Egypt Legalisation 2026 — MOFA Cairo GAFI Notary

Thailand → Egypt 2026: MFA + Embassy + MOFA Cairo, GAFI, Maazoun

Egypt has not joined the Hague Apostille Convention. Thai documents require the full chain: MFA + Embassy of Egypt in Bangkok (Thonglor Soi 10) + MOFA Cairo (Tahrir) before GAFI, Notary Public Egypt, Personal Status Court or the Ministry of Manpower.

Published 2026-06-29 Updated 2026-06-29 9 min readBy NYC Document Team

Ribbon-bound certified document set with an official seal awaiting consular legalisation or Apostille

Egypt: not a Hague Apostille party

Egypt has not acceded to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention as of mid-2026 (internal review ongoing but no instrument deposited). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt (Maspero/Tahrir, Cairo) continues the three-step consular legalisation system: origin MFA + Embassy of Egypt abroad + Consular Affairs Department, MOFA Cairo before acceptance by GAFI (General Authority for Investment), the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Notary Public Egypt or the Personal Status Court under Law 68/1947.

The Embassy of Egypt in Bangkok sits at 49 Thonglor Soi 10 (Soi Jairak), Sukhumvit 55, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana. Submission 09:30–12:00, Monday–Thursday; fee THB 1,500–3,000/page; 5–7 business days. NYC books appointments via consular@egyptembassybkk.com one week ahead.

Most-requested document types

GAFI Company Registration: foreign company (LLC / Joint Stock) at the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (Salah Salem, Cairo) requires full-chain Power of Attorney + Articles of Association under Investment Law 72/2017.

Marriage at Maazoun: Sunni Islamic marriage at the Maazoun (district marriage officer) requires full-chain Single Status + Birth Certificate + passport copy + Conversion Certificate (Shahada) for non-Muslim brides marrying Muslim men.

Work Permit MOM: at the Ministry of Manpower with full-chain Diploma + Police Clearance + Medical Certificate under Labor Law 12/2003 — foreigner quota ≤10% of total staff.

Personal Status Court: divorce, adoption and inheritance under Personal Status Law 25/1929 (Muslim) or Coptic Christian Personal Status Law 1938 — requires full-chain documents + Arabic translation.

Notary Public Egypt (Maktab Tawtheeq): certifies Power of Attorney to sell real estate or vehicles — requires full-chain POA.

Costs and timelines

Thai MFA Legalisation: THB 400/page + THB 800 handling = THB 1,200/page; 2–3 business days.

Embassy of Egypt Bangkok: THB 1,500–3,000/page + THB 200 appointment fee; 5–7 business days (2-day rush +100%).

MOFA Cairo (Tahrir Square): EGP 50–200/page (~THB 100–400) + NYC partner THB 1,500/page; 5–7 business days.

Arabic Sworn Translation (Cairo): EGP 200–500/page (~THB 400–1,000) by a Sworn Translator registered with the Egyptian Ministry of Justice.

End-to-end GAFI company registration (5 documents): THB 8,500–13,500; 15–22 business days including DHL.

Egypt-specific pitfalls

1) Law 68/1947 (Notarial Law) requires foreign documents to be translated into Arabic by a sworn translator registered with the Egyptian Ministry of Justice — Thai translations are not accepted at Court, GAFI or Personal Status.

2) Marriage at Maazoun uses Sunni Islamic law — Thai women must convert to Islam (Shahada at Al-Azhar) before marrying a Muslim Egyptian, unless marrying under the Coptic Christian Personal Status Court 1938.

3) GAFI Investment Law 72/2017: foreign companies require ≥51% Egyptian ownership in some sectors (Sinai, agriculture), or ≥USD 100,000 investment in Free Zones (Suez, Damietta, Alexandria) for the 10-year tax exemption.

4) The Embassy of Egypt Bangkok closes for Revolution Day (23 Jul), Sinai Liberation Day (25 Apr), Coptic Christmas (7 Jan), Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. NYC checks the Egyptian calendar before booking.

5) Thai Police Clearance must carry the full chain and be ≤3 months old (Egyptian Immigration Authority applies a stricter cap than the 6-month international norm) for Work Permit, Family Visa or Residency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Egypt joined the Hague Apostille Convention?

No. MOFA Egypt has not deposited the instrument of accession as of mid-2026, despite internal review. Foreign documents still require the full chain: MFA + Embassy of Egypt + Consular Affairs MOFA Cairo. A Thai Apostille alone will be rejected by GAFI, Personal Status Court and Notary Public Egypt.

Where is the Embassy of Egypt in Bangkok?

49 Thonglor Soi 10 (Soi Jairak), Sukhumvit 55, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana. Submission 09:30–12:00, collection 14:00–15:30, Monday–Thursday (closed Fri–Sun). Fee THB 1,500–3,000/page; 5–7 business days. Appointment via consular@egyptembassybkk.com one week ahead.

What Thai documents are needed for GAFI company registration?

GAFI (Salah Salem, Cairo) requires: (1) full-chain Power of Attorney + Arabic Sworn Translation; (2) full-chain Articles of Association; (3) full-chain founder passport copy; (4) Bank Reference Letter; (5) lease agreement for the Egyptian office. Total THB 8,500–13,500 + GAFI fee EGP 5,000–15,000.

What is required to marry at the Maazoun?

The Maazoun of the district requires: (1) full-chain Single Status / divorce ≤6 months + Arabic Sworn Translation; (2) full-chain Birth Certificate; (3) full-chain certified passport copy; (4) Conversion Certificate (Shahada) from Al-Azhar for non-Muslim brides marrying Muslim men; (5) two male Muslim witnesses. Total THB 6,500–9,500 + Maazoun fee EGP 500–2,000.

What does an MOM work permit require?

MOM (Ministry of Manpower, Nasr City Cairo) requires: (1) full-chain Diploma + Transcript + Arabic translation; (2) Police Clearance ≤3 months full-chain; (3) Medical Certificate (HIV/Hepatitis) from MOM-approved clinic; (4) Employment Contract with an Egyptian company; (5) the company must prove foreigner quota ≤10% under Labor Law 12/2003. Valid 1 year, fee EGP 5,000–15,000.

Can Arabic Sworn Translation be done in Thailand?

Can Arabic Sworn Translation can for the first stage (MFA + Embassy) but Court, GAFI, Personal Status Court and Notary Public Egypt require Arabic translation by a sworn translator registered with the Egyptian Ministry of Justice under Law 68/1947. NYC ships the full-chain original to Cairo for translation at EGP 200–500/page over 3–5 business days.

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