Married in California, divorced in Thailand. Does any one know how to register divorce in California

[shades]

Hello people, I need you help. I was married in California USA and now have  divorced in Thailand. 

 

I have done all translation of divorce papers  and have had them notirized by US embassy, now just need to figure out how to register it in the USA.

 

Thank you for any advise ????    

Edited October 6, 2018 by shades

[Pib]

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/while-abroad/divorce-abroad/divorce-abroad-legal.html

 

Edited October 6, 2018 by Pib

[scoutman360]

6 hours ago, Pib said:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/while-abroad/divorce-abroad/divorce-abroad-legal.html

 

I have no idea what you just said.

[Pib]

7 hours ago, scoutman360 said:

I have no idea what you just said.

 

Clear to me.  Marriage and divorce is a "states" matter.   There is no single place/office in the U.S. that you register a foreign divorce.   Just like getting/renewing a drivers license....all handled by individual states with different procedures.   Each state will have different laws, rules and forms regarding the foreign divorce and whether its acceptable and above summarizes what is generally acceptable in the states.  The OP should contact the California state govt office (probably a county court) which handles marriages/divorces...like in Los Angeles it would be the Family Law Section.

http://www.lacourt.org/division/familylaw/familylaw.aspx

[thaikahuna]

On 10/6/2018 at 7:38 PM, Pib said:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/while-abroad/divorce-abroad/divorce-abroad-legal.html

 

This is a states matter and would be recognized as long as the court does not think either party is trying to pull a fast one...such as in case of alimony. 

[Kurtf]

Instead of asking a bunch of non qualified dipshits, why don't you contact a US lawyer? Seems like a no brainer to me.

[Jaybott]

Thai marraige is recognized in the US so I will just assume that Thai divorce is recognized too. One does not have to register thier Thai marraige anywhere in the US, you are legally married. If you are legally divorced in Thailand, you are divorced. No need to register it in any US state.  Its like these celebrities that get married in Vegas and 6 months later get divorced in Rio. They're legally divorced, no need to register it anywhere except Rio.

 

As another poster mentioned, if I were you I would double check with a lawyer, just to cover your butt in order to avoid any surprises in the future.

[NCC1701A]

WOW. The state of California is one of the worst places to get divorced. Been there done that. Maybe the worst experience of my life.

 

If I were you I would contract a lawyer and ask some questions because you don't want this blowing back on you in the future.

 

 

[petesc55]

Any chance you can file a copy of the divorce decree with the county clerk of the county in California you were married in?    (May be the easiest way to figure this out, work backwards from where the marriage is filed.)     Maybe call them and ask what to do?

[hobobo]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

WOW. The state of California is one of the worst places to get divorced. Been there done that. Maybe the worst experience of my life.

 

If I were you I would contract a lawyer and ask some questions because you don't want this blowing back on you in the future.

 

 

Stop complaining! If you've walked out of marriage/divorce scenario and still came to LOS with $2 million, you should consider yourself lucky! Unless you had $2 billion before the divorce 

[NCC1701A]

1 minute ago, hobobo said:

Stop complaining! If you've walked out of marriage/divorce scenario and still came to LOS with $2 million, you should consider yourself lucky! Unless you had $2 billion before the divorce 

glad somebody is paying attention!

 

got divorced in 1997 with no kids so I had time to catch up. got to keep my property in Montana so that made a big difference. 

 

 

[hobobo]

1 minute ago, NCC1701A said:

glad somebody is paying attention!

 

got divorced in 1997 with no kids so I had time to catch up. got to keep my property in Montana so that made a big difference. 

 

 

Lucky you! I had a wife far richer than me, so upon our divorce she padded my bank accounts some!!!

[hobobo]

Just now, hobobo said:

Lucky you! I had a wife far richer than me, so upon our divorce she padded my bank accounts some!!!

Guess we're both lucky, then...

[rumak]

On 10/6/2018 at 7:38 PM, Pib said:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/while-abroad/divorce-abroad/divorce-abroad-legal.html

 

Here is my advice (from a non qualified dipshit).   READ what the above says and try to understand it.

As a few other dipshits have pointed out (for free)  it basically says it is a state matter and may or may not be recognized.   A lawyer will give you his "professional OPINION" ...for a hefty price.  For every lawyer that wins a case...there is one that LOSES.   They all get very well paid.

