I have an immigration advisor helping me with my wife's spouse (settlement) visa application. He has asked if our marriage was ever formally registered with the British Embassy in Bangkok, and to be honest, I can't remember!

Do marriages normally need to be registered there, or is a translated Thai wedding certificate acceptable? If not, what other documents need to be submitted to prove two people are legally married in Thailand?

Change the "adviser" Quickly !

There is no need for a Thai marriage to be registered at the Embassy !

Translation of the marriage cert + the Original are all that is required.

Your marriage is legal and recognised in the UK !

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No, marriages don't need to be registered with the British Embassy. The marriage certificate, with a certified English translation is sufficient.

Is your immigration advisor in UK or Thailand ? If they are in Thailand, then they should know this already.

Tony M

They're in the UK. In retrospect, perhaps I'd have been better off using someone in Thailand. You live and learn.....

One final question if I may - sometime after the wedding my wife changed her surname and began using mine. She has her before / after passports. Is that with the wedding certificates adequate evidence for the change of name, or will I need to submit something else?

Her "maiden" name appears on the marriage cert. together with yours. If her passport and ID now show her "married " name there is no problem

When getting married it must be very rare for two people to share the same name !

Cheers guys. Two questions and 3 answers within 10 minutes. This forum is a massive help.

Is your immigration advisor in UK or Thailand ? If they are in Thailand, then they should know this already.

With respect, Tony; so should an advisor in the UK!

As I know you are aware, it is impossible to register a marriage at any British embassy or High Commission anywhere.

All people can do is use the embassy to deposit a copy of their foreign (in this case, Thai) marriage certificate with the GRO in the UK.

We never bothered, and I don't know anyone who has.

As I know you are aware, it is impossible to register a marriage at any British embassy or High Commission anywhere.

All people can do is use the embassy to deposit a copy of their foreign (in this case, Thai) marriage certificate with the GRO in the UK.

We never bothered, and I don't know anyone who has.

The facility to deposit a copy of a foreign marriage certificate at an Embassy or Consulate, for forwarding to the CRO, was withdrawn some time ago.

I stand corrected.

They probably withdrew it because very few people were prepared to pay the exorbitant fee they charged for something which was unnecessary!