Marriage Documentation

[designersing]

Hey everyone, well the time has arrived! myself and long term partner have decided to 'thai the knot' (apologies!) we plan to marry next month and have been to our local office with regard to documentation- my question being: Do I need any docs from my Embassy (English) in order to get married here in Bangkok? I heave heard that a letter confirming current (marital/single) status is reg'd for the application, anything else req'd fellas? Please let me know how it went at the office as Id love to hear from your experiences, also I would like to make sure everything with regard to papers is sorted before our appointment soon! Thanks in advance, any feedback appreciated!

Best regards, DSG

[asiaexpat]

Hey everyone, well the time has arrived! myself and long term partner have decided to 'thai the knot' (apologies!) we plan to marry next month and have been to our local office with regard to documentation- my question being: Do I need any docs from my Embassy (English) in order to get married here in Bangkok? I heave heard that a letter confirming current (marital/single) status is reg'd for the application, anything else req'd fellas? Please let me know how it went at the office as Id love to hear from your experiences, also I would like to make sure everything with regard to papers is sorted before our appointment soon! Thanks in advance, any feedback appreciated!

Best regards, DSG

When my wife and I registered our marriage in 1969, the Amphur required verification I was not aready married. The military provided a letter that worked. Today, it is my understanding that a letter from your embassy atesting to your eligibility to marry is required. I suggets you ask at youir local amphur registrar of marriages.

[gzu88bv]

It all depends how you want to get married. Some people just do the Buddha thing, others have their marriage registered in Thailand and their

home country.

If you want to do it right consult your embassy and they will tell you what is needed. With their paper (marriage application) you can get married at any amphur and have it then registered at your local amphur and, if you want, in your home country.

[george]

You need to have the embassy letter translated into Thai language and after that certified by the Ministry of foreign affairs. That document must be submitted to the Amphur officials.

[astral]

There is no English Embassy, but there is a British one.

This page will tell you all you need to know.

[prakhonchai nick]

You need to have the embassy letter translated into Thai language and after that certified by the Ministry of foreign affairs. That document must be submitted to the Amphur officials.

Thats correct. Check out the British embassy website. Download a sample of the letter required. Insert your own relevant info. go back to the embassy to have it signed (expensive 2000bt+). Then translate it and take it to the Ministry of foreign Affairs, they charge 100bt, and if you pay 50bt extra they will forward the document by EMS post.

Thereafter go to the amphur with the signed docs, and your passport and wifes papers, sign on the dotted line - pay 40bt and hey presto you are legally married.

Forgot to mention - take the wife to the Amphur too!. But you can go alone to the embassy and Ministry of foreign Affairs.

Edited October 31, 2007 by prakhonchai nick

[astral]

Thereafter go to the amphur with the signed docs, and your passport and wifes papers, sign on the dotted line - pay 40bt and hey presto you are legally married.

Yes, after all the fuss to get the documents the real ceremony, if you can call it that,

is rather a damp squib.

Your intended will probably want the Buddhist ceremony as well with all the pomp

so that people know she is really married.

[designersing]

Excellent! Thank you all kindly for your response, feedback and clarification!

*Hi Astral, with regard to the ceremony, we are waiting for a 'good date' for the wedding next year, which will be suggested to us from our local temple. Anyone else with experience of the traditional selection of 'a good date for the ceremony' before? PS_ I shouldnt joke, but Im guessing around the end of the month is quite an ideal date? 555

Regards, DSG

Edited October 31, 2007 by designersing

[B Fuddled]

I just completed the final step in registering today, though we did the Buddhist thing over 8 years ago.

First, I went to the Canadian embassy and swore an affidavit that I was eligible to marry (1,700 baht). Then I dropped it off at a translation office around the corner and picked it up the next day (500 baht a sheet).

Then, I took both documents, along with a copy of my passport ID page and visa stamps, to Foreign Affairs out near Don Muang Airport and waited 2 hours for processing (400baht a sheet).

Finally, we went to the local amphur and they completed some rather exhaustive paper work, my wife was widowed, they officially married us and that was it.

Good luck.

[designersing]

I just completed the final step in registering today, though we did the Buddhist thing over 8 years ago.

First, I went to the Canadian embassy and swore an affidavit that I was eligible to marry (1,700 baht). Then I dropped it off at a translation office around the corner and picked it up the next day (500 baht a sheet).

Then, I took both documents, along with a copy of my passport ID page and visa stamps, to Foreign Affairs out near Don Muang Airport and waited 2 hours for processing (400baht a sheet).

Finally, we went to the local amphur and they completed some rather exhaustive paper work, my wife was widowed, they officially married us and that was it.

Good luck.

Spot on, thank you kindly for your information, the office that you mentioned nr Don Muang is my nearest goverment registrar office and the same location we will be visiting. Thinking about it now, did you require a witness to be present upon signing the papers in the registrar? I understand that this is required by Law in Great Britain, did you have to allow for this in Thailand?

Very best, DSG

[astral]

Let your wife find out what is the best day.

[prakhonchai nick]

Anyone else with experience of the traditional selection of 'a good date for the ceremony' before? PS_ I shouldnt joke, but Im guessing around the end of the month is quite an ideal date? 555

Regards, DSG

As far as I am concerned all these auspicious days and village parties are a load of b.....ks!

Told my wife when I first met her that if I ever we married, there would be no village wedding, no monks, no dowry,no nothing. Nothing worse than having hundreds of village freeloaders not even coming to the ceremony or party, but just coming for bags of food and bottles -just as they would do at the local market. Bloody scroungers. And to make matters worse, you and your wife, in whose honour the party is thrown likely as not get nothing to eat, because you have to stand at the point of entry often for hours welcoming those that put in an appearance, most often 1 or 2 hours after the scheduled time.Their contempt and rudeness will put you off the local people for life.

We are married, no party just a trip to the Amphur and to the local restaurant after. Wife realised the stupidity of it and went along with my views. Not many of them about here in Thailand! Happily married 9 years now.

PS Once you have all the embassy docs etc, you can go to any Amphur in the country to register the marriage.

[B Fuddled]

I just completed the final step in registering today, though we did the Buddhist thing over 8 years ago.

First, I went to the Canadian embassy and swore an affidavit that I was eligible to marry (1,700 baht). Then I dropped it off at a translation office around the corner and picked it up the next day (500 baht a sheet).

Then, I took both documents, along with a copy of my passport ID page and visa stamps, to Foreign Affairs out near Don Muang Airport and waited 2 hours for processing (400baht a sheet).

Finally, we went to the local amphur and they completed some rather exhaustive paper work, my wife was widowed, they officially married us and that was it.

Good luck.

Spot on, thank you kindly for your information, the office that you mentioned nr Don Muang is my nearest goverment registrar office and the same location we will be visiting. Thinking about it now, did you require a witness to be present upon signing the papers in the registrar? I understand that this is required by Law in Great Britain, did you have to allow for this in Thailand?

Very best, DSG

Good thinkling. I didn't think of it. Just as well since it was an understaffed office in a small village and the paper work took close to four hours. They supplied two clerks from their office.

[astral]

There are no witnesses, other than the government officers who sign the various papers.

There is certainly no where for them to sign.