What is the SINGLE biggest mistake I can make?

Signing the document BEFORE you see the notary. This is Mistake #1. If a document requires a 'Signature Notarization' (like a POA or Affidavit), the notary MUST witness you signing it. If you bring it in already signed, it is invalid, and you will have to do it again.

Do I really need my ORIGINAL passport?

Yes, this is Mistake #2. A photocopy, a scan on your phone, or an expired passport is not acceptable. The notary's primary job is to verify your identity. This can only be done with a valid, original, government-issued photo ID, which for foreigners in Thailand is your passport.

Can you notarize a photocopy of my diploma?

We can only notarize a photocopy IF you bring the **ORIGINAL document** (the diploma) with you. This is Mistake #3. The notary must compare your original document to the photocopy to certify that it is a 'Certified True Copy'. We cannot certify a copy of a copy.

My name is spelled differently on my passport and my document. Is that a problem?

Yes, this is a major problem (Mistake #4). The name on the document you are signing (e.g., 'John A. Doe') MUST exactly match the name on your passport ('John Allan Doe'). Even minor differences can lead to rejection by banks or government agencies. Always ensure your legal name is consistent across all documents before your appointment.

Do I need to get my notarized document legalized by the MFA?

Almost certainly, yes. This is Mistake #6. A notary's stamp is only Step 1. For a document to be valid in another country (e.g., for a visa, university, or bank), it MUST be legalized by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and often by that country's embassy in Bangkok. We provide this as a full one-stop service.

Can the notary give me legal advice on my contract?

No. The notary's job is not to provide legal advice (Mistake #7). Their function is to act as an impartial witness to (1) verify your identity, (2) confirm you are signing willingly, or (3) certify a copy is genuine. They cannot advise you on whether your contract is 'good' or 'fair'. For legal advice, you must hire a lawyer separately.

Why does my document need to be translated?

Foreign governments or universities cannot read Thai. If your document (like a diploma or marriage certificate) is in Thai, it must be translated by a certified translator. Forgetting to plan for this translation time (Mistake #10) can delay your entire process by days. We offer certified translation and notarization as a single, combined service to speed this up.

Avoid Delays: 10 Common Notary Mistakes in Thailand | NYC Plus

Avoid Delays: Top 10 Mistakes Foreigners Make at a Notary Public in Thailand

Getting your documents notarized should be simple. Save time, money, and stress by avoiding these 10 common pitfalls to ensure a smooth process the first time.

Book a Consultation to Get it Right

Getting it Right the First Time: A Guide for Foreigners in Thailand

For many foreigners in Thailand, visiting a "Notary Public" is a confusing but necessary step. Whether you need to sign a Power of Attorney (POA) to sell property back home, certify your diploma for a new job, or get an affidavit of freedom to marry, the process is strict and unforgiving.

A simple mistake can lead to frustrating delays, costly re-submissions, and even rejection of your document by the government or bank you're sending it to. This is especially true in Thailand, where the "notary" system (which uses licensed Notarial Services Attorneys) is different from what you might be used to in your home country.

Based on our 15 years of experience handling tens of thousands of notarizations for foreigners in Bangkok and across Thailand, we've compiled the definitive list of the **Top 10 Most Common Mistakes**. By understanding these pitfalls, you can prepare for your appointment properly and ensure your notarization is successful on the first attempt.

Mistake #1 Signing the Document BEFORE the Appointment

This is, without a doubt, the most common and critical error we see every single day. A client arrives with their Power of Attorney, affidavit, or contract, already perfectly signed, and simply asks us to "put the stamp on it."

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

There are two main types of notarization, and for the most important one, this action makes your document **completely invalid**.

Signature Notarization (Attestation of Signature): This is required for documents like Powers of Attorney (POAs), Affidavits, Statutory Declarations, and Contracts. The entire legal purpose of the notary's seal is to certify that **the notary personally witnessed you signing the document**.
Certified True Copy: This is for certifying a copy of an original, like a passport or diploma.

If you are getting a Signature Notarization, the notary MUST witness your signature. If the document is already signed, the notary **cannot legally state** that they saw you sign it. They will have no choice but to refuse the notarization, forcing you to print the document all over again and sign it a second time in their presence.

The Correct Way

DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING. Bring your document (Power of Attorney, Affidavit, etc.) to your appointment completely **unsigned**. Bring a pen, but do not use it until the notary has verified your identity (with your passport) and instructs you to sign.

Mistake #2 Forgetting Your ORIGINAL Passport (or Bringing a Copy)

A client arrives for their appointment and, when asked for identification, they proudly present one of the following:

A high-quality color photocopy of their passport.
A digital scan of their passport on their phone.
An expired passport.
A valid driver's license from their home country.

