Questions?
We reply within 24 hours, free of charge.
Since 31 August 2026, every new DTV applicant needs a police clearance certificate issued by their country of nationality or the country where they apply. If you apply in London, the Royal Thai Embassy asks for an ACRO certificate or an Irish police certificate issued within six months of submission. Other missions set their own rules on which certificate they accept and how it must be certified. Check the instructions of the mission receiving your application before you order a certificate or pay for translation.
In short
- A police certificate is part of the DTV document requirements in force from 31 August 2026.
- Start with the country where you are a national or permanent resident, then confirm which Thai mission can receive your application.
- The certificate's country of issue and issuing authority must match that mission's requirements.
- London allows certificates up to six months old. Ask any other mission for its own limit before you rely on a certificate you already hold.
- Translation and legalisation are separate questions. The Apostille Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027, and only applies to countries for which the Convention takes effect with Thailand.
The London notice and the HCCH status table cover different questions. The embassy sets the documents it wants for a DTV application, and HCCH records where the Apostille Convention stands. An apostille tells you how a document is certified. It does not tell you which police certificate a mission accepts.
Which country should issue your DTV police certificate?
Step 1: identify the receiving mission
Begin with three facts: your nationality, your country of permanent residence and where you intend to apply. Under the rules in force from 31 August 2026, you can apply only where you are a national or a permanent resident. If you live outside your country of citizenship, confirm the local requirements before you book travel or order documents.
The London embassy also asks for proof of permanent residence in the UK, Ireland or a British Overseas Territory. If you are unsure which document proves your status, ask the mission what evidence it needs. A police certificate and proof of residence do different jobs, and having one does not settle any question about the other.
Take someone who holds one nationality and has permanent residence in another country. That person should first confirm which mission will receive the application, then ask which country's criminal record certificate it accepts. We advise against choosing a consulate because another applicant found its document list easier. That route may simply not be open to you.
Step 2: identify the certificate before ordering it
For a London application, the embassy names two documents: the ACRO certificate and the Irish police certificate. Start with the issuing authority's own instructions for that document. Before you place an order, check how to apply, what identity evidence the issuer wants, how the certificate is delivered and how long processing currently takes. Leave time in your schedule for any translation or certification the mission requires.
If you are applying elsewhere, get the mission's exact description of the certificate first. A search for "police clearance Thailand" often leads to a service for Thai certificates, while your application asks for a document from abroad. Do not order a Thai certificate as a substitute unless the mission confirms it will accept one.
A good enquiry to the mission gives your nationality, your country of permanent residence, the date you plan to submit and the name of any certificate you already hold. It then asks whether that document and that issuing authority are accepted. We suggest sending this question in writing. A specific question gets a more useful answer than asking whether you need "a background check", which can leave the actual document undecided.
How recent must the certificate be?
In London, the six-month limit is counted to the date of submission. Compare the issue date on the certificate with the date you plan to file, and allow time for the rest of your documents. If your plans change, check the dates again before you submit.
The table below separates London's published requirement from the questions you still need to put to other missions.
| Receiving mission | Certificate to prepare | Maximum age | What to confirm before ordering |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | ACRO or Irish police certificate | Issued within six months of submission | Which document fits your circumstances and whether translation or certification is needed |
| US mission, such as Washington or Los Angeles | Ask the specific mission to identify the accepted check and issuer | Confirm with that mission | Accepted certificate, age limit and certification requirements |
| Moscow | Confirm the accepted certificate for your nationality and application | Confirm with the embassy | Eligibility to file there, document age, translation and legalisation |
Suppose you plan to apply in London and your certificate is four months old. It is within the age limit, but you still need to meet the other requirements. If you move the application to another mission, London's limit no longer applies, and the new mission may set a different one. A recent certificate is also no use if it comes from an authority the mission does not accept.
Does a DTV police certificate need legalisation or an apostille?
Step 3: confirm certification and translation
Ask the receiving mission whether the certificate must be legalised, which authorities have to certify it and whether it needs a translation. Mention the certificate's country of issue and its language in the question. Ask for the full sequence of steps before you pay for any of them, especially if you already hold a certified copy or an apostilled document. When our lawyers review a DTV file, they check the certification steps against the mission's instructions before the client pays for anything.
Before 28 February 2027
The Apostille Convention is not yet in force for Thailand. The HCCH status table records Thailand's accession on 30 June 2026 and gives 28 February 2027 as the date of entry into force. Accession on its own does not make the apostille route available any earlier.
Until then, your certificate may need authentication in the country that issued it and then legalisation by a Thai embassy or consulate. Confirm which authorities are involved, and in what order, with the receiving mission before you pay for certification. Whether you need a translation depends on what the receiving authority asks for.
For the translation, ask which language the mission accepts, who may prepare the translation and whether the translation itself must be certified. Keep these answers apart from the instructions for certifying the original certificate, because an answer on one point does not settle the other.
After entry into force
From 28 February 2027, an apostille can replace the embassy legalisation step where the Convention applies between Thailand and the country that issued the document. If a country objects to Thailand's accession, the Convention does not apply between the two, and an apostille from that country does not replace legalisation. A translation may still be required.
If you plan to submit after 28 February 2027, check the HCCH status table and the receiving mission's instructions again closer to the time. Do not plan a future application on the assumption that documents from every country will follow the same route from that date.
What should you check before submitting?
Step 4: review the certificate with the rest of the application
Use this checklist once you have the mission's instructions and your documents. Our team goes through the same points when we review a DTV file. It helps you prepare, but it does not replace the mission's own document list.
- Place of application: confirm the receiving mission and the nationality or residence evidence you will provide.
- Country and authority of issue: compare both with the mission's instructions. The English title on the document is not enough.
- Date: check how old the certificate will be on your planned submission date, including any delay while you gather other papers.
- Personal details: compare names and identifying details across your passport, certificate and translation, and resolve any mismatch before you file.
- Translation and certification: make sure the translation is in the requested language and the certification steps were done in the requested order.
- Dependent children: ask what is required for each child, giving their age and nationality. Do not assume one parent's certificate covers everyone.
Read the DTV requirements and documents guide alongside this checklist. A correctly prepared police certificate is only one part of the application and does not replace the other supporting documents.
Existing visas and earlier applications
If you already hold a DTV, or you applied around the 31 August 2026 change, your situation is different from a new application. For a pending file, keep the submission confirmation and the payment receipt, both showing their dates. Ask the mission handling your file which document rules apply before you obtain a new certificate or submit another application. An account registration or an unpaid application does not prove that your file was complete before the change. If you are unsure which rules apply to you, send us the confirmation and receipt and we will look at them.
Help preparing your DTV documents
Document problems often overlap, as our typical DTV refusal situation involving a bank statement shows. It is a typical situation, not a real client's case. It shows how a file can be reviewed and rebuilt before a new application after a refusal.
If you would like support with your documents, see DTV application support, priced at [price]. Tell us your nationality, your country of permanent residence, the mission you intend to apply to and the issue date of any police certificate you already hold. With those details our lawyers can tell you which requirements to check before you order more documents. Our lawyers are licensed by the Lawyers Council of Thailand. We reply within 24 hours and agree the cost before any work begins. The final decision on the application rests with the receiving mission.
