Medical Certificate: How to get it notarized?

[PeteDaKat]

I am applying for a Non-Immigrant O-A Retirement Visa. (at the Thai Consulate, L.A.)

One of the requirements is to have the medical certificate notarized.

How does one get it notarized?

 

There is a flaw in the medical certificate that makes it impossible to get it notarized.

1. There is no signature line on the form for the visa applicantʻs signature, therefore it cannot be notarized with my identity.
2. The only signature is for the doctor, but the doctor canʻt be there, therefore it cannot be notarized.
3. The notaries cannot read Thai, therefore the documents cannot be notarized without being able to read everything on the document

 

If one cannot get it notarized, one cannot mail in the documents for the visa.

 

After twice being rejected by notaries, I donʻt know how to to do this. The moment they laid eyes on the form, they said no.

 

Do you have advice with a method to get beyond this problem?

 

[sqwakvfr]

Go to another Notary and ask for a “Jurat”.  All notaries should know what a Jurat.  This was accepted by the LA Consulate 3 years ago.  

[ubonjoe]

Write a statement it is true and correct and have the notary witness it.

For the copy of it the notary can certify the copy.

[problemfarang]

Well im not sure if it will help you or not, but for the work permit health certificate, i usually go to a small clinic near my home. I tell them why i need it and show them what WP wants for health check... 80 baht.. 10 mins. 

[tweedledee2]

18 hours ago, problemfarang said:

Well im not sure if it will help you or not, but for the work permit health certificate, i usually go to a small clinic near my home. I tell them why i need it and show them what WP wants for health check... 80 baht.. 10 mins. 

Well, I'm sure it won't help. The OP is in the US.

[tgeezer]

5 minutes ago, tweedledee2 said:

Well, I'm sure it won't help. The OP is in the US.

That is what I thought, how ridiculous.  He needs a Health Certificate from a US doctor. 

[Rdrokit]

Yes a Jurat might help. I got my O-A in the Thai LA Embassy but that was 13 years ago and don't remember it my medical certificate needed to be notarized. Nothing needed to be in Thai. I was a walk-in. Dropped the documents and my passport off one day and picked it up the next day with the visa stamp. Good luck.

[ClaySmc]

I also did mine in LA. I took all the documents I needed notarized to my bank, Wells Fargo, and they notarized all along with my bank statement. It was all done at no cost.

[tgeezer]

Do people not read? The OP says “the notaries cannot read Thai.”  

[Rdrokit]

5 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

Do people not read? The OP says “the notaries cannot read Thai.”  

Why is it in Thai? When I went to the Thai Embassy in LA. The guy behind the counter was not Thai and could not even speak Thai.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

Do people not read? The OP says “the notaries cannot read Thai.”  

But the form from the embassy is bilingual.

[tgeezer]

I am trying to inject some common sense into this forum. Is the OP taking a blank medical certificate to a clinic in the USA which was given him at the Thai embassy in the USA?  

[sqwakvfr]

1.  In another life I was a Notary in California.

2.  3 years ago I obtained an OA from the Los Angeles Thai Consulate

 

In order to have the OA Visa Medical Certificate legally notarized would require a Mobile Notary to be present at the exact time the Doctor actually signs the form.  This would be difficult. I have read some medical facilities have Notaries?  

 

The other option(this worked for me) is to take the completed OA Medical Certificate to a Commissioned Notary(this is the technical term in CA) and have him or her complete a Jurat(a certificate attesting to the form as legitimate copy).

[tgeezer]

Oh, so it appears from your post that there is an “OA visa Medical Certificate” naturally this would be issued by Thai Embassy. In this case I find it illogical that they don’t also provide a means to ensure that the Doctor signing the form is qualified to do so.  

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

Oh, so it appears from your post that there is an “OA visa Medical Certificate” naturally this would be issued by Thai Embassy.

Yes  Download is here: http://thaiembdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Medical-Certificate-Form-For-Non-Immigrant-O-A-Long-Stay-Only.pdf

[sqwakvfr]

Yes.  On the LA Thai Consulate Website is the form.  On the bottom a Doctor’s signature is required along with his/her medical license #. I believe this would ensure the doctors is qualified.  

