Change Retirement To Thai Spouse Visa

[moon0205]

as the immigration chaengwathana does not answer my calls, I guess one of the knowledgable friends at thai visa can help with a short reply: having used non-imigrant visa for retirement since end of 2004, at my last 90 days report an officer told me what documents are needed to change to married status. among them he mentioned a copy of my (german) passport, certified by my embassy.

this means another day travel, and I couldn't find out at chaengwathana whether this is necessary, as my passport was accepted by them for 5 years already. I am grateful if someone had done this and can give me a hint. thank you,

[Phil Conners]

I doubt it is your passport that has to be certified. Probably it's your marriage certificate. If it is not Thai, you need to get the foreign ministry of the country issuing the certificate to certify it, after that you need to get the embassy in Thailand to certify the certification. Yes bureaucracy^2.

Anyway you posted in the wrong forum.

[moon0205]

I doubt it is your passport that has to be certified. Probably it's your marriage certificate. If it is not Thai, you need to get the foreign ministry of the country issuing the certificate to certify it, after that you need to get the embassy in Thailand to certify the certification. Yes bureaucracy^2.

Anyway you posted in the wrong forum.

as I am posting first time - where should it have appeared, please?

anyhow, I recall specifically that he referred to my passport for certification, whilst my question about marriage certificate was waved off by " in English is enough"

[Mario2008]

Moved to correct forum.

[Mario2008]

It seems the immigration officer was misinformed.

A passport doesn't need to be certified by the embassy. When you submit all the documents, including the copy of your passport, you need to certify that the copies are true copies. You do this by simply signing each copy of the documents you submit, which is all that is needed.

As Phill Conors mentioned, if you where married abroad you need to get your marriage certificate certified by your embassy, than translated into Thai and then certified by the Thai foreign ministry and next recorded into the Thai wedding register at the amphur. From the entry into the Thai wedding register you need to provide a copy to immigration.

[Phil Conners]

^ Well there are obviously more than one way to skin that cat. In my case the marriage certificate is in English and did not have to be translated or recorded at the Amphur. I was required though to send it back to the foreign ministry in my country and have them do some sort of certification (a huge sticker on the back with some humbo jumbo) + subsequently have that certified by my embassy in Thailand.

[lopburi3]

Immigration currently requires a copy of the District Office ledger entry of marriage for new Thai wife extensions of stay and if marriage is not done in Thailand that will require the process of Embassy certification, translation into Thai (District Office does not accept English), registration of package at MFA and then reporting to a District Office to enter the information and obtain the required Kor Ror 2 document.