How far must a previous employer reference be translated and legalised to be accepted for a Smart Visa application?
The approach receiving authorities accept is this: Degrees and experience letters issued abroad must first be certified in the issuing country (notary/Apostille or the Thai embassy there), then translated into Thai and legalised at the Department of Consular Affairs before the Department of Employme
The approach receiving authorities accept is this: Degrees and experience letters issued abroad must first be certified in the issuing country (notary/Apostille or the Thai embassy there), then translated into Thai and legalised at the Department of Consular Affairs before the Department of Employment will accept them. The order cannot be swapped, and getting it wrong is the most common cause of a returned file. This can run alongside NAATI translation, police clearance and Apostille work in a single file, saving weeks of waiting.
Quick facts
- Authority: Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour, and the Department of Consular Affairs, MFA
- Where: Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour · Immigration Bureau · Legalisation Division, Department of Consular Affairs, Chaeng Watthana Road
- Timing to allow: Translation and certification 1–3 business days · MFA legalisation 3–5 business days (express 1–2) · a full corporate document set 5–10 business days
- Scope of service: We prepare the documents used in work permit and business visa files — certified translation, notarial certification, MFA legalisation and embassy attestation. Approval remains at the discretion of the Department of Employment and Immigration Bureau.
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