MY (Dipshit) THOUGHT:   If you and the ex are living here now and she did not get US citizenship when

she was in US.......then maybe best to just keep quiet and let time go by.  If she decides to "go after you" then she would have to go to US and proceed.  

Since you were divorced here (BTW...how do you do that if you had not registered marriage here?)

well, i assume it was registered here and you both agreed to divorce.  End of story here, no ?  

I can understand that probably you want it all "settled"....  just you have to decide if it is worth the price.

I think if you wait (like a few years) then it might be easier to get state to recognize the divorce as you

have documentation and she did not pursue it (contest it in US)

 

[Alexandra3]

When I got my divorce in California I only had to notify the following agencies:

 

1. My former and current employer to remove my ex-husband from inheriting any money from me in the event I die. He was removed from all of my investment accounts. 

 

2. Bank accounts and credit cards - he was removed as a person who could access them or inherit them. 

 

3. Social Security - I had to submit my divorce documents to remove my married name and take back my maiden name. He was removed from benefitting from my accounts. 

 

4. DMV - I had to submit the divorce documents to show a legal name change to change the name on my drivers license. 

 

5. State Department - I had to submit my divorce decree to get a new passport with my maiden name on it. 

 

Unless you are doing a legal name change you don't have to submit the documents to change your name. 

 

Unless you didn't name your ex as a beneficiary and a person who could access your financial accounts you don't have to do anything regarding investments, 401K accounts, pensions, brokerage accounts. 

 

There is no actual state agency to notify. You notify each agency individually depending upon what you need done. 

 

As far as I am aware of, there is no California state agency you must notify. You can check with the California State Attorney General to make sure. 

 

As far as the IRS and California Franchise Tax Board is concerned...I just filed single and they didn't ask any questions. You don't have to submit anything to the IRS or the California Franchise Tax Board (state taxes). You would not pay Cal state taxes anyway if you are not residing in the state. You only pay CA state tax when you reside in CA. The IRS doesn't care where you live. You still must pay taxes. 

 

[Alexandra3]

The only time your divorce documents really matter in America is when you wish to marry again. The county clerk will ask you to submit documents to prove you are divorced and free to marry again. You must prove you are divorced to be allowed to marry someone new. That is when the divorce documents become mandatory. You don't have to file them with anyone. You simply show them to the county clerk when you apply for the marriage license for the new marriage. The clerk looks them over and issues the marriage license for the new marriage. 

 

You need the divorce documents to get a legal name change, but if no legal name change you don't have to bother with that part. 

 

You will want to remove your ex from any financial accounts: credit cards, bank accounts, investment accounts, pensions, 401K, IRAs, brokerage account, real estate holdings, etc. 

 

You would want to update your will and remove your ex from your will. I know someone who inherited her ex-husband's house. He forgot to write a new will. He left it to his ex-wife because he forgot to write a new will after the divorce. They had been divorced for 20 years when he died. She was quite shocked when notified she got a house from her ex-husband. 

[Rhys]

Not sure if this the right section but here goes... For Social Security or IRS....I forgot does it make a difference in any aspect if you don't give your status?   For example, if you say your Single,  for Social Security, when you were divorced?  Or for IRS file single, but married.  Or file for SS and indicated Single, when you have a common law marriage?

 

Thanks mates

[mikosan]

On 10/7/2018 at 1:41 AM, scoutman360 said:

I have no idea what you just said.

Well read it again then, it's perfectly simply explained. 

[Alexandra3]

On 10/9/2018 at 1:40 AM, Rhys said:

Not sure if this the right section but here goes... For Social Security or IRS....I forgot does it make a difference in any aspect if you don't give your status?   For example, if you say your Single,  for Social Security, when you were divorced?  Or for IRS file single, but married.  Or file for SS and indicated Single, when you have a common law marriage?

 

Thanks mates

IRS - no need to show any proof. Just file “single”. 

 

Common law marriage doesn’t exit in California. There is no such thing in California. Either you’re married or you’re single. 

 

Social Security - submit divorce documents to unlink your accounts. They can’t draw on your account anymore and you can’t draw on theirs. Your accounts are now separate. 

[Rhys]

5 hours ago, Alexandra3 said:

IRS - no need to show any proof. Just file “single”. 

 

Common law marriage doesn’t exit in California. There is no such thing in California. Either you’re married or you’re single. 

 

Social Security - submit divorce documents to unlink your accounts. They can’t draw on your account anymore and you can’t draw on theirs. Your accounts are now separate. 

Thanks... for the insights..