Do I Register The Marriage With The Uk Embassy

[joker7]

Have decided to get married and am considering if I should register the marriage with the UK embassy.

I want to be careful however what rights she will then have on my property and pensions in the UK now that the marriage is seen to be official in the eyes of the UK, even if we solely intend on living in thailand.

I dont see myself living back in the UK for a number of years and would appreciate your thoughts and views.

[topdjdel]

Good topic is this.Me thinks Ill keep an eye on this.

A freind of mine who split with his wife hadnt registered his marriage and he told me that coz he married in Thailand and although lived the UK as man and wife she was not entitled to the usual 50/50.

He did say he paid her off tho,it wasn't much he said in comparison if hed married her in the UK he would have been stung big time.

How true all of this I dont know.Interseting topic is this.

delboy

[the scouser]

You can't actually register your marriage with the British embassy. However, you can have a copy of your Thai marriage certifcate recorded at the embassy and this is then placed on file at the General Register Office. There is no real benefit to be gained from this other than being able to obtain copies from within the UK, rather than having to do so from the amphur in Thailand.

I'm no expert on divorce, but to my limited knowledge, the UK courts can accept jurisdiction, if appropriate, of any marriage irrespective of where it occurred. A marriage registered at an amphur is lawful in the UK, so I don't see why a UK court should not rule on its dissolution.

Scouse.

[slimsam]

When getting divorced, how property and assets are divided up depends on where the divorce takes place not the wedding. I believe that it is advantageous for the man to get divorced in Thailand. (It is quicker and cheaper.)

PS. 50/50 split when getting divorced ? If only it were that simple. Usually it is 70 - 30 in the womens favour !

[lungbing]

One other point to note is that if you have only been through the long ceremony with the nine monks chanting, which is usually held in the bride's house, then you might be married in the eyes of her family, but you are not married in Thai or British law. For that you have to register the marriage at the local amphur and obtain the wedding certificates. That marriage is then recognised in Thai and UK law.

And Joker7, if you do marry at the amphur so it's legal, then when you die ( in many many years hence ) I believe your wife will get a UK pension on the strength of your NI contributions. When she's of pensionable age of course. Do tell your private pension provider that you're married as she might also be entitled to a smaller pension from them on your death. They'll want sight of the wedding certificate and translation.

If I had married my wife after I started drawing my private pension it would have died with me.

( I suppose that's to stop me marrying a nubile young 20 year old when I'm on my deathbed aged 101 so she can get my pension. ) But as I married her before I started to draw it then she gets a reduced pension from my private provider as well as (eventually) the UK state one on the strength of my NI contributions.

[the scouser]

I'll need to double check this, but I believe when you snuff it, your wife will get the state widows pension immediately, based on your NI contributions; i.e. she won't have to wait until she herself is of retirement age.

Scouse.

[mrrpie]

There is no such thing as a 'widows pension" any more, however any surviving spouse might qualify for a bereavement allowance. The (Thai) widow of a friend who passed away in Thailand fairly recently didn't qualify for anything - and it took forever to get an answer.

http://www.directgov.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAnd...ion/DG_10026707

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Custom...008411.xml.html

[paully]

I'm no expert on divorce, but to my limited knowledge, the UK courts can accept jurisdiction, if appropriate, of any marriage irrespective of where it occurred. A marriage registered at an amphur is lawful in the UK, so I don't see why a UK court should not rule on its dissolution.

Scouse.

Yes, where you got married is utterly irrelevant for a UK divorce. What matters is that it was a legal marriage in the country you married in - so the amphur procedure is necessary for Thailand(remember the old Mick Jagger attempted dodge several years ago over his 'beautiful ceremony' with Jerry Hall on the beach in Bali not constituting a proper marriage) - and that you can provide a certified translation of the marriage certificate. Otherwise the poor old court staff and the District Judge cannot read it

Edited May 8, 2007 by paully

[joker7]

Been a while since I had a look on this topic. Still getting married. Was just wanting to clear a point up. I thought the marriage was only legal 'in the eyes of the uk' if I registered it with the Uk embassy. ??

Are you saying if I registered the marriage at the Amphur but did not register the marriage at the british embassy it becomes a legally binding marriage in the uk ??

Thanks for the info

Joker

One other point to note is that if you have only been through the long ceremony with the nine monks chanting, which is usually held in the bride's house, then you might be married in the eyes of her family, but you are not married in Thai or British law. For that you have to register the marriage at the local amphur and obtain the wedding certificates. That marriage is then recognised in Thai and UK law.

And Joker7, if you do marry at the amphur so it's legal, then when you die ( in many many years hence ) I believe your wife will get a UK pension on the strength of your NI contributions. When she's of pensionable age of course. Do tell your private pension provider that you're married as she might also be entitled to a smaller pension from them on your death. They'll want sight of the wedding certificate and translation.

If I had married my wife after I started drawing my private pension it would have died with me.

( I suppose that's to stop me marrying a nubile young 20 year old when I'm on my deathbed aged 101 so she can get my pension. ) But as I married her before I started to draw it then she gets a reduced pension from my private provider as well as (eventually) the UK state one on the strength of my NI contributions.

[Mahout Angrit]

Are you saying if I registered the marriage at the Amphur but did not register the marriage at the british embassy it becomes a legally binding marriage in the uk ??

Yes, it is legal and recognised the worldover, including UK.

[ABD]

Hmmm, any reason I am unable to see SunBelt's replies?

They look blank for every one, but I assume something is written ...

AG

[astral]

Are you saying if I registered the marriage at the Amphur but did not register the marriage at the british embassy it becomes a legally binding marriage in the uk ??

Yes, it is legal and recognised the worldover, including UK.

It certainly was by the Inland Revenue a few years back, when I could still claim an allowance for my wife.

[expatgaz]

A benifit of having your marriage recorded at the UK Embassy is that if you have children together the process to get their UK Passport is much easier.

EPG.

[paully]

Been a while since I had a look on this topic. Still getting married. Was just wanting to clear a point up. I thought the marriage was only legal 'in the eyes of the uk' if I registered it with the Uk embassy. ??

Are you saying if I registered the marriage at the Amphur but did not register the marriage at the british embassy it becomes a legally binding marriage in the uk ??

Absolutely nothing to do with the British Embassy whatsoever. The marriage is as legal in the UK as it is in Thailand as soon as the amphur papers are signed and they give you the marriage certificate.

Edited June 11, 2007 by paully

[connor]

Hi

The marriage IS as Manhout says legal pretty much world wide.

If you are unfortunate enough to get divorced make sure you do so in Thailand. Get the deal struck up very quick & try to settle using your Thai assets.

To me it sounds like you will know if you belong together long before she becomes a UK resident anyway as you are both in Thailand. So in all fairness she wont know or understand about your assets.

If you have that many assets why not do a prenuptial? Make sure you have done a will in both Thai & English as she may have a lot of problems if you decide to pop your clogs .