Wedding Affirmation Certificate

[Pakeha]

Getting married next year in Thailand. Live in New Zealand with thai partner. Do we:

- Get married in NZ (legally, not ceremonially[is that a word?]) and get the certificate translated then take it to Thailand to get stamped somewhere?

- Do nothing and go to embassies in BKK? If so, NZ and thai / just NZ?

- Something else?

Have read a number of posts but no definate clarification on how it's done.

PS - If you know about this wait till I post about how to change names... - i.e. thai partner, thai daughter and me - all have different surnames - where do we start?

[garyh]

Getting married in Thailand is much cheaper, if you are married legally in Thailand it is recognised in Australia so NZ should be the same. Here is a link to the Australain Embassy in BKK which gives the details of the process to register your marriage in Thailand. Perhaps the NZ Embassy has similar information as you will need to go there to get the required documents certified. http://www.austembassy.or.th/bkok/Consular_P4.html

Chok Dee

[Pakeha]

Thanks Garyh. I'm also an Australian citizen (when the crickets on ). I might just go through the Australian embassy. I wonder if it matters that I'm resident in NZ currently?

[noise]

Thanks Garyh. I'm also an Australian citizen (when the crickets on ). I might just go through the Australian embassy. I wonder if it matters that I'm resident in NZ currently?

And if you ever foresee living in Thailand, the Thai license is a handy document to have.

[Pakeha]

And if you ever foresee living in Thailand, the Thai license is a handy document to have.

Yes that is the plan eventually. Just have to wait two more years for my thai partner and daughter to get their NZ citizenship first!

We haven't been back to LOS for 18 months now which is the longest I've been away from LOS for 9 years. Can't wait to live there and complain about rice for breakfast every day .

[aussiechick]

Firstly - if you do get married here - Aiffirmation to Marry must be completed and taken to the Embassy - the one that your passport is! Secondly when that is done it then has to be translated into Thai and then taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and stamped. (Full day job)

Not difficult just a pain in the neck. Need anything done PM me - it is one of the jobs I actaully do over here.

[garyh]

Firstly - if you do get married here - Aiffirmation to Marry must be completed and taken to the Embassy - the one that your passport is! Secondly when that is done it then has to be translated into Thai and then taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and stamped. (Full day job)

Not difficult just a pain in the neck. Need anything done PM me - it is one of the jobs I actaully do over here.

All that is covered in the link above.

[Pakeha]

Firstly - if you do get married here - Aiffirmation to Marry must be completed and taken to the Embassy - the one that your passport is! Secondly when that is done it then has to be translated into Thai and then taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and stamped. (Full day job)

Not difficult just a pain in the neck. Need anything done PM me - it is one of the jobs I actaully do over here.

when you say the one your pp is do you mean the one stamped for entry into los? I have 3 pp's that I use but want to do this under whichever one is easiest.

[garyh]

I believe NZ is easier to get a Visa and many who want to go to Australia use NZ as a back door way in if they can't get into OZ then go to NZ for the required amount of time then apply to go to OZ.

[Orac]

I did the Thai marriage bit last year and name change but before applying for a visa - as a UK citizen it might be slightly different but the main thing that struck me was the amount of travelling and waiting involved. The bit that caught me out was after getting the permission to marry from the MFA at Laksi and then actually marrying in Bangkok we had to quickly (we were tight on time) fly up to Udon Thani to go to my wifes local Amphur to change her ID card to my name and then return to MFA in Bangkok to get her passport changed (3 day wait).

[Pakeha]

Thanks Orac.

That sounds painful...

My partner reckons we just get the marriage certificate in NZ and this is recognised in Thailand and she just changes her ID and passport there.

Then, even if we can get a new passport in time we have a problem with her NZ permanent residency which is in her current passport - due to the name change. Not to mention changing our daughters name, her passport / visa etc.

It's all quite confusing.