Affidavit of freedom to marry - get it in home country?

[enkiki]

Hi all,

 

Quick one... I'm getting marry to my Thai lady and one of the requirement is " Affidavit of freedom to marry " that I can get at the Canadian embassy in Bangkok.

I'm actually flying back Canada tomorrow (for a month) and was wondering if I can get the same paper in Canada or does it have to be done here at the local Canadian embassy in Bangkok.

 

I read that " Statement In-Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad " in Canada is basically the same and can get it in Canada at DFAIT (Department of Foreign Affaires).

If I get that, would it be recognized here or accepted?  If I'm not mistaken, they are practically the same thing.

 

Thanks

 

Edited February 20, 2018 by enkiki

[JackThompson]

If it was accepted, I would not be surprised if you still had to go to the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok to get them to put a signature on it stating it was valid (or, that you told them it was valid - depending on embassy-policy).  Then you'd take that to the MFA, and they would validate that the signature from the officer at the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok was really their signature.

[ubonjoe]

You will need to have one from the embassy. An Amphoe would not accept anything else.

[Mattd]

It has to be issued by the embassy so that it can be certified by the MFA as a genuine signature on the document, MFA will only have the signatures of the authorised embassy staff on their files.

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, enkiki said:

I read that " Statement In-Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad " in Canada is basically the same and can get it in Canada at DFAIT (Department of Foreign Affaires).

If I get that, would it be recognized here or accepted?  If I'm not mistaken, they are practically the same thing.

Technically your correct, it's the same document.

You'd have to have it notarised and legalised by your DFA and the Thai Embassy in Canada.

 

Problem is the Amphurs marriage registration office probably wouldn't recognise the significance of the DFA stamp, even if they recognised the Thai Embassy stamp. Keep it simple and to the system they know and recognise.

Affirm/swear your affirmation to marry at the Canadian Embassy, have the affidavit translated into Thai then legalised by the Thai Ministry of Foreign affairs.

If you contact your Embassy they may already have an 'affirmation to marry' template available.

 

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/thailand-thailande/consular_services_consulaires/marriage_thailand-marier_thailande.aspx?lang=eng   

 

Edited February 20, 2018 by Tanoshi

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Technically your correct, it's the same document.

True but would it have the same wording and content that the Amphoe expects to see is another consideration other than what you mentioned.

 

[Tanoshi]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

True but would it have the same wording and content that the Amphoe expects to see is another consideration other than what you mentioned.

 

For certain Countries the 'affirmation to marry' is prepared in one's own Country before marrying in a foreign Country. (Getting married in China is an example). Notaries or Embassies have templates in many cases. As long as the required details are all including, you can write your own affirmation.  They are usually translated in the Country where your marrying. I suspect the OP read something in this respect.

 

However you are always well advised to follow the known procedures for the Country in which you intend to marry, to avoid any confusion.

Anything new or offered in a format to which they are not used to will likely confuse any Thai official.

It's also far easier and cheaper to do the affirmation and translation in Thailand.

[PoorSucker]

They will not accept anything without a embassy stamp. 

[northernboy]

 

 

It can be obtained in Canadian consulate in Chiang Mai or Canadian embassy in Bangkok only. 

 

I recommend checking out " legally married in Thailand" website or best talk with them, as are they are real experts.  

[thaikahuna]

You need to get the affadavit from your embassy, then have it translated to Thai, taken to the ministry of foreign affairs in Chaeng Wattana for their stamp of OK. Then you can go to the Amphur with the rest of your documents. You will also need 2 witnesses, one for your finace' and one for you. Unless you are fluent in Thai, your witness MUST be a native Thai speaker. 

[PoorSucker]

2 hours ago, thaikahuna said:

You will also need 2 witnesses, one for your finace' and one for you. Unless you are fluent in Thai, your witness MUST be a native Thai speaker. 

That will be up to the local Amphur, when I got married two kind ladies that worked there acted as witnesses.

[TKDfella]

I got mine while still in England but I had post the banns for two weeks at a local magistrates court before I receiving it. They warned me that I might have to take it to the BE to be endorsed and that is what I did.

[Colabamumbai]

Canadian Embassy will send you the form. 

[JackThompson]

@enkikiBefore you go to your embassy in Thailand to get the doc, check with the Amphoe to get a complete list of everything they want.  You may be able to save a 2nd trip to your embassy.

 

I got hung-up on amphoes wanting a "certified copy of my passport" after I had already made a separate trip to the embassy for the "permission to marry" doc.  

 

Also, be aware that some amphoes will not accept embassy docs from residents of some countries.  In my case "USA" affirmations of "freedom to marry" docs were rejected by two amphoes that we tried.