I was married in the USA almost 20 years ago to a Thai woman.

We moved to Thailand 6 years ago and the last time I renewed my visa based on marriage(reside in Bangkok)

the immigration officer said we had to register the marriage here. My renewal is coming up in a few months.

What do I have to do to register our marriage in Thailand/Bangkok and is it a formality or a

pain-in-the-glutomos-maximus?

Thanks.

purely a formality, get the marriage certificate translated to Thai, registered with Minsistry of Foriegn Affairs then go to local Amphur for registration and job done.

Believe one step missed in above as Embassy must be involved after translation and before MFA visit from my understanding. But not a big deal. Once recorded at District Office you can obtain the ledger copy that everyone now seems to be required to present, in addition to normal marriage certificate, for extensions of stay.

I keep hearing about having to have some additional form to present proving yourmarried. After 14 years of renewing my extensions based on marriage, we have never been ask for anything other than two copies of our marriage certificate. I do not have any idea what this ledger form even looks like. So I guess its up to individual immigrations. I remember one time the officer renewing our extension was a little frustrated and mentions that everytime the boss changes, they want them to get something new. Guess its a power thing!

It is an official form (I have also never seen it) that is now routinely provided to those when getting married and updated copies are easy to obtain. It can be downloaded at any District Office for those whose marriage has been put into the computer system (last I heard about 7-10 years back) so you may have to obtain from registration District Office. It would reflect any divorce so helps prove ongoing marriage.

Believe one step missed in above as Embassy must be involved after translation and before MFA visit from my understanding. But not a big deal. Once recorded at District Office you can obtain the ledger copy that everyone now seems to be required to present, in addition to normal marriage certificate, for extensions of stay.

What's the (US embassy in my case) supposed to do? I brought Marriage Certificate that was already authenticated by the US dept of state .

Also, which Ampur to register in ? - Where we live now(in an apt) or where my wife is registered as a member of a household ( her family home )?

Thanks

I keep hearing about having to have some additional form to present proving yourmarried. After 14 years of renewing my extensions based on marriage, we have never been ask for anything other than two copies of our marriage certificate. I do not have any idea what this ledger form even looks like. So I guess its up to individual immigrations. I remember one time the officer renewing our extension was a little frustrated and mentions that everytime the boss changes, they want them to get something new. Guess its a power thing!

Wedding certificate and entry into the wedding register are the forms khor rhor 2 and khor rhor 3.

Believe one step missed in above as Embassy must be involved after translation and before MFA visit from my understanding. But not a big deal. Once recorded at District Office you can obtain the ledger copy that everyone now seems to be required to present, in addition to normal marriage certificate, for extensions of stay.

What's the (US embassy in my case) supposed to do? I brought Marriage Certificate that was already authenticated by the US dept of state .

Also, which Ampur to register in ? - Where we live now(in an apt) or where my wife is registered as a member of a household ( her family home )?

Thanks

You say registered. I'm guessing that the amphoe for the housebook she is registered in is not the same amphoe you are currently living in. Go to the office that governs the district of the housebook, not where you are currently living.

Actually suspect you can record it in any District Office just as you can actually marry in any District Office.

Believe MFA requires Embassy chop on translation/marriage certificate copy to record as official document. It is part of the process.

Thanks alot - your help is bound to save me loads of time.

purely a formality, get the marriage certificate translated to Thai, registered with Minsistry of Foriegn Affairs then go to local Amphur for registration and job done.

Apparently I misunderstood the process on a fundamantal level. I went to the translator to get my US marriage certificate translated and she said that I need to get the embassy affidavit and then translate that. Pretty sure no original US marriage certificate is required.

But I have obtained the marriage affidavit in pdf form from the US embassy bangkok website (see attached) -- note that you must swear that you are not already married and do not have any children to support already. This is quite interesting, since I am married with children.

Only thing that makes sense to me is that Thailand does not recognize marriages from outside this country and swearing only applies to Thai marriage and children thereof. I thought that I was just going to have my US legal marriage recognized here, but no, I was wrong. I'm getting married here legally. But the affidavit provided by the embassy is self contradicting.

Maybe I should just go to the Amphur and do it all in the Thai language, if possible.

This is going to be a hassle.

Thanks for your help though.

marriage_affidavit.pdf

Edited September 22, 201114 yr by phormio

You are married - you must translate the marriage certificate into Thai and present that with original to Embassy for there chop and then have it registered with MFA and then recorded at a District Office. You are not trying to get married as your translator seems to think - you are married and it is legal in Thailand.

You are married - you must translate the marriage certificate into Thai and present that with original to Embassy for there chop and then have it registered with MFA and then recorded at a District Office. You are not trying to get married as your translator seems to think - you are married and it is legal in Thailand.

So, I went to the US embassy and filled out and swore an affidavit that I was legally married to my Thai wife in the US on such and such a date etc., then had it translated to Thai, and took it to the MoFA to get it legalized. Now when I take this down to the Amphur/District office to record it, does my wife have to go with me? Or can I just take a copy of her ID and housing registration papers?

She will have to go with you, as I suspect she wil have to sign some papers to. Note that you can go to any amphur.Don't forgt to ask for a copy of the entry into the weding register, in your case that would be the Khor rhor 22 form for immigration.