Updated: Fee changes
Overview
In Thailand the British Embassy in Bangkok and the consulate in Chiang Mai issue a range of legal documents for British nationals. No appointment is currently necessary.
It is important to check with the relevant authority (eg town hall/registry office/district office/Thai Immigration Bureau/Ministry of Foreign Affairs etc) either in the UK, Thailand or a third country, that our consular certificate or service will be accepted and will fulfill the required purpose.
The consular teams cannot confirm this information as it can change over time and depends on individual circumstances, only the relevant authority can provide this confirmation. For example, if you need a local driving licence, you are advised to check with the Department of Land Transport for their requirements as they may require you to provide an affirmation of residency or a certified copy of your UK licence, or both. You can get examples of the wording of the consular certificates to present to the relevant authority for advice.
Refunds of consular fees are not given for certificates or notarial services that are not accepted by the requesting authority. Fees for consular certificates and documents are paid at the consulate on the day of applications submitted and can be paid by credit card, debit card or in cash.
Services we provide in Thailand
We offer various notarial services such as certifying copies of British government issued documents, administering oaths, affirmations and statutory declarations. These services are available, at a charge in Thai Baht, for documents to be used by British nationals in Thailand (and elsewhere overseas). We aim to complete notarial services within one working day.
Please note, due to copyright laws, we are unable to certify General Register Office (GRO) documents such as UK birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates. Please be aware that under the Perjury Act (1911) it is a criminal offence to knowingly make a false declaration. Offenders face the possibility of a fine and/or a jail sentence.
For our notarial services you will need to attend the embassy in person with your passport/identification and a proof of address eg utility bills, mail showing your name and local address, a house registration, etc. Please note that consular fees can change without prior notice. We provide the following services and documents
legalisation of signature and seal
letter confirming pension/income for Thai Immigration
witness of declaration of existence
affidavits / affirmations / declarations / marking of exhibits
witness of signature
certify photocopies of original UK document
affirmation of freedom to marry in Thailand
consular birth registration
consular death registration
Legalisation
We can only legalise (issue a certification confirming) signatory of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs to your English document. Legalisation does not certify the authenticity of a document or give the British Embassy approval of its content. This service is not necessary in order for you to use a Thai document in the UK.
If you need to use a UK public document in Thailand, then you may find that the local authorities require it to be legalised by the FCO/the Embassy or both before they will accept it. Each country will have its own legalisation requirements. The Embassy and Consulate staff cannot advise on the specific requirements of a recipient country or state.
Fees
Fee 1(iii) Legalisation THB 1530 per signature
Documents required for this service
original valid British passport or ID
proof of address such as outlined above
original document(s)
Consular letter confirming pension/income for Thai Immigration
We can issue a standard letter addressed to Thai Immigration confirming your pension/income to support the renewal/extension of your retirement visa. This letter is a Thai requirement and the granting of the visa is at the sole discretion of the Thai Immigration authorities not the British Embassy.
Please ensure the pension/income evidence you provide is in a form that is simple and easy to understand and contains the essential financial amounts that are required for inclusion in the letter. According to Thai Immigration, your pension currency should not be converted into Thai Baht.
The fee for this letter is payable by cash or credit card if applying in person or by postal order for the exact amount if applying by post. The letter can be collected in person or sent to you by express mail with an additional postage and packaging cost of 100 Baht. Please note that fees can change without prior notice.
If you are unable to visit us in person, please mail us your request stating the total pension amount received monthly/yearly and enclosing the required documents. Please make the postal order (available at Post Offices) payable to the “British Embassy” and to be cashed at “Nana Post Office Bangkok 10112”.