 

[Suradit69]

On September 28, 2019 at 4:47 AM, PeteDaKat said:

 

I am applying for a Non-Immigrant O-A Retirement Visa. (at the Thai Consulate, L.A.)

 

 

20 hours ago, problemfarang said:

Well im not sure if it will help you or not, but for the work permit health certificate, i usually go to a small clinic near my home. I tell them why i need it and show them what WP wants for health check... 80 baht.. 10 mins. 

Los Angeles isn't in Thailand. For that matter, no Thai consulate is in Thailand.

[Suradit69]

1 hour ago, tgeezer said:

Do people not read? The OP says “the notaries cannot read Thai.”  

How  could the doctor know what he was signing or what to test the patient for if ithe form wasn't in a language he could read? When I did my O-A all the forms were in Englash or both Thai and English.

 

Anyway I'm pretty sure there's a Thai community in LA. Probably some Thai-American notaries around.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by Suradit69

[Rama]

As someone that was a notary in the US at one time, notaries in the US only certify that your signature on a document is a true signature and that the person signing has presented document (drivers license, passport) to show that they are really themselves - they don't certify to the veracity of a document. Really doesn't mater what the document says or doesn't say. Doesn't require a specific place for a signature. Just tell them you will sign at bottom or end of document. Its takes nothing to become a notary in the US, so you can imagine that most don't know what they're doing. Lawyers understand, and lawyers always have an inhouse notary. Keep on trying different notaries or go to a lawyers office to get done quickly.

Edited September 29, 2019 by Rama
spelling

[AAArdvark]

Why is this so difficult?  The Embassy does not require the medical certificate to be notarized.  The Consulates do, for some unknown reason.  The medical certificate is bilingual but is a bit confusing with the placement of the English translation.

The OP was asking a simple question. Normally a notary wants proof of the signature.  Doctors will not be going to a notary to sign the certificate.  Some doctor's offices may have a notary there.  Otherwise some sort of attachment certifying the document as a true copy will be required.

Or, alternately, contact the consulate and ask.  They will understand the issue.

[tgeezer]

15 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

Why is this so difficult?  The Embassy does not require the medical certificate to be notarized.  The Consulates do, for some unknown reason.  The medical certificate is bilingual but is a bit confusing with the placement of the English translation.

The OP was asking a simple question. Normally a notary wants proof of the signature.  Doctors will not be going to a notary to sign the certificate.  Some doctor's offices may have a notary there.  Otherwise some sort of attachment certifying the document as a true copy will be required.

Or, alternately, contact the consulate and ask.  They will understand the issue.

To the point! The question should have been, Why won’t the embassy accept my medical certificate?  

I might ask why would they accept the signature of a Notary Public and not that of a Doctor? 

Ask the embassy, they may answer or they may ignore the question.  It could be that they don’t want to issue the visa. 

 

 

 

[kevinmartyn]

Thats a new one on me however i get a full medical each year. To that End i had documents noterized in Bangkok and was charged 1500 baht each. In july i was charged 11300 baht for full medical!

[dontoearth]

8 hours ago, Rama said:

As someone that was a notary in the US at one time, notaries in the US only certify that your signature on a document is a true signature and that the person signing has presented document (drivers license, passport) to show that they are really themselves - they don't certify to the veracity of a document. Really doesn't mater what the document says or doesn't say. Doesn't require a specific place for a signature. Just tell them you will sign at bottom or end of document. Its takes nothing to become a notary in the US, so you can imagine that most don't know what they're doing. Lawyers understand, and lawyers always have an inhouse notary. Keep on trying different notaries or go to a lawyers office to get done quickly.

  Exactly what I did a few years ago.   Notaries do not care what is in a document they are only attesting to your identity and signature.  So a neatly drawn straight line with an X at the beginning and a request to the notary that they notarize your signature should be all that you need.  I had several different documents like this over the years of my travel from various embassies and never had a problem once I realized that notaries are not attesting to the validity or truthfulness of a document.  They are only responsible for your identify and your signature not anything else.  You can even get a paper notarized that says you take tea with space aliens if you want.  As long as you are signing somewhere on the document and have identification.

