To Marry In Thai Or Uk

[alybarb]

Hi there. Am wanting advise on marrying my thai fiancee in the uk or Thai. I have been reading some of the posts and i am starting to think the uk is an expensive alternative. I was going to apply for my fiancee to obtain a Fiancee Visa from Oz. Where she is living. But she has said that she would go bak to thai this yr b4 and After visiiting me here in May. My first thought are costs involved and also the lack of info to really do these proceedures. Am still ringing round trying to get info now. Is it that much easier to get married in thai. (bangkok, as family lives just outside).? I was thinking of marrying here and then going to thai for a wedding ceremony. But need further convincing. I also hav health issues which i am worried about with regard to processing any type of visa to come bak into the uk. That sort of info seems diff to get answers for. Wot proceedures wud hav to be followed to marry in thai anywy. Do u need visa to go into thai in the same way u need a Fiancee Visa to come here?? ANY info is welcome as i need all to make a real decision. tah

[GU22]

At the end of the day the final decision is for you and your fiancée, but I hope this helps you to make that decision.

For you to marry in Thailand you don't need a special visa, indeed when I did it I was there on a bog standard 30 day tourist stamp. You do need to sign an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry and have it notarised at the British embassy, translated into Thai and certified at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs before taking it to the Ampur where you intend to register the marriage. This Ampur registration takes a very short time, and there is no ceremony. Basically you and your fiancée will sign a few forms and pay the fee. The Ampur then prepare your marriage certificates and that's it, your married! If you decide to have a religious or other ceremony, then this is not recognised under Thai law as a legal marriage, it is the Ampur registration that makes it legal.

See Guidance for British Nationals Wishing to Marry in Thailand

Under the Foreign Marriages Act of 189? the UK recognises all marriages that are legal in the country where they took place, so having registered your marriage at the Ampur you cannot get married again in the UK. Many couples want to do something for both sets of relatives, so have the ceremonial (but not legal) marriage in Thailand and then a registry office wedding in the UK.

However, unless you have a strong reason for marrying in the UK, I would recommend marrying in Thailand on cost grounds alone.

If you decide to marry in the UK then you will need:-

Fiancée visa; cost £260.

After marrying in the UK, Further Leave to Remain; cost £335 if applying by post or £500 in person.

Two years after FLR, Indefinite Leave to Remain, cost £335 if applying by post or £500 in person.

Marrying in Thailand means she applies for a spouse visa and this cuts out the FLR stage and so saves that cost. Also the holder of a fiancée visa cannot work until they have FLR, but the holder of a spouse visa can work immediately.

Applying for the visa makes no difference as the criteria are the same, except for a spouse visa you have to be married, of course. Guidance - General information (INF 1) and Guidance - Husbands, wives and partners (INF 4)

Either way, she will need to get a TB certificate and submit this with her application, REQUIREMENT FOR TUBERCULOSIS TESTING FOR APPLICANTS VISITING THE UK FOR LONGER THAN 6 MONTHS

Edited January 12, 2006 by GU22

[alybarb]

thanx. i presume that from getting the Tub test done, is that same day?, to getting the paperwork is quite quick and easy? Ive heard of people using the agencies near `the embassy (if thats right) to help speed things up. Such a worry and to think that illegals can get here for FREE.!!

[hewhonose]

thanx. i presume that from getting the Tub test done, is that same day?, to getting the paperwork is quite quick and easy? Ive heard of people using the agencies near `the embassy (if thats right) to help speed things up. Such a worry and to think that illegals can get here for FREE.!!

Why waste money using an agency an agency? My experience THIS WEEK.

Monday produced my affirmation of freedom to marry on computer. You download standard letter from embassy website.

Tuesday travelled from up country to Bangkok and went straight to embassy. Waited 75 mins to hand over the Affirmation and passport and 2625 baht. Sign affirmation in front of the pleasant lady. The waiting area is pleasant enough.

0900 Weds back at embassy. No wait (unusual I imagine) and picked up affirmation (charmless man) which had been countersigned by vice consul.

Walked 3 mins to Ploenchit BTS where there are several accredited translators. Took 10 mins (they already have the standard translation on their computers). Cost 250baht.

0920 took Taxi to Department of consular affairs about 25km and 180 baht (incl highway troll). Arrived 1005. Filled out a simple form in English saying what I wanted (from box next to machine issuing queue tickets). 1020 seen by officer handed over affirmation and translation and copy of main passport page and 800baht. Sit down and waited 5 mins for name to be called when they issue receipt.

You then hang around for 2 hours - no problem very pleasant modern offices. Have good cheap cafeteria and coffee bar and pleasant waiting areas (can have a beer or 2 if you like as they have a 7-11 in the building). 1220 took another queue ticket. Number called in 2 mins. At 1230 I was outside the building with certified notarised paperwork and taxi back to BKK.

Could, if we wanted, have married that afternoon in BKK, all wife to be would have needed was housebook and ID but instead returned up country and will be tying the knot this afternoon.

Believe me it really is that simple and easy and completely hassle free (apart from telling the touts who hang around outside the embassy to politely bog off). An agent cannot speed things up. I know one couple who handed over 40,000baht (that is not a typo)

synoticed ancoll

[GU22]

Exactly, it really is that easy and simple!

As I had better things to do than sit around the MFA for several hours we did use an agent. I gave him my signed application and he told us to come back in 3 days. When we did he had done the translation, got the MFA stamp and arranged an appointment at the Ampur. He took us there, sorted all the paper work, read through the forms in English for me and told me where to sign. IMHO a very good service, all for, if memory serves, 5000baht, including all the embassy, MFA etc. fees. He even paid for the taxi that took us to the Ampur out of that!

Certainly, if any agent wants to charge you more than that, it's too much!

As for using an agent for the visa application, well the embassy website says

Should I ask an agent or an immigration adviser to help me apply for my visa?

You should be careful about using an agent or an immigration adviser as they cannot issue visas, or influence the outcome of your application. There have been cases where agents and immigration advisers have given people poor advice and overcharged them.

An agent can be useful in helping you get all the paperwork sorted and doing the necessary translations. They may also be able to give good advice on how to behave at the interview, but that's it! Maximum cost 10k to 12k baht, often a lot less.

They cannot help you jump the queue and they cannot guarantee a visa. If you talk to an agent and they say that they can, walk away; they are lying! If they advise you to try and hide something, or lie about something DON'T! The embassy are 99.999999% certain to find out that you've lied, and that will mean no visa!

You will find all the advice you need for free by reading the guidelines and using forums such as this to ask about anything that you're not sure about.

[GU22]

As I had better things to do than sit around the MFA for several hours we did use an agent. I gave him my signed application........

Whoops, that should read "I gave him my signed affirmation!"