In-depth service guides
Required documents, step-by-step procedure, pitfalls and FAQs for each service
Each guide is written from the casework of the NYC Visa & Translation advisory team: the documents you must prepare, the procedure from obtaining certified copies through submission to the receiving authority, the mistakes that cause rejection, and self-contained answers to the questions clients ask most.
Apostille for Thai documents — preparing for the entry into force
Thailand has acceded to the Apostille Convention, which enters into force on 28 February 2027. Until that date, Thai documents used abroad still follow the existing route: legalisation at the Department of Consular Affairs, then a further stamp at the destination embassy. Planning ahead lets you decide whether to file now or wait.
Read the guideDriving licences across borders — translation, certification and conversion
Three distinct routes exist: using a Thai licence abroad (an International Driving Permit from the Department of Land Transport), driving in Thailand on a foreign licence, and converting a foreign licence into a Thai one, which requires a certified translation and proof of residence.
Read the guideLegal name changes — making every document match
After a change of first name, surname or title, older documents still carry the previous name, and receiving authorities treat them as belonging to a different person. The fix is a complete chain of evidence: the change-of-name certificate, house registration, passport, and certified translations that state both the former and current name.
Read the guideBirth registration and dual-nationality children's documents
A child of parents from two countries needs paperwork that works in both. There are two directions: a Thai birth certificate used abroad, and a foreign birth certificate used in Thailand. Each direction follows a different certification order.
Read the guideCross-border estates and wills — what courts and banks require
Settling an estate that spans two countries needs two parallel document sets: proof of death and heirship, and authority to deal with the assets. Both must be certified in the form the destination court or bank accepts.
Read the guideLife certificates and foreign pension paperwork
Pensioners living in Thailand are usually asked for a periodic life certificate (proof of life). The form must be witnessed by someone the fund accepts — a notary public, an embassy, or a Thai government office — and often translated and certified before being returned.
Read the guideCredential evaluation and sending academic records directly
Immigration bodies, professional councils and universities often refuse academic records handed over by the applicant; they must arrive directly from the institution or an evaluation service. The work therefore has two halves: producing compliant documents and arranging accepted direct delivery.
Read the guideCertified copy retrieval and nationwide document courier
Almost every certification job starts with a freshly issued certified copy from the office that issued the original. Many clients live in another province or abroad and cannot attend in person. This service covers retrieval by proxy, on-the-spot verification, and hand-off into translation and certification in one cycle.
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