Affirmation Of Freedom To Marry

[Godders]

Urgent need to know. Going to the British Embassy Bangkok first thing Monday morning to get Affirmation of Freedom to Marry cert. In the section headed: My Permanent Address, should I put my Thai address or my UK address? Can't do the obvious and ask the embassy as they are closed for the weekend.

My situation is a little confusing. I don't actually have a "permanent address" in the UK, since I sold my house. However, I do have a sister in the UK with whom I stay when I am there and who I am using as a reference on the Affirmation form. I have rented a place in Thailand for the last seven years.

Somebody suggested to me that it is preferable, in terms of getting married in Thailand to complete the form with a UK address, even if one has put down roots here. So I'm in a bit of a dilemma.

Any help much appreciated as I do n't want to get to the Embassy (if the Red Shirts are not already occupying the place!) and have a problem. Or run into difficulties with the Min of Foreign affairs when asking for their stamp.

I was planning to do the leg work myself, but if somebody knows a reliable translation agency close to the Embassy who will translate AND get the translation stamped within 48 hours for a reasonable fee, than I would probably cough up to save ageing pins!

Many thanks.

[Rimmer]

Thailand address.

[paulandmaneerat]

Just put an address, but make sure it is written in Thai. We were refused to marry at an amphur office in Bangkok because my name and address was still in English. They caused us a big headache. They told us to go back to MFA to get it done again. But I spotted a translation service near the amphur office. They wrote the Thai by hand in between the lines. They charged us 2,000 baht for doing it which was crazy but they could see we were keen not to have to delay things further. With a further payment of 500 baht, the officer who had refused us earlier accepted the revised affirmation document and our certificates were issued. Not the happy day that we had intended. Fortunately since then it's been great!

P&M

[colino]

I put my UK address when I did mine, the translation was done across the foot bridge from the Embassy 600 baht ,

Then we took it the translation to MFA got it stamped then went to the amphur just up the road from the MFA

and got married ,I felt it was too easy to get married.

But on the other hand it was easy to get divorced as well,, colino

[NALAK]

i used my Uk address all though i have lived here for 9 years. i dont think putting your adress in Thai on the affirmation to marry for the british Embassey is a good idea. mine was all in English then translated after.

[Javabear]

I used my US address. Went to an office to get the translations done but instead paid the 10000 baht for them to do everything and arrange the appointment with the amphur. We were all set the next afternoon. Very painless.

[NanLaew]

The OP should use the his sisters UK address I reckon. I haven't lived in the UK for eons but I gave the castle address and that worked.

The really good translator I used 'across the footbridge' has long gone along with all the other stuff that used to be there before that huge development bulldozed the lot.

Good luck in finding a 'full-service' translator. I did all that <deleted> about 3 years ago and the translator asked for 1200 baht for the Affirmation translation and also for running it to the MFA for their chop.

Edited March 20, 2010 by NanLaew

[happylarry]

I dont see why people are advising you to lie to the British Embassy!!!!!

I put my Thai address and had no problems whatsoever.

If you have lived here for 7 years then do you think they dont know that from your passport.

And the translation shops are even closer to the Embassy now....they are in the shopping centre dead opposite.

Be up front with everything mate and you cant go wrong....if you live here then put your proper address down.

HL

[NALAK]

My permanent address (preferably, in country of nationality ) is:- (source Affirmation to marry document) i am a British national so as it says preferably in country of nationality i used my UK address. but it seems people have used both with no problems, but the British Embassey clearly prefer a UK address, which i have. i personally consider that my permanent address. UK tax man certainly considers i still reside in the UK. eitherway the OP can make his own mind up.

reguarding the translation when i came out the Embassey they were waiting and approached me, just crossed Sukumavit, done in about 15 mins

[Jonathanpattaya]

I don't understand.

If you don't have a permanent address in the UK (which you don't) then you simply give your permanent Thai address.

What's the problem?

[Rimmer]

I don't understand.

If you don't have a permanent address in the UK (which you don't) then you simply give your permanent Thai address.

What's the problem?

This is absolutely correct. I don't have a UK address so put in my Thailand one. Worked for me.

[sarahsbloke]

I was told to use an address from my country of origin, and referees from same.

They don't check the address or the referees, just more pointless form filling, and the chance to make some quick cash IMHO.

Try writing the affirmation in Thai, see what happens then (you wouldn't need to pay the ministry of foreign affairs or a translation service.

