Wedding Registry In Bangkok, My Experience And What Next?

[somtom]

After getting some help on this board last month, I think I'm due to repay by writing out my experience to help others.

My mission was 1-2 weeks in Thailand over Songkram to see my fiance and family, plan our September wedding and get a wedding registry done now so we can line-up her UK spouse visa for joining me in September.

The mission was reasonably easy but made convoluted by Abhisit and the Reds...

Day 1:

British Embassy in Bangkok - I checked their website about marriage registry, and wrote out my Affirmation of Freedom to Marry based on their example.

I was there at 9 am, with my passport and credit card. It was effortless, taking about 15 mins total to submit the form. I'd made a mistake but they were somehow able to scan my form and add my middle name - good technology.

Day 2:

British Embassy in Bangkok - pick up the approved form at 9am. Barely took 5 mins. It's a nice embassy, isn't it?

Next, take this and my passport on the Skytrain to Mo Chit, then catch a taxi to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Laksi. This is a 20 min Taxi ride to a big beauracratic bldg in North Bangkok. Once in there, I asked information and they told me I need a Thai translation. No problem... there are about 5 guys hanging out by the escalators who will do it in about 45 mins for about 400 baht a page. Once done, I got the translator's phone number in case of problems and then headed to the top floor where I filled out a form, took a number and sat down. After about 20 mins, I submitted my info, paid the small fee and then went to get lunch and a coffee downstairs. About 2 hours later I went back, asked for my reciept (they'd called my name while I was away) and was given a number to wait again for my forms back. Got these about 30 mins later. All good.... a certified Thai language version of the UK-approved Affirmation of Freedom to Marry.

Day 3-5: Long weekend in Thailand

Days 6-7: Could have done it on these days but instead doing family things and getting stuff ready. Make photocopies of our passports, my entry/exit stamps and departure card, her identity card and the Affirmation of Freedom to Marry.

Day 8:

Ready to get registered, but we hold out because my future mother-in-law asked a monk who told us the Friday (the following day) would be more lucky for us. Find out at 10pm that night that Abhisit has declared the following day as a national holiday. Oh Crap. Thanks a lot monks, Reds and Abhisit!

Day 9 (Fri before Songkram)

Can't get registered due to emergency holiday. Instead spend the day re-arranging my return flight at a cost of $450 one-way (now via KL with AirAsia X) and emailing my boss to explain why I'll be away longer.

Day Whatever (Wed of Songkram)

Abhisit announces another two more days of holidays!!! Disaster continues

Monday This Week

Finally it looks like Registry Offices will be back open after 10 days closed. Turn up at Bang Rak Amphoe office near Silom at 8 am (due to their name they deal with the most Registries, so are better equipped to deal with Farang and have more staff). We hand over documents, fiance fills out a long form, we're sent next door to pay for some extra photocopies but after a simple 45 mins to an hour we are given a heart-covered certificate in Thai and we are finally registered!

Celebrate and then I have to rush to Suvarnabhumi to fly back home. Glad that at least I got it done.

NB. Due to the emergency holidays, we considered postponing the registry until Aug, but we found out that the Affirmation that I'd had to go get in North Bangkok has a best-before date and wouldn't be usable after 3 months... meaning I'd have to get it all done again. Plus I couldn't just fly in for 2 days or so next month as you need to be in Thailand 3 or 4 days before they allow you to register a marriage.

---------

So now that's done our next step is doing the spouse visa application in time for September. Does anyone have their story that we can follow or some useful advice?

Does my fiance/wife now have to get her passport and identity card changed to reflect that we got legally wed in Thailand?

How long does it take to get the TB certificate in Bangkok?

[tlusername]

Well Done Somtom - We went through the same process back in March.

Does my fiance/wife now have to get her passport and identity card changed to reflect that we got legally wed in Thailand?

- Yes she does. Passport at passport office and ID card from her local amphur.

How long does it take to get the TB certificate in Bangkok?

- This took us one day...we went to the IOM office in the morning and were then sent to a hospital to have the test and then return back to the IOM office before 2pm where a doctor will sign you off and give you a TB free certificate. From what I recall you may need to make an appointment first (maybe prudent to call anway just in case they have changed procedure as seems to be the case a lot in thai bureaucracy).

