Affirmation of freedom to marry (UK national)

[Terry Scoble]

I am seeking advice regarding the proof of address required by the British Embassy when applying for an affirmation of freedom to marry. On the gov.uk website it states that proof of address can be a yellow book, pink ID card or another document that is accepted by the district office. I don't have a yellow book and consequently no pink ID card. I asked the district office what other document they would accept and, following some blank looks, they suggested I went to immigration. I went to immigration with an application form for a Residence Certificate but was advised by the IO that the Residence Certificate was not a form used for embassies but just for local matters. What other forms of proof of address have UK nationals used to satisfy the British Embassy? 

[The Cyclist]

No idea 

 

Thai DL?
 

Bank statement with your name and address ?
 

Phone / Internet bill with your name and address ?
 

Failing that, you can get a copy of your divorce papers sent from the UK, for a fee of about £25 plus postage.

[PomPolo]

I got my proof of address from the Immigration Office in Udon Thani going in with the misses even though I was on a tourist visa back then but that was many years ago not sure if things might have changed these days I recall I think she showed them her yellow book or something and they were cool to issue it I didn't have a condo in those days.

[Terry Scoble]

8 hours ago, Terry Scoble said:

I am seeking advice regarding the proof of address required by the British Embassy when applying for an affirmation of freedom to marry. On the gov.uk website it states that proof of address can be a yellow book, pink ID card or another document that is accepted by the district office. I don't have a yellow book and consequently no pink ID card. I asked the district office what other document they would accept and, following some blank looks, they suggested I went to immigration. I went to immigration with an application form for a Residence Certificate but was advised by the IO that the Residence Certificate was not a form used for embassies but just for local matters. What other forms of proof of address have UK nationals used to satisfy the British Embassy? 

I should have mentioned that, although the British Embassy accepts a yellow book as proof of address, they state that the name has to be the same as in your passport. From my research, the yellow book is in Thai and contains no English so why would the embassy list this as an acceptable proof of address?

[Liquorice]

42 minutes ago, Terry Scoble said:

I should have mentioned that, although the British Embassy accepts a yellow book as proof of address, they state that the name has to be the same as in your passport. From my research, the yellow book is in Thai and contains no English so why would the embassy list this as an acceptable proof of address?

Your passport is proof of your name.

As I was living with my wife to be, I supplied a copy of her Blue house book as proof of address.

Documents are accepted in English or Thai.

 

Apply for a marital status affirmation online

To apply for your affirmation online you’ll need:

• the month and the province you intend to get married
• your UK passport
• proof of your permanent address
• your partner’s passport – or national identity card if they’re not a British national
• the names and addresses of 2 referees who do not live in Thailand
• proof any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended
• a credit or debit card to pay for your affirmation

If any documents are not in English or Thai, you’ll need to upload these along with a  translation into English or Thai, and bring the original document and translation to your embassy appointment.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/confirm-youre-free-to-get-married-in-thailand

[Will B Good]

 

Do you have an address in the UK you can use?

 

I wasn't living in Thailand when I got married here.....so I guess I must have used a UK address, even though I was living in Germany at the time???

[Terry Scoble]

9 hours ago, Liquorice said:

Your passport is proof of your name.

As I was living with my wife to be, I supplied a copy of her Blue house book as proof of address.

Documents are accepted in English or Thai.

 

Apply for a marital status affirmation online

To apply for your affirmation online you’ll need:

• the month and the province you intend to get married
• your UK passport
• proof of your permanent address
• your partner’s passport – or national identity card if they’re not a British national
• the names and addresses of 2 referees who do not live in Thailand
• proof any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended
• a credit or debit card to pay for your affirmation

If any documents are not in English or Thai, you’ll need to upload these along with a  translation into English or Thai, and bring the original document and translation to your embassy appointment.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/confirm-youre-free-to-get-married-in-thailand

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I understand that a passport is proof of your name but if you look further into the guidance at proof of address it states that the document can be in English or Thai but must contain your name as it appears in your passport. As both, the blue book and the yellow book are in Thai, I cannot see how the embassy would accept them. How did you manage to use the blue book as proof of your address as, from my understanding, this is only for Thai nationals and would not have had your name in it?

[Terry Scoble]

9 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

Do you have an address in the UK you can use?

 

I wasn't living in Thailand when I got married here.....so I guess I must have used a UK address, even though I was living in Germany at the time???

Not any more!

[Liquorice]

52 minutes ago, Terry Scoble said:

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I understand that a passport is proof of your name but if you look further into the guidance at proof of address it states that the document can be in English or Thai but must contain your name as it appears in your passport. As both, the blue book and the yellow book are in Thai, I cannot see how the embassy would accept them. How did you manage to use the blue book as proof of your address as, from my understanding, this is only for Thai nationals and would not have had your name in it?

You're misinterpreting the information.
As long as the name on any document is in Thai and matches the name in your passport, it's acceptable.

