Police clearance and medical certificates
Police clearance certificates and medical certificates — required by many countries for long-stay, work and residence visas.
Police clearance certificates for applicants inside Thailand are issued by the Royal Thai Police Special Branch. Applicants provide fingerprints and identity documents as the unit specifies. Thai nationals living abroad can generally apply through the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General where they reside, following that post's published procedure.
The certificate is normally issued in English, so translation is often unnecessary. Where the destination uses another language — Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Middle Eastern languages, for example — the document needs translation and then legalisation, first at the Department of Consular Affairs and then at the destination embassy.
Validity is critical. Most destinations require the certificate to have been issued within a set window before filing, so obtaining it too early can mean repeating the whole exercise. Sequence the steps so the certificate is still inside its window on the submission date.
Medical evidence comes in two distinct forms. One is a general medical certificate on the form a Thai agency prescribes. The other is an examination at a clinic designated by the destination embassy (a panel clinic), where results usually go directly to the authority and need neither translation nor legalisation. Confirm which system applies before booking.
Supporting-document requirements vary by visa category, nationality and the embassy or consulate receiving the file, and they change over time. Always check the current checklist published by the receiving authority before you start.
Documents in this family
- Police clearance certificate from Royal Thai Police Special Branch
- Fingerprint form in the prescribed format
- Passport and national ID card
- House registration or proof of address
- Medical certificate on the destination's prescribed form
- Panel-clinic health examination results where that system applies
Order of steps
- Apply for the police clearance certificate and provide fingerprints
- Collect the English-language certificate from the issuing unit
- Translate into the destination language where English is not accepted
- Legalise at the Department of Consular Affairs where required
- Legalise at the destination embassy and file within the validity window
Preparation checklist
- The name on the certificate matches the passport
- The issue date still falls inside the destination's validity window
- Confirm whether English is accepted or another language is required
- Confirm whether a panel clinic or a general medical certificate applies
- Keep receipts and filing records for follow-up
Frequently asked questions
Where is a Thai police clearance certificate issued?
Inside Thailand, at the Royal Thai Police Special Branch under its published procedure. Applicants abroad normally apply through the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General where they live.
How long is it valid?
The certificate itself carries no expiry, but receiving authorities set their own acceptance window — typically issued within a given period before filing. Check the destination's rule.
Do medical certificates need translation and legalisation?
It depends on the system. Panel-clinic results usually go directly to the authority and need neither. A general Thai-language medical certificate needs translation and possibly legalisation, depending on the destination.
Can someone with a past case obtain a certificate?
What appears on the certificate is decided by the issuing authority based on its records; we cannot predict the outcome. Applicants should ask the issuing authority about their specific circumstances.
Visa approval rests solely with the embassy, consulate or immigration authority. For a review of your document set, send scans to our team by phone, LINE or email.