Fees
Fee 2(i) Letter in English THB 2295
EMS postage and packaging THB 100
Documents required for this service
original valid British passport or a photocopy if applying by post
proof of address such as outlined above
evidence of your current pension/income which will be returned to you
Declaration of existence
It is no longer required for you to have your declaration of existence witnesses by a Consular Officer. Certificates can be singed by the same person who can countersign passport photos
Fees
Fee 3 Declaration of existence THB765
Documents required for this service
original valid British passport
proof of address such as outlined above
instructions from your pension provider
Administering an oath, affirmation or statutory declaration, or marking of exhibits
You must apply in person for the consulate to administer oaths, affirmations (sometimes known as affidavits), and statutory declarations that you may be required for various purposes such as opening a bank account or affirming your family status. Please bring with you all relevant documents to support your application. You will be asked to complete a pro-forma in clear hand writing which we will then sign and officially stamp. We are not able to draft an oath or affirmation for you. You need to word your own document. You may wish to seek advice from a lawyer about the contents.
Please be aware that under the Perjury Act (1911) it is a criminal offence to knowingly make a false declaration. Offenders face the possibility of a fine and/or a jail sentence.
Marking of exhibits
We can mark documents which are attached as an exhibit to your oath, affirmation or statutory declaration. You must apply for this service in person.
Fees
Fee 4 Administer oaths, declaration and mark exhibits THB 2805
Fee 7 Uniting THB 1020
Documents required for this service
original valid British passport
proof of address such as outlined above
all relevant documents to support your application
Witnessing a signature on a document presented by you
You must apply in person for a witness of your signature on a document. Please do not sign it before coming to the embassy, as you will be required to sign it in the presence of a consular officer.
Fees
Fee 5 Witness of signature THB 1020
Documents required for this service
original valid British passport
proof of address such as outlined above
instructions regarding the signing of the document
Certify photocopies of original UK documents
You must attend the embassy in person with your passport/identification and original document(s). We are able to certify photocopies of:
British passports
Home Office Registration/Naturalisation certificates
UK educational certificate eg those issued in the UK by a recognised institution and listed on the recognised UK degrees list
British driving licences
British divorce decrees
We are not able to provide certified photocopies of:
* any foreign documents including ID documents, passports and driving licences
* British marriage, birth and death certificates. You should apply to the General Register Office for copies of these documents
Below is an example of the wording that we place on a certified copy of a document. It will bear the signature of the signing officer and an official consular stamp. It is not possible for us to amend the wording.
This is a true copy made by me of an original [British passport/ document], presented to me by [Name and surname of applicant], identified by [British/Other] [ID card/passport] number................................
Issued at the British Embassy in [place]
this ……….……… of …………………. 20………
Fees
Fee 6 Certify copy THB 1530 per document
Fee 7 Uniting THB 1020
Uniting documents
We charge this fee if your document to be certified or notarised consists of more than one page and the pages have to be united.
Fees
Fee 7 Uniting THB 1020
Fee 4 Administer oaths, declaration and mark exhibits THB 2805
Fee 6 Certify copy THB 1530 per document
Affirmation of freedom to marry in Thailand
Guidance for British nationals wishing to marry in Thailand
This information on marriage in Thailand is provided as a general guide and is based on the information provided to the British Embassy by the Thai authorities. The British Embassy cannot guarantee that the information is accurate and will not be liable for any inaccurate or incomplete information. British nationals wishing to marry in Thailand must contact the Thai authorities to be sure of the requirements that they need in order for their marriage to take place.
Please see also information on getting married outside the UK.
The British Embassy in Bangkok is not authorised to perform marriages. Any marriage in Thailand should be performed according to Thai law and detailed questions on the procedure should be addressed to the appropriate Thai authorities. Some guidance is provided on the website of the Royal Thai Embassy in London
The Thai authorities require that any foreign national wishing to marry in Thailand must obtain an “affirmation of freedom to marry” document. The affirmation must be made in person at the consular section of the British Embassy in Bangkok or British Consulate in Chiang Mai. It is not possible to obtain the affirmation from the United Kingdom in advance.
For it to be valid in Thai law, the marriage must be registered with the Registrar at an Amphur office (District Office). A religious ceremony on its own is not recognised as being valid under Thai law. In Thailand, wedding ceremonies/parties can be held separately from the marriage registration.
The Thai marriage certificate will be in the Thai language only. You may wish to commission a sworn or certified translation of the marriage certificate from licensed translators. Please note the certificate is a legal document and should not be modified eg by laminating.
