Notary for Cross-Border Inheritance & Estate
Complete package for Thai and foreign probate courts — Estate Executor + Heir Affidavit
Who needs Notary for Cross-Border Inheritance & Estate?
Heirs of decedents in Thailand or abroad, estate executors, beneficiaries claiming cross-border assets
Document Checklist
Death Certificate
Certified copy + translation + Notary
Affidavit of Heirship / Kinship Declaration
Establishes family relationship to the decedent
Last Will & Testament
Certified as authentic original + Notary
Power of Attorney to Estate Executor
Delegates authority to the executor
House registration of decedent and heirs
Proves relationship
Marriage / Birth Certificate
Bloodline evidence
Court order appointing executor
Certified true copy for foreign use
Why cross-border inheritance needs Notary
Probate courts worldwide reject foreign documents that lack Notary Public — the first-tier proof that the signer is genuine, alive, and truly related as claimed. NYC Legal handles 15-20 cross-border estate cases per month, totalling quoted on request + per year in transferred assets.
Affidavit of Heirship — the core document
Where no will exists (intestate), heirs must swear an Affidavit of Heirship before a notary specifying: decedent, date of death, all statutory heirs, relationships, and known assets. It is the primary vehicle for bank-account, share, and real-estate transfers overseas.
POA to Estate Executor
When heirs are scattered across countries, they must appoint one Estate Executor by POA. The POA must be Notary + Apostille (after 28 Feb 2027) or MFA + Embassy before foreign use. NYC Legal drafts POAs valid across Thailand and destination in a single instrument.
Multi-jurisdiction estates
Assets in multiple countries require probate in each. NYC Legal cooperates with partner firms in 35+ countries, aligning notarial format to each court: US requires Notary + Apostille + Certified Translation; UK requires Grant of Probate; Japan requires Kaseki (bloodline record).
Estate tax and certified translation
US, UK, and Japan impose 20-55% estate tax. Correct certified translation of Thai tax documents drives deductions. Must use Certified Translator + Notary — we work with NAATI/Certified Translators across 8 languages.
Process
- 1
Free 30-min case review
Share decedent, assets, heirs, countries — we design the chain
- 2
Obtain source documents
Death cert, house registration, will, court order (if any)
- 3
Notary + Translation + Apostille/MFA/Embassy
3-7 business days · Express 48h
- 4
Ship to foreign Probate Court
DHL + tracking · we liaise with destination firm
Common Destinations
FAQ
Must Thai probate open first?
If assets are in Thailand, yes — Thai court first (approx 4-8 months). If only foreign assets, open probate directly in that jurisdiction.
Foreign decedent with Thai assets?
Bring the Grant of Probate / Letter of Administration from home country → Notary/MFA/Embassy → petition Thai court for local estate administration. We handle 20+ US/UK/AU heir cases per year.
Thai-resident heirs claiming foreign assets?
1) Affidavit of Heirship + Notary + Apostille, 2) POA to Estate Executor, 3) Certified translation, 4) Ship to foreign bank/lawyer. End-to-end quoted on request per country.
Do we need a foreign lawyer?
Almost always — probate requires an attorney of record. We have partners in 35+ countries and pre-negotiate fees.
Total cost range?
Simple single-country, single-asset: quoted on request (Thai side). Complex 3-5 countries: quoted on request all-in including foreign counsel.