Official Thai Translation Services In Uk

[slippery when wet]

My wife and I are presently living in the midlands of the UK and my wife needs to get our wedding certificate which is in Thai translated into English for her Driving licence application.

The obvious place to go would be to the Thai embassy but I believe that they charge quite a lot of money.

Does anyone perhaps know of any other place that translate this type of document and once translated would DVLC recognise the translation.

Please help.

Thank You.

Slippery when wet.

[Crossy]

A quick Google reveals several agencies who will do the job (try "thai translation uk") but their prices seem a little, "excessive". I think they are aimed at the business community.

We had a similar problem when we got married last year, needed an interpreter, agency wanted 200 quid +VAT and expenses. Ended up using the friend of a Thai girl we met in Tesco's, gave her 200 notes and she was over the moon.

Just a thought, do you have anyone in Thailand that you can send the certificate to?? They can get it translated cheaply and certified, then send the lot back. The Thai certified translations of my wife's documentation was acceptable when we got married.

[slippery when wet]

The actual translation is not a problem. My wife is Thai so she could do it but I expect that we would need some kind of official stamp.

We are considering sending the documents to a friend in BKK and then she could get them translated but I was wondering if the DVLC in the Uk would accept official stamps in Thai.

I know that it sounds stupid wondering if they would accept a Thai stamp but some officials in the UK won't accept anything that is not in English Language.

[Dragonman]

In the 3 years we lived in UK the English translation stamped by the Agency in Bangkok was never queried by anyone, including pension companies, tax office, works & pensions, etc.Why didn't you get one when you married?

[meadish_sweetball]

What are the criteria the company needs to meet to get a certified stamp, does anybody know?

Is it to do with quality as well as being a legit, tax-paying business?

[the scouser]

sww,

I presume you need the translation because your wife's passport is in her maiden name?

Basically, the clerk processing whatever application at whichever government office will accept the translation you provide unless they have reason to doubt its authenticity: after all he/she knows no different.

If you do want a top-notch translation done, you could try approaching the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. I had one done there a few years back and they only charged me £90 but, having said that, I was a student there at the time.

Alternatively, my wife needed a translation of our marriage certificate to accompany a visa application for Germany and I translated it myself with no questions asked.

Basically, a translator, in signing the document, is staking their reputation on the fact that it's a correct translation, so anyone who is willing to accept that responsibility will do.

Scouse.

[lopburi3]

The method of certification of a legal translation for Thailand is registration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the red stamp is in both Thai and English and will have a date, registration number and "seen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs" notation affixed to the translation. The translation itself has to be done by an approved translation service and copy of original and translation are bound together with the above stamp on the translation.

Can not a passport be used? You should be able to obtain an official name change notation to the passport from the Thai Embassy I would think if it not in her married name.

Readers might want to obtain several translations and register at Ministry after getting married - never know when they might come in handy.

[slippery when wet]

You are right in assuming that we need the said document because my wifes passport in in her maiden name. Inside she has had an official name change but upon checking at our local DVLA this is not accepted.

Unfortunately when applying for her visa at the British Embassy in BKK they held back the stamped translation which we didn't realise at the time. I'm not sure if we could request that they send this paperwork to us in the UK IF they still have it in my wifes file.

[the scouser]

It seems a*se about face that the DVLA won't accept the official passport amendment but will accept a translation that could have been done by any Tom, Dick, or Harry.

I would perhaps send an e-mail to the embassy stating that you now need the translation for your dealings with the UK govt. and could they please return it.

Scouse.

[lopburi3]

You are right in assuming that we need the said document because my wifes passport in in her maiden name. Inside she has had an official name change but upon checking at our local DVLA this is not accepted.

Unfortunately when applying for her visa at the British Embassy in BKK they held back the stamped translation which we didn't realise at the time. I'm not sure if we could request that they send this paperwork to us in the UK IF they still have it in my wifes file.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How about a new passport using her married name? That should solve the problem I would think. Seems really strange that immigration accepts it but not those motorway people. Priorities anyone?

This also might be good information for readers - pay the 1,000 baht to obtain a new passport after marriage.

[the scouser]

How about a new passport using her married name?  That should solve the problem I would think.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It would solve the problem with the DVLA but sww's missus would then have to pay the Home Office £335 to get her leave to enter transferred to the new passport . Either that or carry both the old and the new ones around.

Scouse.