Corporate Notary — Legalising Thai Company Documents for Overseas Use
Cross-border expansion — opening a foreign subsidiary, registering trademarks abroad, executing M&A, or opening offshore bank accounts — depends on corporate documents that survive the Notary → MFA → Apostille/consular chain. NYC Legal handles 1,200+ corporate legalization files each year across SMEs and SET-listed groups.
Corporate documents we notarise most
Grouped by cross-border purpose.
- Board Resolution — director-approved transactions (open bank account, borrow, dispose of assets)
- Corporate POA — company mandates an individual to act abroad
- Certificate of Incumbency — confirms current directors/shareholders
- Good Standing / DBD affidavit — proof the company still trades
- Articles of Association — for foreign subsidiary registration
- M&A / Share Purchase Agreement — enforceable in foreign jurisdictions
- Trademark POA — appoint foreign agents for trademark filing
- Bank Account Opening Kit — offshore account bundle
Who is authorised to sign
Must match the current DBD certificate.
- Directors authorised by the DBD affidavit (issued within 3 months)
- Sub-delegation requires a separately notarised Corporate POA
- Joint signatories must appear together before the notary
- Company seal is affixed in front of the notary if the AoA requires one
Chain for corporate documents
Entry point differs from personal documents.
- DBD affidavit — starts at MFA (skips notary)
- Board Resolution / POA — Notary → Lawyers Council → MFA → Apostille/consular
- Multi-jurisdiction M&A — notarised copies executed separately for each country's chain
- Thai-language documents — translated to English + notary certification of translation before MFA
Pricing
Packaged by complexity.
- Notary certification — THB 2,500/instrument (includes DBD lookup)
- Drafted Board Resolution + Notary — THB 5,000-8,000
- Bilingual Corporate POA + Notary — THB 6,000-10,000
- Full M&A chain (Notary + MFA + Apostille × 5 docs) — THB 25,000-35,000
- Rush service (within 4 hours) — +50%
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1.How recent must the DBD certificate be?
Most MFAs and embassies require issuance within 3 months; Germany and Japan sometimes require 1 month.
Q2.Can a non-VAT-registered company notarise documents?
Yes — the notary certifies documents based on DBD registration, not VAT status.
Q3.Is a company seal mandatory?
Only if the AoA requires it. When required, we refuse to notarise unsealed documents.
Q4.Can a foreign entity use a Thai notary?
Yes, if signatories travel to Thailand and sign before the notary with passport and a Corporate POA from the parent.
Q5.How many notaries for an M&A deal?
Usually one per contract. German-law contracts may require dual-qualified notaries — we can co-ordinate the referral.
Related Notary Pages
Need a Notary Public right now?
Our Thai-licensed Notary Public attorneys serve Bangkok and remotely nationwide. Free consultation via LINE / WhatsApp.
Cross-service questions, answered by the NYC Legal team
384. Can you check Social Security contribution records and translate them into English for overseas job applications?
Certification tiers are separated up front — agency Certified True Translation, Notary Public seal, MFA consular legalization, and Apostille (not yet available in Thailand — accession deposited 30 Jun 2026, in force 28 February 2027). Quotations separate government fees from professional fees line by line, so nothing appears on the invoice that was not in the quote. Talk to the NYC Legal team on any business day — you get a working plan, not a generic price list. Keep a digital copy of the finished certified set so it can be referenced if the destination asks for additional documents or a re-filing. Caution: government fees follow the authority's published rate and are separate from professional fees; check the current rate on the official website first. The workable order is: check that the source document is complete and legible, translate it, certify the translation, file for legalisation with the Department of Consular Affairs, then obtain the destination embassy's certification — or an Apostille where the destination is a convention party. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
287. Do you offer a package for drafting a bilingual commercial contract combined with legal translation?
Certification tiers are separated up front — agency Certified True Translation, Notary Public seal, MFA consular legalization, and Apostille (not yet available in Thailand — accession deposited 30 Jun 2026, in force 28 February 2027). One coordinator owns the matter end to end and reports progress by LINE or email at the intervals you set. Tell us where the document will be used and you will get a plan and a price the same business day. Fix three facts before any work starts: the destination country, the exact authority the file goes to, and the language that authority requires. Those three decide the whole certification chain. Caution: never unbind, trim or separate pages after an authority has sealed the set — doing so voids the certification. Keep a digital copy of the finished certified set so it can be referenced if the destination asks for additional documents or a re-filing. Caution: government fees follow the authority's published rate and are separate from professional fees; check the current rate on the official website first. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
411. How much does it cost monthly to register an employer and manage expat social security enrollments and resignations?
