Just Registered Marriage Today

[HomeinThailand]

Just wanted to pass along my experience today registering my marriage in Bangkok.  Me and the new Mrs arrived at Bangrak office bright and early, 6:30am.  Appeared we were the second in the que.  Felt good to arrive and be the second in line.  When the gentleman outside reviewed our documents, my embassy certified copy of my passport was not good enough.  He wanted it to have been stamped by the ministry.  We had our documents checked earlier in the week and were told everything was fine, not at this location.  We ended up having to go to Rat Burana: Rat Burana Rd, Khwaeng Rat Burana, Khet Rat Burana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10140 (สำนักงานเขตราษฎร์บูรณะ).  We arrived at this office about 7:35.  We were the first for marriage certificates and had two other couples come in that tried the Bangrak office first.  Might be worth while starting at this office.  Come to find out that lady that completed out paperwork used to work at the Bangrak office.  She stated that if the Embassy certifies the passport copy, there is no ministry stamp, translation, required.  As this was my case there were no issues.  She was a wonderful woman to deal with.  Highly recommend going to this office to start.  I had my other documents prepared, translated, and taken the ministry through a translation company that was near my embassy done on a previous visit. 

 

Hope this may help.  I realize every experience is different. 

[Aussieroaming]

Good one, wish you both the best

[natway09]

Yes, but they are right, we had a small spelling mistake in the translation certified copy 

but once the staff understood that was a genuine translation mistake all things proceeded.

This must be the greatest job in the Government as from what I saw the gratuities pretty generous

[Tedly]

 Were you married in Thailand or somewhere else? I married my Thai wife in the USA and we have not been back to Thailand yet, but next trip back we will change her ID card and passport. I know we have to have the marriage license translated, but I think that is all. Anything I am missing or any information you can supply will be appreciated

[cacahootie]

On 11/3/2017 at 2:01 AM, HomeinThailand said:

Hope this may help.  I realize every experience is different. 

Did you need 2 witnesses or an interpreter?  My girlfriend and I went to Khlong Samwa Amphoe last week (with my MFA-stamped affidavit) and they gave us a runaround, need interpreter, need MFA-stamped passport translation, but we won't do it, must go to Chaiyaphum (where my girlfriend's tabien baan is registered).  I have an embassy appt tomorrow for a passport copy, but if I don't have to go through the MFA rigamarole for that also, it'd help a lot.  I'm 4 days out from the 15 day limit for legalizing documents, so I need to either get it done or wait until I do a visa run.

[MaeJoMTB]

18 minutes ago, cacahootie said:

Did you need 2 witnesses or an interpreter?  My girlfriend and I went to Khlong Samwa Amphoe last week (with my MFA-stamped affidavit) and they gave us a runaround, need interpreter, need MFA-stamped passport translation, but we won't do it, must go to Chaiyaphum (where my girlfriend's tabien baan is registered).  I have an embassy appt tomorrow for a passport copy, but if I don't have to go through the MFA rigamarole for that also, it'd help a lot.  I'm 4 days out from the 15 day limit for legalizing documents, so I need to either get it done or wait until I do a visa run.

Every office has it's own rules, just try a different Amphur office, some just don't like foreigners.

The office I used just had 2 office staff witness the documents, but others refuse.

Translator is also not a requirement, they just need to be sure you understand the documents you are signing, some Amphur offices the boss can speak English and translate for you, or you might be able to understand  enough Thai, or your potential wife might be allowed to translate.

15 day limit? are you sure, I had 3-6 months validity few years back when I did it.

[cacahootie]

1 minute ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Every office has it's own rules, just try a different Amphur office.

The office I used just had 2 office staff witness the documents, but others refuse.

15 day limit? are you sure, I had 3-6 months validity few years back when I did it.

That was the point - OP had recent experience with an Amphoe office that's relatively convenient for me to get to, so I was asking about his experience there.  Yes, I can just go try a different Amphoe, but my girlfriend doesn't like arguing or negotiating, and she gets frustrated by dealing with these things when they start throwing up roadblocks, so I'd rather not go from office to office and compound her anxiety.

 

Regarding the 15 day limit, reports are that the MFA requires you have 15 days or more remaining on your permission to stay in order to legalize a document.  I'm on the tail end of a 60+30, so I have 4 days until I'm within the no MFA legalization window.  Besides, I paid 2020 baht for a translator to do the translation + legalization of my affidavit and I'd rather not spend that again for a passport copy unless truly necessary.

[MaeJoMTB]

5 minutes ago, cacahootie said:

Regarding the 15 day limit, reports are that the MFA requires you have 15 days or more remaining on your permission to stay in order to legalize a document.  I'm on the tail end of a 60+30, so I have 4 days until I'm within the no MFA legalization window.  Besides, I paid 2020 baht for a translator to do the translation + legalization of my affidavit and I'd rather not spend that again for a passport copy unless truly necessary.

As far as I know the MFA just certify your embassy officials signature on the 'free to marry' document is genuine.

That's all the red stamp on the documents say. Nothing to do with legalization of anything.

Sounds like rules have changed recently (unlikely), or you aren't understanding (likely).

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎11‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 8:41 PM, cacahootie said:

That was the point - OP had recent experience with an Amphoe office that's relatively convenient for me to get to, so I was asking about his experience there.  Yes, I can just go try a different Amphoe, but my girlfriend doesn't like arguing or negotiating, and she gets frustrated by dealing with these things when they start throwing up roadblocks, so I'd rather not go from office to office and compound her anxiety.

 

Regarding the 15 day limit, reports are that the MFA requires you have 15 days or more remaining on your permission to stay in order to legalize a document.  I'm on the tail end of a 60+30, so I have 4 days until I'm within the no MFA legalization window.  Besides, I paid 2020 baht for a translator to do the translation + legalization of my affidavit and I'd rather not spend that again for a passport copy unless truly necessary.

Doesn't matter what someone else experienced, as they can just make it up, and different officials can be different. The rule is take everything, and hope they don't want something else as well. 

 

I just realised this is an old thread, so your situation is resolved anyway. Just deleted most of what I'd written.