Certifying Documents

[redwine]

Has anyone had recent experience in having documents certified for a spouse visa for Australia. We live in Chiang Mai and we have been told that we need to go to Bangkok. We were told that the price would be 400 baht per document and that we would need to wait 3 days for this to be done.

Any help much appreciated.

[sezzo]

Not too sure if you mean translation as opposed to certifying. My wife and I applied for a spouse visa in feb of this year and there was no requirement for certifying the translation of the thai documents. We had all the thai documents translated to english in Bangkok for around 600 baht per document. This was all done overnight and then presented to the office staff in the Visa application service. They then checked that all documentation that is required was there as well as the corresponding english translation. We used the small translation service on the ground floor of the CC building of which the Visa application service is on the 34th floor.

It was a bit more expensive than others but was very handy for extra translations that needed to be done.

Hope this has helped

[redwine]

Sezzo thanks very much for your reply.

It is not the English translations that need to be certified, but the original Thai documents eg our wedding certificate etc.

The Application Document Checklist form from the Australian Immigration Department which I got from the internet says

"Do not provide original documents unless requested. You should provide 'certified copies' of original documentation."

It then goes on to mention that documents not in English must be accompanied by accredited English translations.

Did you get your Thai documents certified by anyone?

[sezzo]

Redwine,

All we did for translation was take the thai documents (marriage cert, birth cert, authority from amphur for movement of kids, tabian bahn, id card, etc to the translation service at the ground floor of the CC building and have them translated. We then took them upstairs and submitted them with the application. They were checked by the office girl who received the application. No certification required for either english or thai documents.

For documents from Oz, I had certified copies made of them prior to coming to Thailand. That is the only certifying that I had done.

Dont worry too much as its an easy process.

Sezzo

[fishhooks]

Most of us also need to go to the Registration Office, the other side of Bangkok where the Thai Spouse needs to lodge documents.

Can't remember the address (but someone here will know)

Many translation offices just across the road from this place, very competitive and they know what is required.

[sezzo]

Fishooks,

We didnt have to any registration office. I am guessing you are referring to the MFA where I had english to thai documents verified for my marriage visa when I was living in Thailand. As I said before we only had to get the thai stuff translated to english then submitted them. Nothing else was asked of us.

Hopefully Redwine doesnt have any hassles getting his wifes visa processed.

Sezzo

[fishhooks]

Yep, that's right, the visit to the MFA was all marriage doco stuff.

But we did have a lot of translation stuff done across the road and it was quite cheap and very well done.

[sezzo]

Gday Fishooks,

I actually remember during the initial planning stages of our visa application that I rang from Oz to the Oz embassy and asked about the verification of the documents. I was told by a very helpful thai lady there that it was not required. I suppose the best way to get the right info is to call them. I rang a couple of times prior to the application being lodged and was always given good advice and information.

Just thought I would put my 2 cents worth in.

[fishhooks]

Yes, I should have added to my last post that the MFA is only for the Thai side of things, nothing to do with Oz side. The MFA needed to see my Divorce stuff (Certified by the Australian Embassy) from a previous marriage. Then after this we needed to go to the MFA again following the Amphur Marriage to register.

I only added the previous info as I think in most cases, Foreigners and their new Thai Spouses need to visit this MFA and translations across the road are plentiful.

[IraqRon]

Has anyone had recent experience in having documents certified for a spouse visa for Australia. We live in Chiang Mai and we have been told that we need to go to Bangkok. We were told that the price would be 400 baht per document and that we would need to wait 3 days for this to be done.

Any help much appreciated.

This sounds a lot like my predicament with the Internal Revenue Service in the good ole USA. I wanted to claime my Thai wife as a dependent and file as married, would have meant an extra 3kusd in my refund. They wanted many Thai docs, instuctions said I could send cerified copies, endorsed by a notary public or from the issuing govt body with their stamp on them. I sent originals, and copies with the govt stamp from the appropriate office. They Denied my attempt to claim her as my wife!!! Said they wanted copies in English, cerified, etc etc.

I found a company in BKK that advertises on TV.com, but will have to do it thru the mail as I am in CR. Don't have their name handy, but they advert in the property section.

My question to Americans out there is this: Does the US consulate certify as to the accuracy of Thai govt docs, or copies thereof, by way of their Notary Public? (they are pricey, I know that).

[ultspnch]

Redwine;

I also faced this problem with our recent partner visa application from the North.

I tried to have a JP from Oz 'here' certify them, but no luck.

This idea of certified copies is not common in Thailand, and no one I talked to Thai or farang had ever heard of it.

I decided NOT to trip to bangkok JUST for this.

I made photocopies and put them along with originals into the application, there were 20 such papers in our application.

I sent the application with VFS courier to VFS office in Bangkok.

I marked all originals that I want back with a pink sticker and requested the officer return them after he/she had certified the copies.

Application in so far one week and NO noticeof receipt, but our phone is always on and we are hoping.

[redwine]

I have since been contacted by an Australian living in Chiang Mai who is awaiting registration with the Migration Agents Registration Authority and he will be able to certify documents once this process is complete. If I am reading other replies correctly, it seems that people living in Bangkok have physically taken original Thai documents to the Visa Application Centre. As we live in Chiang Mai I don't want to take the risk of sending original documents in case they get lost.

[fishhooks]

It may be a sad fact, but I think any foreigner wanting to do anything in regard to translating and or certifying docs for himself or Spouse, needs to go to Bangkok.

Korat is supposed to be the second largest city, but after days of frustrating running around, even with Issan Lawyers, I jumped back on the bus and headed to the big smoke back in February to have things done properly.

The messing around in Korat was amazing, even having my Thai Wife with me!

[sezzo]

It may be a sad fact, but I think any foreigner wanting to do anything in regard to translating and or certifying docs for himself or Spouse, needs to go to Bangkok.

Korat is supposed to be the second largest city, but after days of frustrating running around, even with Issan Lawyers, I jumped back on the bus and headed to the big smoke back in February to have things done properly.

The messing around in Korat was amazing, even having my Thai Wife with me!

Exactly right there. I am another 5 hours north east of Korat and I had no hope of getting anything done up our way. I packed up the wife and all our documents and drove to BKK to get it done on the spot. We spent 4 days there getting all the relevant stuff done and then submit the application. This also included chasing up the wifes ex to get permission and signature for his child to leave the country. It might cost a bit more in transport and hotel costs but the end result will be achieved much quicker and with less frustration.