So this is hardly an epic Visa run story - but I thought I'd post about my trip to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday to have the translation of my marriage affidavit certified.

The Legalisation and Naturalisation Division,

Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (www.mfa.go.th)

123 Chaeng Wattana Road, Laksi District, Bangkok 11120

Tel. 0– 2575 1056–59, 0–2981 7171

The main ministry building opens its doors at 7:30am - so there's no point in being there earlier than that.

Once inside the legalisation section (certification of translations) is on the 3rd floor and it opens at 8:00am - so if you're early - there are seats and people who queue up on the second floor before going upstairs to the legalisation section at 8am.

Once you're upstairs there's a screening counter - where you will be told which form to use. You'll also need a copy of the photo and ID page of your passport (although strangely it will be given back to you when you're done).

For a single page document (a marriage affidavit in this case) there's simple form to fill in, with your name and address and signature. You then go back to the screening counter and they'll tell you to go see the supervisor around the corner. There are yellow A4 sheets stuck to the pillars on the way out of the legalization area that you follow left down the hall, turn right, and walk into the supervisors office on the left. It's a drab room, with a carpet, a few empty desks and a little old lady who sits there and examines your document, and form. She then signs the form and tells you to go back to the legalisation area.

Once there, you go back to the screening counter and you'll be asked if you would like the regular (400 Baht), or express (urgent - 800 Baht) service. You'll be given a number, and told to wait for your number to be called. When you're called - you present your documents and then sit down again. Next, your name will be called and you will pay your certification fee at the payment window. You'll be given a receipt. If you chose the express service - you can come back and pick your certified document up in about 3 hours.

If you have nothing better to do - you can eat in the restaurant on the ground floor, or head back to the main intersection at Chaeng Wattana Road (by taxis) where IT Square is located. At the back there is a Foodland - which is an excellent place to have breakfast.

Just before noon I went back to the ministry to collect my certified translation. By this time during the day the legalization area was very full - there were a lot more people there than in the morning. So I'd recommend if you are doing this yourself, get there for just before 8am (or even earlier if you want to miss the worst of the traffic). Sit in the second floor waiting area and relax before the 8am opening.

And that's it.

Did you find the whole process stressful?

Hi Deserted - no I didn't - although having lived in Thailand for a while now, I went through the usual mental exercise of preparing myself for the worst, as well as preparing myself for the possibility of having to do it twice. I speak reasonably good Thai as well which helps a lot.

As others have commented in the forums - for the most part, the various ministries and offices in Thailand are very helpful and always willing to answer questions. Things tend to break down when one or more parties loses their cool - or if there is a genuine problem communicating.

Hello,

May I know if your partner is required to follow you for the legalization of documents? Do the people in the MFA speak English? Could you tell me how you got your documents translated?

I am stressed out over the procedures.

Please help.

Thank you.

Around the embassy and around the Consular Department are translation agencies, not hard to find. Some embassies even have a small list on their website.

For a fee the translation agency can also take care of the legalisation part at the Thai MFA for you. Translation is normally between 300 and 400 baht, legalisation is 400 baht and the express service is 800 baht. All extra would be the fee for the translation agency.