Divorce In Thailand-She Just Wants To Divorce At Laksi

[slippery when wet]

hello.

I am after your help

My wife and i will divorce soon in bkk but she does not find it necessary and too much hassle to register the divorce with the uk authorities.

i would technically still be married i assume in this case i guess.

what can i do if once she is divorced at laksi she point blanc refuses to register the divorce with th uk authorities....can i go it alone with the translation and then register alone with the uk office of am I stuffed.

Thanks

[theoldgit]

As I understand it, if you married in Thailand you can divorce in Thailand and you are legally divorced anywhere in the world. You don't have to register your divorce in the UK, any more than you need to actually register your marriage.

If you married in the UK, then you would need to divorce in the UK, to divorce at an Amphur you need to provide the original Thai marriage certificate, which of course you wouldn't have, again this is my understanding of the law.

Sorry to hear you are getting divorced, hope you are ok about it.

[slippery when wet]

thanks for your reply.

yes we did marry in thailand. but also registered the marriage with the uk embassy so it is her failure to wish to register it with the uk authorities that concerns me.

Thanks

[slippery when wet]

once i have the thai divorce in my hands can i then get it translated and cpmplete the registration with the uk authorities by myself...?

thanks

[transam]

Surely if you have your divorce papers you can inform UK embassy showing your document.

[Mario2008]

As said, you divorce in thailand is recognized by the UK.

When you get divorced, you both turn in your wedding cettificate and instead each gets a divorce certificate. Ask for a copy of the entry into the divorce register. You should be able to notify the UK-authorities of the divorce on your own, with certified copies of the divorce certificate and entry into the register.

Te embasy webiste probably has more details.

[theoldgit]

yes we did marry in thailand. but also registered the marriage with the uk embassy so it is her failure to wish to register it with the uk authorities that concerns me.

The term registering a marriage with the UK Embassy is actually confusing, you are not actually registering the marriage as there is no requirement to do so, what you are paying The Embassy to do is to have a copy your Thai Marriage Certificate deposited with the GRO (General Records Office). When you are married in Thailand, as I said earlier, the marriage is recognised in the UK or indeed anywhere, by depositing a copy of the certificate with the GRO it doesn't make you any more married, that sounds sarcastic but it isn't meant to be so.

In fact if a Thai person applies for a settlement visa the UKBA accept the Thai marriage certificate and, even they, don't require that the certificate is lodged at the GRO.

When you divorce in Thailand there is no need to notify the The UK Embassy or the GRO because all you have done it deposit the certificate, not actually registered the marriage.

Hope that makes sense.

[slippery when wet]

makes perfect sense.

Many thanks

[transam]

makes perfect sense.

Many thanks

Good luck for the future.

[Beetlejuice]

What you do is first obtain your Thai divorce certificate.

Then you visit the Thai foreign affairs office in Bangkok and have it certified.

After that go to a Thai lawyer and have the Thai divorce certificate and certifcation document translated into English.

Then you go to the British embassy in Bangkok and register your divorce with the UK registration office. Not sure whether or not you can do this at a British consulate?

[theoldgit]

What you do is first obtain your Thai divorce certificate.

Then you visit the Thai foreign affairs office in Bangkok and have it certified.

After that go to a Thai lawyer and have the Thai divorce certificate and certifcation document translated into English.

Then you go to the British embassy in Bangkok and register your divorce with the UK registration office. Not sure whether or not you can do this at a British consulate?

I'm sorry but that reply is inaccurate and can be confusing.

Start with a divorce in the UK, it is a court order rather than a registration process that would be recorded in the General Records Office, if you need a copy of a divorce paper you apply to the County Court, not the General Records Office.

Though you can opt to deposit an copy of an overseas marriage certificate with the General Records Office, via the FCO, there is no legal requirement to do so, and there is no benefit in doing so, save the option of buying a certified copy if the original is lost.

In the case of a divorce in Thailand the local divorce certificate is valid anywhere in the world, the General Records Office will not lodge an overseas divorce paper anymore than they would a divorce paper issues by a County Court in the UK. You could if you wish have it translated in Thailand and I assume the MFA would certify the translation, but that's as far as it goes.

[slippery when wet]

so just to clarify.....................all i need to do is get divorced at laksi office and then i am legally divorced??

thanks

[theoldgit]

so just to clarify.....................all i need to do is get divorced at laksi office and then i am legally divorced??

Yes, that's all you need to do, I'm really sorry you have received no much conflicting advice.

To get a divorce in Thailand, following a marriage in Thailand, all you need to do is pitch up together at the Amphur, and I'm assuming that's what you mean by Laksi office, armed with your original marriage certificates, if you both agree you complete some paperwork, which has to be witnessed, pay a nominal fee, and that's it your divorced, and the divorce is recognised anywhere.

There is no need for the translation of any documents, registering at the MFA, Embassy, GRO or anywhere.

If there is any dispute about anything, or if there are kids involved, then it has to go through a court.

Good luck.

[slippery when wet]

so just to clarify.....................all i need to do is get divorced at laksi office and then i am legally divorced??

Yes, that's all you need to do, I'm really sorry you have received no much conflicting advice.

To get a divorce in Thailand, following a marriage in Thailand, all you need to do is pitch up together at the Amphur, and I'm assuming that's what you mean by Laksi office, armed with your original marriage certificates, if you both agree you complete some paperwork, which has to be witnessed, pay a nominal fee, and that's it your divorced, and the divorce is recognised anywhere.

There is no need for the translation of any documents, registering at the MFA, Embassy, GRO or anywhere.

If there is any dispute about anything, or if there are kids involved, then it has to go through a court.

Good luck.

[slippery when wet]

2 things. We do have kids. As long as we agree on finances then we can still divorce at the amphur office instead of going through the Thai courts?

And we have lost one of the marriage certificates over the years. We still have 1 I am guessing this will be ok still?

Thanks for all your help...slippery

[theoldgit]

I think you are correct in saying that if you can agree everything yourselves you can lodge an agreement with the Amphur when you register your divorce; you have to do it when you file, not at a later date.

My understanding is that you need both certificates, I was in the same position and had to file a report at the police station, a relatively painless process, I then took the police report to the Amphur. They may well accept just one, but then again they may not.

Edited May 9, 2011 by theoldgit

[random]

My understanding is that registering the docs at the UK embassy does not constitute a UK marriage, it is simply a notification that you married, in reality you do not have a legal UK marriage, you have a legal Thai marriage that is recognized in the uk, all you have done is notify the UK via the embassy.

One the divorce is complete here there is no harm in notifying the embassy again so the report can be removed in the UK, you do not have to do anything legally in the UK as you are not married in the UK, you have simply told them you are married.