Registering Marriage

[Thai Chi]

Hi All, there has been a fair bit of talk on this subject of late. I have seen most of the posts but still have the following questions.

1. If you use an agent to register the marriage, where do you find them? what do they charge? what are they listed as?

2. does the registration of marriage have to be done in the Amphur in the district that the marriage took place?

Any advice will be (as usual) greatly appreciated

[lopburi3]

1. Translation service, marriage registration, tourist guide - shops near embassy that do this will have signs outside.

2. Registration of marriage is marriage. Nothing else counts.

[ZOVOX]

I just got married a month ago and i haven't heard of an agent that registers your marriage. I think you must be reffering to the translation bureaus that merely translate the documents for the registration process, but they carry no authority at all.

Anyway, you will get all the info you need from your embassies website. The u.k embassy site gave a step by step guide. In brief, you need to get a marriage affirmation from your embassy, declaring that you are not already legally married. you then get this translated at translation bureau into thai. then you get the translation certified at the ministry of foreign affairs. then you go to the amphur office to get your marriage certificate - simple !!

also, the thai budhist wedding ceremony carries no legal status and you will not recieve any documentation saying the ceremony took place, but it is important to the thai people. consequently, it makes no difference where you get registered - i got married in khon kaen and registered in bangkok.

i hope this answers you question - good luck !!

[Pink Mist]

The translation services organise the paperwork, usually accompany you to Amphur office, smooth things over for you there and then translation of Marriage Certificate for your Embassy if required.

There is normally a fee involved (maybe 9,000 baht) but you can get everything done on the same day instead of the three it is supposed to take, for me it was a good deal as we didn't have to hang around BKK for too long.

[Up2U]

If you are UK citizen, the Embassy web-site gives details of all the documents you need. I assume the same goes for US / Oz / NZ and other colonies. (some think they are ex-colonies)

The marriage - legally - is the one at the Amphur. The nine monks, booze by the bucket, all family and neighbours thing is a celebration. Not the legal registration.

I got a friend (a lawyer) (can a lawyer be a friend?) to do the legal translations needed. She also ran the doc's up to BKK for me, got the necessary stamps. All for about 4,000 baht. But I had done the first visit to the Embassy to pick up the required doc's.

Then wife and I went to Banglamung Amphur to register. First time was a failure because the computers were down. (A sign??). Went back a couple of days later, chatted with the lady for half-an-hour, got the certificates.

The certificates are necessary if you later want a Non-Immi. 'O' visa, plus marriage extensions.

Very little cost in time and money - very easy to do, provided you have access to your embassy / Bkk / legal translator

[KevinN]

When I got married,,we went to BKK to american embassy,got the letter that I was free to marry.

Went across the street to a translator service had it translated,registered with Thai govt,,then came home to our amphur office and registered,,no problems and was done in 15 minutes,,and have never had the Buda ceremony as it is just a party for other peoples and a chance to get drunk on your dime.

[IamMaiC]

When I got married,,we went to BKK to american embassy,got the letter that I was free to marry.

Went across the street to a translator service had it translated,registered with Thai govt,,then came home to our amphur office and registered,,no problems and was done in 15 minutes,,and have never had the Buda ceremony as it is just a party for other peoples and a chance to get drunk on your dime.

This is True Same with me Wasn't done in Fifteen though I went outside to think about what I was getting into.

[jingjingna]

Why would anyone need help in registering their marriage?

I got married two months ago and had to go to BKK to obtain an "Affirmation of marriage" cert from the British embassy. If you go in person they will provide you with an example form that you will need to get retyped with your details(this can be done for 100 Baht at the small travel agency next to the Holiday mansion hotel opposite the British embassy)so, if you prefer, download the form from the British embassy's website and retype it yourself.

Hand in your application and passport with Baht2,500 and collect your affirmation the next morning. Pop in to Express translation service ( near footbridge entrance to Ploenchit skytrain) and they will have the affirmation translated and sealed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I got mine back within 3 days by EMS.

As for the registration part, it's so straight forward, you won't need anyone to hold your hand, except your beloved of course!

Hope this helps!

[lopburi3]

Why would anyone need help in registering their marriage?

((cut))

As for the registration part, it's so straight forward, you won't need anyone to hold your hand, except your beloved of course!

Hope this helps!

But that is not the point. They want to do it faster - for that they do need help. Not everyone can spare two or three days to start their lifetime of bliss together.

[Totster]

I got married two months ago and had to go to BKK to obtain an "Affirmation of marriage" cert from the British embassy.

Can this be obtained in the UK or does it have to be the embassy in BKK ?

[Thai Chi]

Great stuff guys I am now full bottle on this (if not any other) subject.

[astral]

If you have not been to the local amphur, then you are not legally married!!

The ceremony with the monks etc is just that........show.

The legal part is that the amphur and can come before or after.

Just get the necesary paperwork and go to the amphur where your wife is registered and about 10 minutes later and a small fee later you will have the Bai Som Lot - Marriage cert

[jingjingna]

Astral,

You don't have to register your marriage at the amphur where your wife/husband is registered, you can go to any amphur office.

[the scouser]

For the benefit of those members who are thinking of marrying in Thailand and are not sure of the procedure, there follows an account of what I did which did not involve the use of agents.

Day 1 - Accessed the affirmation of freedom to marry on the British embassy website and edited it as appropriate for my circumstances. Travelled from Pattaya to BKK and submitted the affirmation at the embassy (afternoons only Mon-Thurs).

Day 2 - Returned to the embassy to collect the authenticated affirmation. Immediately took this to a translation bureau adjacent to the embassy and picked it up 1 hour later. Immediately took a cab to the Thai Min. of Foreign Affairs in Chaeng Wattana to have the translation authenticated. I was offered the 200 baht 2-day service or the 800 baht we'll-do-it-now service. Opted for the latter and was in my favourite haunt back in Pattaya by 7pm.

Day 3 - Went to the amphur in Banglamung and got hitched. By the way, Astral, my wife is registered in Singburi. You can go to any amphur.

I think that's about as quick as it can be done, with or without agents. However, on the affirmation you have to state a home address in your country of origin and mine is in Liverpool. This helped no end at MFA where all the staff were falling over each other to help me whilst asking if I know Michael Owen or play football for LFC.

Scouse.