Divorce From The U.K

[techie]

Hi all..

Just after a bit of advice or some words of wisdom from people who may have been through this..

Ok, to get to the point, married a thai girl back in 2003, got a uk visa, things didnt work out too well and she went home (back to thailand) in 2005..

Now shortly after this point lost all contact.. so we have been totally apart with no contact for 6 years..

So, life moving on i need to get a divorce.. i have absolutly no idea of her whereabouts or the address we stayed at in 2004 so totally stuffed in trying to contact her..

So, what i need is any advice on how to get a divorce.. for medical reasons i cannot fly so cant possibly go to thailand so no idea what to do..

Ive read reports i need to travel there and also been told it can be done through courts here so need a little advice on the correct and fair way and any tips from people who have gone through this..

Thanks for any advice you can offer..

[cougar52]

I don't know the law in the UK, however a solicitor should be able to get your divorce without to much trouble.

In the U.S. my Thai wife left me and I did not know where she was living. In court records I signed an affidavit

to the fact that we had not been living together nor did I have knowledge of her whereabouts for the last 2 years.

I was then instructed to advertise a notice of the impending divorce I think for a duration of 4 weeks in the local paper. Then my

solicitor (lawyer in U.S.) and I went to the court with the proof of the notice, along with the petition for the

divorce and presented all to the judge and the divorce was granted with-in an hour.

hope that helps...

[Tafia]

If the marriage was recorded in the Uk should not be a problem. You can divorce thro separation after 5years

(after 2 years with both consenting)

Not sure how you stand if it wasn't registered there tho if you have the marriage certificates a competent solicitor should be able to sort it out for you.

Good Luck

[CharlieH]

Go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau, they'll refer you to a local solicitor for FREE who can best advise you what and how to proceed.

[Mario2008]

CharlieH gives the right advise.

Best is if you try to track your wife down, maybe through her family if you have a copy of her tabian baan. It will make it easier to go through the procedings, as you will need to make effords to locate her.

[theoldgit]

Could it be feasible that she has already divorced you in Thailand on the basis of seperation or "abandonment"?

[Mario2008]

as not visa related, moved to family section.

[Gaccha]

If the marriage was recorded in the Uk should not be a problem. You can divorce thro separation after 5years

(after 2 years with both consenting)

Not sure how you stand if it wasn't registered there tho if you have the marriage certificates a competent solicitor should be able to sort it out for you.

Good Luck

Even an incompetent family solicitor can deal with this.

[Tafia]

If the marriage was recorded in the Uk should not be a problem. You can divorce thro separation after 5years

(after 2 years with both consenting)

Not sure how you stand if it wasn't registered there tho if you have the marriage certificates a competent solicitor should be able to sort it out for you.

Good Luck

Even an incompetent family solicitor can deal with this.

True !!

I think if he can prove he has been separated for 5+ years then its just a formality as there is no involvement required by the other party.

[techie]

Could it be feasible that she has already divorced you in Thailand on the basis of seperation or "abandonment"?

how would i be able to find this out then?

[Gaccha]

Could it be feasible that she has already divorced you in Thailand on the basis of seperation or "abandonment"?

how would i be able to find this out then?

Very simple. You approach your solicitor in England and they do all of this for you.

[techie]

Hi all..

Looked about through my papers and i really have no info of her wherabouts..

An old phone number does not work and i really have no idea of where to start looking.

I have no idea if she has divorced or tried to divorce me and come to think about it she could have passed away and i wouldnt have known.

Rang the Thai consulate in London asking questions about ways to find out if she has divorced me and they offered no help..

All i actually posses is and her i.d number which is on the marrage certificate translation..

Im going to take the good advice and go to the c.a.b here first to see what they say, just dont know where to start apart from that..

Be good to hear from anyone who has ever had a simular situation..

Your help is much appreciated..

Thanks

[Mario2008]

Any amphur in thailand would be able to tell you if you are still married. But I guess you would need soemone in Thailand to inquire for you and possibly that person needs a power of atorney for that.

You could try the Thai ministry of foreign affairs, consular department for help.

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2633.php

(click on the plus in the middle screen for more details)

[phuketmark]

Hi Techie,

I'm in the same position, no idea where she is, obviously we can go to T and let a lawyer search for her but I would be interested to know what the CAB say, I'd prefer to do this from the Uk end despite the possible cost.

cheers,

Hi all..

Looked about through my papers and i really have no info of her wherabouts..

An old phone number does not work and i really have no idea of where to start looking.

I have no idea if she has divorced or tried to divorce me and come to think about it she could have passed away and i wouldnt have known.

Rang the Thai consulate in London asking questions about ways to find out if she has divorced me and they offered no help..

All i actually posses is and her i.d number which is on the marrage certificate translation..

Im going to take the good advice and go to the c.a.b here first to see what they say, just dont know where to start apart from that..

Be good to hear from anyone who has ever had a simular situation..

Your help is much appreciated..

Thanks

[techie]

Thanks Mario2008 i will give that a shot.. not really sure which department to contact but sure i will get it sussed...

I will keep you informed phuketmark... i will be going to the cab soon to see if i can get any free words of wisdom..

Im thinking as its been over the 5 year apart gap i wont need a signature from her end at all... but thats uk law.. so am confused as the wrong and right way of doing it all..

Thanks everyone for input so far...

[sbk]

Did you marry in the UK or Thailand?

[theoldgit]

Did you marry in the UK or Thailand?

He said earlier in the thread that he married in Thailand.

[sbk]

Did you marry in the UK or Thailand?

He said earlier in the thread that he married in Thailand.

I only saw this statement, which doesn't really make it clear where they married but makes me assume they married in Thailand

Ok, to get to the point, married a thai girl back in 2003, got a uk visa, things didnt work out too well and she went home (back to thailand) in 2005..

I was under the impression that if you married at a Thai amphur you must get divorced in Thailand. Is this not true?

[theoldgit]

I'm sorry 'sbk', I was thinking about another thread where the OP specifically stated they married in Thailand.

My apologies.

[Mario2008]

<br>I was under the impression that if you married at a Thai amphur you must get divorced in Thailand. Is this not true?<br>

<br><br><br>

You can divorce in another country than you marry in, normally provided you reside in that country. Thailand would recognize such divorce. But I guess they want their marriage certificate back if you register the divorce with the Thai authorities (or Thai embassy), and one gets a divorce certificate instead.

[techie]

Thanks for all the responces folks..

Yes, we did marry in Thailand..

Ive spoken to solicitors and am thinking the way ahead is to divorce on the grounds of over 5 year seperation, this is because she does not have to agree...

This will have to be done in the uk so hoping it stands over there too..

I will keep you informed as/when i get information in case it helps others..

Thanks