[ThailandRyan]

I called the Consulate in LA last week.  They returned my phone call and indicated that what was needed was a form the Notary should have, on which I was to indicate that the attached "Medical Certficate and a letter the MD wrote indicating the date he had performed the exam indicating I was in good health" was true and correct.  I went to the Notary and was given a form which I completed, the Notary then made copies of the Med Cert and MD Letter, stamped both copy's "See Attached Notary Certificate", and completed the Notary form I filled out.  The notary form is  called "COPY CERTIFICATION BY DOCUMENT CUSTODIAN".  This was then placed at the rea of the copies, stapled together and the originals placed in behind it.  This is the procedure I was advised to do.  I however forgot to get the ladies name from the Consulate LA who gave me these instructions.  If you have questions regarding any instructions shown on the checklist they provide, it is best to call and get an answer.  Just waiting now for my letter of Clearance from DOJ as far as my fingerprints  and criminal background check.  I will then drive down to LA from where I live (8 hours) and walk in first thing in the morning.  She indicated that I could then return the next day and pick up my passport with the O-A visa inside of it.  I will let you folks know how the process went.  

[PeteDaKat]

20 hours ago, tgeezer said:

I am trying to inject some common sense into this forum. Is the OP taking a blank medical certificate to a clinic in the USA which was given him at the Thai embassy in the USA?  

The med cert form is from the Thai consulate LA website. It was filled out and signed by my doctor.

https://thaiconsulatela.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Medical-Certificate-Form-For-Non-Immigrant-O-A-Long-Stay-Only.pdf

Because of the Thai, the notaries won't touch it.

The fellow who mentioned a word I'd never heard of, "jurat," might be a way to get around the conundrum.

[PeteDaKat]

10 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

I called the Consulate in LA last week.  They returned my phone call and indicated that what was needed was a form the Notary should have, on which I was to indicate that the attached "Medical Certficate and a letter the MD wrote indicating the date he had performed the exam indicating I was in good health" was true and correct.  I went to the Notary and was given a form which I completed, the Notary then made copies of the Med Cert and MD Letter, stamped both copy's "See Attached Notary Certificate", and completed the Notary form I filled out.  The notary form is  called "COPY CERTIFICATION BY DOCUMENT CUSTODIAN". 

This is a red hot lead, this notary form. So, I'll have to return to my doctor to get a letter to go along with the med cert saying I'm healthy? Is there a boilerplate letter I could use to drop off to my doctor?

 

So, it's three parts...

1. Medical Certificate
2. Letter from the doctor saying I am healthy
3. This COPY OF CERTIFICATION BY DOCUMENT CUSTODIAN form

I feel so bewildered...

 

I need to copy and paste your entire reply to a safe place so I can try and get through this.

Edited September 30, 2019 by PeteDaKat
addendum

[essox essox]

21 hours ago, tweedledee2 said:

Well, I'm sure it won't help. The OP is in the US.

and just how did the person who replied KNOW he is in the States???!!

[EVENKEEL]

2 minutes ago, PeteDaKat said:

This is a red hot lead, this notary form. So, I'll have to return to my doctor to get a letter to go along with the med cert saying I'm healthy? Is there a boilerplate letter I could use to drop off to my doctor?

 

So, it's three parts...

1. Medical Certificate
2. Letter from the doctor saying I am healthy
3. This COPY OF CERTIFICATION BY DOCUMENT CUSTODIAN form

I feel so bewildered...

I just got my OA Visa from Hollywood this month. I went there in person and was told I needed to have my Med. Notarized.

 

There is a business directly across the street that does notary and all kinds of office duties. It's run by a Thai lady and farang husband. She knew right away what I needed. On the med cert on the bottom I wrote "I certify this to be my original signature" and I signed it. That was what she notarized, nothing to do with the doctor. 

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, essox essox said:

and just how did the person who replied KNOW he is in the States???!!

By reading the OP.

On 9/28/2019 at 4:47 AM, PeteDaKat said:

I am applying for a Non-Immigrant O-A Retirement Visa. (at the Thai Consulate, L.A.)

L.A. is Los Angeles, California USA.

[EVENKEEL]

10 minutes ago, essox essox said:

and just how did the person who replied KNOW he is in the States???!!

Because the OA is only obtainable in the "home country"