Turnkey Legalization of Documents for Thailand

For personal and business documents: for marriage in Thailand, for powers of attorney for Thailand, for business affairs, opening up a branch, and export to Thailand, and other legal purposes

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  • Statutory Declarations of Single Status
  • Certified Translations
  • Notarized Translations
  • Apostilled Translations
  • Authentication
  • Legalization

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Document Legalization for Thailand in Canada: What It Is and When You Need It

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For a document issued in Canada to be used in Thailand, it needs to go through a process called legalization. There are two types of legalization: full legalization (a two-step procedure) and simplified legalization (a one-step process, often referred to as an apostille). Thailand is not a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, so you'll have to go through the full legalization process.
Documents prepared by or with the involvement of Canadian authorities and intended for use in Thailand require the two-step procedure. These steps are:
1) Authentication
2) Legalization

Sometimes, both steps are collectively referred to as "legalization," though this is technically incorrect. If you encounter the term "legalization in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs", it specifically refers to authentication. It's important not to confuse these terms.

Some embassies and consulates of other countries call the last step of the process, which is done by the embassy/consulate, "authentication", which is again, technically incorrect. This last step is called legalization.

Authentication is done by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada or by a provincial or territorial authority (more on this below).

Legalization is done by the Embassy of Thailand.

While these are two separate processes, both are necessary parts of the overall legalization procedure.

📌 Let’s Lock It In!
You have a Canadian birth certificate and need to use it in Thailand.
Since Thailand is not a member of the Apostille Convention, you’ll need:
1️⃣ Authentication by Global Affairs Canada (or a provincial authority)
2️⃣ Legalization by the Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa or the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Vancouver.
That’s full legalization ✅

What Documents Need to Be Legalized?

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All documents issued by a Canadian authority or by a provincial or territorial authority, or executed by a Canadian notary, that you need to use in Thailand.
1) Certificates issued by civil registry offices, for example, certificates of birth, death, marriage, change of name, last name, etc.
2) Powers of attorney and notarial statements, including statements of being alive, renunciation of inheritance, absence of past and current marriages (certificates of single status, single status declarations), which are drawn up or signed by a notary
3) Diplomas, supplements to diplomas, certificates and other documents related to education
4) Bank statements, court documents, divorce decrees
5) Cremation or burial certificates
6) Corporation registration certificates, bank statements, letters of guarantee from directors of the company, extracts from registers of corporations, certificates for products for export from Canada to Thailand
All of these types of documents go through different authentication procedures.

The legalization procedure also includes all cases when a child born in Canada needs to obtain citizenship of Thailand, because in order to obtain citizenship of Thailand, you'll need to provide a Canadian birth certificate, and it, in turn, will have to be legalized.
The most common documents subject to this procedure are:

How to Make Legalization?

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In a nutshell, it goes like this:

1) Get a certified True Copy of the document from a Canadian Notary Public
2) Get the document authenticated by the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a provincial Canadian authority (Which one exactly? There are nuances, read below)
3) Submit the document package for legalization to the Thai Embassy or the Thai Consulate in Canada

Now in more detail.

Why is legalization considered a TWO-step procedure?

In order to certify the authenticity of a Canadian document,
1) First, you need to certify the signature and seal of the official Canadian authority who signed the document. Such an assurance is made by the Canadian minister, who puts his seal and signature on the document. This is the authentication.
2) Second, the Embassy of Thailand must certify the signature and seal of that Canadian minister who authenticated the document. This is the final legalization.

In other words, the Canadian minister verifies and confirms the signature and seal of the official Canadian authority who signed and issued the document, confirming that such an employee existed, that they were acting at the time of signing the document, and that the signature and stamp on the document are really theirs. And the Consul at the Consulate/Embassy performs the “consular legalization” of the signature and seal of this Canadian minister, thereby confirming that such a minister really exists, that this is their true signature and seal, and that they were acting at the time of signing the document.
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Authentication

A document can be authenticated in its original form, in which case the authentication certificate will be attached to the original. It is also possible to authenticate a notarized copy of the document (True Copy), in which case the authentication certificate will be attached to the notarized copy. According to the requirements of the Department of Foreign Affairs, certain types of documents can only be authenticated as a True Copy, while others may be authenticated either in their original form or as a copy.

