Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Guarantee

[Banana7]

Where in Bangkok is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) office that will guarantee or translate an English document into Thai? Several documents need to be translated for Pattaya City Hall in order to obtain a yellow house book. I heard the main MFA doesn't do translations from English into Thai for foreigners. 

Main MFA: 443 Thanon Si Ayutthaya, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

[stubuzz]

There is a MFA office at one of the BTS stations. I cant remember which one at the moment.

[StateSix]

There is an MFA office at Klong Toei MRT.

[007 RED]

Bannana7…. The address you have given in your OP is the main diplomatic HQ of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and they don’t do any translation or as you describe ‘guarantee’ services there.

You have used the term 'guarantee' but given the context which you have described I think you mean having a document translation certified as true/correct, which is known as legalisation.

Another TV member has mentioned that the MFA has an office in one of the MRT stations in Bangkok.  In fact there are a number of MFA offices located in various large shopping malls in Bangkok but as far as I am aware (and I stand to be corrected) they do not deal with Legalisation of documents, they only deal with Thai citizens who require for example a new or replacement passport etc.

The ‘branch’ of the MFA which deals with legalisation of documents is the Legalisation Division, Consular Department of the MFA which is based on the Northern outskirts of Bangkok at 123 Changwattana Road, Laksi, Bangkok 10210

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Department+of+Consular+Affairs/@13.890213,100.567067,16z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xb74260a43a82bb1e!8m2!3d13.8902134!4d100.5670667?hl=en-US

GPS co-ordinates 13.890723339234587, 100.56716355952292

Their website which provides very comprehensive information on how to get documents Legalised is found at https://consular.mfa.go.th/th/page/cate-6441-%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%93%E0%B9%8C%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3?menu=5d68c88b15e39c160c008184

 

Please be aware that the Legalisation Department does not do translations, they will only check the original document (e.g. English) against a copy which has been translated into Thai that you have provided.  If the translation is all correct they will then certify the copy as such.

That said, there is a translation shop on the 2nd floor of the Consular building at the top of the escalators.  The bonus of using them is that the staff are all current or retired employees of the MFA Legalisation Division (current employees apparently do translations after office hours).  Because of their knowledge base, they have a large library of document templates at their figure tips so can produce standard document translations fairly quickly.  They can also arrange for the document(s) to be submitted for you (for a small extra charge). Also in the remote possibility that there is an error within the submitted translation, they will get it corrected very quickly at no extra cost.  Their charges are similar to those found outside.

You can get your document(s) translated anywhere, but the translator must put their business stamp on the translation.  Current translation costs is about 400THB for page of an A4 document but may increase if there is a large amount of text on the original documents.

Depending upon where you get that translation done, the translator may well be able to arrange for the document(s) to be Legalised, obviously at an extra cost.

I have been to the MFA Consular Division on a number of occasions in the past and found it to be quite a laborious task getting there and then having to hang around if you need to use their 'same day service'.   Personally, I would suggest using their 'postal' option if you have already had the document translated.  Using EMS post takes all the hassle out of the process and is very reliable.  Details are found on their website link which I have provided above.

Hope this helps.  Good luck

[jaiyenyen]

Thanks 007 Red for your informative post. It's very useful. I need to get the information page of my passport translated and legalised, for my Yellow Book application.

Do you know if it's allowed for me to send my wife to do this, and once completed, get it posted to my home? or do I have to go in person.

[007 RED]

On 3/20/2021 at 9:01 PM, jaiyenyen said:

Thanks 007 Red for your informative post. It's very useful. I need to get the information page of my passport translated and legalised, for my Yellow Book application.

Do you know if it's allowed for me to send my wife to do this, and once completed, get it posted to my home? or do I have to go in person.

Glad the original info is useful for you.  Sorry for the delay in getting back to you as l'm not 'glued' to TVF every minute of the day.

 

As far as l am aware, there should be no problem with your wife getting things done for you.... she will be acting in the same role as an 'agent'.  What she will need is a letter authorising her to act on your behalf, which obviously should state her name and id number, maybe also need a copy of her id card attached.... lf l recall correctly the MFA form you need to submit to get the translated document legalised has an option for using an 'agent'.  See the MFA link l originally provided for a printable copy of the form.

 

Regarding the qustion of getting the Legalisation Department to send things back to you by post (EMS) again l think you will find a space on the form l've mentioned requesting this.  Of course there will be a fee for this service 60THB or thereabouts.

 

Once again l hope this helps & good luck.

[jaiyenyen]

That's a great help. Thanks very much.

[StateSix]

On 3/19/2021 at 4:27 PM, 007 RED said:

 

Another TV member has mentioned that the MFA has an office in one of the MRT stations in Bangkok.  In fact there are a number of MFA offices located in various large shopping malls in Bangkok but as far as I am aware (and I stand to be corrected) they do not deal with Legalisation of documents, they only deal with Thai citizens who require for example a new or replacement passport etc.

 

 

 

I can confirm that the MFA office at Klong Toei MRT will legalize documents as I have used their services.  I got the documents translated elsewhere though.  I dropped off one day and picked up the next.  I cannot remember the cost.

 

There is also a separate office at the same MRT station that Thais can renew IDs and passports.

[jaiyenyen]

Just a quick update.

Whilst happy to visit MFA to get a translation of my passport, I thought I'd have one more attempt at the amphur.

I sent my wife with my passport, work permit, tax cert, marriage cert and Kor Ror 2 (Which has my name translated into Thai) to the amphur. They looked at everything and asked us to go back with 2 witnesses, next Monday.

No mention of additional paperwork. I'm hoping that's a good thing.

[jaiyenyen]

Okay.

Time for an update.

I went to the amphur at Don Mueang yesterday afternoon. Rather than get my passport translated and the notarized, I decided to try using my marriage certificate (Which has my name written in Thai). That was accepted. They had also asked for my mother and father's names translated into Thai, this didn't need to be notarized.

Everything was accepted. I got the Tabien Baan and pink ID card. No charge for either.

Once again, thanks to those that gave advice.

 

[Banana7]

I went to the Dept. of consular affairs for the translation of passport and affidavit from the Canadian Embassy stating my parent's names. The guys providing the translation are roaming the halls and are near the front door. Cost was 400b per page. Translation was done in about 45 minutes for 2 pages. The translation service asked if I already had a Thai translation of my name, so he copied the one on my condo Chanote.

 

Went to the second floor right side, for the legalization. Paid 400b to have 2 pages legalized, and 60b for mailing service. Note that if you want the legalization done in one day, submission is 08:30-09:30 and return is 14:30-15:30 and you have to pay extra. Normal service is 3 days. I received my documents back 3 days later by EMS post.

 

Went to Pattaya City hall for the yellow book. 3 different officers reviewed the documents, and grilled the witnesses. Even asked my girlfriend if she had any babies with me. I was told there will be a minimum of 2 more visits to city hall and the process will take a few weeks. Next meeting will be with the "big boss" and will be scheduled when they call my girlfriend. Witnesses must come to the second meeting too. If the "big boss" is satisfied, then next meeting will get the yellow book.

 

Pattaya also required the condo chanote, condo blue book and the land office document show the transfer to my name at the time of purchase, photo copies of witness ID cards and their house books.