The whole workflow runs online, so clients abroad do not need to fly back to Thailand to sign every page. If the receiving authority rejects a file for a reason attributable to our work, we correct and re-file it at no additional professional fee. Send your documents for a free assessment at +66-83-249-4999 or contact@nyconlinetranslation.com. The workable order is: check that the source document is complete and legible, translate it, certify the translation, file for legalisation with the Department of Consular Affairs, then obtain the destination embassy's certification — or an Apostille where the destination is a convention party. Caution: each certification covers only what its own stamp states; it does not make a document automatically acceptable everywhere. Confirm the receiving authority's conditions case by case. Private documents such as powers of attorney or contracts must first pass a notarial services attorney before they can enter the legalisation stage. Caution: government fees follow the authority's published rate and are separate from professional fees; check the current rate on the official website first. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
Which office must be approached first for preparing Thai tax and legal documents for overseas filing, and with which documents?
Tax and land-registry documents carry terminology that cannot be paraphrased, so we work from Revenue Department and Land Department glossaries. Government fees follow each authority's published rate, while professional fees are quoted per case by document count and destination, in full before work starts. Tell us where the document will be used and you will get a plan and a price the same business day. Keep a digital copy of the finished certified set so it can be referenced if the destination asks for additional documents or a re-filing. Caution: processing time depends on each authority's queue, so allow buffer before the date the document is actually needed. Request more than one certified set when several authorities are involved, because most receiving offices keep the certified copy and do not return it. Caution: each certification covers only what its own stamp states; it does not make a document automatically acceptable everywhere. Confirm the receiving authority's conditions case by case. Send scans of every page for review before sending originals; that is when faded seals, passport-spelling mismatches and expired documents can still be corrected. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
Does preparing cross-border due-diligence documents require a certified translation to be attached?
Due diligence packs run to hundreds of pages, so translation memory keeps contract terminology consistent across every document and keeps the budget predictable. Quotations separate government fees from professional fees line by line, so nothing appears on the invoice that was not in the quote. Talk to the NYC Legal team on any business day — you get a working plan, not a generic price list. Request more than one certified set when several authorities are involved, because most receiving offices keep the certified copy and do not return it. Caution: never unbind, trim or separate pages after an authority has sealed the set — doing so voids the certification. Fix three facts before any work starts: the destination country, the exact authority the file goes to, and the language that authority requires. Those three decide the whole certification chain. Caution: each certification covers only what its own stamp states; it does not make a document automatically acceptable everywhere. Confirm the receiving authority's conditions case by case. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
424. How much are the legal fees for drafting a prenuptial agreement to protect assets before marrying a foreigner?
Every certified file passes three hands: a native-speaking translator, a subject-matter reviewer, and the responsible attorney who signs the certification page. Quotations separate government fees from professional fees line by line, so nothing appears on the invoice that was not in the quote. Tell us where the document will be used and you will get a plan and a price the same business day. Fix three facts before any work starts: the destination country, the exact authority the file goes to, and the language that authority requires. Those three decide the whole certification chain. Caution: never unbind, trim or separate pages after an authority has sealed the set — doing so voids the certification. Keep a digital copy of the finished certified set so it can be referenced if the destination asks for additional documents or a re-filing. Caution: government fees follow the authority's published rate and are separate from professional fees; check the current rate on the official website first. Send scans of every page for review before sending originals; that is when faded seals, passport-spelling mismatches and expired documents can still be corrected. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
519. Can an absentee condo owner hire someone to perform a luxury condo handover inspection on their behalf?
Electronic documents must be traceable to their source, so deliverables ship with an audit trail whenever the receiving party asks for one. Processing time depends on each authority's queue, so the working order and the expected return date are confirmed before any work begins. Talk to the NYC Legal team on any business day — you get a working plan, not a generic price list. Request more than one certified set when several authorities are involved, because most receiving offices keep the certified copy and do not return it. Caution: never unbind, trim or separate pages after an authority has sealed the set — doing so voids the certification. Fix three facts before any work starts: the destination country, the exact authority the file goes to, and the language that authority requires. Those three decide the whole certification chain. Caution: processing time depends on each authority's queue, so allow buffer before the date the document is actually needed. Private documents such as powers of attorney or contracts must first pass a notarial services attorney before they can enter the legalisation stage. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
Does corporate records certified for a regional treasury centre require a certified translation to be attached?
