Reviewed by ThaiLawOnline, a licensed Thai law firm practising in Thailand since 2006. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556.
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A police clearance certificate (หนังสือรับรองความประพฤติ, nangsue raprong khwam praphruet, also called a Thai criminal record check or certificate of good conduct) is the document issued by the Royal Thai Police confirming whether the applicant has a conviction registered in Thailand’s criminal records. It is issued by the Police Clearance Service Centre of the Special Branch Bureau in Bangkok, in English, and is requested by foreign immigration authorities, employers, adoption agencies and professional bodies from anyone who has lived in Thailand. Thai authorities ask for the equivalent from the home country for permanent residence and citizenship.
Table of Contents
What the certificate is and what it shows
The check uses Royal Thai Police criminal-record information. Do not assume an arrest, dismissed case, settlement or suspended sentence will be treated identically in every record or disclosure process. If you have a case history, obtain the outcome documents and ask the Centre how the record will be handled before relying on a certificate for an overseas application.
The certificate has no fixed expiry, but the authorities that ask for it, typically foreign immigration departments and employers, accept it for 3 to 6 months from issue. Because it is issued in English on Royal Thai Police letterhead it is normally accepted abroad without translation, though some countries require it to be legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before use.
Where to apply, documents and cost
Applications are made at the Police Clearance Service Centre in Lak Si, Bangkok. Follow the Centre’s current document list. The Centre publishes a processing period of 15 working days for a complete application with no record found and 25 working days where a record exists, on its sheet for Thai nationals. Its sheet for a foreign applicant residing in Thailand publishes no processing period, and its English sheet for applicants residing abroad gives 15 to 25 working days. Delivery and document-preparation time are additional. See our current application and service guide.
An applicant outside Thailand can apply by post through a representative. The fingerprints must be rolled on the official form at a local police station or embassy and certified, and the applicant signs a power of attorney for the person who files and collects in Bangkok. Allow the Centre’s processing period plus representative handling, document preparation and courier delivery. Obtain a current end-to-end estimate for your case. The common mistake is to send unrolled or uncertified fingerprints, which the centre rejects, or to apply under a name that does not match the passport used during the stay in Thailand.
Thai certificate, home-country certificate and the online check
The Thai certificate is for use abroad or with foreign employers. The reverse document, a police certificate from the home country, is what Thai immigration asks for in a permanent residency or citizenship application and what the Teachers Council asks for before licensing a foreign teacher; it must be legalised and translated into Thai. Since July 2026 the Royal Thai Police has offered a name-based online check, but it is limited to Thai nationals and to domestic use and does not produce the English certificate that foreign authorities require. An employer in Thailand cannot obtain a foreigner’s record directly; the applicant must request the check and hand over the result.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a police clearance certificate take in Thailand?
About a week when applying in person at the Police Clearance Service Centre in Bangkok, and about 25 to 30 days when applying from abroad by post through a representative, counted from the day the documents arrive. The government fee is 100 baht. Most authorities accept the certificate for 3 to 6 months after issue.
Can I get a Thai police clearance certificate from abroad?
Yes. Fingerprints are rolled on the official form at a local police station or a Thai embassy and certified, and the applicant signs a power of attorney for a representative in Bangkok who files the application and collects the certificate. Copies of the passport, the Thai visa pages and entry and exit stamps are required, together with a letter explaining the purpose.
What does a Thai police clearance certificate show?
Whether the applicant has a criminal conviction registered with the Royal Thai Police, and if so which one. Arrests that did not lead to a conviction and fines settled at a police station or immigration office are not shown. A suspended sentence is a conviction and appears unless the record has been expunged.
See also: criminal record, legalisation of documents, permanent residency, Thai citizenship, and the guides how to get a police clearance certificate in Thailand and criminal record checks in Thailand.
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