Us Citizen Marrying Thai Procedures

[yankee99]

I think that the Thais were just assuming that you would want to take your wife back to the U.S. and that's why they told you to go back to the embessy with those documrnts.

However, even if you don't intend to apply for a visa for your wife there are still good reasons why registering your legal marriage with the embessy is to your advantage.

For example, even though she is Thai...just being your wife may entitle her to some Social Security benefits later on.

That may seem unimportant to you now...but later on it may be important.

For a whole batch of possible legal reasons....that might come up in your future....you should have you marriage regisgtered with the U.S. embessy.

Please enlighten us as to what registration the US Embassy provides? I know of no such process so if indeed they do would be most interested to know about it. Do not see it mentioned on web site.

I would recommend getting a translation and MFA registered copy or two for possible later use as it is accepted by US Government as proof of marriage. But you can always wait until needed - many may never need.

if you are filing a joint tax return your wife needs a TIN. To get this her passport needs to be noterized or physicaly sent to dept of revenus. To get it noterized it needs to got to mfa then to the consulte services.

[lopburi3]

I was not asking about notary services - the claim was marriage must be registered with US Embassy - as one who is married and never done any such thing I question it. As for ITIN do not believe a passport would be required as many Thai do not even have one. And the only functions the Consulate would likely perform is simple notary of signatures. MFA is legalization authority for any Thai document for US usage.

[yankee99]

I was not asking about notary services - the claim was marriage must be registered with US Embassy - as one who is married and never done any such thing I question it. As for ITIN do not believe a passport would be required as many Thai do not even have one. And the only functions the Consulate would likely perform is simple notary of signatures. MFA is legalization authority for any Thai document for US usage.

correct registering the marriage is not required. You can get the tin with a combination of other documents. The beauty of the passport is it does not need to be accompinied with other docs.

[Jayman]

lopburi3, on Today, 08:58 , said:

Please enlighten us as to what registration the US Embassy provides?I know of no such process so if indeed they do would be most interested to know about it. Do not see it mentioned on web site.

I would recommend getting a translation and MFA registered copy or two for possible later use as it is accepted by US Government as proof of marriage.But you can always wait until needed - many may never need.

if you are filing a joint tax return your wife needs a TIN. To get this her passport needs to be noterized or physicaly sent to dept of revenus. To get it noterized it needs to got to mfa then to the consulte services.

Again this is wrong. My wife started with a tin which was later converted to a full blown ssn when she was granted the right to work and none of this involved anything with mfa registered docs. Only the ability to marry doc from us embassy was ever registered at mfa. Nothing else. Not our marriage cert or anything. Edited August 5, 2012 by Jayman

[yankee99]

lopburi3, on Today, 08:58 , said:

Please enlighten us as to what registration the US Embassy provides?I know of no such process so if indeed they do would be most interested to know about it. Do not see it mentioned on web site.

I would recommend getting a translation and MFA registered copy or two for possible later use as it is accepted by US Government as proof of marriage.But you can always wait until needed - many may never need.

if you are filing a joint tax return your wife needs a TIN. To get this her passport needs to be noterized or physicaly sent to dept of revenus. To get it noterized it needs to got to mfa then to the consulte services.

Again this is wrong. My wife started with a tin which was later converted to a full blown ssn when she was granted the right to work and none of this involved anything with mfa registered docs. Only the ability to marry doc from us embassy was ever registered at mfa. Nothing else. Not our marriage cert or anything.

well it might be wrong now but it wasnt 2 months ago when i did it..

[Jayman]

lopburi3, on Today, 08:58 , said:

Please enlighten us as to what registration the US Embassy provides?I know of no such process so if indeed they do would be most interested to know about it. Do not see it mentioned on web site.

I would recommend getting a translation and MFA registered copy or two for possible later use as it is accepted by US Government as proof of marriage.But you can always wait until needed - many may never need.

if you are filing a joint tax return your wife needs a TIN. To get this her passport needs to be noterized or physicaly sent to dept of revenus. To get it noterized it needs to got to mfa then to the consulte services.

Again this is wrong. My wife started with a tin which was later converted to a full blown ssn when she was granted the right to work and none of this involved anything with mfa registered docs. Only the ability to marry doc from us embassy was ever registered at mfa. Nothing else. Not our marriage cert or anything.

well it might be wrong now but it wasnt 2 months ago when i did it..

maybe I should have qualified the statement by saying it's not the only way to do it. It might be how you did it but certainly not the only way to do it nor is it required.

Just like the OP who paid 1020thb to get married.. was it wrong? It worked for him but it certainly wasn't required nor was it the way I did it.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Jayman

[lopburi3]

Actually ITIN has become much more difficult to obtain for some time and as of June:

The IRS is implementing interim guidelines — effective immediately — and will only issue ITINs when applications include original documentation, such as passports and birth certificates, or certified copies of these documents from the issuing agency. During this interim period, ITINs will not be issued based on applications supported by notarized copies of documents. In addition, ITINS will not be issued based on applications submitted through certified acceptance agents unless they attach original documentation or copies of original documents certified by the issuing agency.

• Passport (stand alone document)

• National identification card (must show photo, name, current address, date of birth, and expiration date)

• U.S. driver's license

• Civil birth certificate (required for dependents under 18 years of age)

• Foreign driver's license

• U.S. state identification card

• Foreign voter's registration card

• U.S. military identification card

• Foreign military identification card

• Visa

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) photo identification

• Medical records (dependents only - under 14, under 18 if a student)

• School records (dependents only - under 14, under 18 if a student)

[yankee99]

Our embassy wont notarize unless stamped at mfa.

[Jayman]

Our embassy wont notarize unless stamped at mfa.

notarize what? I get many documents notarized at the US consulate and none have any MFA stamps.

[yankee99]

@jayman .I was not very clear. I assume your are not a thai national. They will not notarize a copy of a thai passport without a mfa stamp.

Edited August 6, 2012 by yankee99

[Jayman]

@jayman .I was not very clear. I assume your are not a thai national. They will not notarize a copy of a thai passport without a mfa stamp.

You assumption about me is correct. I am American and married to a Thai national. She has applied and received her immigrant visa, TIN, SSN, and subsequently her 10 year green card and we have never had any documents stamped by the MFA other than the document stating that I was able to get married issued by the US consulate in Bangkok. This is required by all foreign nationals wishing to get married to Thai nationals on Thailand.

Edited August 6, 2012 by Jayman

[meand]

I wanted to update this for reference. We went in today to get our marriage cert MFA translation legalized, and the extremely nice lady at the US embassy mentioned to us we really didn't need to do this, considering our circumstances. I appreciated that. I had actually told my wife this, but it took this lady saying it to convince her.

So, if you have followed this thread, you know I lost about a thousand baht to the now infamous lady who took our money and told us to do things we didn't need to do (ie go to the US embassy after we got our Marriage cert translated at mfa)). Then, I feel I gained 2000 baht by way of an equally and oppositely nice and informed lady. Win some, you lose some.

Anyway, good luck to all. Lesson: Don't listen to the lady at the amphur who tells you that you need to head to the US embassy to finalize your marriage/documents.

So, mission accomplished, thanks again to all. In retrospect, if I had to single somebody out, Lop's posts seemed especially accurate btw.

Edited August 24, 2012 by meand