Ministry of Foreign Affairs

[poppysdad]

Finally got my confirmation of Affirmation for marriage appointment at the British embassy after a few frustrating  phone calls and emails but the staff were always very helpful and friendly. 

So when I walk out next week with my document, I assume the next step is translating to Thai and again assume there will be any amount of companies supplying the service in the close vicinity.

 

And then it’s off to the MFA I presume. Do I need to make an appointment or is it a walk in and wait service. 
Living a 5 hours drive away I obviously want to get it all done in one journey if I can and if that means a couple of nights in Bangkok then so be it.

 

I’m also aware there will be the usual few  stupid comments on how stupid I am and how easy it all is and yes when I’ve done it all once, it will be easy for any next times so thanks for any help and advice you can offer to me.

[ubonjoe]

You will need a appointment at the Department of Consular Affairs of the MFA to have the translation certified.

Info here: https://consular.mfa.go.th/th/publicservice/ขั้นตอนการรับรองเอกสาร

You can have them mail the certified document to you when it is completed. You need to request it and pay a fee for it sent to by EMS.

 

[Will B Good]

Get an agent to do it and save yourself a world of grief. 

[worrab]

I am sure that the following will still be the case. When you enter the MFA, go up the stairs and in front of you will be a couple of agents. They will translate, present to MFA for stamping and post back to your home address via EMS. No hassle and in the scheme of things, inexpensive. Saves you having to wait around etc etc.  

[mokwit]

4 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Get an agent to do it and save yourself a world of grief. 

Seconded.

[ubonjoe]

37 minutes ago, worrab said:

I am sure that the following will still be the case. When you enter the MFA, go up the stairs and in front of you will be a couple of agents.

I can recall a report that those agents (translation services) have been moved to offices not far from the government complex.

[WEBBYB808]

Heck yeah, you need to make an appointment.   You need to go to MFA website  there you will see only once a small qr code.  You must open this and make an appointment.   The building  will be empty and no one in line, but they will not see you without appointment confirmation.   And believe  me when I tell you that all the so called agents that translate  your documents have already applied and filled the slots three weeks out, which they will hold for ransom.  So what could normally be a one day process  and cost less than 1k thb will be used as leverage  and you will be exploited  if you do not book today and try to get a same day appointment  as your Embassy.   But when I went the translation mafia had them booked and filled three weeks out.

[WEBBYB808]

32 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I can recall a report that those agents (translation services) have been moved to offices not far from the government complex.

They are in force outside, inside by entrance and on the second  floor, waiting for locals, and out of towners that failed to secure an appointment  so they can charge you high prices to translate,  and to exploit  and sale you their queue at a high price and then the queue they sold you can only be used by them so you will have to pay them a high fee to walk it through.  Just go to MFA website select the queue and get your own appointment.   Its 400 thb to translate  two pages dont let them charge you 400 each.

[WEBBYB808]

55 minutes ago, mokwit said:

Seconded.

At a price 3 times the cost.  If you book your queue on line in advance the process is rasy and cheap.

[WEBBYB808]

1 hour ago, worrab said:

I am sure that the following will still be the case. When you enter the MFA, go up the stairs and in front of you will be a couple of agents. They will translate, present to MFA for stamping and post back to your home address via EMS. No hassle and in the scheme of things, inexpensive. Saves you having to wait around etc etc.  

Almost 3000 thb if you use them less than 1000 to do it yourself  and faster.  Agents will take days to het it back to you.

[ubonjoe]

I never been to the Department of Consular Affairs. I have always used a translation service on Wireless Road to do the translation and the certification at the DCA and then send it to me by EMS.

[The Fugitive]

5 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Get an agent to do it and save yourself a world of grief. 

Totally correct. By the time I got out of the Embassy I'd had enough. Found an agent literally around the corner from the (old) British Embassy who charged 3,000 baht. Well worth the fee.

[Will B Good]

1 hour ago, WEBBYB808 said:

At a price 3 times the cost.  If you book your queue on line in advance the process is rasy and cheap.

CBA...555

[poppysdad]

Thanks for all your advice guys, it does seem that using an agent will be the best way forward. I just tried to book an appointment at the MFA and the first vacancy is 2 weeks after my British embassy visit which if I calculate travel costs and a possible overnight to come back to do it would probably be around the same cost as an agent and would be quicker. 
 

I’ve never used an agent before for anything so is there any scams I need to be aware of or are they all reasonably trustworthy, is 3000 baht the going rate and do I just accept the first one to approach me and where will I find an agent in the first place. Thanks again.

[ubonjoe]

26 minutes ago, poppysdad said:

I’ve never used an agent before for anything so is there any scams I need to be aware of or are they all reasonably trustworthy, is 3000 baht the going rate and do I just accept the first one to approach me and where will I find an agent in the first place. Thanks again.

Agent is the wrong word for what you need done. Check with a translation service about doing everything for you and mailing it to you by EMS when completed. It should not cost much more than the translation does.

[poppysdad]

Many thanks ubonjoe. Always there when we need you. 

[rickudon]

 I also recommend using a translation service - you have to pay to get it translated anyway, and if you live a way from Bangkok, the fee they charge for going to the MFA and sending the document to you by EMS will be less than your travel costs/hotel stay. 

What i did when i got married 8 years ago. Haven't actually heard of anyone being scammed by the translation services, although possibly a small chance of errors (which could still occur at the translation stage, if you then go to MFA yorself, how would you know).