'Freedom to marry' certificate service providers

[notrub]

My GF and I would like to get married after 5 years of generally harmonious partnership...  It is not a life (or visa) threatening situation but it would be nice to do.

 

I would like to find a service that could help smooth the way to enable us to be married sometime in 2020.  There are a few complications regarding my circumstance although being legally divorced is not one of them.  I am, in fact, free to marry and it is providing the paperwork to prove it is what I need help with.  Here is me and my situation.

 

I am a 71 year old male with dual nationality, Canada (born) / UK (by marriage later).

I am in Thailand on on my UK passport with an 'o' non res. ret. visa and comply with all the current requirements to renew.  Including cash in the bank and income.  I own my house on usufruct land etc..  No criminal record or other antisocial history.

Married in Canada 30 odd yrs ago to a UK national, legally divorced in France last year.  Documents for this are in French.

 

It appears that I will have to translate and present my divorce document in English to the UK authorities.  Then have them translated to Thai.  At some point I must swear that I am telling the truth about everything before some sort of qualified (UK?) official.  

 

I live in Isaan and only go to BKK under duress so finding a service near Buriram, Korat or Khon Kaen for example, would be nice.  Doing everything by post would be good too.  Appearing in person to do the swearing on my honour etc. would be nice to do at the office of some official near to me. 

 

Any ideas re. an honest, economical agency that could help me please?

 

Thank you very much in advance.

 

 

  

[MeePeeMai]

PM sent

[ubonjoe]

You will have to do the affirmation at the UK embassy in Bangkok. 

Info is here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand#affirmation-of-marital-status

You should be able to get the translation of your divorce decree translated by mail to some translation services in Bangkok.

[MeePeeMai]

35 minutes ago, notrub said:

Any ideas re. an honest, economical agency that could help me please?

Check your mailbox, the agency I used does do French and they only charged me 3500 baht total for translating all of my documents and getting them checked by the MFA, corrected and resubmitted for signature and certification by the MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand) which must be done. 

 

As UbonJoe said above, you must go to the UK Embassy in BKK to get your Freedom To Marry affirmation document so you will have to do one trip to Bangkok (as I did).

[notrub]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You will have to do the affirmation at the UK embassy in Bangkok. 

Info is here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand#affirmation-of-marital-status

You should be able to get the translation of your divorce decree translated by mail to some translation services in Bangkok.

Thank you.  MeePeeMai sent the name of a translation service so the French to English to Thai may be much easier.  'A Language Lover’s Translation Centre Part., Ltd.' in BKK.

 

Do you think I will need to provide my original marriage, now divorced, certificate or will the divorce documents be enough?

 

Thanks a lot for this and other comments you have taken the time to make in the past.

 

Happy New Year,

 

Notrub.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

The lady at the embassy told me that the certificate means nothing as it's not a legal document. All she did was sign that I had claimed to be "free to marry". I had to provide no proof of any sort, and they didn't check anything on line.

PS Not the UK embassy. They may be different. I suggest you write and ask them what they require. If they don't know you were married and divorced, why would you need to prove it? For all they know you were married again after the previous divorce.

[Peter Denis]

Maybe a stupid question, but why would there be a need for you to translate your french divorce documents in english and thai?

For sure you would need a 'marital status' document in order to marry. 

But there are only 4 options for such document: Unmarried / married / divorced / widowner

So why would you need additional proof that you are actually divorced or a widowner, when the marital status document indicates that that is your status?

 

Edited January 1, 2020 by Peter Denis

[notrub]

Thank you Thaibeachlovers and Peter Denis.  These thoughts have certainly crossed my mind.  The requirement to appear at the end of all the 'providing translated documents' to make a sworn statement that I am 'free to marry' makes a nonsense of the whole process.  The amphur requires only this sworn statement, it seems, although they would like a whole bunch of other stuff too given a chance.

 

I was not married or divorced in the UK so who is to know?...  If they really check they could find my tax records and applications for various UK documents but how likely is that?

 

The UK embassy requires all documents in English and the amphur requires same in Thai.

 

I have a small sum paid into my account each month by a private pension fund.  It ends with my death if I am not married.  How will they know I am dead?

 

The land my house is built on is in the name of my partner (paid for by me).  The usufruct ends with my death.  She automatically gets everything unless somebody (my children) appear and want to move the house and pool off the land, 555.  

 

Further comments welcome.  Thanks.

 

Happy New Year!

[thaibeachlovers]

Simple way to avoid all the legal BS is to have a village wedding. While it is not "legal" in a western sense, it does fulfill the desire to show that you wish to be together more than just living together.

Even a legal wedding is not going to save a relationship gone wrong.

Other than for purposes of bringing her to a western country I see no advantage or reason for a legal wedding.

[Peter Denis]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Simple way to avoid all the legal BS is to have a village wedding. While it is not "legal" in a western sense, it does fulfill the desire to show that you wish to be together more than just living together.

Even a legal wedding is not going to save a relationship gone wrong.

Other than for purposes of bringing her to a western country I see no advantage or reason for a legal wedding.

Is such a village wedding accepted by IO when wanting to convert from 'retirement' to 'marriage' status?

That would be a very interesting option.

If so, what documents are required by IO?

[notrub]

It will be interesting to see comments about the post of Peter Denis.  Also, would a village marriage give the right to a yellow book?  I qualify for the retirement visa but a marriage visa would be nice.  We have no intention of going to a western country even for a visit never mind moving there.

[MeePeeMai]

6 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Is such a village wedding accepted by IO when wanting to convert from 'retirement' to 'marriage' status?

That would be a very interesting option.

If so, what documents are required by IO?

No, in order to get a visa or extension based upon on marriage to a Thai, you must have the Kor Ror 3 which is the legal document (marriage certificate) which means that you went to the amphoe with your woman and got legally married (unless of course you were legally married outside of Thailand and then you registered your marriage here of course).

 

You must also have the Kor Ror 2 which is a copy of the ledger (verification) from the amphoe which shows that your marriage was registered legally and that you are still indeed legally married (not divorced)

Edited January 6, 2020 by MeePeeMai

[MeePeeMai]

8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Simple way to avoid all the legal BS is to have a village wedding.

And this is where the dowry (or sinsod) is usually handed over!

[Sophon]

On 1/6/2020 at 7:06 PM, MeePeeMai said:

And this is where the dowry (or sinsod) is usually handed over!

Sinsod = bride price. Dowry is the opposite.