90% of the Embassy staff are Thai.

If I recall, I used the (to be) wife's Blue book as proof of address and my TM30 receipt, which had both name and address on it.

 

A Thai driving licence, or bank statement would both have your name and address and easier to obtain than a Yellow house book.

[Terry Scoble]

6 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

You're misinterpreting the information.
As long as the name on any document is in Thai and matches the name in your passport, it's acceptable.

90% of the Embassy staff are Thai.

If I recall, I used the (to be) wife's Blue book as proof of address and my TM30 receipt, which had both name and address on it.

 

A Thai driving licence, or bank statement would both have your name and address and easier to obtain than a Yellow house book.

Maybe I am misinterpreting it, I don't know. From my understanding, foreign nationals cannot be listed in a blue book only in a yellow book. If you have a yellow book then your name would be written in Thai which will not match the name in your passport which will be in English. I have a Thai driving licence with my current address on it and am waiting for any member to tell me that they have used that as proof of address at the British Embassy.

[Liquorice]

1 minute ago, Terry Scoble said:

If you have a yellow book then your name would be written in Thai which will not match the name in your passport which will be in English.

You miss the point that documents can be in English or Thai.

As long as your name in Thai is the same as that in your passport, the name, not the language.

 

Yes, driving licence is ideal as proof of address and it will confirm your name.

[Terry Scoble]

1 minute ago, Liquorice said:

You miss the point that documents can be in English or Thai.

As long as your name in Thai is the same as that in your passport, the name, not the language.

 

Yes, driving licence is ideal as proof of address and it will confirm your name.

I see your point but the guidance says the name should be as it 'appears' in your passport. 'Appears' is the crucial word and I would interpret that as being what it looks like. So a document might well have the Thai translation of your name but that is not how it appears in your passport.

[Liquorice]

10 minutes ago, Terry Scoble said:

I see your point but the guidance says the name should be as it 'appears' in your passport. 'Appears' is the crucial word and I would interpret that as being what it looks like. So a document might well have the Thai translation of your name but that is not how it appears in your passport.

As it appears, means Tom Brown and Tom Brown. Regardless if one is in Thai.
The Thai Embassy staff can read, write and speak both Thai and English.

 

As you correctly state, a Yellow house book is acceptable, but your name and address both appear in Thai.
It's the name that must match that in your passport, whether written in English or Thai.

 

Do you have a bank account?

[Terry Scoble]

6 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

As it appears, means Tom Brown and Tom Brown. Regardless if one is in Thai.
The Thai Embassy staff can read, write and speak both Thai and English.

 

As you correctly state, a Yellow house book is acceptable, but your name and address both appear in Thai.
It's the name that must match that in your passport, whether written in English or Thai.

Thanks for taking the time to reply but I think we are going round in circles. I can see your point and maybe I am misinterpreting things. Regarding the yellow book, the guidance says that this is an acceptable proof of address but I don't understand how it can be when the guidance goes on to say that documents can be in English or Thai but your name must be how it appears in your passport. So my first name is แทร์รี่ but that isn't how it appears in my passport.

[Zaphod Priest]

The Embassy 'phoned me a couple of days ago because they wouldn't accept a bank statement issued overseas as proof of address.  They said that the document must be issued by the Thai authorities.  I understand that to mean that they will not accept Thai bank/credit card statements.

One advantage of using a driving licence is that it has the address in both Thai and Roman script.

[Terry Scoble]

5 minutes ago, Zaphod Priest said:

The Embassy 'phoned me a couple of days ago because they wouldn't accept a bank statement issued overseas as proof of address.  They said that the document must be issued by the Thai authorities.  I understand that to mean that they will not accept Thai bank/credit card statements.

One advantage of using a driving licence is that it has the address in both Thai and Roman script.

Thanks for the message. Did the British Embassy confirm that you can use a Thai driving licence? If so, that would solve all my problems!

[Liquorice]

12 minutes ago, Terry Scoble said:

Regarding the yellow book, the guidance says that this is an acceptable proof of address but I don't understand how it can be when the guidance goes on to say that documents can be in English or Thai but your name must be how it appears in your passport. So my first name is แทร์รี่ but that isn't how it appears in my passport.

As in your passport, again means all first, middle and last names must match.

 

On my Thai driving licence, my name appears in English exactly the same as in my passport.

If your name appears differently on your Thai driving licence, then take it back and have it changed.

 

I've seen Thai DL with the name in both Thai and English, whereas my name is just in English exactly as it appears in my passport.

 

If you're in any doubt, ring the Embassy.

You didn't answer the question of if you have a Thai bank account?
A statement would also display your name and registered address.

[Zaphod Priest]

19 minutes ago, Terry Scoble said:

Thanks for the message. Did the British Embassy confirm that you can use a Thai driving licence? If so, that would solve all my problems!

Embassy confirmed you can use Thai DL.

