I and my long-term partner (I am British, she is South Korean) want to 'tie the knot' in Chiang Mai. Can anyone point me to a good source of information on what we will require in the way of paperwork to make that happen?

 

 

You both need to obtain an affirmation of freedom to marry from your embassies, have them translated into Thai, then take the original and the Thai translation to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (there's one at the government complex on the way to Mae Rim).

 

For you this link will be helpful.

 

For South Korea, your wife to be will need to do some research I guess.

 

Once you have both documents stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you can legally marry at the Chiang Mai Amphur office. 

 

You might find it easier to get an agent. I didn't get one and I wish I did.

Thanks Naboo. Very helpful, much appreciated. 

Please see: https://www.gov.uk/marriage-abroad/y/thailand/opposite_sex

Thanks Biker. That's pretty much what I need. 

Unless there is some specific reason to have a legal marriage in Thailand I'll give you the same advice I gave on Thorn Tree- you don't need to jump through all the bureaucratic hoops to have a wedding ceremony in Thailand. The actual legal part is just done in an office, NOT at the ceremony, so if it's the ceremony in some nice spot that you want, get married in either of your own countries, and just have a ceremony in Thailand.

There are plenty of wedding agencies that will organise it if you don't want to do that part either.

I found the bureaucracy in Thailand to be excessive and a pain in the <deleted>.

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Unless there is some specific reason to have a legal marriage in Thailand I'll give you the same advice I gave on Thorn Tree- you don't need to jump through all the bureaucratic hoops to have a wedding ceremony in Thailand. The actual legal part is just done in an office, NOT at the ceremony, so if it's the ceremony in some nice spot that you want, get married in either of your own countries, and just have a ceremony in Thailand.

There are plenty of wedding agencies that will organise it if you don't want to do that part either.

I found the bureaucracy in Thailand to be excessive and a pain in the <deleted>.

 

We're probably different from most as we're not interested in a romantic ceremony somewhere beautiful. It's the legal part of a marriage that will be accepted in our home countries that matters. From the reading I have done since I started to look into it, the legal requirements in Thailand are pretty much the same as they are in other countries; one obvious extra hoop to jump through is having documentation officially translated into Thai, but apart from that, how is it so difficult? (I'm not for a moment disputing that it can be more difficult here - just wanting to learn more, if possible.)

It is not the getting married that is difficult. It is the staying married.