Marriage/Divorce Affidavit

[FlakeyFoont]

Anyone know how long these documents are good for? I need to go to the US Embassy next week and thought I would take care of the first step in the marriage process and get these documents.

My hold up right now is tracking down my divorce certificate (can't remember the date, it was a looong time ago in a place far far away!)

It's my understanding that the US Embassy does not require me to show a divorce certificate, but the Department of Foreign Affairs office will want to see a translated copy of the divorce certificate.

[sarahsbloke]

The dept of foreign affairs definitely don't want to see any documentation except

The "Affirmation of freedom to marry" provided by your Embassy

So if the US Embassy don't want to see it, you don't need to have it.

(I did need to have mine as the British Embassy demand to see it before issuing an AoFtM)

The British Embassy also stamped my "AoFtM" with a stamp saying "None of this information has been checked or verified", so a pointles waste of my time and money.

Affirmation good for 3 months (maybe 6 months but maybe not, Thai officials all have their own ideas)

Edited August 22, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[gotlost]

Catch 22. When you go to the embassy and fill out the application they will ask you what your marriage status is. If you are divorced and say no you are lying, period. The US will not ask to see this document. If you decide to go ahead with the marriage by all accounts it is an illegal marriage. If you tell the embassy yes this is what is sent to the MFA and translated. The MFA does NOT require to see your divorce certificate.. This letter from the MFA is what you must present at the amphur. It is at the amphur that they could ask for your divorce certificate. Will they ask 9 out of ten times no. You call the shot.

[sarahsbloke]

Catch 22. When you go to the embassy and fill out the application they will ask you what your marriage status is. If you are divorced and say no you are lying, period. The US will not ask to see this document. If you decide to go ahead with the marriage by all accounts it is an illegal marriage. If you tell the embassy yes this is what is sent to the MFA and translated. The MFA does NOT require to see your divorce certificate.. This letter from the MFA is what you must present at the amphur. It is at the amphur that they could ask for your divorce certificate. Will they ask 9 out of ten times no. You call the shot.

The Amphur ofice are unlikely to be able to read an English divorce certificate ...........

[gotlost]

Catch 22. When you go to the embassy and fill out the application they will ask you what your marriage status is. If you are divorced and say no you are lying, period. The US will not ask to see this document. If you decide to go ahead with the marriage by all accounts it is an illegal marriage. If you tell the embassy yes this is what is sent to the MFA and translated. The MFA does NOT require to see your divorce certificate.. This letter from the MFA is what you must present at the amphur. It is at the amphur that they could ask for your divorce certificate. Will they ask 9 out of ten times no. You call the shot.

The Amphur ofice are unlikely to be able to read an English divorce certificate ...........

That's true. But it is still their law.

The translation can be done locally of this document. Same requirement if your a widower, death certificate.

These do not have to be sent to the MFA only the affidavit from the embassy/consulate.

Edited August 22, 2010 by gotlost

[FlakeyFoont]

Thanks for the replies!

So it's the Amphur that may want to see the divorce certificate. Guess I got that mixed-up with the MFA.

I just double checked the US embassy web site and no mention of proof of the divorce required. Just need to fill out two sworn affidavits, one stating I'm free to marry

and one stating the x-wife's name, date and county of the divorce (at a cost of $50. each!)

Well then it sounds like I should be able to get everything done short of the visit to the amphur while I'm there. I'm assumming I don't need my bride-to-be with me at the MFA?

So, what I need to do is:

Get the two affidavits from the US embassy.

Get them translated to Thai.

Take them to the MFA and get a letter from them.....(is there a fee for this?)

NEXT

Track down my divorce certificate within the next 3 months.

Go to the amphur...........(and the letter from the MFA should still be valid for up to 3 months?)

Am I missing anything?

Will the MFA give me the letter the same day?

What BST station is close to the MFA?

Thanks for the help!:jap:

[sarahsbloke]

Like I said earlier

The MFA only want the "affirmation fo freedom to marry" from your Embassy, translated into Thai by one of their approved translators (they won't accept a document from anyone else).

Quite frankly I think the Amphur office won't want anything else, but if you are worried go and ask them what they want.

My Amphur office didn't want anything else when I got married in February this year.

Edited August 22, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[gotlost]

Like I said earlier

The MFA only want the "affirmation fo freedom to marry" from your Embassy, translated into Thai by one of their approved translators (they won't accept a document from anyone else).

Quite frankly I think the Amphur office won't want anything else, but if you are worried go and ask them what they want.

My Amphur office didn't want anything else when I got married in February this year.

When I was married a few years back I ticked the box divorced and stated the year. This was the document that was sent to Bangkok to the MFA. When it returned as translated I realized what I had done and thought so be it. Turned it in to the amphur and they never asked me for the divorce papers. Like I said 9 out of 10 time no problem. No two amphur offices in Thailand operate the same even under the national laws. Go figure.