None of these are acceptable. We must, unfortunately, turn the client away, and they have to waste time traveling back to get their original passport.

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The notary's *primary legal duty* is to verify the identity of the person signing the document. They are attesting to the world that "John Allan Doe" did, in fact, appear before them.

For a foreigner in Thailand, the **only** universally accepted, official, government-issued identification document is your **valid, unexpired passport**. A photocopy can be altered. A digital scan can be photoshopped. A foreign driver's license is not an internationally recognized travel document for identity verification in this context. A Thai driver's license may be acceptable for some domestic matters, but for any document going abroad, the passport is the gold standard and the only ID that will be cross-referenced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and foreign embassies.

The Correct Way

Before you leave your home, double-check that you have your **ORIGINAL, VALID (not expired) PASSPORT**. This is non-negotiable for any notary service in Thailand.

Understanding the Two Types of Notarization

Before we continue, it's essential to understand the two main services a notary provides. Most mistakes happen because clients confuse these two.

□️1. Attestation of Signature (Légalisation de Signature)

The notary witnesses you physically sign a document. They certify your identity and your signature.

Used for: Powers of Attorney (POA), Affidavits, Contracts, Letters of Consent.

What to Bring: Your original passport + the UNSIGNED document.

□2. Certified True Copy (Copie Certifiée Conforme)

The notary confirms that a photocopy is a true, exact, and unaltered copy of an original document.

Used for: Passports, Diplomas, Transcripts, Title Deeds (Chanote), Company Documents.

What to Bring: Your original passport + the ORIGINAL document (e.g., your actual diploma).

Mistake #3 Bringing ONLY a Photocopy to be "Certified"

This mistake relates to the second type of notarization: the Certified True Copy. A client needs to send their university diploma to WES in Canada. They arrive at our office with a high-quality color photocopy of their diploma and ask us to notarize it as a "Certified True Copy."

We then have to ask, "Where is the original diploma?" The client often replies, "Oh, it's at home in a safe. I didn't want to risk bringing it."

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

A notary cannot certify that a copy is "true" without seeing the original. The entire legal act involves the notary placing the original document and the copy side-by-side to compare them. They are certifying that they have *personally seen* the original and that the copy is an exact, unaltered reproduction.

We cannot certify a copy of a copy. We cannot certify a scan. We must see the physical, original document with the original stamps and signatures.

The Correct Way

To get a Certified True Copy of any document (diploma, passport, transcript, marriage certificate, Chanote, etc.), you **MUST** bring the **ORIGINAL DOCUMENT** to your appointment, along with your original passport. We can make the high-quality photocopy for you in our office.

Mistake #4 Names on Your Document and Passport Do Not Match

A client, Mr. John Allan Doe, brings in a Power of Attorney for selling his house. The document, prepared by his lawyer back home, states, "I, John A. Doe, hereby appoint..."

He presents his passport, which clearly reads "Name: John Allan Doe."

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The notary is certifying the identity of the person signing. Legally, "John A. Doe" and "John Allan Doe" are not the same person. A bank, land office, or government agency will see this discrepancy and immediately reject the document, assuming fraud or a critical error.

This also applies to:

Maiden vs. Married Names: Your passport says "Jane Smith," but the document says "Jane Jones" (your married name), and there is no accompanying notarized marriage certificate to link the two.
Nicknames: "Mike Johnson" on the document vs. "Michael Johnson" on the passport.
Spelling Errors: "Robert" vs. "Robbert."

The Correct Way

**Absolute consistency is key.** Before your appointment, ensure the full legal name on the document you are signing is **identical** to the full legal name written on your valid passport. If you have changed your name, you must also bring the original legal name-change document (like a marriage certificate or deed poll) to be notarized alongside your main document.

Mistake #5 Not Knowing Who is Authorized to Sign (Corporate Docs)

A company's General Manager arrives with a Board of Directors Resolution to open a new bank account. He is ready to sign it.

We ask for the company's registration documents (Affidavit / Nang Sue Rab Rong, issued by the DBD). The document states that the **only** authorized signatory for the company is the Managing Director, Mr. Tanaka, who is currently in Japan. The General Manager is not listed as an authorized director.

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

A notary cannot certify the signature of someone who has no legal authority to sign the document. Certifying the GM's signature would be a fraudulent act, as he is not the company's legal representative for this purpose. The bank would instantly reject this document.

This also happens when a company's registration requires **two directors to sign together**, but only one director shows up. The notary must refuse the service.

The Correct Way

Before your appointment, check your company's latest registration papers (Affidavit/Nang Sue Rab Rong, preferably not older than 3-6 months).

Identify the **exact names** of the Authorized Director(s).
Check the **signing conditions** (e.g., "One director's signature" or "Two directors signing together with the company seal").
Ensure the correct person (or people) comes to the appointment with their original passports and the company seal (if required).

