A NAATI certified translation is an English translation of your Thai document carrying the stamp, signature and certification number of a translator listed in NAATI’s public directory. Australian authorities verify the translator, not the paper. We prepare these in Bangkok for 1,300–2,500 THB per standard document within 5–7 working days, delivered as a signed PDF for online lodgement and, on request, as a wet-stamped hard copy by courier.
Documents we translate most often, and what they are used for
| Thai document | Typical Australian use | Fee (THB) |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate (สูติบัตร) | Partner, child and student visas; enrolment | 1,300–1,800 |
| National ID card (บัตรประชาชน) | Identity evidence in almost every application | 1,300–1,600 |
| House registration (ทะเบียนบ้าน) | Address and family relationship evidence | 1,300–2,000 |
| Marriage certificate (ทะเบียนสมรส) | Partner and spouse visas, name change | 1,300–1,800 |
| Divorce certificate (ทะเบียนหย่า) | Proof a former relationship has ended | 1,300–1,800 |
| Police clearance certificate | Character requirement (PIC 4001 evidence) | 1,500–2,200 |
| Degree certificate & transcript | Admission and skills assessment | 1,800–2,500 |
| Bank statement / financial evidence | Genuine-funds and sponsorship evidence | quoted per page |
Fees are per document before 7% VAT, for standard single- or double-page items. Page count, handwriting and urgency move the final figure — ask for a free written quote first.
How the process runs, step by step
1. Send scans and name the destination
Email or LINE us a clear colour scan of each Thai document and tell us who will receive it — Home Affairs, a university, a skills assessor, a bank. The destination decides whether a translation alone is enough or whether notarisation and legalisation must follow.
2. Receive a written quote and confirm the spelling of your name
You get a fixed quote per document plus the realistic turnaround. At this point we lock in the romanised spelling of every personal name against your passport so that all documents in the bundle agree.
3. NAATI translator prepares and certifies the translation
A translator holding current NAATI certification in Thai↔English translates the document, describes the seals and handwritten entries, and applies their stamp, signature, certification number and date.
4. Internal check against the receiving authority's checklist
A second reviewer checks page count, dates, transliteration and the certification block, and confirms the file matches what the named authority publishes as its requirement.
5. Delivery, and any authentication chain if required
You receive the signed PDF by email the same day it is finished. Where the receiving body also wants the Thai original authenticated, we run the Department of Consular Affairs and embassy steps and return the complete set together.
Why files come back for further information
- ⚠Submitting a translation produced by a Thai sworn translator with no NAATI number — accepted by Thai agencies, routinely refused for Australian purposes.
- ⚠Translating only the front page of a house registration when the case officer needs the page showing every household member.
- ⚠Sending a cropped photo where the official seal or the registrar's signature falls outside the frame; the translator must be able to describe the seal.
- ⚠Using a different romanised spelling of your name from the one on your passport.
- ⚠Assuming an apostille is required for Australia and paying for a chain nobody asked for. Thailand's accession to the Apostille Convention takes effect on 28 February 2027, and Australia does not ask for one on a translated personal document.
- ⚠Leaving the translation until the week you lodge; 5–7 working days is the normal production window and expedited work costs more.
Where this sits next to our other services
A NAATI translation answers the question “what does this Thai document say?”. It does not answer “is this Thai document genuine?” — that is what consular legalisation of Thai documents is for, and what a notarial certificate from a Lawyers Council notarial services attorney provides when an Australian party needs a signature witnessed in Thailand. Applicants preparing a partner or skilled visa usually need a police clearance translated as well — see the document checklist for Thai paperwork going abroad. Fees for every service sit together on the English fee page, and the Thai-language version of this NAATI hub, with Australian state and city detail, lives at แปลเอกสาร NAATI.
NAATI translation FAQ
คำถามที่พบบ่อย (FAQ)
What exactly makes a translation NAATI certified?+
The translation is produced by a translator holding current NAATI certification in the Thai↔English direction, and it carries that translator's stamp, signature, certification number and the date. NAATI itself never certifies a document — it certifies people. That is why Australian authorities check the stamp against the public NAATI online directory rather than asking for anything from NAATI directly.
Does the Department of Home Affairs accept a translation done in Thailand?+
Yes. Home Affairs asks for translations by a NAATI certified translator when the document is translated inside Australia, and by a translator who is officially accredited or approved when translated outside Australia. A NAATI certified translation prepared in Bangkok satisfies both readings, which is why we use NAATI translators for every Australia-bound file rather than only a Thai sworn translator.
How long does it take and what does it cost?+
A standard personal document — birth certificate, ID card, house registration, marriage or divorce certificate, police clearance — is 1,300–2,500 THB and takes 5–7 working days. Multi-page items such as bank statements, company affidavits or academic transcripts are quoted per page after we see the scan. Express handling is available and quoted separately.
Do I also need legalisation or an apostille for Australia?+
Usually not. Australia accepts a NAATI certified translation on its own for visa and enrolment purposes. Legalisation becomes relevant when a Thai authority, an Australian court or a bank asks for the underlying Thai original to be authenticated — in that case the document goes through the Department of Consular Affairs first, then the Royal Thai chain, and the translation follows the authenticated original.
Can you work from a scan, or do you need my original documents?+
A clear colour scan or a sharp phone photo is enough to produce the translation, because the translator certifies the content of the document put in front of them. Originals matter only when a separate step needs them — a notarial certificate, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation, or an embassy attestation. We tell you which category your file falls into before you post anything.
How is the finished translation delivered?+
You receive a signed and stamped PDF by email, which is what online lodgement systems such as ImmiAccount actually accept. Hard copies with a wet stamp are couriered anywhere in Thailand or worldwide when an institution insists on paper; the courier is billed at cost on the waybill.
My Thai name is spelled differently on each document — is that a problem?+
It is the single most common cause of a request for further information. Thai romanisation is not standardised, so a passport, a house registration and a degree certificate can carry three different spellings of the same name. We match every translation to the spelling on your passport and add a translator's note explaining the variants, so the case officer sees one consistent identity instead of three people.
Which Australian bodies do these translations go to?+
In practice: the Department of Home Affairs for partner, student, skilled and visitor visas; VETASSESS, Engineers Australia, AHPRA and ACS for skills assessments; Australian universities and TAFEs for admission; state births-deaths-and-marriages registries; and Australian banks and superannuation funds for identity and beneficiary files.
Information current as at July 2026. Prepared by the translation desk of Thai Notary Law & Service Co., Ltd. and reviewed by a notarial services attorney registered with the Lawyers Council of Thailand. Australian requirements are set by the receiving authority and can change without notice — confirm with them before lodging.