By the time it is all translated into Thai, the names and addresses become fairly meaningless anyway.

PS

Make sure the translation service write your new Thai name as you want it. Once it is on the documentation, you are stuck with the spelling forever.

Edited March 21, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[NALAK]

all a bit of a farce really, the paper i think is to say you are ok to get married, they never check references or the address or parents. Another bit of uneeded Thai bueracracy. still i bit the consular services make a bit of cash out of it.

[Humphrey Bear]

I was told to use an address from my country of origin, and referees from same.

Make sure the translation service write your new Thai name as you want it. Once it is on the documentation, you are stuck with the spelling forever.

When I did all this with the people in Wireless Road about ten years back, I used my UK address and so on.

Marriage itself in Amphur - we just strolled in with paperwork, sat down opposite a clerk ad she made out the form.

Divorce even easier - no trip to the Consulate, just go to the amphur together and say you both want to finish. It's wiped out like it never existed. (Make sure your assets are held out of the country)

The Thai marriage certificate will be in Thai language only. You may wish to commission a “sworn translation” of the marriage certificate from licensed translators, to enable you use the document for legal purposes in the U.K.

Consular Section can arrange for your marriage certificate to be deposited with the General Register Office (GRO) in the United Kingdom. This not a legal obligation and has no bearing on the validity or otherwise of the marriage. It simply means that you are able to obtain a certified copy of your marriage certificate directly from the GRO should you need to do so in the future. Please ask us for further details if you wish do this

(The above quote from the Consular site hides more than it tells)

Now living in Vietnam with Filipina wife - easy for a pair of foreigners to get married here - and the British Consulate register the marriage! in Thailand they will not officially register your marriage in UK, just allow you to deposit the documents - so if you're back in the UK and want to divorce, or you die, there is a lot of paperwork to do to settle things.

Been in VN for the best part of three years now and it is far, far better than Thailand - and getting better every day. Business is booming, prosperity is increasing visibly.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Humphrey Bear

[trevorg]

I'm going to get Affirmation to Marry from British Embassy next week and would like the 'translation and MoFA' bits done for me, people have stated that there are people outside or services across the road.

Could you please tell me how much these services cost recently, as there seems to be a range of prices in the posts above! ( I know the embassy want 2,834Baht for their bit.

600 - 2000 translation only

1200 - full service (but 3 years ago)

10000 - full service, but booking the amphur included - I don't need this!

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Tee2008]

You can get the full service ( translations, going to Amphur, etc ) for about 9,000 in Pattaya. Doing the Amphur bit yourself is no problem at all. My wife and I just went along, and it was all done within 30 minutes. It actually doesn't cost anything to do that bit yourself ( maybe 200 baht if you need a couple of witnesses ).

I used a company in MBK to do the translation and to get the Affirmation and translation legalised at MFA. They charged, I think, about 1,600 to do the lot. It was MBK Translation, on the 6th Floor of MBK. Took the docs in one day and they were ready for collection the next day. They have a website and I arranged it all in advance.

Good luck

[trevorg]

Just to let you know! I got the bus from Pattaya to On Nut at 07.30 am 113Baht Sky Train from On Nut to Phloen Chit (30 baht) and was back in Pattaya by 3pm. Was in and out of the Embassy in 30 minutes, got collared by a translation and legalisation service guy outside the embassy (with an office right next to Phloen Chit).

They agreed to collect the Affirmation from the British Embassy/ translate it/ deliver and collect from the MoFA and EMS to my Thai address (Sa Kaew) for 2000 Baht - originally asked for 2500, I told them I'd heard someone get it for 1600 Baht (not including EMS) and also would have had to venture through the red shirts to get to MBK. They did say the MoFA are taking 3 days for turnaround, but as I don't have to hang around, that's no big deal!

I will post again when it turns up - and if anyone wants the companies details, PM me!

[Arkady]

I used my US address. Went to an office to get the translations done but instead paid the 10000 baht for them to do everything and arrange the appointment with the amphur. We were all set the next afternoon. Very painless.

Glad you were happy with the service but I guess they saw you coming. Translation is about 500 bt and MFA certification 800 bt for express service. No appointment is necessary or even possible with the district office. You just walk into any district office before 3 pm with the right documents and they are obliged by law to register your marriage for a tiny fee which I can't remember like about 150 bt plus a couple of hundred baht each to two witnesses if you don't bring your own. Your service and messenger fees were about 8,000 bt.