Mistake #6 Underestimating the Need for MFA Legalization

A client urgently needs a notarized diploma for a visa application in their home country. They get the document notarized by us on Monday. On Tuesday, they fly home and submit the document to their immigration department. On Friday, they send us an angry email: "My document was rejected! They said your stamp is not enough!"

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

This is a tragic misunderstanding of international law. A Thai Notary's stamp is only **Step 1** of a multi-step process.

No foreign government (USA, UK, Australia, France, Russia, etc.) has any way of knowing if a random notary stamp from Bangkok is legitimate. To be accepted internationally, the document must be **legalized**.

The full process is:

Notarization: We certify your document.
MFA Legalization: We take the notarized document to the **Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)**. The MFA officers check our notary's signature against their official database and then add their own government seal, certifying that our notary is legitimate.
Embassy Legalization: (Often required) We then take the MFA-stamped document to the embassy of the country where it will be used (e.g., the French Embassy), which adds the *final* seal.

The client in our example only completed Step 1.

The Correct Way

**ALWAYS** ask us about the full legalization process. Tell us **which country** the document is for. We offer a **One-Stop "Full Legalization" Package** where we handle the notarization, all translation, the trip to the MFA at Chaengwattana, and the final trip to the embassy. This saves you days of queuing and ensures your document is 100% valid for international use.

Learn More About Our MFA Legalization Service

Mistake #7 Assuming the Notary Can Give Legal Advice

A client brings in a 20-page commercial lease agreement and asks the notary, "This looks fair, right? Am I protected if my landlord breaks the contract?"

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

This is a confusion of roles. When an attorney acts as a **Notary Public**, they are acting as a neutral, impartial witness for the state. Their job is *only* to verify identity and witness a signature. They **cannot** provide legal advice on the document they are notarizing, as this would violate their impartiality.

If you need someone to read your contract, explain your risks, and suggest changes, you need to hire an **Attorney-at-Law (a lawyer)** for a legal consultation. This is a separate service. The notary's stamp does *not* mean the document is fair, legal, or well-written; it only means you signed it.

The Correct Way

Understand the two different hats:

Need someone to witness your signature? Book a **Notary** appointment.
Need someone to read, draft, or advise on a document? Book a **Legal Consultation** with a lawyer *before* your notary appointment.

We can provide both services, but they must be separate appointments.

Mistake #8 Bringing an Incomplete Document

A client brings in a Power of Attorney to sell a property. The document has blank spaces where the property address, title deed number, or the name of the buyer should be. The client says, "I'll fill in the details later after I sign it."

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

A notary **cannot and will not** notarize an incomplete document. Notarizing a document with blank spaces is illegal and unethical, as it opens the door to fraud. Someone could add unauthorized information after the fact.

The notary must be able to see the full, final version of the document at the time of signing. All key information (names, addresses, dates, amounts) must be filled in **before** the signature is witnessed.

The Correct Way

Ensure your document is **100% complete** before your appointment. All blank fields (except for the signature and date lines) must be filled in. If you are unsure what to write, get legal advice *before* you book the notary appointment.

Mistake #9 Using a Non-Licensed or Inexperienced Service Provider

To save a few hundred baht, a client goes to a small translation shop or a new lawyer who "just got their notary license." The notary stamp looks official. However, when the client takes this document to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) for legalization (Mistake #6), it is immediately rejected.

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

This is a critical procedural failure. For a notarized document to be legalized by the MFA, the notary's signature and seal must be **officially registered in the MFA's database**.

Many new or inexperienced notaries have not completed this registration, or their registration has lapsed. Furthermore, some "services" may use a fake stamp altogether. This means your document is worthless for international use, and you have wasted both your time and money.

The Correct Way

Use a reputable, established service provider. Ask them directly: "Are your notaries registered with the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs?"

At NYC Plus, all our notarial attorneys have over 15 years of experience, and their signatures are **fully registered and recognized by the MFA and all major embassies in Bangkok**. We guarantee our notarizations will pass legalization.

Mistake #10 Not Planning for Translation Time

A client has a flight to their home country on Friday. On Thursday afternoon, they bring us their Thai Marriage Certificate and Thai Birth Certificate to be notarized and legalized for a visa application.

They are shocked when we tell them it's impossible. The document is in Thai, so it must first be translated into English. This translation must *also* be certified by the MFA along with the original.

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The full process is not just "notarization." It is:

Notarize (Certify True Copy) the original Thai document.
Professionally translate the Thai document AND the notary's stamp into English.
Get the translator to sign a "Declaration of Correct Translation."
Notarize the translator's signature on the declaration.
Take the *entire bundle* (Original certified copy + Translation + Notarized declaration) to the MFA for legalization.