You can get a document authenticated:

1) By the Canadian Foreign Affairs Office (Global Affairs), which is located in Ottawa. Global Affairs of Canada authenticates documents issued by the Government of Canada, or issued or notarized in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon.
2) In provincial or territorial ministries. Such ministries exist in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. For example, in Ontario, such a ministry is called ODS (Ontario Document Services) and is located in Toronto and in a few other cities in Ontario. A provincial ministry can only authenticate documents issued in that province and not in any other. That is, if your document was issued in Quebec, you will not be able to authenticate its original with the ODS (Ministry of Ontario). But you can authenticate its True Copy with the ODS.
Notarization of a document for authentication

All documents can be divided into three types. Those that need to be notarized before authentication, and those that do not. There are also documents that are prepared with the help of a notary — this is a different procedure that requires either an in-person visit to a notary, or a video call with the notary, depending on the province.

Here are the main documents divided into these three types:

1) No need to notarize: certificates issued by the registry office, for example, certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, death, name change, diplomas issued by a public institution, etc. The exception is only documents issued in provinces other than Ontario, which are intended for authentication through ODS, in which case, True Copies are required.
2) Need to be notarized: certificates of cremation and burial, certificates of good conduct, diplomas, bank and court documents, diplomas issued by a private institution, etc. Such documents are notarized by a Notary in Ontario to be legalized in this province.
3) Necessary to sign at a notary: powers of attorney, declarations of single status, statements of renunciation of inheritance, applications for the appointment of pension payments, any other notarial documents and statements. Notarial documents need to be signed with my Notary in Ontario via a video call or in person, which makes them go through the legalization process in the province of Ontario.

Who are these Canadian state employees who sign these documents, whose signatures and seals actually get authenticated?

1) Registrar General or Deputy Registrar General: Certificates issued by the Civil Registry Offices, such as birth, marriage, divorce, death, name change, etc.
2) Public Notary: True copies of any documents, such as cremation and burial certificates, police clearance certificates, diplomas, banking and court documents, etc.
3) Public Notary: Powers of attorney, declarations of renunciation of inheritance, declarations of assignment of pension payments, any other notarial documents and statements
4) Judge or Clerk of the Court: Court decisions
5) Officer of the Department of Corporation Registration (Registraire des entreprises in Quebec): Corporation registration certificates
6) Deans of the public universities and schools: Diplomas
7) Lawyers: Any other legal documents
IMPORTANT NOTE! Only the ODS accepts documents for authentication in person and issues the authentication certificate on the same day. All other ministries, including Global Affairs, accept documents only by mail, and the processing times vary from 5 to 20 business days, plus additional time and costs for mailing. Therefore, it is faster and cheaper to authenticate documents through the ODS. Fortunately, the Embassy of Thailand allows the legalization not of the original document but of its notarized copy (True Copy). Thus, the simplest way is to make notarized copies of the documents in Ontario, authenticate them at the ODS, and then legalize them through the Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa.
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Legalization

There are four main representations of Thailand in Canada:
– Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa
– Royal Thai Consulate-General in Vancouver
– Royal Thai Honorary Consulate–General in Toronto
– Royal Thai Honorary Consulate–General in Montreal

Usually, documents for legalization are submitted either in Ottawa or Vancouver. I recommend handling everything through the Ottawa Embassy.

Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa have specific requirements for the document package for legalization.

You need to submit:
  • The notarized document, authenticated
  • A completed legalization form
  • Money order from a bank
  • Copy of applicant’s passport
  • Pre-paid return envelope for shipping the legalized documents back to you

After consular legalization, the document is completely ready for use on the territory of Thailand.
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Certified Translations into Thai

After consular legalization, the document is fully ready for use in Thailand. However, you will need to have the document translated into Thai. I will be happy to arrange these certified translations for you.