[Terry Scoble]

6 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

As in your passport, again means all first, middle and last names must match.

 

On my Thai driving licence, my name appears in English exactly the same as in my passport.

If your name appears differently on your Thai driving licence, then take it back and have it changed.

 

I've seen Thai DL with the name in both Thai and English, whereas my name is just in English exactly as it appears in my passport.

 

If you're in any doubt, ring the Embassy.

You didn't answer the question of if you have a Thai bank account?
A statement would also display your name and registered address.

Being able to use my Thai DL would be ideal if the embassy accepts it as proof of address. Yes, it contains my name as in my passport and my address in Thai and English.

 

Yes, I have a Thai bank account which I changed my address on when I moved. However, the bank didn't ask for any documentation to show my new address and I just told them verbally what it was and they changed it on their system. Hence, I am not sure how reliable that would be!

[Terry Scoble]

3 minutes ago, Zaphod Priest said:

Embassy confirmed you can use Thai DL.

Thanks, that's a big problem solved!

[Liquorice]

1 minute ago, Terry Scoble said:

Yes, I have a Thai bank account which I changed my address on when I moved. However, the bank didn't ask for any documentation to show my new address and I just told them verbally what it was and they changed it on their system. Hence, I am not sure how reliable that would be!

Request a one-month bank statement, completely free, which will confirm if they changed your address.

Thai DL or Thai bank statement acceptable, even if the address is different to where you now reside.

They just want a form of ID with Thai address.

[Terry Scoble]

1 minute ago, Liquorice said:

Request a one-month bank statement, completely free, which will confirm if they changed your address.

Thai DL or Thai bank statement acceptable, even if the address is different to where you now reside.

They just want a form of ID with Thai address.

Thanks for the many replies. I think the Thai DL will be what I use.

[Liquorice]

@Terry Scoble

 

At the point of collecting your affidavit, also have the Embassy certify a copy of your passport.

 

Are you familiar with the next procedures in having your affidavit and copy of passport translated, then legalised by Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[Terry Scoble]

14 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

@Terry Scoble

 

At the point of collecting your affidavit, also have the Embassy certify a copy of your passport.

 

Are you familiar with the next procedures in having your affidavit and copy of passport translated, then legalised by Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Thanks for the message. Yes, I know about all the next steps. It was the proof of address that was causing me a headache.

[essex boys]

It’s not as easy as it seems, im doing my affirmation to marry through the Irish embassy in Bangkok, I sent them all the documents they listed but now they are asking for the decree nisi or petition for divorce, this has to come from Maidstone county court in Kent uk who are being less than helpful and are not responding very quickly to my emails, im now going to have to phone them to arrange for a copy of the divorce petition….i have no idea why the embassy want it as I sent them my decree absolute paperwork 

[Terry Scoble]

8 minutes ago, essex boys said:

It’s not as easy as it seems, im doing my affirmation to marry through the Irish embassy in Bangkok, I sent them all the documents they listed but now they are asking for the decree nisi or petition for divorce, this has to come from Maidstone county court in Kent uk who are being less than helpful and are not responding very quickly to my emails, im now going to have to phone them to arrange for a copy of the divorce petition….i have no idea why the embassy want it as I sent them my decree absolute paperwork 

Seems a little crazy. Luckily for me I have never been married!

[Formaleins]

14 hours ago, Liquorice said:

Your passport is proof of your name.

As I was living with my wife to be, I supplied a copy of her Blue house book as proof of address.

Documents are accepted in English or Thai.

 

Apply for a marital status affirmation online

To apply for your affirmation online you’ll need:

• the month and the province you intend to get married
• your UK passport
• proof of your permanent address
• your partner’s passport – or national identity card if they’re not a British national
• the names and addresses of 2 referees who do not live in Thailand
• proof any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended
• a credit or debit card to pay for your affirmation

If any documents are not in English or Thai, you’ll need to upload these along with a  translation into English or Thai, and bring the original document and translation to your embassy appointment.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/confirm-youre-free-to-get-married-in-thailand

Agree, blue book was all that I ever needed - Not sure if you can use it, but if you have a Thai Driving Licence, this will have your address on the back - older versions will only be in Thai script (which you can get a certified translation) or newer licences have your address in English too.

[crazykopite]

I married in 2008 took my passport my Uk divorce papers and a letter from immigration stating my Thai address  5 hours later I was married sadly it was short lived she upped sticks on New Years Eve 2019 

[Will B Good]

6 hours ago, Terry Scoble said:

Not any more!

Friend relative......get on the electoral register and buy them a TV licence....pay their water bill?

[scorecard]

18 hours ago, Terry Scoble said:

I should have mentioned that, although the British Embassy accepts a yellow book as proof of address, they state that the name has to be the same as in your passport. From my research, the yellow book is in Thai and contains no English so why would the embassy list this as an acceptable proof of address?

 

Maybe they want the document in both Thai and English?