Marriage Certificate

[avantgarde35]

Hi

I'm going to leave Belgium in October and comming to Thailand with non-immigration type O based on marry to thai. So I'm planning to extend my visa and

I'm just wondering if I have to translate my Dutch marriage certificate into English AND Thai or only in Thai will be enought ???

And after it's been translated , then legalized by Belgium Embassy in BKK and MFA ... can I use this copy to extend the visa for always? ... Or is translated version valid maybe only 3 months or something like that?

Thanks for all the info in advance.

[kriswillems]

I don't know why you would go to the Belgian embassy in BKK for this.

This is a completely Thai thing (not related to any Belgian law).

So you've to call to the Thai embassy in Brussels and ask them for an official (recognised by the Thai embassy) translator from Dutch or French (whatever language your centificate is written in) to Thai.

The embassy will need to stamp this translation and the original.

It might be nessary to get another stamp in the MFA in BKK. I would call to the Thai immigration office in BKK to be sure to know which stamps they need (I believe the phone numbers are on this web-site). Probably only a stamp of the Thai embassy is sufficient.

It also seems unlogical that this translation would exipre after 3 months. I think you can simply give a copy of the (translated) paper to the immigration officer when you apply fior your extention. Besides this you'll have to prove you've 400000 Baht on a Thai bank account coming from outside Thailand (you'll need a copy of your passbook and a letter from the bank).

Edited September 15, 2005 by kriswillems

[Tokker]

I am in exactly the same position.

I got the marriage certificate in the city hall and had it legalised in Brussels by the Belgian government. I didn't have it translated to get my non-O. Apparantly it was not necessary. However at the Thai embassy they advised me that i'd have it legalised by them too, so I could use it as a genuine document in Thailand.

I guess I still have to get it translated to get my extension but I plan to do this in Thailand as I think it will be cheaper.

As I will be staying in chiang rai I hope i don't need a trip to BKK in this scenario. Can anybody assure me about this.

[kriswillems]

If I would be you, I would get the translation in Belgium in a translation office accepted by the Thai embassy. That way both your original and translation are official papers when stamped by the embassy.

If your marriage certificate is in Dutch I am almost sure you can only find accepted translation offices in BKK. And there's a high chance that the translation will have to be legalised in the ministry of foreign affairs in BKK (to make it an official paper).

Staying a few days in BKK (waiting for the translation) will probably cost more than making a translation in Belgium. I would ask the Thai embassy for advice.

A Dutch-Thai translation costs about 1000 Baht per page in Thailand. I don't know the prices in Belgium.

[dutch]

translation AND legalization was 4 days in 2004 ( in Bangkok)(from english-to Thai)

I don't know if a translation from dutch to Thai would be so quick,but Belgium embassy can tell you that.

I suppose if you have it translated in Thai in Belgium already it would save you 2 days to have the legalization by MFA in Bkk.

Collect as many official stamps as possible.They like it.

You make 20 copies by your self and you have enough for the coming years.Keep the original.