✅ Case Study: Legalizing Documents for Thailand
Client: Sarah V., Resident of Irvine, California
Document Type: U.S. Birth Certificate & Power of Attorney
Destination: Thailand (Non-Hague Convention Country)
Objective: Use birth certificate for marriage registration and POA for real estate transaction in Bangkok
📌 Background
Sarah V., a California resident, contacted Orange County Apostille because she needed to submit two official documents to Thai government agencies:
- A certified copy of her U.S. birth certificate to register her upcoming marriage in Thailand.
- A notarized Power of Attorney to allow her fiancé to handle a condo purchase in Bangkok on her behalf.
Since Thailand is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, her documents could not be simply apostilled. They required a full authentication and consular legalization process to be legally accepted in Thailand.
🧭 Step-by-Step Process We Completed
✅ Step 1: Notarization (For the POA)
We helped Sarah notarize her Power of Attorney document, ensuring the California notarial wording was compliant and complete. This step is essential because the California Secretary of State will reject improper notarizations.
✅ Step 2: California Secretary of State Authentication
Both the notarized POA and her certified birth certificate (issued by the California Department of Public Health) were submitted to the California Secretary of State in Sacramento for authentication. This step confirmed that the notary public and the registrar’s signatures were valid.
📎 Secretary of State Authentication Process
✅ Step 3: U.S. Department of State Authentication
After state authentication, we shipped both documents to our Washington, D.C. office, where they were submitted to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications. This federal step authenticated the signatures of the California Secretary of State.
📎 U.S. Department of State Authentication
✅ Step 4: Legalization by the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C.
We then submitted both documents to the Royal Thai Embassy in D.C. for final legalization.
Embassy Requirements Included:
- A completed authentication request form
- A copy of Sarah’s passport
- Translated versions of the documents (we provided certified translations into Thai)
- A prepaid FedEx return envelope
- Embassy processing fees
📍 Thai Embassy Legalization Guide
📦 Final Delivery
Sarah received:
- Her fully legalized birth certificate (translated and stamped by the Thai Embassy)
- Her legalized Power of Attorney with official stamps and ribbons
She was able to:
- Submit the birth certificate to the Thai Ministry of Interior for marriage registration
- Send the POA to her fiancé, who legally signed contracts for the condo purchase in Bangkok
🕒 Timeline
| Step | Duration |
|---|---|
| Notarization | Same day |
| State Authentication | 1–2 business days |
| Federal Authentication | ~2 weeks (expedited) |
| Embassy Legalization | 3–5 business days |
| Total Turnaround | Approx. 3 weeks (door-to-door) |
🗣️ Client Testimonial
“I had no idea Thailand didn’t accept apostilles. The team at Orange County Apostille handled every detail—from notarizing to embassy legalization—and even provided the Thai translations. I had zero stress, and everything was accepted without question in Bangkok.”
— Sarah V., Irvine, CA
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Thailand requires embassy legalization, not an apostille.
- You must follow a 3-step process: state authentication → federal authentication → Thai embassy legalization.
- Professional handling ensures accuracy, translation compliance, and no delays.
- Orange County Apostille simplifies international documentation for non-Hague countries like Thailand.
📞 Need to Legalize Documents for Thailand?
Let Orange County Apostille manage the entire process for you—including notarization, authentication, certified translation, and embassy submission.
📍 Offices in Irvine & Washington, D.C.
🌐 https://orangecountyapostille.org
📞 (818) 606-7442