How Much Does Legalization Cost and How Long Does It Take?

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View of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The cost and terms depend on the types of documents, so it is impossible to give any exact “total price”.

For turnkey legalization, which includes both steps: authentication and legalization, I usually charge $250 plus all related costs (notary services, mail/courier fees, ministry fees, consular fees, bank commissions: as much as they charge me, you will have to reimburse me for the same).

For turnkey authentication, which includes only the first step: authentication, I usually charge $150 plus all related costs (mail/courier fees, ministry fees: as much as they charge me, you will have to reimburse me for the same).

For translations into Thai, I usually charge $89 per page, depending on requirements for the translation (type of certification, notarization, authentication, etc.)

13% tax is added on top. All prices are negotiable.

Example procedure for obtaining a legalization for Thailand with prices and timelines

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Below, as an example, is a detailed procedure for obtaining a turnkey legalization for Thailand with one of the more frequently encountered documents, with prices and timelines.


Document: 1-page Canadian diploma and 2-page transcript

You will need to send me the original diploma with its transcript. I will also need a copy of your passport for the Embassy. Simply use the printed shipping label that I will provide to you.
I will obtain True Copies from a Notary in Ontario.
I will take the True Copies to the Official Documents Services (ODS) in Toronto to obtain the Authentication Certificates.
I will prepare and send the package of documents to the Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa for legalization on your behalf.
Once the documents are ready and returned to me, I will arrange certified translations into Thai.
I will mail the original documents back to you together with their legalized copies and translations. You can also pick up the documents from my office.
Fees and Timelines:
– My fee for the full legalization service is $250, regardless of the number of documents.
– Notarized True Copies cost $75 per page, and you will have 3 pages. It takes 1 day.
– Each Authentication Certificate for notarial documents at ODS costs $16, plus a $10 bank fee. You will need 2 authentication certificates (for one diploma and one transcript). Processing time is 1 business day.
– The cost for legalization by the Royal Thai Embassy is $30 per document, plus a $10 bank fee, and you will have 2 documents. The Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa does not specify exact processing times for document legalization; however, at consulates or embassies of other countries, the process usually takes from one week up to one month.
– For translations from English or French to Thai, I charge $89* per page. You will have 4 pages (three pages of your documents and two identical authentication certificates, which I count as one page). Turnaround time is typically 1–3 days.
– The cost of one shipment with a courier starts from $25. You will need 4 shipments (from you to me, from me to the Embassy and back, and from me to you). Each leg of shipping usually takes 1–3 days.

A 13% tax is added to the final amount.
*The translation rate is indicated for the standard certified translation without notarization or authentication by the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Legalization of a Birth Certificate

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Please note that there are three types of Canadian birth certificates:
  • -1-
    Short form without parents' names
    (a blue document of approximately half-Letter size)
    — this certificate is NOT suitable for any legalization, because there is no information about the parents, but is it required
  • -2-
    A short form with the names of the parents
    (a blue document of about half-Letter size)
    — usually suitable for legalization
  • -3-
    Long form
    (a legal white document in a long Legal paper size, approximately like 1.5 Letter sheets in height)
    — usually suitable for legalization
Such a document will NOT be accepted at the consulate, as there are no names and last names of the parents
Birth Certificate
Birth Certificate with Parental Information
Please note: there are last names and first names of parents. Such a document is usually suitable at the consulate
Certified Copy of the Birth Registration ("Long Form")
Please note: there are last names and first names of parents. Such a document is usually suitable at the consulate

How to Make a Power of Attorney for Someone Who Is in Thailand If You Are in Canada?

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In order for a power of attorney to have legal force in Thailand, it must be certified by the state employees of Thailand.

Option #1. Go to Thailand and make a power of attorney there in-person at a notary public.

