legalised by the Thai embassy or consulate there, then translated into Thai by a certified translator, then legalised at the Department of Consular Affairs at 123 Chaeng Watthana Road, Bangkok, or one of its regional offices in Chiang Mai, Phuket and central Bangkok. An apostille alone, from a member state, is not yet enough on its own.
Thai document for use abroad. A private document is first certified by a Notarial Services Attorney, a public one is obtained from the issuing office; the Department of Consular Affairs then legalises it, and the receiving country’s embassy in Bangkok adds its own authentication. Appointments are booked online and the current month is often full, so allow one to two weeks of lead time; standard legalisation costs 200 baht per document and takes about 2 to 3 weeks, with same-day service at 400 baht. The common mistake is arriving at the Land Office or a Thai court with a foreign document that carries only an apostille and no Thai embassy stamp.
Apostille and legalisation compared
| Step | Legalisation (until 27 February 2027) | Apostille (from 28 February 2027) |
|---|---|---|
| Certification at origin | Notary or issuing office | Notary or issuing office |
| Foreign ministry or apostille | Home foreign ministry stamp where required | Apostille from the designated authority |
| Embassy step | Thai embassy abroad, or foreign embassy in Bangkok | None between member states |
| Thai MFA | Department of Consular Affairs legalises | Issues apostilles on Thai documents; none needed on incoming ones |
| Translation | Certified Thai translation | Still required for use in Thailand |
For succession the change is significant. A foreign will, a foreign death certificate or a grant of probate presented to a Thai court in support of a petition for an estate administrator currently spends one to three months in the legalisation chain; after 28 February 2027 an apostille from a member state shortens that to the time it takes to translate. The apostille certifies only the signature and seal, not the content, so a Thai court still examines whether the will is valid in form and whether Thai law governs the Thai assets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Thailand a member of the Apostille Convention?
Thailand deposited its instrument of accession on 30 June 2026 and the Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027, between Thailand and the member states that did not object by 30 December 2026. Until that date apostilles are not accepted in Thailand on their own and full legalisation is required.
Can I use an apostilled document in Thailand right now?
Not by itself. Before 28 February 2027 a document from an apostille country still needs legalisation by the Thai embassy or consulate in that country, a certified Thai translation, and legalisation at the Department of Consular Affairs in Bangkok. The apostille is treated as the home-country certification step, no more.
Where do I get a Thai document apostilled or legalised?
At the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 123 Chaeng Watthana Road, Bangkok, or its regional offices, by online appointment. The same department will issue apostilles once the Convention is in force. Standard legalisation costs 200 baht per document, same-day service 400 baht.
See also: legalisation of documents, notary, affidavit, probate, and the guides on legalisation of documents in Thailand and probate of a foreign will in Thailand.
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