Are there any register offices in Nong Khai Province that will register foreigners marrying Thais

[RobU]

I am very new to this I met my fiance in 2019, left Thailand in February  2020 and haven't been able to get back to Thailand since.

Life was very simple travelling on a 3 month retirement visa.

We have maintained close contact via Facebook

I want to return in November 2022 and marry her.

1. Are there any register offices in the Region (I believe they are called Amphurs) which will register a marriage between a British Foreigner and a Thai National?

2. Can I extend my Non Immigrant O retirement visa for a few more months once I am married without putting huge sums in a Thai bank

I. Don't expect to move permanently to Thailand my income is not high enough but 5 or 6 months of the year would be sufficient for us both

[allane]

"Ampheur" means "District".You should be able to register your marriage at the office of the District in which your girlfriend lives. I believe you will need an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry completed by your Embassy in Bangkok (or maybe bring one with you from your home country).  This form confirms that you are not presently married.

I will leave your Immigration questions to others.

[RobU]

2 hours ago, allane said:

"Ampheur" means "District".You should be able to register your marriage at the office of the District in which your girlfriend lives. I believe you will need an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry completed by your Embassy in Bangkok (or maybe bring one with you from your home country).  This form confirms that you are not presently married.

I will leave your Immigration questions to others.

Thanks allane. My Fiance is illiterate she went to the District office in Rattanawapi Nong Khai and was told that they will not marry foreigners.

The UK embassy requires me to first make an appointment to Marry then contact the embassy to make an appointment to be interviewed for the certificate (No indication of how long I will have to wait to be seen at the embassy)

[Adumbration]

Why not just have a village wedding?  She won't be able to read the Kor Ror 3 anyway...

[RobU]

15 minutes ago, Adumbration said:

Why not just have a village wedding?  She won't be able to read the Kor Ror 3 anyway...

It has to be a legally recognised marriage Local village weddings are not legally recognised. I have just recovered from an operation for Cancer (it is classed as cured but it could recur) as my wife she is legally entitled to half my small NHS pension (NOT the UK state pension) when I die which means she will be financially secure. This survivor benefit can only be claimed by my wife hence my need to register a legal marriage

[kimamey]

I was married in 2013 and I'm not sure I can remember all the details now. I know we went to the British Embassy which has moved since then I think. That was to get the Affirmation of Freedom to Marry. I can't remember if I had to take anything such as my first wife's death certificate but I would imagine that all that would be on record anyway. If you can obtain it in the UK that would save a lot of time. I'm pretty sure it has to be translated into Thai before you take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (I think that's the one). If you don't get it translated beforehand there was a place just inside the ministry building that we used. After that there's what can best be described as a Thai job creation scheme. You wait to take your papers to someone who looks to see if you have everything. Then you wait some more and go into an office where someone else stamps the papers without looking at them. There might have have been someone else who just looked at them and gave them back but I'm not sure. After that I think it's just a case of waiting. We had booked a room nearby so we could go there and come back later as it takes hours.

 

I would make sure you keep the document safe as I've heard people say on here they've needed to produce it even though they can prove they are married which they couldn't have done without it. It's never happened to me but best to be safe.

 

Then you can enjoy the marriage. We had a celebration but not until the next year when my sister and her husband came out. We didn't have any monks either which surprised me. The marriage itself was a bit like applying for an International Driving Permit at the Post Office. In fact at the next counter was a neighbour of ours (possibly a relative of some sort as well) who was getting a replacement for her blue book she'd lost.

 

You often hear people say "We don't need a piece of paper to show we love each other." That may be true but others often do. In particular government officials. In your case for your pension and in mine for access to health care and being able to accompany my wife if she works outside of Thailand as she's a government employee.

 

Obviously take account of all the warnings that you can find here regarding marriage and if you're sure go for it and good luck. 

[youreavinalaff]

1 hour ago, South said:

and one question I have is how do you keep in contact with an illiterate woman on Facebook?

For someone who appears to know so much, assume so much and form opinions, however blunt and intrusive, impolite and personal they may be, I'm surprised you've never heard of video calls.

Edited February 16, 2022 by youreavinalaff

[RobU]

49 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

For someone who appears to know so much, assume so much and form opinions, however blunt and intrusive, impolite and personal they may be, I'm surprised you've never heard of video calls.

Thanks youreavinalaff I appreciate your support (I had to do a double take on your name to get the joke)

[Scott]

Inflammatory, troll post and reply removed.

 

[Adumbration]

On 2/16/2022 at 9:57 PM, RobU said:

It has to be a legally recognised marriage Local village weddings are not legally recognised. I have just recovered from an operation for Cancer (it is classed as cured but it could recur) as my wife she is legally entitled to half my small NHS pension (NOT the UK state pension) when I die which means she will be financially secure. This survivor benefit can only be claimed by my wife hence my need to register a legal marriage

Is a defacto relationship outside of the scope of the relevant legislation for your pension?

[Scott]

Another inflammatory post and reply reported and removed.  Continue and a suspension will be forthcoming.