The rest of the setttlement is docs, docs and more docs....there are some lists around (Rob's guide pinned to the top of this forum section).

Also keep in mind that you now need to apply online and book an appointment with VFS before submitting.

[TheFiend]

Also keep in mind that you now need to apply online and book an appointment with VFS before submitting.

No need to apply online - you can turn up at VFS without an appointment to submit your application - and the Biometrics will be done the same day.

If you had married at her hometown Amphur she could have had ID card changed the same day.

[somtom]

If you had married at her hometown Amphur she could have had ID card changed the same day.

We thought about this - but her Aunt who was with us over Songkram said we'd be best to play it safe and go to Bang Rak for the registry as other places may not be ready to get going giving out registrations right away after the massive 10 day holiday. She was right as well, she heads up the Chonburi registry office and rang us on Monday morning saying their system they use was down and were we ok? Seems at Bang Rak we were just fine.... even had the cheesy photo by the big flowery heart they have up saying 'Rak at Bang Rak' (in Thai)

[tlusername]

No need to apply online - you can turn up at VFS without an appointment to submit your application - and the Biometrics will be done the same day.

Are you sure about that?

http://www.vfs-uk-th.com/

"03 April 2009: Applicants applying for settlement and points-based visas must schedule an appointment and complete an on line visa application form at www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk"

Edited April 24, 2009 by tlusername

[neverburi]

Correct me if i'm wrong you registered your marriage in Bangkok before actually getting married.

NB

[ubonjoe]

Correct me if i'm wrong you registered your marriage in Bangkok before actually getting married.

NB

That is the way it is often done. The registration is the only legal form of marriage.

You can get married in a church, temple family home or any other type of ceremoney and it means nothing legally. You don even have to do it if you don't want to.

[beano2274]

The two parts of a Thai Marriage are the Legal one and the celebration one.

Legal - done at local Amphur

Celebration - done with family and friends (like a reception at Farang marriages)

Can be done together or separately, does not matter which comes first either.

N.B You can register your Thai Marriage in the UK, info on the Embassies website, all

you need is the original marriage certificate (as far as I know, and money of course).

Can be done at the Embassy or in England, you do not have to get married again in

England, as they accept a Thai Marriage Certificate as a legal document.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

After getting some help on this board last month, I think I'm due to repay by writing out my experience to help others.

My mission was 1-2 weeks in Thailand over Songkram to see my fiance and family, plan our September wedding and get a wedding registry done now so we can line-up her UK spouse visa for joining me in September.

The mission was reasonably easy but made convoluted by Abhisit and the Reds...

---------

So now that's done our next step is doing the spouse visa application in time for September. Does anyone have their story that we can follow or some useful advice?

Does my fiance/wife now have to get her passport and identity card changed to reflect that we got legally wed in Thailand?

How long does it take to get the TB certificate in Bangkok?

"Does my fiance/wife now have to get her passport and identity card changed to reflect that we got legally wed in Thailand?"

Operative word here is "have," no she doesn't "have" to unless she and you want her to. Many gals these days keep their maiden names after marriage, my wife did. It's a personal decision.

Mac

[Merangue]

My wife has not changed her passport yet as the Visa application is in her maiden name. Once the Application is completed and she has been in the UK we will set up all her UK stuff in the married name.

The rest can be completed at a later date.

No urgent need to change all her Id until you are ready. Just make sure the Visa application has the same name as the Passport.

