Free to Marry notary witness required at US Embassy?

[Yeahrightdennis]

Hello everyone,  I need going through a few forums for an answer but haven't found anything, so I guess I ask here.

 

I have to go the the US Embassy next month to get my Free to Marry affidavit notorized.  My question is, do I need a witness notorization? I tried to call and email the embassy, but no luck.

[Jingthing]

Not sure but I had to do an affidavit there that required a witness and I was allowed to just ask a random person in the lobby to do it.

[Jingthing]

I will add that not surprisingly the embassy staff are not allowed to act as witnesses.

[MrJ2U]

15 minutes ago, Yeahrightdennis said:

I need a witness notorization

I had the motorcycle taxi driver act as the witness, gave him 500 baht. 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

I had the motorcycle taxi driver act as the witness, gave him 500 baht. 

At the US embassy?  I think not!

[Onerak]

I think in the US, a witness can be anybody who is not a party to the document being signed. But in the US, no random person will be willing to be a witness. However, this is Thailand so anything goes will be my guess. 

[thaibeachlovers]

I can't help with the US embassy, but my signature was witnessed by the consular official in NZ embassy. Surely that is why we have to pay for such?

[jerrymahoney]

I did it SEP 2021 at US Embassy - Bangkok. No witness required.

Edited November 24, 2022 by jerrymahoney

[edwardflory]

Just did one 1 month ago.

 

1) Make sure you have a appointment - via website. You will wait in line outside, Thai guard will let you in at appointment time - show proof of appointment at access window.

 

INSIDE SECURITY:

1) NO cell phones - checked at security and put in lock bag, keep key - pick up on way out. Cigarettes, lighters and water bottles thrown in TRASH, backpacks xrayed, YOU go thru metal detector - possibility of hand search.

 

INSIDE OATH AREA:

2) Make sure you have a UP TO DATE FORM ( they gave me one at window )

 

3) $50 fee, pay at seperate window ( I paid with $50US ) KEEP RECEIPT and give / show to officer when called as proof of payment.. 

 

IF all the above correct, wait time INSIDE embassy, about 30 minutes. NO witness required.

Edited November 24, 2022 by edwardflory
spelling

[GinBoy2]

I did this back in 2019, there is no witness

 

The purpose of the notary is that they witness you swearing to the truth and your signature

[MrJ2U]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

At the US embassy?  I think not!

If thej witness is over 18,  has an appointment and I'D its perfectly fine.

 

Not everyone has a witness in there back pocket.

 

 

 

 

[PattayaKevin]

Make sure you list 2 people you know in the United States on the form just need the names addresses of them. My local amphur then asked me the names of them and where they lived. Don't need any witnesses at the embassy. 

[Yeahrightdennis]

5 hours ago, edwardflory said:

Just did one 1 month ago.

 

1) Make sure you have a appointment - via website. You will wait in line outside, Thai guard will let you in at appointment time - show proof of appointment at access window.

 

INSIDE SECURITY:

1) NO cell phones - checked at security and put in lock bag, keep key - pick up on way out. Cigarettes, lighters and water bottles thrown in TRASH, backpacks xrayed, YOU go thru metal detector - possibility of hand search.

 

INSIDE OATH AREA:

2) Make sure you have a UP TO DATE FORM ( they gave me one at window )

 

3) $50 fee, pay at seperate window ( I paid with $50US ) KEEP RECEIPT and give / show to officer when called as proof of payment.. 

 

IF all the above correct, wait time INSIDE embassy, about 30 minutes. NO witness required.

Thank you!

[ThailandRyan]

13 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

I had the motorcycle taxi driver act as the witness, gave him 500 baht. 

How did he access the Embassy?, and better yet the US Citizens section.

[gmmarvin]

I did it once in Bangkok and one time in Chiang Mai.  No witnesses needed.

 

[Jingthing]

The document that I needed a witness for was real estate related. 

[riclag]

You will need that translated to Thai but you probably know that!

[lopburi3]

5 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

If thej witness is over 18,  has an appointment and I'D its perfectly fine.

 

Not everyone has a witness in there back pocket.

 

 

 

 

1.  There is no witness other than the US Consular Officer who signs.

2.  There is no access to US Embassy Consular area to MC drivers.

[ThailandRyan]

28 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

The document that I needed a witness for was real estate related. 