For import, export and special licences we keep the Board of Trade and agency template packs ready in advance. Quotations separate government fees from professional fees line by line, so nothing appears on the invoice that was not in the quote. Send your documents for a free assessment at +66-83-249-4999 or contact@nyconlinetranslation.com. The workable order is: check that the source document is complete and legible, translate it, certify the translation, file for legalisation with the Department of Consular Affairs, then obtain the destination embassy's certification — or an Apostille where the destination is a convention party. Caution: government fees follow the authority's published rate and are separate from professional fees; check the current rate on the official website first. Send scans of every page for review before sending originals; that is when faded seals, passport-spelling mismatches and expired documents can still be corrected. Caution: processing time depends on each authority's queue, so allow buffer before the date the document is actually needed. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
416. Can a lawyer file a court petition to appoint an estate administrator for foreign heirs not residing in Thailand?
Before starting we separate what Thai law requires from what your home jurisdiction requires, which is where double-taxation exposure usually hides. Processing time depends on each authority's queue, so the working order and the expected return date are confirmed before any work begins. Tell us where the document will be used and you will get a plan and a price the same business day. Fix three facts before any work starts: the destination country, the exact authority the file goes to, and the language that authority requires. Those three decide the whole certification chain. Caution: never unbind, trim or separate pages after an authority has sealed the set — doing so voids the certification. The workable order is: check that the source document is complete and legible, translate it, certify the translation, file for legalisation with the Department of Consular Affairs, then obtain the destination embassy's certification — or an Apostille where the destination is a convention party. Caution: each certification covers only what its own stamp states; it does not make a document automatically acceptable everywhere. Confirm the receiving authority's conditions case by case. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
Which documents must be prepared for Thai tax records certified for an overseas filing?
Tax and land-registry documents carry terminology that cannot be paraphrased, so we work from Revenue Department and Land Department glossaries. Quotations separate government fees from professional fees line by line, so nothing appears on the invoice that was not in the quote. Send your documents for a free assessment at +66-83-249-4999 or contact@nyconlinetranslation.com. The workable order is: check that the source document is complete and legible, translate it, certify the translation, file for legalisation with the Department of Consular Affairs, then obtain the destination embassy's certification — or an Apostille where the destination is a convention party. Caution: government fees follow the authority's published rate and are separate from professional fees; check the current rate on the official website first. Request more than one certified set when several authorities are involved, because most receiving offices keep the certified copy and do not return it. Caution: each certification covers only what its own stamp states; it does not make a document automatically acceptable everywhere. Confirm the receiving authority's conditions case by case. Check current legalisation requirements at the Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) and Apostille membership at hcch.net.
Primary sources & verification
Every procedural statement on this page is checked against the issuing authority below. Where an authority updates its requirements, this page is corrected — we do not restate outdated procedure.
- Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Thailand)Legalisation (นิติกรณ์) requirements, accepted document formats, and the statutory service fee schedule.
- Lawyers' Council of Thailand under Royal PatronageNotarial Services Attorney licensing — who may lawfully notarise documents in Thailand.
- Department of Business Development, Ministry of CommerceCompany registration records, certified company affidavits, and registered-name verification.
- Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) — Apostille SectionContracting-party status and the legal effect of an Apostille certificate between member states.
Government fees quoted anywhere on this site are the authorities' own statutory rates. Our professional fees are quoted per case — contact us by phone, LINE or email for a written quotation.
Full service playbook — Notarial Services Attorney (Thailand)
Thailand has no common-law Notary Public. The equivalent is a Notarial Services Attorney, a lawyer certified and registered by the Lawyers Council of Thailand, whose certificates are accepted by most overseas authorities.
Responsible authority: Notarial Services Attorney registered with the Lawyers Council of Thailand
Documents to prepare
- Original passport or Thai ID of every signatory (shown in person)
- The original document to be certified, all pages included
- The photocopy to be certified, if you need a certified true copy
- Any destination-specific form or power of attorney template
- Company affidavit issued within 6 months plus director ID, for corporate files
- An English translation where the source document is in Thai
Step-by-step process
- 1. Classify the certificate requiredsame day
Decide between signature witnessing, certified true copy, affidavit/oath, or certification of translation — the wording differs for each.
