NAATI vs Thai MFA consular certification — which do you
NAATI covers Australia (DHA, universities, AHPRA, VETASSESS). The Thai MFA Consular Department covers Thai government use and foreign embassies inside Thailand. Some cases need both.
- 1NAATI: accepted by DHA, ImmiAccount, AHPRA, VETASSESS, Australian universities
- 2MFA (Consular): accepted by Thai government agencies and foreign embassies in Thailand
- 3Most Australia filings require NAATI only
- 4Canada IRCC / US USCIS: consular, not NAATI
- 5Some combined filings (e.g. PR plus Thai marriage registration) need both
FAQ
- Not sure which to order?
- Share the target authority (country, agency, visa subclass) — we advise before payment.
- Do I need a consular stamp on top of a NAATI translation?
- No, if you're filing to DHA or an Australian university. Some European institutions add apostille.
Other NAATI topics
Go deeper on NAATI certified translation for Australia
These guides outline possible certification steps; confirm the receiving authority's current requirements before filing:
- Step-by-step playbook: documents, order of certification, rejection risks
- Route comparison: which certification path your receiving authority accepts
Not sure which route applies? Send us the scan — LINE @THAIL · 092-0170000 · Contact@thailaw-accounting.co.th
Documents usually required
- High-resolution colour scans of every page, including stamps and signatures
- Passport bio-data page used as the reference spelling for all names
- Confirmation of the file format the Australian authority accepts (digital PDF or hard copy)
- Any earlier translation already lodged, so terminology stays consistent
Common reasons a bundle is rejected
- A translation is accepted only with the certified translator's stamp and statement attached.
- Every page of the source document must be included, stamps and endorsements as well.
- Spell every name exactly as it appears in the passport, across every document in the same bundle.
Prefer not to handle the chain yourself? Send the scans and we run every step for you, from translation to the final endorsement.
How the process runs — NAATI certified translation for Australia
- Collect colour scans of every page and confirm name spelling against the passport.
- Confirm with the Australian receiving authority which certification format and file type it accepts.
- Have the translation produced by a certified translator, with the certification stamp and statement attached.
- Proof-read every name, date, and number against the source before the final version is issued.
- Deliver the digitally signed file or printed set, then attach it to the application it supports.
Fees and processing times are set by each authority and vary by document and destination — confirm them with the responsible agency.
Handling it yourself vs letting iLC run it
| Aspect | Doing it yourself | With iLC |
|---|---|---|
| Working out which steps apply | You read each authority's rules yourself, and usually learn a step was missing only after the bundle is refused. | Our advisers review the documents before work starts and sequence translation, notarisation, MFA, and embassy in one pass. |
| Time spent filing | Repeat trips to each office, queueing and collecting in person. | We file on your behalf; you send scans and receive the finished set by post or courier. |
| Risk that the translation is refused | Agency names, job titles, and the certification wording often do not match what the receiving office accepts. | We use terminology and certificate formats the receiving authority has accepted before, with two-stage proof-reading. |
| If the bundle is rejected | You diagnose the cause and refile yourself, losing a full cycle. | We identify the cause, correct it, and refile without you starting over, with progress reported along the way. |
What clients typically use this for
- Australian visa applications
- University admission in Australia
- Professional registration in Australia
An advisor, not only a document processor
Before any work starts, our team assesses how many certification layers your document actually needs, which authorities are involved, and the correct order for the office you will really file with. One step out of order usually means restarting the whole bundle. More than 15 years of cross-border document work means we recognise how each authority rejects files and prevent it up front.
- The certification route is matched to the receiving authority before work begins.
- Rejection risks are checked, from name spelling to document validity windows.
- The filing sequence is planned around the deadline you actually have.
Consult us at LINE @THAIL · 092-0170000 · Contact@thailaw-accounting.co.th
Ask a question