 

[DrJoy]

@RobU You can make the Freedom to Marry document in England itself.

Translate to Thai and get it attested by the Royal Thai Emb in London, then it can be used here to marry.

In this case no need to visit your Emb here in Bangkok.

 

Thai Emb offers attestation service by mail, here`s the contact email -

 

[email protected] 

 

I strongly suggest you to marry in Bangkok, as the district offices here are used to marrying foreigners.

[RobU]

2 hours ago, Adumbration said:

Is a defacto relationship outside of the scope of the relevant legislation for your pension?

Yes the rules are very clear on this for the NHS. There are 3 sets of pension rules which depend on when you stopped working for the NHS. I fall under the oldest set which does not recognise relationships outside of marriage. The second set recognises same sex civil partnerships and the third set allows the pensioner to designate a partner to receive the survivors pension

[RobU]

1 hour ago, DrJoy said:

@RobU You can make the Freedom to Marry document in England itself.

Translate to Thai and get it attested by the Royal Thai Emb in London, then it can be used here to marry.

In this case no need to visit your Emb here in Bangkok.

 

Thai Emb offers attestation service by mail, here`s the contact email -

 

[email protected] 

 

I strongly suggest you to marry in Bangkok, as the district offices here are used to marrying foreigners.

Thanks Dr Joy this is very useful advice

[RobU]

On 2/17/2022 at 4:46 PM, DrJoy said:

@RobU You can make the Freedom to Marry document in England itself.

Translate to Thai and get it attested by the Royal Thai Emb in London, then it can be used here to marry.

In this case no need to visit your Emb here in Bangkok.

 

Thai Emb offers attestation service by mail, here`s the contact email -

 

[email protected] 

 

I strongly suggest you to marry in Bangkok, as the district offices here are used to marrying foreigners.

Hi Dr Joy I checked with the foregn office to try to get the document whilst in the UK. I have been told I must get the document in Thailand from the British embassy and have the interview at the British Embassy beause the thai authorities will only accept the document issued by the british embassy.

 

"Thank you for your e-mail. To be able to answer your specific questions I have contacted the British Embassy in Bangkok.

 

My Consular colleagues there inform me that, to register your marriage in Thailand, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs will only accept an “Affirmation of Marital Status” that has been drawn up and issued by the British Embassy."

[KhaoYai]

On 2/16/2022 at 1:32 PM, RobU said:

Thanks allane. My Fiance is illiterate she went to the District office in Rattanawapi Nong Khai and was told that they will not marry foreigners.

I thought this had stopped.  It came about a few years ago as a result of some Indian gentlemen faking documents for marriages. An Amphur manager was fired for allowing fake documents so others decided it was safer to simply stop marrying foreigners as they didn't know which documents were fake and which were real.

 

I spoke to the consular section at the British Embassy and a very helpful young lady offered to call the Amphur and sort things out. She did and they agreed to register my marriage.  Around that time there were quite a few reports of refusals.  All you can do is get your girlfriend to ring round and ask - or, if you want to be sure, book a slot at Bang Rak Amphur in Bangkok.

 

As for your visa - have you considered a Multi Entry Non O Visa (MENOV) based on marriage?  They are still available at some embassies/consulates in countries neighbouring Thailand.  You would have to check the entry requirements re; Covid but they all seem to be opening up now.  A MENOV is valid for one year and grants an unlimited amount of entries with a maximum of 90 days per entry.  They can be extended, I thought for 30 days but I have been reliably informed its 60 days, so basically giving you a 5 month stay.  If you want to stay longer you simply leave and re-enter.

 

I am told that they are available from the consulate in Laos - although their website only lists a single entry NON O. I got my last MENOV from Ho Chi Minh with no proof of income or cash in the bank. Just my passport, marriage certificate and registration and a letter from my wife inviting me to stay with her + signed copy of both sides of her ID card and the main pages of her Tabien Baan. Plus the fee of course.

 

The MENOV is slowly disappearing as embassies/consulates go over to the E-Visa system which only offers Single Entry Non O's but they are available for now.

 

Having said that, once married you could obtain a Single Entry Non O based on marriage from the Thai Embassy in London. That would give you 90 days + a 60 day extension. You'd have to check on their website but whereas when they issued such visas themselves, they didn't require evidence of income etc. - now they are on E-Visa they almost certainly will.

 

Note, when you visit your local immigration office for the 60 day extension, your wife needs to be with you and will need some documents - probably marriage certificate, registration, Tabien Baan, ID card.

 

The information that your Affirmation of Freedom to Marry needs to be done at the British Embassy in Thailand is correct. You will also need to have your passport certified by the British Embassy.

 

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

Edited March 4, 2022 by KhaoYai

[BritManToo]

On 2/16/2022 at 5:30 PM, RobU said:

2. Can I extend my Non Immigrant O retirement visa for a few more months once I am married without putting huge sums in a Thai bank

60 day extension to visit wife. Available once after every entry to Thailand, 1900bht, no other money required. Good luck with your marriage and your illness!

Edited March 5, 2022 by BritManToo