Anyone know how to marry someone from a country that has no embassy in Thailand?

[emilybemily]

I'm American and my fiance is from Cameroon with the closest embassy being in China. We both have documents stating that we are free to marry each other (mine from the US embassy, his directly from Cameroon). We have been told that there is no way for us to get married here in Thailand unless we:

1) Go to an embassy in China or Japan and get a special stamp on the document stating he is free to marry

or

2) Pay 40,000 baht for a 'special' wedding here which just means we are paying off the dude at the amphur office

Both options are expensive for us and quite annoying to say the least. Does anyone know any other option? We have been to the British embassy, and the Chinese embassy already, trying to get them to authenticate his document, to no avail. The British embassy said they used to do this service, but stopped five months ago.

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

[Mario2008]

The only way it trough the embassy in China.

I would contact them and see if they can do things by mail OR if they have a representative of some kind in Thailand that is authorized to give the confirmation letter. Sometimes a country that has no representation in a country is represented by the embassy of another country.

[FACTOR]

If you are American, why don't you and he fly to the USA to get married?

Worried he cannot get a visit visa for the USA? Yes, that is a big hurdle but not totally insurmountable if you work on it, eg. Invite him to the US, state that you will pay all his expenses, show that he has reason not to stay in the US, etc... .

Good luck.

Thanks.

[ggt]

Do folks still get married? It seems to me...the marriage ceremony...is the 1st page...of the last chapter...

[dighambara]

When my wife and I tried to marry at the Aumphur, they gave us the go-around for many visits - never asked for money, they just stalled.

Finally, on a visit to Bangkok we saw a lawyer, who did everything on our behalf for 10,000 Baht - all in 24 hours - noon to noon.

The US Embassy has no marriage service.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_mamba

[Falcon]

Hi, we had the same problem, I don't have an embassy here either. What you were told is correct, the steps you need to take are long and drawn out but can be done quite easily.

Step 1 : contact the embassy for a letter that says he is free to marry and not already married

Step 2 : you need to get it countersigned and stamped in the Thai embassy in china to state that it is genuine and has been signed by the Cameroon embassy

Step 3 : come back to Thailand and go in to the translation place and get th free to marry letter from embassy translated in to Thai

Step 4 : go to the ministry of foreign affairs and apply for permission to marry letter.

Step 5 : together with the embassy letter, the translation, the letter from the MFA, go to the amphir office and either make an appointment or just do the marriage that day.

My wife and I had to go through the very same thing a few years ago. I know it's a pain but once you have all of this paperwork done, it's easy

Good luck to the both of you,

[Falcon]

Fatdrunkandstupid, is that supposed to be a joke or you just showing your racist side? Either way you are living up to your very aptly chosen name.

[mrfaroukh]

Everything happen is for a good reason. Run Run Run before is too late. 5555

[geodesic]

First, do a Google search on a company called express authentication services.

Next, hire a lawyer to help. This is really more than you want to try on your own.

Send the Cameroon document to EDAS who will take it to the Cameroon Embassy in Washington. They will then take the certified letter to the US State Department who will certify the Cameroon seal. Then take the US certified document to the Thai Embassy in Washington to certify the state department seal.

Those 3 certifications will establish a chain that will be accepted in Thailand. EDAS will handle everything for you for a fee. You will not need to leave the country, but all that courier time comes at a price.

[Kondiao]

I just found this forum. I think I am suppossed to send a new question - rather than a REPLY - but I have a hell of a time doing things on computers.

My question is how to go about marrying my lady: she being from Myanmar, here in Thailand on a work passport; me being here retired, from the U.S.A. People are telling us different things. I have made an appt. to go talk to the Consulate officer in Chiang Mai, but Mwe is not sure if she has to go back to Yangoon to get paperwork; or if we both should go to Yangoon and do the marriage there. That would entail my getting a visa for Myanmar here and two very expensive tickets to fly to Yangoon.

I have searched online and found there is said to be a Myanmar consulate somewhere in this country - but I cannot find out where ( I won't consider travelling to the Embassy in Bangkok the way things are right now).. And i found information that Myanmar is trying to get Burmese citizens in Thailand to get real passports at any of their passpot locations - but i cannot find out where they are located.

And does my g/f need to have the new passport in hand before beginning the mission to acquire her marriage documents?

Eventually I intend to take my wife back to the States. That will be another long crusade and I could die of old age before the visa is approved.

Any information would be appreciated; any witty, insulting, sarcastic comments would not be appreciated.