This process takes time. Translation alone can take 1-2 days, and the MFA takes another 2-3 days. You cannot do this in one afternoon.

The Correct Way

**Plan ahead.** As soon as you know you need a document, contact us. We offer an integrated **Translation + Notarization + MFA Legalization** package. By handling all steps in-house, we can complete the entire process in just a few business days, far faster than if you tried to manage three different providers.

Conclusion: How NYC Plus Helps You Avoid These Mistakes

As you can see, notarization in Thailand is a precise legal process, not just a simple rubber-stamp service. Every mistake on this list results in wasted time, wasted money, and the stress of potential rejection.

At NYC Plus, our 15+ years of experience are built on helping clients avoid these exact problems.

We are your pre-appointment checklist: When you book, our bilingual staff will ask you the right questions ("Is the document signed?" "Do you have your original passport?" "Is the name matching?" "Which country is this for?") to ensure you arrive prepared.
We are a One-Stop Solution: We are not just a notary. We are a full-service firm. We handle the **Certified Translation**, the **Notarization**, the **MFA Legalization**, and the **Embassy Attestation** all under one roof.
We are Registered & Guaranteed: Our notaries are all experienced lawyers, fully registered with the MFA and all major embassies, guaranteeing your document will be accepted.

Don't risk a costly mistake. Let our experts guide you through the process correctly the first time.

Get it right the first time.

Avoid the stress and delays. Contact our professional team for a free consultation to review your documents and confirm your requirements before you even leave your home.

Call for Consultation: 081-562-0444 Chat on Line: @NYCLI

Contact Information

Call Center: 081-562-0444, 083-249-4999

Email: [email protected]

Online Service (Line): Mon-Sun, 09:00 - 18:00

Bangkok Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 09:00 - 18:00 (Appointments recommended)

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Our Main Offices & Nationwide Network

Our main offices are in Bangkok, Khon Kaen, and Udon Thani, with partners covering all 77 provinces of Thailand, including Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.

□Bangkok (Head Office)

61 Soi Lat Phrao 95, Khlong Chaokhun Sing, Wang Thonglang, Bangkok 10310
Get Directions on Google Maps

□Khon Kaen Office

95 The Wall Project, Ruen Rom Rd, Nai Mueang, Mueang Khon Kaen, 40000

□Udon Thani Office

31/43 Si Chom Chuen Rd, Mak Khaeng, Mueang Udon Thani, 41000

Our partner network allows us to serve you wherever you are. Here are some of our key partner locations:

Pattaya (Chonburi): 415/17 Chaloem Phrakiat 18

Phuket: 114/12 Patiphat Rd, Talat Nuea

Chiang Mai: 140/74 M.2 Nongpakrang

Rayong: 99 Sukhumvit Rd, Tha Pradu

Hua Hin (Prachuap Khiri Khan): 31/768 Railway West Road

Bangkok (Watthana): 88/8 Sukhumvit 55 (Thonglor)

Bangkok (Sathorn): Sathorn Square Building

Bangkok (Klongtoei): Emporium Tower

Bangkok (Bang Rak): United Center, Silom

Related Services

Our expertise goes beyond notarization. We are your full-service partner for legal and visa paperwork in Thailand.

Certified Translation Services

MFA & Embassy Legalization

Main Notary Public Services

Global Visa Applications

Thai Visa Services

Thai Work Permit Service

Avoid Delays: 10 Common Notary Mistakes in Thailand | NYC Plus

Avoid Delays: Top 10 Mistakes Foreigners Make at a Notary Public in Thailand

Getting it Right the First Time: A Guide for Foreigners in Thailand

Mistake #1 Signing the Document BEFORE the Appointment

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Mistake #2 Forgetting Your ORIGINAL Passport (or Bringing a Copy)

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Understanding the Two Types of Notarization

□️1. Attestation of Signature (Légalisation de Signature)

□2. Certified True Copy (Copie Certifiée Conforme)

Mistake #3 Bringing ONLY a Photocopy to be "Certified"

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Mistake #4 Names on Your Document and Passport Do Not Match

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Mistake #5 Not Knowing Who is Authorized to Sign (Corporate Docs)

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Mistake #6 Underestimating the Need for MFA Legalization

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Mistake #7 Assuming the Notary Can Give Legal Advice

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Mistake #8 Bringing an Incomplete Document

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Mistake #9 Using a Non-Licensed or Inexperienced Service Provider

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Mistake #10 Not Planning for Translation Time

Why This is a Fatal Mistake

The Correct Way

Conclusion: How NYC Plus Helps You Avoid These Mistakes

Get it right the first time.

Contact Information

Our Main Offices & Nationwide Network

□Bangkok (Head Office)

□Khon Kaen Office

□Udon Thani Office

Related Services

NYC Visa & Translation Services Co., Ltd.

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