I was in the embassy when a gentleman who was selling a house in the US needed a witness, no problem I said. You sign mine, I will sign yours and viola.

[MrJ2U]

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

How did he access the Embassy?, and better yet the US Citizens section.

He used the front door. 

[MrJ2U]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

There is no witness other than the US Consular Officer who signs

"Our staff cannot act as witnesses. If your document requires the presence of witnesses in addition to the notarization, you must supply these witnesses and each witness MUST have their own scheduled appointment. Witnesses must bring their valid government-issued photo ID. You may also find someone in the waiting room willing to assist you as a witness."

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/notary-and-other-services-frequently-asked-questions/

[lopburi3]

8 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

He used the front door. 

It is a side door to the right of main visa section waiting area after entry by appointment only via a door/security check to the left of main old Embassy compound vehicle access and dates back more than 40 years.

 

As pointed out by many - there is no signature required other than the Notarization official - he is the witness to your signature.

Quote

What is Signature Witnessing? A signature witnessing is an official notarial act, though not allowed in all states. To perform a signature witnessing, the Notary must have the signer personally appear and provide satisfactory proof of identity. The signer must then sign the document in the Notary's presence.

https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-bulletin/blog/2021/04/different-types-of-witnesses-and-witnessing-notaries#:~:text=What is Signature Witnessing%3F,document in the Notary's presence.

[MrJ2U]

2 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

As pointed out by many - there is no signature required other than the Notarization official - he is the witness to your signature

Whoever's pointing that out is totally wrong.

 

You need a witness.  The Notarization official or any employee of the embassy cannot be a witness. 

 

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/notary-and-other-services-frequently-asked-questions/

 

 

 

 

[lopburi3]

39 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Whoever's pointing that out is totally wrong.

 

You need a witness.  The Notarization official or any employee of the embassy cannot be a witness. 

 

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/notary-and-other-services-frequently-asked-questions/

 

 

 

 

You keep posting this which has nothing to do with the topic of marriage document (which only requires notarization signature/stamp).  What you quote is additional witness requirements of some other documents and that person requiring must bring and they have own appointment or they ask someone in waiting room.  Again this is not required for the document this topic is about.

[MrJ2U]

20 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

notarization

Your talking of an affidavit, not to be confused with a legal notarization, or notary. 

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Your talking of an affidavit, not to be confused with a legal notarization, or notary. 

You seem confused. We pay to have an official witness that we personally sign a document. The official IS the witness.

Other witnesses may be required for a different document that is not the topic, and in that case must be provided by the person applying for the document.

[ThailandRyan]

16 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

He used the front door. 

Without an appointment, and without the proper ID I think not.  The embassy does not allow others in unless they have an appointment inside, and a witness, if using one, must also have an appointment.  To access the US Citizens side you need an appointment.  When my now ex-wife had her appointment for the interview I could not access the embassy and had to wait outside.

[GammaGlobulin]

Although I am free to marry, I would never marry a notary witness at the US Embassy. 

 

Also, being of sound mind, and logical, I just would never marry. 

 

But, I guess, I'm no Elizabeth Taylor. 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 11/26/2022 at 1:07 AM, MrJ2U said:

Whoever's pointing that out is totally wrong.

 

You need a witness.  The Notarization official or any employee of the embassy cannot be a witness. 

 

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/notary-and-other-services-frequently-asked-questions/

 

 

 

 

That would depend on the country then, and it's strange, given the consular official is only witnessing that you signed the paper. They don't actually verify that what you sign is true, only that you sign a document. So they want a witness to witness that the witness witnessed the signature.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

It's already pretty clearly been established above that the U.S. Embassy in BKK does not require Americans going there to obtain their certified freedom to marry affidavit to bring along any kind of witness.

 

I got my freedom to marry affidavit there in the past, and no witness was required, nor does the Embassy webpage on marriage affidavits make any mention of needing a witness.

 

The OP needs to download and fully complete the marriage affidavit document, IIRC except for his own signature, make an appointment to visit the US Embassy, and then present his US passport and the completed affidavit to the embassy officer, sign it in front of the officer, and then the officer will certify it, and return the certified document to the applicant.

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married-in-thailand/

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK