How To Get A Us Marriage Certificate With A Stateless Person

[bradlycooper]

Hi,

I have a female friend that married an American boy. My female friend is stateless person in Thailand and does not have a Thai ID or passport; she only has one of the colored cards given to stateless people. She would like to an official *US* marriage certificate.

Has anybody been in a similar situation before? Any advice as to how to proceed?

They did the marriage cerimony but they do not have any official documentation from either the Thai government nor the American government. Apparently, they tried to get a Thai marriage license and were denied.

I would very much like my friend to get a US marriage certificate so that she can gain the legal rights that married people are entitled to, including the ability to get a green card in the future, the ability to visit her husband in US hospitals, custody considerations for future children, etc. Plus, we are hoping that if she has any problems with the Thai government, the US embassy and consulates in Thailand may be more willing to help her if she has documentation with her that she's married to an American citizen.

She does not want to go to the US right away, because aparently the Thai government has said that they will give her a Thai ID (Thai Citizenship) if she finishes her university studies in Thailand. She would like to get her Thai citizenship before her American citizenship. But, apparently American green card laws start various counters (e.g. the two-year rule for conditional/provisional green cards) on the day that the marriage certificate is issued. So, even if she doesn't apply for a green card right away, it is still to her benefit to get the certificate right away.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

[Mario2008]

Your friend is not legally married so cannot get a marriage certificate untill she has the correct paperwork to get married. She can only get a Thai marriage certificate, as she is not in the US but in Thailand.

I suggest contacting an organisation htat works with refugees about this, like the Burmese Border Consortium and get more information from them about stateless persons.

[ubonjoe]

The marriage problem is her ability to get an affirmation of permit to marry from an embassy or consulate that is required to register the marriage at the Amphoe. It is not required for a Thai because the goverment keep records of marriage and divorce.

This is a common problem even for stateless people wanting to marry a Thai. Even a Burmese citizen can't get a permit to marry because it is against the law for a Burmese to marry a foreigner.

Her boy friend can get his at the US embassy in Bangkok or the consulate in Chiang Mai.

Follow Mario's advice and contact one the various organizations that are working with stateless people.

Edited September 13, 2012 by ubonjoe

[Tomtomtom69]

The marriage problem is her ability to get an affirmation of permit to marry from an embassy or consulate that is required to register the marriage at the Amphoe. It is not required for a Thai because the goverment keep records of marriage and divorce.

This is a common problem even for stateless people wanting to marry a Thai. Even a Burmese citizen can't get a permit to marry because it is against the law for a Burmese to marry a foreigner.

Her boy friend can get his at the US embassy in Bangkok or the consulate in Chiang Mai.

Follow Mario's advice and contact one the various organizations that are working with stateless people.

I have heard that law, but it applies only in Myanmar. It's kinda discriminatory, but as this person is not in Myanmar anymore it's possible to marry a non-Burmese person. You don't register the marriage with the Burmese authorities (obviously) but rather with the Thai or US or other authorities.

Still, I am not completely convinced about this law. I'm sure plenty of Indians and CHinese people have married Burmese ohh and oh wait, the most famous Burmese lady also married a foreigner (although he is now deceased): Aung San Suu Kyi. They even had 2 children together.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Tomtomtom69

[Ginkas]

Ignore the post #4 above, which is wrong and misleading.

ALL foreigners in Thailand are required to get an 'Affirmation to Marry' from their respective embassy.

The Burmese (Myanmar) embassy will not issue such an affirmation, therefore, the Burmese cannot marry in Thailand.

Aung San Suu Kyi married on 1st January 1972 in London.

As London is not in Thailand, no Affirmation to Marry was required and English law allows marriage to Burmese, despite Burmese laws!

Possibly many Indians and Chinese have married Burmese, but NOT in Burma and NOT with the permission of the Burmese government.

Where they married would not have had such restrictions.

As the person the OP refers to is "stateless", what Burma does or does not require is irrelevant in this case.

As she is stateless she cannot get an Affirmation to Marry from 'her' embassy, and therefore cannot get married in Thailand.

They, therefore, are unable to register any marriage with the "US or other authorities".

Edited September 14, 2012 by Ginkas

[MILT]

I had a friend that married (ceremonial) here in Thailand with a stateless person. I warned him of the complications of making this choice. She has since fleeced him of all his money. My friend had a baby with this lady. The child was able to get a US passport but it was a huge hassle. They have since parted their ways. Now my friend comes and visits his daughter when he can afford to make the trip. It is a tragedy in so many ways. He is still sending money to help support his child. His daughter now hangs with her mom in the bars being taken care of by strangers whilst her mom works the Foreigners.

[woodyleonhard]

I'm not an expert.

With that as a given, I've discovered that there's no such thing as an "American" marriage certificate. I found, while researching my wife's eligibility for US Social Security, that the Social Security office recognizes duly filed Thai marriage certificates.

In the US, marriage laws vary from state to state, and states issue marriage certificates. The US government isn't involved.

[ubonjoe]

Absolutely correct.