On 7/15/2025 at 3:40 PM, chickenslegs said:

And, of course, the UK State pension no longer provides any widows benefits.

That is not strictly true. A widow is entitled to inherit a percentage of additional state pension. However it is a complicated and discriminatory arrangement but discrimination has no place in the UK governments vocabulary.

On 7/15/2025 at 9:30 AM, jori123 said:

Been with her forever and a day,now want to marry her,get half my pension when dead,had a scare couple of years ago.

  Now all set,got the freedom to marry cert. In UK plus other docs,agent wants 29 thousand,bit steep especially if I can do it myself ,translation etc. embassy appointment too   if any ideas floating please any information,thanks

The UK State Pension no longer offers any pension to foreign based wives.

Exception: If she has a pension in her own name from her employment if any in the UK.

 

In the UK, when a spouse or civil partner dies, the surviving partner may be eligible to inherit a portion of their deceased partner's Additional State Pension (also known as State Second Pension or SERPS) or a protected payment. The amount inherited depends on factors like the deceased's date of birth, when they reached state pension age, and whether they had deferred their pension.  Only on old style State Pensions.

 

It should be noted this is NOT 50% of the pension, merely a very small payment, about £10 a month.

 

Private pensions....it depends on the individual pension rules itself. 

(All different in general)

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

That is not strictly true. A widow is entitled to inherit a percentage of additional state pension. However it is a complicated and discriminatory arrangement but discrimination has no place in the UK governments vocabulary.

Only potentially on the old state pension.   

 

 

In the UK, when a spouse or civil partner dies, the surviving partner may be eligible to inherit a portion of their deceased partner's Additional State Pension (also known as State Second Pension or SERPS) or a protected payment. The amount inherited depends on factors like the deceased's date of birth, when they reached state pension age, and whether they had deferred their pension.

 

It should be noted this is NOT 50% of the pension, merely a very small payment, about £10 a month.

I don't know why we bothered it's been of no benefit to either of us, unless you want a marriage extension there is little point 

On 7/17/2025 at 11:00 AM, Liquorice said:

Step 1.

First and foremost, you should check the requirements at your local Amphoe office where you intend to register your marriage. Most Amphoes will at minimum require;

 

Your Passport.

Intended spouses Tabien Baan and ID card.

Embassy certified 'affidavit'' of no impediment to marry, translated to Thai, then legalised by the Legalisation division of the Consular department of Thailand’s MFA.

Embassy certified copy of Passport data page, translated to Thai, then legalised by the Legalisation division of the Consular department of Thailand’s MFA.

The marital status of your intended spouse can be checked on Amphoe online database for any previous record of marriage, or divorce. If your intended was previously 'widowed', or divorced, I recommend she takes her ex husbands Death or Divorce certificates as confirmed proof of her marital status.

 

Step 2.

Completing your affidavit of ‘no impediment to marry’ and make an appointment at your Embassy to also make a certified copy of your passport.

Most Embassies now offer a service to complete and submit the affidavit online.
Check the services and procedures available at your local Embassy for marriage in Thailand.

Usually you are required to allow a 7 day period from completing and submitting the affidavit to making the appointment.

Book an appointment to collect your affidavit of ‘no impediment to marry’ and for a certified copy of your passport data page.

At the appointment you should take the following documents;

1. Your letter/confirmation of appointment.

2. Your passport.

3. Your intended spouses Thai national ID card.

4. If previously married, a final divorce decree, or Death certificate of your ex spouse.

 

Step 3.

The ‘affidavit’ and certified passport copy must then be translated into Thai by a reputable translator. Avoid ‘touts’ waiting outside the Embassy offering their services.

I can personally recommend;
Express Translation Services
866 Phloen Chit Road

Lumphini
Pathum Wan

Bangkok 10330

Tel: 084 656 2459

https://www.expresstranslationservice.co.th

 

Step 4.

The below documents, now require ‘legalising’ by the Consular section department of Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for presentation and registration of marriage at your chosen Amphoe office.

1. The affidavit
2. Certified copy of passport data page

3. Thai translation of affidavit

4. Thai translation of passport data page

At this point you have two options to get your documents ‘legalised’ by the MFA.

 

1. Many agencies provide services to get the documents legalised on your behalf and once completed return them to a given address via EMS post.

This is an option you should discuss with the agency and agree a reasonable fee.

Express Translation Services offer such a fee at very reasonable rates.

Allow several days for the documents to be returned.

 

2. Do it yourself.
For legalisation of documents by the MFA, appointments are necessary.

The MFA have now opened several centres to have the above documents legalised.
1. 123 Chaeng Watthana Road, Lak Si District, Bangkok 10210

2. MBK CENTER Shopping Mall, 5th floor, Zone A, Phaya Thai Road, Wang Mai Subdistrict, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok

3. Central Pattaya Shopping Center, 4th Floor, No. 333/102, Village No. 9, Nongprue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province 20260

4. 7th Cycle Birthday Anniversary International Convention and Exhibition Center, 1st floor, Rueng Phueng Building 2,
Muang District, Chiang Mai Province

5. Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Hall Building, 1st floor, back west side, Ubon Ratchathani Province

6. Temporary Passport Office, Songkhla, Laem Son On Road, Bo Yang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Songkhla Province 90000

7. Central Phuket Festival Shopping Mall, B Floor, Wichit Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phuket Province

 

Office locations, maps, contact numbers

https://consular.mfa.go.th/th/publicservice/สถานที่ให้บริการรับรองนิติกรณ์เอกสาร

 

You must book an appointment here https://qlegal.consular.go.th/customer/index choosing which office and download the barcode once accepted.

 

Step 5.

Take the original and translated legalised documents to the Amphoe of your choosing to register your marriage. Some Amphoes may require an appointment.

 

I recommend you take good quality (preferable laser jet) photocopies of all your documents for future reference, before visiting your Amphoe.

 

So I am married with a marriage visa on monthly requirements no less. I did it in Phrae, you say you are in Nikon, my advice is to stay in your Amphoe this is a process and the lay out that Licorice above a laid out for you is as complete  a set of instructions your are going to get. That said you need to strapped on a extra pair of patience and get ready to go to these places over and over again, i had to make 9 trips to  immigration and two two day trips to Chiang Mai, but i was getting the visa as well, so your adventure should be less daunting Nit Noy.  I you feel up to watching my adventure here is the link  https://youtu.be/XXf1P-OzR5c

On 7/18/2025 at 5:18 PM, Pdavies99 said:

Only potentially on the old state pension.   

 

 

In the UK, when a spouse or civil partner dies, the surviving partner may be eligible to inherit a portion of their deceased partner's Additional State Pension (also known as State Second Pension or SERPS) or a protected payment. The amount inherited depends on factors like the deceased's date of birth, when they reached state pension age, and whether they had deferred their pension.

 

It should be noted this is NOT 50% of the pension, merely a very small payment, about £10 a month.

I take it you missed this part of my post  -  "inherit a percentage of additional state pension"

You have no idea of what the amount could be, everyone is different. Some I worked with are probably getting in excess of £100/week in additional  state pension.

This is why there is a difference between old and new pensions. However the government never wants to  talk about injustice they perpretrated with this arrangement, and those that don't get it, don't want to know.