- 2. Attend and sign before the attorney15–30 minutes
Signatories sign in person with original ID; corporate files need the director named on the company affidavit.
- 3. Attorney signs, seals and logs the registersame day
A certificate is attached to the document and entered in the register kept under Lawyers Council rules.
- 4. Proofread before use1 business day
Verify names, dates, page count and binding against the destination's instructions.
- 5. Escalate to MFA or embassy if required3–10 business days
If the destination expects consular legalisation, forward immediately so the file does not age out.
Practitioner tips
- Ask the destination whether a Thai Notarial Services Attorney is accepted directly or must be followed by MFA legalisation.
- Certify multiple documents in one sitting to keep register numbers sequential and traceable.
- Check the destination's freshness rule first; many accept documents issued within the last 3–6 months only.
- Scan every page to 300 dpi colour PDF before the originals leave your hands, in case a re-submission is required.
- Match the Latin spelling of your name to your passport exactly — receiving authorities compare character by character.
Cautions
- An attorney cannot certify a signature that was not made in their presence.
- Certification confirms the signature or the copy, not the truth of the content.
- Multi-page documents must be certified on every page where the rules require it, not only page one.
- Copies made from copies are commonly rejected; use originals or copies certified by the issuing office.
- Do not write on, amend, or correction-fluid an official document; request a fresh copy from the issuing office instead.
DIY vs NYC handling it
| Task | Do it yourself | NYC handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Checking destination rules | You read checklists and call around yourself | We verify the current requirements and hand you one list |
| Multi-agency running | Several days off work, different queues and hours | We run the whole chain end to end for you |
| Translation and certification | You source a translator and risk rejection | Translated, double-checked and certified in one package |
| Errors and re-filing | One mistake restarts the whole chain | Pre-submission checks at every stage reduce rejections |
| Tracking | You chase the status by phone | Stage-by-stage updates on LINE with photo evidence |
Prefer not to run it yourself? NYC can handle the whole chain
Every step above can be done alone, but it means several agencies, mismatched queues, and one mistake restarting the sequence. Our attorneys and translators cover requirement checks, document re-issue, certified translation and MFA or embassy legalisation, with status updates at each stage. Send photos of your documents for a free assessment first.
Compare the options before you decide
Thailand's notarial attorney vs a foreign Notary Public
Thailand has no Notary Public office in the international sense. Equivalent work is performed by a Notarial Services Attorney licensed by the Lawyers Council of Thailand.
| Aspect | Thailand: notarial attorney | Abroad: Notary Public |
|---|---|---|
| Who is authorised | An attorney licensed for notarial services by the Lawyers Council | A notary appointed by the state or a court |
| Scope | Signature certification, true copies, affidavits and translations where the law allows | Varies by jurisdiction |
| Usual next step | File with the Department of Consular Affairs, then Apostille or embassy | Usually the country's own central authority |
| In-person required | Yes — you sign in front of the certifying attorney | Generally yes |
Where the receiving body uses its own terminology, follow that wording rather than claiming an equivalent title.
Apostille route vs embassy legalisation route
The destination country decides whether a file ends at an Apostille or still needs the embassy. Confirm the country's convention status first: the two routes use a different order and different paperwork.
| Aspect | Apostille route | Embassy legalisation route |
|---|---|---|
| When it applies | Destination is a party to the Apostille Convention | Destination does not accept an Apostille |
| Final authority | Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs | The destination country's embassy or consulate in Thailand |
| Typical number of steps | Fewer — the chain ends at the central authority | More — central authority first, then the embassy |
| Approximate timeframe | Shorter, still subject to the authority's queue | Longer, because the embassy appointment queue is added |
| Common rejection cause | Translation does not match the original, or the copy was not issued by the authority | The embassy's own form or language requirement was not followed |
Verify the current convention status and embassy conditions before filing.
