Translating a Thai Police Clearance for use abroad
Check which version the receiving authority wants before translating. Language, document age, translator qualifications, and any further legalisation are separate questions — they are not the same for every application.
ILC reviews the scope and coordinates translation against your actual documents. Send the receiving authority's checklist so we can assess it before confirming the work.
Fees: ask our team for a quote.
Confirm which version must be translated before work starts
Tell us the destination country, the receiving authority, and the application type, together with its current checklist. A police certificate issued overseas and a Thai police clearance certificate can differ in name, format, and issuing authority. Translation is not the same as issuing a certificate or amending a criminal record.
If an English version already exists, ask the recipient whether that version is acceptable or whether the original and other evidence must still be attached. Do not order a translation simply because a document will be used abroad, and do not use a translation in place of a letter the issuer must reissue.
The certificate's issue date and the history period it must cover are different things
Some applications specify the countries where you have lived, the age or residence period covered, and how recent the certificate must be. Check the recipient's own list. Translating an old certificate does not refresh its issue date or extend its validity.
IRCC explains that police certificates have different names and formats by country, and that a certificate not in English or French must be submitted with a translation by a certified translator per IRCC's instructions. That is a Canadian example, not a rule for every country.
Send files that let us verify names and text in full
- Every page of the certificate, including the back, seals, signatures, and remarks
- Passport name spelling and any former names relevant to the job
- Issuing country, destination country, and the recipient's document checklist link
- File, paper, translator signature, and original-attachment requirements
Document numbers, dates, and authority names must match the original. If the certificate shows a record or remarks, the translation must reflect what appears — it must not be edited to look like a clean certificate. Unclear text means requesting a better file, not guessing seals and ID numbers.
A translator's certification is not a certification of your record
Certifying a translation concerns the accuracy of the language. It does not confirm the original is genuine, that the person has no record, or that immigration conditions are met. If the recipient requires a specific translator register or qualification, we check the individual translator and language pair before accepting the job.
GOV.UK gives an example of a translation certification stating accuracy, date, the translator's full name, and contact details in a UK context. It is not evidence that every translator or every certification format is accepted by other recipients.
Legalisation is assessed separately from translation
Not every application needs MFA legalisation and embassy attestation. Ask the recipient to specify what must be legalised — the source document, the translator's signature, or something else — and confirm the sequence with the authorities involved before agreeing the work. A translation-only job does not automatically include legalisation.
Thailand's Apostille Convention enters into force on 28 February 2027 according to the HCCH, so we do not claim a Thai Apostille is already in use today. For work before that date where the recipient requires legalisation, the MFA and destination embassy steps are checked case by case; the convention's start date is not a substitute for actual filing instructions.
Request a quote with a clearly separated scope
Tell us the language, page count, filing appointment date, and what the recipient requires. Our team checks feasibility before proposing a scope that separates translation, certification, any requested legalisation, and delivery. Amendment or source-document-change terms are agreed in the quotation. We do not state a fixed starting price or a fixed completion date.
Send personal documents only as needed through the agreed channel — never passwords or OTPs. Our team cannot guarantee a visa outcome or a recipient's acceptance of a document on their behalf.
Questions before translating a police certificate
I already have an English version — do I need another translation?
Ask the recipient first whether that language is accepted and what originals must be attached. Do not assume an English version works everywhere — or nowhere.
Does translation keep an old certificate valid?
A translation does not change the issue date or validity. Check the conditions with the recipient; if a new certificate is needed, contact the issuing authority first.
Is embassy attestation always required?
Not always. Check the recipient's list and the legalising authority's steps. Do not add attestation steps without a documented requirement.
Official sources for checking your application
Contact and related services
Information for preparing a translation job; not a certification of the original or of the recipient's decision. Every document set is checked before work proceeds.
- Criminal Record Division, Royal Thai Police (police clearance certificates)
- Royal Thai Police
- Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Reviewed by the ILC legal team · Review date 4 Oct 2026
This is general information, not advice for your specific case. Results, government fees and timing are decided by the Royal Thai Police and the receiving authority. Some steps, such as fingerprinting, may require the applicant in person. Service fee: please ask our team.