Option #2. Signing at a notary in Canada, authentication, and legalization.
This option is the only one available in 99% of cases.

Simply signing at a notary in Canada is NOT ENOUGH, because a Canadian notary is not a government official in Thailand, and no one there knows them, so no government institution in Thailand will accept such a power of attorney.

Example procedure for obtaining a legalized Power of Attorney for Thailand with prices and timelines

First, you need to prepare the draft of the power of attorney. It is better to do this initially in the Thai language with the help of an experienced notary in Thailand.

It is important not to forget to indicate all the correct names of state bodies.
It will be a pity to go through all the steps below and at the very end to find out that you forgot to write some abbreviation which was required.

Once you have the power of attorney draft ready, I will take care of the entire process — from signing the document with a Canadian notary to completing its full legalization.
You provide me with the power of attorney draft in a Word file. I will also need a copy of your passport for the Embassy.
I will prepare a certified bilingual translation in two columns — your original text in one column and the English translation in the other.
You will need to print this bilingual document and sign it with my notary during a video call.
I will schedule your online appointment with the notary at a time that is convenient for you. You will need to show a valid ID on camera, sign the document, and then send a photo of the signed document to the notary during the video call.
Next, you must send the original signed document to the notary using the printed shipping label I provide.
Once the notary receives the document, they will certify it with their signature and seal.
I will pick up the notarized document and take it to the Official Documents Services (ODS) in Toronto to obtain the Authentication Certificate.
I will then prepare and send the package of documents to the Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa for legalization on your behalf.
Once the documents are ready and returned to me, I will arrange certified translations into Thai. Even though the power of attorney is bilingual, the notary’s stamp and signature, as well as the authentication certificate, will be in English — all of these must be translated into Thai.
I will mail the legalized power of attorney and its translation to you, or you may pick up the documents from my office.
Fees and Timelines:
– My fee for the full legalization service is $250, regardless of the number of documents.
– For translations from English to Thai, I charge $89* per page. Turnaround time is typically 1–3 days.
– Remote notarization with my notary costs $75 per document and takes 1 day.
– Each Authentication Certificate for notarial documents at ODS costs $16, plus a $10 bank fee. Processing time is 1 business day.
– The cost for legalization by the Royal Thai Embassy is $30 per document, plus a $10 bank fee. The Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa does not specify exact processing times for document legalization; however, at consulates or embassies of other countries, the process usually takes from one week up to one month.
– The cost of one shipment with a courier starts from $25. You will need 4 shipments (from you to the notary, from me to the Embassy and back, and from me to you). Each leg of shipping usually takes 1–3 days.

A 13% tax is added to the final amount.
*The translation rate is indicated for the standard certified translation without notarization or authentication by the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Submit your request now, and get a price quote today
* DISCLAIMER
I guarantee that all my work will be completed accurately and to the fullest extent possible, based solely on the official information available from government institutions and official websites. However, I do not and cannot guarantee the actions, timelines, or performance of third-party entities such as government offices (including those processing apostilles, authentication, and legalization, such as Global Affairs, Ontario Document Services, etc.), Canada Post, courier services, Chambre des notaires du Québec (CNQ), Barreau du Québec, embassies and consulates, notaries, and lawyers. I cannot be held responsible for delays, errors, or failures on their part.
The information and services described on this page do not constitute legal advice, legal services, or legal representation as defined under the Law Society Act of Ontario. I am not a licensed lawyer, paralegal, or notary, do not represent myself as such, and am not licensed by the Law Society of Ontario.
The information provided is compiled from official sources and presented strictly “as is.” The services offered here are limited to assisting clients with translation services, document collection, form preparation, and shipping coordination.
Clients are encouraged to consult a licensed legal professional (lawyer, paralegal, or notary) in their country, province or territory for any legal advice or representation.
By using the services described on this page, clients confirm their understanding and acceptance of these terms and agree to release the service provider (including any representatives, agents, heirs, or successors) from any legal liability related to the use of these services or the information presented herein.