Department Of Consular Affairs

[Pond Life]

Looks like I'm going to need to register some documents with the Dept of consular Affairs.

In Chiang Mai is this the same as the Provincial Center in the Chang Phueak area ?

If so can someone give me some specific & simple directions to find it.

Thanks

[sabaijai]

Looks like I'm going to need to register some documents with the Dept of consular Affairs.

In Chiang Mai is this the same as the Provincial Center in the Chang Phueak area ?

If so can someone give me some specific & simple directions to find it.

Thanks

Never heard of a 'Dept of consular Affairs' in Chiang Mai, except at foreign consulates. What sort of documents?

[Pond Life]

My understanding is that to get married I need an 'affirmation of freedom to marry" from my Embassy, get this translated into Thai, then get this translation registerd at the Dept of Consular Affairs.

Any Ideas where this place is or what the correct procedure is ?

[ProThaiExpat]

As you will see by accessing the website quoted below, the document you need to establish your eligibility to marry is obtained from the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai. They are open Tuesday's and Thursday mornings to provide U.S. Citizen Services.

They have a website as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_marriage

[slapout]

At one time, you had to take documents to Bangkok to get permission to marry in Thailand (1999). This document was then presented to the Ampur when you go to record your marriage. The Thai govt wanted to see final divorce decree of any prior marriage. Maybe it has all changed again, go to local Ampur and ask what they require.

[Kapin]

My understanding is that to get married I need an 'affirmation of freedom to marry" from my Embassy, get this translated into Thai, then get this translation registerd at the Dept of Consular Affairs.

Any Ideas where this place is or what the correct procedure is ?

I got married in 2006 in Chiang Mai and this is what I had to do...

I'm a British National but that shouldn't matter; I pretty sure I'm right when I say this would have been the precedure for any nationality in 2006.

1. I went to my consulate in Chiang Mai to create an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry in Thailand; an A4 sized single sheet of paper similar to an regular affidavit. The consulate needed my passport, my birth certicicate, my divorce certificate (I had been previously married) and of course a fee. They required the ORIGINAL certificates, which caused a slight problem. I had copies with me only so I had to get someone to UPS the originals from the UK before I could continue.

2. Once I had the originals, I went back to the consulate where they gave me an example of an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry, which I retyped entering in my own personal information; then I handed it all in to the consulate and signed the Affirmation before the officer receiving the application. This was important as I'm sure they would not have accepted it if I'd signed beforehand.

3. A few days later I collected all the paperwork that I handed in earlier at the consulate. The Affirmation of Freedom to Marry was now signed and date stamped by the Consul.

4. I then got the Affirmation paper (not my certiifcates) translated in to Thai by a Registered Translation Agency in Chiang Mai. The Agency sent the Affirmation and their translation to the Dept of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand located in Bangkok. An officer at the Ministry confirmed the signature of the Consul and returned both the original Affirmation and the translation signed and date stamped as orignal. My understanding is that they do not check the translation or if the information written in the Affirmation is true and correct, they only check the signature of the Consul.

5. Picked up the paper work from the translation agency and got married. The Ampur office kept the originals (Affirmation and translation) and gave us two copies with our marriage certificates.

It would be a good idea to check at the local Ampur office to see if this is still the right precedure but this is what I had to do in 2006.

It is still my understanding that there is no office in Chiang Mai who can check your Consul's signature (Dept. of Consular Affiars) and their envolvement is a requirement. I had to send mine to Bangkok. I had to pay someone at every point in the process but this is Thailand and I'm used it it now.

It is the Ampur office that register and keep your Affirmation of Freeom to Marry, the Depatment of Consular Affairs only confirm the signature of the Consul who witnessed you signing it as original and genuine.

Hope this helps but please check for yourself at the Ampur office and your consulate.

If I can be any further help please don't hesitate.

Kapin

[Pond Life]

Thanks to all for all the info,

Particularly Kapin & the tip about birth certificate.

I had suspected from reading other threads that the paperwork could only be certified in Bangkok, but couldnt quite believe they could be so anal, I should know better by now.

PS, Pro Thai, fortunatly Im not American.

Happy new year all !