[stellone]

i guess i got a question here. why does he need a TB certificate? to register the marriage and get the marriage certificate do you need to have a TB free certificate?

well i am married in abroad and got the stamp from legal office in foriegn ministry on friday. i have to go khon kaen to make the certificate. let me know if i need any certificate of doc for this? we dont want to change my wife's name and can we keep as it is now?

need a urgent answer guys

Edited April 26, 2009 by HassanMuneer

[beano2274]

i guess i got a question here. why does he need a TB certificate? to register the marriage and get the marriage certificate do you need to have a TB free certificate?

well i am married in abroad and got the stamp from legal office in foriegn ministry on friday. i have to go khon kaen to make the certificate. let me know if i need any certificate of doc for this? we dont want to change my wife's name and can we keep as it is now?

need a urgent answer guys

TB. Tuberculosis - His Wife needs to have a certificate from a hospital to state she does not have TB, part of the application procedure for the stated Visa

[aparasher]

Hi there,

Thanks for great information. I have a few queries:

1. As I understand the order of events is:

Approval from Embassy->Translation of documents->Get certificate from Dept of Foreign Affairs->Register with Amphoe office

Do we need any witnesses at any stage? In Aus, we need at least 2 witnesses for civil ceremony.

2. After getting married, does my wife need to change her identification before applying for visa? Or, it can happen later?

Can anyone advise me?

Thanks in advance.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

She may leave her passport as it is or change it up to you.

You only need a TB cert to apply for a UK Settlement/Fiancee application not to marry.

[kopite]

She may leave her passport as it is or change it up to you.

You only need a TB cert to apply for a UK Settlement/Fiancee application not to marry.

do you need a TB cert for a thai spouse visa to spain mate?

[ThaiVisaExpress]

No its a Schengen application.

[ubonjoe]

Hi there,

Thanks for great information. I have a few queries:

1. As I understand the order of events is:

Approval from Embassy->Translation of documents->Get certificate from Dept of Foreign Affairs->Register with Amphoe office

Do we need any witnesses at any stage? In Aus, we need at least 2 witnesses for civil ceremony.

2. After getting married, does my wife need to change her identification before applying for visa? Or, it can happen later?

Can anyone advise me?

Thanks in advance.

1. It looks right. You can skip doing the ministry of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yourself most translators will do it for you for a fee that might be less than trips to the MFA yourself. They could even EMS it to you if you are not in a big hurry and/or plan on doing the registration where she is registered.

Witnesses are needed but you can find somebody at the Amphoe to do it.

2. I suggest you get it done along with the passport. It can save a lot of problems later. The change will have to be done at the Amphoe where she is registered. If you register your marriage there it can be done all at the same time.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

In my experience if you are changing names etc you must allow about 1 week for your new passport to arrive.

Some clients do some do not its down to the individual and how much time they have etc.

My wife has kept her Thai name .

[Electra]

She may leave her passport as it is or change it up to you.

You only need a TB cert to apply for a UK Settlement/Fiancee application not to marry.

To be more accurate, anyone seeking an entry clearance for a stay in the UK of more than 6 months, for whatever purpose, is required to obtain a TB certificate before submitting the application.

The only possible exception might be those exercising their treaty rights and applying for an EEA family permit, which does not seem to be included in this otherwise mandatory requirement, but the visa section may argue the point.

[TheFiend]

In my experience if you are changing names etc you must allow about 1 week for your new passport to arrive.

My wife got her ID card changed on the day we got married and, on returning to Bangkok the following day, she went to get her passport changed. The passport office told her it would take 2 days. Her old passport only had 9 months left on it so it was a good idea to change the name. Unfortunately it held up putting in the visa application for 2 days

[ThaiVisaExpress]

In my experience if you are changing names etc you must allow about 1 week for your new passport to arrive.

My wife got her ID card changed on the day we got married and, on returning to Bangkok the following day, she went to get her passport changed. The passport office told her it would take 2 days. Her old passport only had 9 months left on it so it was a good idea to change the name. Unfortunately it held up putting in the visa application for 2 days

I am led to believe they have a so called express service now but i have yet to come across this.

[ubonjoe]

If you pick up the new passport it is 2 days.

[Woofer]

Don't use the translation service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs I waited four hours for the translation only to be told it could not be done that day. The translation service was located where they sell all the magazines. I had to come back to Pattaya, so it means another trip to Bangkok. They could at least phoned me early rather have me hang around the ministry. The cost of translation was cheap 400 baht a page, although someone said they had translated done at 300 bahts a page. That is a lot better than I have been quoted in Pattaya, from 1,000 to 2000 bahts a page.