Gatting Married On A Visit Visa

[theoracle]

My Thai wife (married in Thailand) is coming to visit me in the UK and people are hassling me to do a registry office in the UK for the sake of ceremony.

My question is are you allowed to get married in the UK on a family visit visa which is what she has?

[Mario2008]

You do not get married in the UK, as you are already married in Thailand. But you are allowed to do a ceremony at the registar office. But keep in mind the official wedding date will be the Thai marriage, although the date of the UK marriage might be recorded if you do not inform them of the marriage in Thailand.

Your question about being allowed on teh visa I can not answer.

[7by7]

If you registered your marriage at the ampur then as this is a legal marriage under Thai law it is also a legal marriage under UK law.

There is some dispute over whether a couple who are already legally married can register their marriage again in the UK without divorcing each other first.. Some registrars say yes, more will say no. But as you are already legally married there is certainly no legal reason for doing so.

If you cannot find a registrar who will 'officially' marry you, many will still conduct a ceremony where you each make the usual vows to each other. The only difference between this and an official marriage is that you wont actually sign the register.

See Marriage and civil partnership: your legal obligations for how to go about it, especially the part headed "If you are subject to immigration control."

But ignore the part which says

If you want to come to the UK to marry or register a civil partnership, you will need to get the correct entry clearance. You will need this before you travel to the UK

The law has changed, and holders of general and family visit visas can now marry in the UK.

The above link is for England and Wales, but at the bottom of the page you will find links for Scotland and Northern Ireland if required.

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[theoracle]

According to the British Embassy in BKK they say it is best to get the Thai marrigae cert translated by the Thai embassy in London and have them register the marriage in the UK. Does this sound right or necessary? I suppose I am going to have to show proof of my marriage in England for tax reasons etc so an official traslation will be needed at some point?

[7by7]

I don't know who you spoke to at the embassy, but you have been misinformed.

The Thai embassy in London cannot register marriages; in the UK you can only register a marriage at a registry office or religious building registered for marriage (although you can hold the actual ceremony at a location licensed for weddings). A marriage registered at an embassy (even if they did such a thing) would not be valid in the UK.

If you have registered your marriage at an ampur in Thailand then it is a legal marriage in both Thailand and the UK; and most, if not all, other countries.

For all official purposes in the UK a translation by a licensed translation agency, whether in Thailand or the UK, and certified by them as a true translation is sufficient. All we have, apart from the Thai originals of course, is such a translation obtained in Bangkok and it has been acceptable every time we have used it; for her visa and ILR and citizenship applications, obtaining her NI number etc.

However, if she ever wants to visit Europe then when applying for a Schengen visa she will need a translation certified either by the MFA in Bangkok or the Thai embassy in London.

Edited October 4, 2012 by 7by7