Looking to obtain an apostille for a Thai document for use in Belgium? One key point needs clarifying first: Thailand is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. There is therefore no such thing as a Thai apostille. Your documents must go through consular legalisation, followed by a sworn translation into French or Dutch. This guide sets out each step, from Bangkok through to your file at the Belgian town hall.
Thailand and Belgium: why no apostille?
The Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 replaces diplomatic legalisation with a single stamp, the apostille, between member states. Thailand has never acceded to this convention. The phrase "Thai apostille" that many people search for therefore does not correspond to any actual procedure. Thai public documents intended for Belgium must follow the route of consular legalisation, which is longer but unavoidable and involves both the Thai authorities and the Belgian diplomatic mission.
The common case of marriage to a Thai spouse
The most frequent situation involves Belgian-Thai couples who wish to marry in Belgium or have a marriage celebrated in Thailand recognised. The Belgian municipality then requests a certificate of single status (confirming that the Thai partner is free of any marital tie) and a birth certificate, both legalised and then translated. Family reunification and registration in the national register require the same formalities. A recurring difficulty concerns the transliteration of Thai names: a name written in the Thai script can be romanised in several ways, and every document in the file must remain consistent with the others.
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Thai documents for Belgium?
Sworn Thai-French and Thai-Dutch translation of your Thai documents. Our sworn translators understand the consular legalisation procedure and the transliteration of names.
The consular legalisation procedure: step by step
The stages of legalising Thai documents
- Translation and legalisation at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA): most Thai documents are first translated into English, then legalised by the Department of Consular Affairs of the MFA in Bangkok
- Legalisation by the Belgian Embassy in Bangkok: the Belgian Embassy then adds its legalisation, confirming the authenticity of the Thai MFA seal
- Sworn translation in Belgium: once the document has been legalised, a sworn translator registered with a Belgian court of appeal produces the certified translation into French or Dutch
- Submission to the Belgian authority: the legalised document together with its sworn translation is submitted to your municipality, the Immigration Office or the relevant authority
Most requested Thai documents
- Birth certificate: required for marriage, family reunification and registration in the Belgian national register
- Certificate of single status: the central document in a marriage file with a Thai spouse
- Kor Ror (family registration record): the House Registration and Thai family register certificates, setting out information about the household
- Criminal record extract: issued by the Royal Thai Police, required for naturalisation and certain types of employment
Sworn translation after legalisation
Once your Thai document has been legalised, the sworn translation is carried out in Belgium by a translator listed in the national register (RNEJ). TranslateBE has translators specialising in Thai, able to handle both the Thai script and the intermediate English versions produced by the MFA. Particular care is taken with the consistency of the transliteration of surnames and first names against your passport and your other documents, as the slightest discrepancy can hold up a file at the town hall.
Tips for a trouble-free file
- Check that the romanised spelling of names is identical on the passport and on every document
- Have documents legalised before translation: this is the order expected by Belgian authorities
- Watch the period of validity: a certificate of single status is often required to be recent (less than 3 to 6 months old)
- Keep the legalised originals, as the Belgian authority may request them in addition to the translation
The TranslateBE procedure in 4 steps
- Upload a legible scan of your legalised document to the platform
- Receive a firm quote in under an hour
- Your document is handled by a sworn translator recognised by the competent authorities
- Delivery by email or post according to your needs, with signature and official seal
For more, see our related guides: translating Thai documents in Belgium, apostille or legalisation: which procedure? and our complete guide to legalising documents in Belgium.
In summary
- Thailand is not a member of the Hague Convention: no apostille, but consular legalisation.
- Procedure: legalisation at the Thai MFA, then at the Belgian Embassy, then sworn translation in Belgium.
- Common documents: birth certificate, certificate of single status, Kor Ror, criminal record.
- Ensure the transliteration of Thai names is consistent throughout the whole file.
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Need a sworn Thai translation for your marriage in Belgium?
Birth certificate, certificate of single status, Kor Ror: we translate your legalised Thai documents into French or Dutch, ready for your municipality.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is there really an apostille for Thai documents?
No. Thailand has not acceded to the 1961 Hague Convention, so there is no Thai apostille. The term is often searched out of habit, but the actual procedure is consular legalisation: legalisation by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Bangkok, then by the Belgian Embassy, before the sworn translation in Belgium.
For a marriage in Belgium to a Thai spouse, which documents are needed?
The Belgian municipality generally requests a Thai birth certificate and a certificate of single status, both legalised and then translated by a sworn translator. Depending on the case, the Kor Ror (family register) may also be required. The certificate of single status is often required to be recent, so check its date before starting legalisation and allow for the turnaround of the consular procedure in Bangkok.
My Thai documents are in the Thai script, how are they translated?
The Thai MFA often provides an English version during legalisation, but the official translation for Belgium is produced by a sworn translator listed in the national register (RNEJ), into French or Dutch depending on the region where the file is submitted. Our translators handle both the Thai script and the intermediate English versions and take care over the transliteration of names.
Why is the transliteration of Thai names so important?
A name written in the Thai script can be romanised in several different ways. If the spelling varies between the passport, the birth certificate and the certificate of single status, the Belgian authority may treat them as different people and hold up the file. We align the transliteration with your passport to guarantee consistency across all documents.