Filing it yourself vs letting NYC run the chain
Every step can be done alone. This table compares the real workload of each option so the decision rests on time and rejection risk rather than marketing claims.
| Aspect | Do it yourself | NYC handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Checking destination rules | Read each authority's notice yourself and confirm by phone | Checked before you start, with the order the receiving authority accepts |
| Travel | Several agencies with queues that rarely line up in one day | Documents move by courier or online except where the law requires you in person |
| Rejection risk | One mismatch — a name spelled differently from the passport — restarts the chain | Names, dates and stamps are cross-checked before every filing |
| Status tracking | You follow up with each authority | Status updates at each stage, and we handle the fix if a file is returned |
| Advisory role | No one to compare options when your case falls outside the manual | You get advice on the options before work starts, not just execution |
Government fees and timeframes change; ask for an assessment of your own case before you start.
What the common mistakes actually cost
Almost every failure in notarial signature certification by a licensed attorney happens during preparation, not at the counter, and the real cost is the TIME needed to repeat the chain. Below is what each mistake comes from, how long it typically adds, and how to avoid it.
| Mistake | Why it happens | Time cost | How to prevent it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running the chain in the wrong order — embassy before the consular department | Each body only certifies the signature of the body immediately before it in the chain. | Typically adds 5–12 working days and forces a re-filing from the skipped stage. | Confirm the route with the receiving authority before starting, or have us map the chain up front. |
| Removing staples or separating pages after certification | The certification is attached to the bound set; once separated the set counts as incomplete. | Typically adds 3–7 working days to re-certify the set. | Scan first, then keep the originals in a rigid envelope without detaching anything. |
| Self-translating, or using a translator the destination does not recognise | Some countries accept only registered translators, others only translations certified by a Thai government body. | Typically adds 4–10 working days for a fresh translation and a restarted chain. | Ask the destination exactly which form of translation it accepts, then match the translator to that form from the start. |
| Planning without allowing for public and embassy holidays | Embassies close on both Thai and home-country holidays, so the real calendar is shorter than it looks. | Typically adds 3–9 working days around a long holiday period. | Check the holiday calendar of every body involved before fixing a travel or filing date. |
| Booking the wrong service channel or appointment type | Each channel has its own queue and document conditions; the wrong one means booking again. | Typically adds 2–14 working days depending on appointment availability that month. | Confirm the service type and the appointment date in advance and keep at least one spare week. |
Deep timeline: what can run in parallel
The windows below are approximate and depend on each authority's queue. Stages marked as parallel can start alongside the previous stage — that is where the total calendar time is actually reduced.
- 1. Document review and certificate wordingsame day
We confirm whether you need a signature certification, a true-copy certification, or a statement of fact — each uses different wording.
- 2. Signing appointment in person1–2 working days
The signatory must appear with an original ID or passport at the moment of signing.
- 3. Certificate issued and sealedsame day
The certificate is issued with a register number and logged under Lawyers Council rules.
- 4. Onward legalisation, if the destination requires it3–10 working dayscan run in parallel
For overseas use the file may still pass the consular department and then the embassy, in that order.
Note: all windows are general estimates, not guarantees. Actual timing depends on how complete your file is and on the queues at the authorities involved.
We work as advisers, not only as a document-running agency
Our team has worked on documents, translation and legalisation for more than 15 years, combining notarial attorneys licensed by the Lawyers Council of Thailand with translators the receiving authorities accept. Every case starts with advice on the correct route and only then moves to execution — we do not simply run whatever is handed to us.
Before we start — mapping the document route
We confirm whether your file ends at an Apostille or still needs the embassy, whether a freshly issued copy is required, and which form of translation the receiving authority accepts. This is where most time is saved, because it is where most people choose wrongly and restart.
While preparing — consistency checks
We match the spelling of your name against the passport, check the issue date against the validity window the destination applies, verify stamps and signatures, and confirm the translation matches the original line by line.
While filing — coordination with the authorities
We file in the order each authority expects, follow the queue, and report status as it moves. If an authority asks for more paperwork, you hear about it immediately, together with the options for fixing it.
After delivery — practical guidance
We explain which bodies this set can be filed with, how to store the originals, and how many certified sets to request up front if you expect to use them again, so you do not repeat the whole chain later.
Cases where advice up front changes the outcome
- The applicant is upcountry or abroad, so the power of attorney and courier plan must be arranged carefully.
- The name on an older document does not match the current passport because of a name change or a different transliteration.
- The destination only says "certified translation" without stating which form of certification it accepts.
- Documents have a limited validity window and every item must still be valid on the day of filing.
If you are unsure which route your case takes, send photos of the documents and name the destination country or authority. We map the sequence and the paperwork first; you then decide whether to run it yourself or hand it over.
