Marriage Documents

[gprit]

Just a few words on practical experience of this.

Got married a few days ago(!!). Had been to the British Embassy in BKK, presented all documents including first marriage certificate and the death certificate of my first wife. All ok and was issued with an Affirmation to Marry. Got this translated via a certified translator and then had this all authenticated at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Great I thought - all done. When we went to the Registrar in Loei he spend absolutely ages going through the document - and looked at all old applications. He insisted that he wanted to see and have a copy of my late wife's death certificate - fortunately I had an original issue of that for him to keep keep in his files. Same in that he wanted copy of my passport and Visa stamps.

Didn't expect he would need all that as it had all been checked and authorised in the Affirmation to Marry. Just a word of caution to take all documents you can, with copies.

After about an hour we got certificate issue! Now I will get that translated/certified. I have read that I should also get that authenticated by Ministry of Foreign affirs in BKK. is this necessary? and why?

thanks

[CharlieH]

Wrong forum !

[theoldgit]

Moved to, the more appropriate, Marriage Forum.

Post containing all caps removed.

[Mario2008]

It is not required, but might be very helpful if you ever go to the UK and need to proof you are married there.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

To the OP, when did you get your translations certified by MFA?

AFAIK, their office at Chaengwattana Road has been and continues to be closed because of the protests. And last I heard, there wasn't any alternative location being made available.

But on the broader point of the OP, it does seem -- like many things in Thailand -- that different Amphur offices have different documentation requirements for registering Thai-farang marriages. Some make it easy. Others don't make it easy at all.

So in general, it seems best to check in advance with the Amphur office you intend to use about what documents they will require, and then decide if you want to use them or not. Unlike Immigration issues, you can have a marriage registered at any Amphur office regardless of the man and woman's location of residences.

[BlackJack]

Thai888 in Jomtien insists that all documents in Thai NOT be signed

Get them translated into English and then you know what you are signing

For example if you sign a Power of Attorney that someone slipped in with a bunch of papers for you to sign then you have signed away possibly the house, bike, car, assets.

Dont think it cant happen as it does.

[gprit]

#4 - I can understand they might be needed in the UK, but would not a certified translation be enough? Also, who would do the authenticating...Thai Ministry of Foreign Affiars or British Embassy (as the original is in Thai).

#5 - went to Min of Foreign affairs around 5/6th January before current escalation.

PS sorry about posting in wrong forum...!

[Mario2008]

You do not need to register the marriage with the British government. With legalizing the document by the Thai MFA and then having it legalized by the UK-embassy you can use it as an official document to show you are married in the UK.

With legalization the Thai MFA confirms that the document is real, which is again confirmed by the Thai embassy. (The Thai MFA checks the signature of the amphur and the translation into English and the embassy checks the signature of the Thai MFA and confirms that).

A translation alone by a translation agency might not do it. But not sure.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

#5 - went to Min of Foreign affairs around 5/6th January before current escalation.

There's some info in a different thread on a possible alternate MFA site for getting documents certified.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/699248-need-stamp-from-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-offices-working/?p=7344292