A foreign national does not automatically acquire British nationality through marriage to a British national.
It is not a legal requirement that you have your Thai marriage certificate deposited with the GRO in the UK.
According to the UK Border Agency in Bangkok, if you marry a Thai national, he or she will require a visa to visit or settle in the UK. Please note that applicants are not required to submit a GRO-certified marriage certificate with their UK visa application. The UK Border Agency, Bangkok will accept original Thai marriage certificates as proof of marriage, if accompanied with a certified translation.
Local information about how to apply in Thailand can be found on the VFS website. If you have a general visa enquiry, you can call +66 (0)2800 8050 or email your enquiry to info.ukth@vfshelpline.com
A step-by-step guide to the procedure on getting married in Thailand
Affirmation of Freedom to Marry in Thailand (Please be aware: Under the Perjury Act (1911) it is a criminal offence to knowingly make a false declaration. Offenders face the possibility of a fine and/ or a jail sentence.)
please retype the affirmation including your details on one page in the same format as the attached sample and bring it in person to the embassy to sign before a British consular official
we accept affirmations during consular normal public opening hours (08:00am - 11:00am on Monday to Friday). An appointment for this service is not necessary
we provide this service to British nationals only. The fee of Baht 3315 per affirmation is payable. Please note that fees can change without prior notice
please bring with you to the embassy your passport, as proof of identity, and evidence that any previous marriages have been dissolved/terminated (an appropriate death certificate or divorce certificate, for the UK a decree absolute from the court). Certificates issued in a third country outside UK and Thailand must be certified by the relevant British Embassy/Consulate or its respective Embassy in Thailand. Only the original evidence or a certified copy will be accepted – photocopies will not be accepted under any circumstances
Have the affirmation translated into Thai - Once the affirmation has been signed, you will need to have it translated into Thai. The British Embassy does not undertake the preparation or translation of documents. Many reputable translation companies advertise on the internet as well as in the Thai local press, and there are a number of companies within a short walk of the Embassy. Our staff are not allowed to recommend any particular firms in the private sector to the public.
Have the affirmation authenticated and translation certified - All Thai Registrars will require authentication of the British Consular Official’s signature and certification of the Thai translation. This must be obtained from:
The Legalisation Division, Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
123 Chaeng Wattana Road, Laksi District, Bangkok 10210
Telephone: +66 (0)2 575 1057–60, (0)2981 7171 (at 08:30 – 15:30 hrs)
Fax : +66 (0)2 575 1054 Email: consular04@mfa.go.th
Submit the document to the Registrar – The affirmation and translation are then ready for submission to the Registrar, who, if satisfied, will register the marriage and issue two identical Thai marriage certificates to both you and your spouse.
Fees
Fee 11 Document for an intended marriage THB 3315
Data protection
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office holds and uses data for purposes notified to the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act 1998. Such personal data may be disclosed to other UK government departments and public authorities.
Services provided by other authorities
legalising UK documents/certificates: Legalisation Office
provide copies of British birth, death & marriage certificates: General Register Office
renew British driving licences or provide certificates regarding British driving licences: DVLA
provide good conduct certificates: Disclosure and Barring Service(formerly the Criminal Records Bureau)
certificates confirming British nationality: UK Visas and immigration
The British Embassy no longer handles applications for renunciation and naturalisation or registration as a British citizen. All applications are now handled by the UK Visas and immigration
If you cannot find what you are looking for please refer to the list of services which may be provided elsewhere .
Please also see our additional information on marriage
If you still cannot find what you are looking for you can contact the consulate.
Fees
For the cost of all our services, please visit our fees page
Public opening hours
Bangkok
Application – Monday to Friday at 8am - 11am
Collection – Monday to Thursday at 2pm - 3pm and Friday at 11am - 12pm
Chiang Mai;
Monday to Friday at 9am -11.30am. Collection one working day.
Telephone: 053 263015 between Monday to Thursday at 8am - 4.30pm and Friday at 8am - 1pm
To help us process your document(s) quickly it is important that you read carefully the information about the specific service that you require before you contact us.