This guide answers the questions people ask most often before calling: does my matter need to be certified by a lawyer, and will the destination accept it once certified?
What a lawyer certifies is "the signature and the document itself," not "the truth of the content"
Understand this point first and the rest will become much easier. The lawyer performing the certification of signatures and documents can certify the following:
- Signature that the signatory is indeed that person and signed in the lawyer's presence
- Copy that it matches the original presented
- Translation that it matches the original
- Oaths and statements that the oath was taken or the statement was given in the lawyer's presence
- Status of company documents for presentation to government agencies or business partners abroad
What is not certified is the truth or untruth of the content in the document. The person giving the statement remains responsible for what they themselves have written.
Matters Commonly Required in Practice
Matters to Be Sent Abroad
- Applying for a visa, applying for further studies, or submitting documents to institutions abroad
- Opening an account, investing, or transacting with foreign financial institutions
- Power of attorney authorizing a person residing in another country to act on your behalf
- Company documents for opening a subsidiary, registering a branch, or entering into contracts with foreign business partners
- Testimony or certifications used in foreign court proceedings
Domestic Matters Where the Parties Require Additional Reassurance
- Power of attorney in high-value transactions
- Memorandum of agreement between parties who want to confirm that they genuinely signed
- Documents that must confirm that the signatory is a real person and signed voluntarily
Most Common Point of Confusion: What Level of Certification Does the Destination Require?
Notarization by a lawyer is the first step, not the only one. In many cases, the destination requires two further layers:
- Legalization by the Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Certification by the embassy of the destination country
The level required depends on the country and the agency receiving the document. There is no single answer that applies to every case. The most time-saving approach is to ask the destination agency for a written answer beforehand — what kind of document they need, whether a translation is required, and which level of certification must be obtained — and only then begin the process.
Almost all cases that need to be redone stem from starting the process first and asking the destination afterward.
What to Prepare
- Original documents, not copies, because notarized copies must be compared against the original.
- The actual ID card or passport of the person who will sign.
- Destination details — which agency, which country, and for what purpose.
- The destination's form, if any, because some agencies already prescribe the wording.
- The signer in person for signature certification, which cannot be delegated to someone else.
In the case of a juristic person's document, also prepare the latest company certificate and documents showing the signer's authority.
Cautions
- Do not sign documents in advance — for signature attestation work, you must sign in the presence of the certifying officer. If the document has already been signed, it usually has to be reprinted.
- Check that the name is spelled exactly as it appears in the passport — especially for documents to be used abroad. A name spelled differently is ground for rejection without the contents even being reviewed.
- Mind the age of supporting documents — many agencies require that a company certificate or registration document have been issued within a specified period.
- A power of attorney must clearly state its scope — if it is drafted too broadly, the receiving authority may refuse it; if drafted too narrowly, the attorney-in-fact may be unable to do what is necessary, requiring the document to be redone.
Our Services
The firm has lawyers registered with the Lawyers Council of Thailand as certifiers of signatures and documents, providing services for signature certification, certified copies, translations, oaths and affidavits, powers of attorney, and company documents, along with certified Thai-English-Chinese translation services and coordination of legalization with the Department of Consular Affairs and the destination embassy.
Service details are available at Document Certification and Translation Services
Read more
- Notary services and document translation
- Company registration for Thai owners
- Inheritance and estate administration
- Visa and work permit in Thailand
This guide is produced by Suwanvara Law Firm — established B.E. 2529, head office in Khon Kaen, Bangkok branch. This content is general information, not legal advice for any particular case. Requirements of each destination agency differ and may change; you should check with the destination and with a professional before proceeding.