How do I legalise a Thai marriage certificate for use in New Zealand?
Thailand still uses consular legalisation today; the Hague Apostille Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027
Short answer: Thailand still uses consular legalisation today; the Hague Apostille Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027. In practice today, civil-registry documents used for submission to a foreign authority or embassy follow this chain: (1) originals or freshly issued government copies, (2) translation by a translator the Consular Department accepts, (3) legalisation at the Legalisation Division, (4) a second attestation at the destination country's embassy where that country still requires it. Once the Apostille Convention takes effect for Thailand in 2027 we migrate your document route automatically, with no restart.
Quick facts
- Current status: Thailand still uses consular legalisation today; the Hague Apostille Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027.
- Turnaround: Standard legalisation 3–5 business days · Express 1–2 business days · Full chain (translation + MFA + destination embassy) 5–7 business days
- Office: Legalisation Division, Department of Consular Affairs, Chaeng Watthana Road, Bangkok · Mon–Fri 08:30–15:30 · nationwide document pickup by post or messenger
Related questions
- → What is an Apostille and how does it differ from consular legalisation?
- → Can Thailand issue an Apostille yet?
- → When does the Apostille Convention enter into force for Thailand?
- → How are Thai documents legalised before the Apostille route starts?
- → Does an Apostille certify the contents of a document?