Q1207. What official attestation rules govern civil document translations certified by MFA translators?

Answered by the NYC Visa & Translation certified translation team

MFA-certified civil document translations follow the Consular Affairs Department's attestation practice, which certifies the translation's conformity with the original — and understanding what the MFA stamp does and does not mean prevents misuse. What the MFA certification is: the department certifies that the translation conforms to the original document presented — it is an attestation of the translation's accuracy as presented, performed by the department's review; it is not a verification of the original document's authenticity (the original's genuineness is a separate question, addressed by the legalisation chain's other steps). The process: the translation is prepared by a translator with their signature and seal, submitted with the original and the required copies and forms, reviewed by the department (the review checks the translation against the original — names, dates, numbers, completeness), and stamped (quoted on request normal service, quoted on request express, per stamp). The chain position: for documents going abroad, the MFA certification is typically followed by the destination embassy's legalisation; for foreign documents coming into Thailand, the MFA certification of the Thai translation follows the original's legalisation by the Thai embassy abroad. Points that matter: the translator's identification on the translation is required; the translation must be complete (every element of the original accounted for); and the MFA's certification has its own validity expectations (receiving bodies generally want recent certifications). Practice points: the pre-submission audit (checking the translation against the original before the MFA visit) prevents rejection; and the MFA's requirements are published — confirm the current document and fee requirements before the visit.