Police clearance certificate (domestic use)
Application and collection of a police clearance certificate issued by the Royal Thai Police Special Branch, for employment or domestic use.
- Service fee
- Contact us for a quote
- Typical turnaround
- 7–15 working days, subject to Special Branch processing
per person· PCC for domestic use (self / employees)
What you receive
- Original police clearance certificate
- Status tracking during processing
Documents to prepare
- ID card or passport copy
- Photographs per regulation
- Fingerprints taken at a police station
Official source: กองบัญชาการตำรวจสันติบาล สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ (Royal Thai Police Special Branch) · Last reviewed:
MFA Consular Affairs legalisation fees are THB 200 per stamp (standard) and THB 400 per stamp (express). These are government fees, separate from our service fee.
Full service playbook — Police Clearance Certificate
A Police Clearance Certificate is issued by the Criminal Records Division of the Royal Thai Police and is used for visas, residency, work permits and certain employment screenings.
Responsible authority: Criminal Records Division, Royal Thai Police
Documents to prepare
- Original passport plus a copy of the photo page
- Original Thai ID and copy for Thai nationals
- Photographs in the prescribed size, plain background, taken within 6 months
- Proof of purpose such as an employer letter, visa form or embassy request
- Evidence of any name change where records differ
- Power of attorney and agent ID if filing through a representative
Step-by-step process
- 1. Prepare documents and state the purpose1 business day
Name the destination and purpose precisely; the output format and language differ.
- 2. Fingerprinting1 business day
Prints are taken by police officers on the prescribed form; unclear prints must be retaken.
- 3. File and database check5–20 business days
Officers search the criminal records database; the wait depends on the queue volume.
- 4. Collect and verify1 business day
Check name, passport number, date of birth and issue date against your filing set.
- 5. Translate and legalise for overseas use3–10 business days
Add a certified translation, then an Apostille or MFA-plus-embassy legalisation as the destination requires.
Practitioner tips
- Start 1–2 months before your visa deadline; the database stage cannot be accelerated on demand.
- Check the destination's validity window and count back from your appointment date.
- Check the destination's freshness rule first; many accept documents issued within the last 3–6 months only.
- Photograph each seal or stamp after every stage so you can trace the file if follow-up is needed.
- Scan every page to 300 dpi colour PDF before the originals leave your hands, in case a re-submission is required.
Cautions
- A spelling mismatch against the passport is the single most common rejection cause.
- Certificates expire under destination rules — requesting one too early can waste it.
- Multi-page documents must be certified on every page where the rules require it, not only page one.
- Unsigned translations cannot be certified — the certifying office will refuse to stamp them.
- 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.
What the common mistakes actually cost
Almost every failure in police clearance certificate 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. |
| Using an old copy instead of a freshly issued one | Many destinations accept documents issued within the last 3–6 months only, and some require a clean, legibly sealed reissue. | Typically adds 5–15 working days for the trip back to the district registrar. | Check the destination's freshness rule first, then request several certified copies in a single visit. |
| The name in the translation does not match the passport spelling | Receiving authorities compare character by character; a single different letter reads as a different person. | Typically adds 3–10 working days, because the translation has to be redone and the whole chain repeated. | Send the passport page on day one and have the translator take the spelling from the passport, never from the Thai document. |
| 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. |
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 set and fingerprinting1–3 working days
A correctly completed fingerprint form and the full set of identity copies are required.
- 2. Filing with the police authority1 working day
Filed in person or by an authorised representative with a fully signed power of attorney.
- 3. Record check and issuance10–25 working days
The longest stage; it depends on the checking queue and cannot be accelerated from outside.
- 4. Onward certification for overseas use3–12 working dayscan run in parallel
Where required, the certificate is translated and legalised in the order the destination specifies.
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.
Compare the options before you decide
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.
MFA-certified translation vs NAATI vs a destination-country sworn translator
"Certified translation" does not mean the same thing everywhere. The receiving body defines the accepted form, and choosing the wrong one means translating the whole set again.
| Aspect | Translation + Thai MFA certification | NAATI / foreign sworn translator |
|---|---|---|
| Who certifies | The Department of Consular Affairs certifies the translation and the translator's signature | A translator registered with the destination country's body |
| Accepted by | Thai authorities and destinations that accept Thai certification | Bodies that explicitly require a registered translator, such as Australian immigration |
| Output format | A certification stamp on the translation attached to the original | The translator's statement with their registration number or stamp |
| Can an Apostille follow? | Yes, when the destination is a convention party | Depends on that country's rules; some require no further step |
| Check before you start | Whether the destination accepts Thai consular certification | Whether the receiving body requires its own registered translator |
Where the destination requires a court-registered sworn translator, Thai certification cannot substitute for it.
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.
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 destination only says "certified translation" without stating which form of certification it accepts.
- The name on an older document does not match the current passport because of a name change or a different transliteration.
- A file was already returned once and the real cause has to be identified before refiling.
- Documents are needed for several countries at once, each with a different order of certification.
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.
General information for document planning only — not legal advice for an individual matter. Government fees and processing times may change; verify with the relevant authority before filing. We do not guarantee any authority's decision.
