I'm British, with a work permit/extension of stay for Thailand. I want to marry my (8 weeks pregnant) Laos girlfriend. Getting married in Laos or Thailand will be too protracted, expensive and difficult, mainly due the need for an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry document required from the Laos authorities.

Hong Kong seems like an option, as no Affirmation is required. Has anyone arranged a marriage in Hong Kong, from Thailand? Presumably the easiest way is to use an Agent in Hong Kong.

Any recommendations would be great!

You actually could do this yourself. All the information is available through the internet side of a Hong Kong. They will need to have a declaration to marry signed by you or your girlfriend with the intention to marry. This needs to be certified by a notarized public in Thailand and then with you and your girlfriends passport copy to be send to Hong Kong. Do not forget a bank draft in the correct amount to be send together with the documents. After a waiting period of app. 5 weeks are you able to set an appointment with the registrar in Hing King, whom will marry you. You will need two witnesses. Afterwards you need to bring the marriage license to your and the Laotian embassy to get them certified. Please make sure beforehand that Laos is recognizing the "Haguer apostille", which you will receive. If jot, the marriage will most likely not be legal under law in Laos. It should be recognized in other countries but not sure.

Hope this helps. If you need a link let me know and once I am at my computer in a few days I will be able to send it to you.

You actually could do this yourself. All the information is available through the internet side of a Hong Kong. They will need to have a declaration to marry signed by you or your girlfriend with the intention to marry. This needs to be certified by a notarized public in Thailand and then with you and your girlfriends passport copy to be send to Hong Kong. Do not forget a bank draft in the correct amount to be send together with the documents. After a waiting period of app. 5 weeks are you able to set an appointment with the registrar in Hing King, whom will marry you. You will need two witnesses. Afterwards you need to bring the marriage license to your and the Laotian embassy to get them certified. Please make sure beforehand that Laos is recognizing the "Haguer apostille", which you will receive. If jot, the marriage will most likely not be legal under law in Laos. It should be recognized in other countries but not sure.

Hope this helps. If you need a link let me know and once I am at my computer in a few days I will be able to send it to you.

That's great, thanks. I think this might be the link:

http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/marriage/marreg/celebration.htm

I think there may be problems getting the marriage certified under Laos law, but as long as the marriage is recognised in the UK and Thailand, I can live with it. If we spend time in Laos as a couple we will have to deal with it.

You actually could do this yourself. All the information is available through the internet side of a Hong Kong. They will need to have a declaration to marry signed by you or your girlfriend with the intention to marry. This needs to be certified by a notarized public in Thailand and then with you and your girlfriends passport copy to be send to Hong Kong. Do not forget a bank draft in the correct amount to be send together with the documents. After a waiting period of app. 5 weeks are you able to set an appointment with the registrar in Hing King, whom will marry you. You will need two witnesses. Afterwards you need to bring the marriage license to your and the Laotian embassy to get them certified. Please make sure beforehand that Laos is recognizing the "Haguer apostille", which you will receive. If jot, the marriage will most likely not be legal under law in Laos. It should be recognized in other countries but not sure.

Hope this helps. If you need a link let me know and once I am at my computer in a few days I will be able to send it to you.

That's great, thanks. I think this might be the link:

http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/marriage/marreg/celebration.htm

I think there may be problems getting the marriage certified under Laos law, but as long as the marriage is recognised in the UK and Thailand, I can live with it. If we spend time in Laos as a couple we will have to deal with it.

Laos is not part of the convention

So you would probably need to go to a Laos Embassy or Consulate and have them use their people to Notorize the docs

You actually could do this yourself. All the information is available through the internet side of a Hong Kong. They will need to have a declaration to marry signed by you or your girlfriend with the intention to marry. This needs to be certified by a notarized public in Thailand and then with you and your girlfriends passport copy to be send to Hong Kong. Do not forget a bank draft in the correct amount to be send together with the documents. After a waiting period of app. 5 weeks are you able to set an appointment with the registrar in Hing King, whom will marry you. You will need two witnesses. Afterwards you need to bring the marriage license to your and the Laotian embassy to get them certified. Please make sure beforehand that Laos is recognizing the "Haguer apostille", which you will receive. If jot, the marriage will most likely not be legal under law in Laos. It should be recognized in other countries but not sure.

Hope this helps. If you need a link let me know and once I am at my computer in a few days I will be able to send it to you.

That's great, thanks. I think this might be the link:

http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/marriage/marreg/celebration.htm

I think there may be problems getting the marriage certified under Laos law, but as long as the marriage is recognised in the UK and Thailand, I can live with it. If we spend time in Laos as a couple we will have to deal with it.

Laos is not part of the convention

So you would probably need to go to a Laos Embassy or Consulate and have them use their people to Notorize the docs

or the Dept of Foreign Affairs

You actually could do this yourself. All the information is available through the internet side of a Hong Kong. They will need to have a declaration to marry signed by you or your girlfriend with the intention to marry. This needs to be certified by a notarized public in Thailand and then with you and your girlfriends passport copy to be send to Hong Kong. Do not forget a bank draft in the correct amount to be send together with the documents. After a waiting period of app. 5 weeks are you able to set an appointment with the registrar in Hing King, whom will marry you. You will need two witnesses. Afterwards you need to bring the marriage license to your and the Laotian embassy to get them certified. Please make sure beforehand that Laos is recognizing the "Haguer apostille", which you will receive. If jot, the marriage will most likely not be legal under law in Laos. It should be recognized in other countries but not sure.

Hope this helps. If you need a link let me know and once I am at my computer in a few days I will be able to send it to you.

That's great, thanks. I think this might be the link:

http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/marriage/marreg/celebration.htm

I think there may be problems getting the marriage certified under Laos law, but as long as the marriage is recognised in the UK and Thailand, I can live with it. If we spend time in Laos as a couple we will have to deal with it.

Laos is not part of the convention

So you would probably need to go to a Laos Embassy or Consulate and have them use their people to Notorize the docs

Thanks. Other than making it 'legal' when we go back to Laos, I don't really care too much whether the Lao authorities recognise the marriage. I have no intention (now, anyway) of living in Laos, and my future wife's village is way off the beaten track in Southern Laos, so I don't envisage having too many issues if we do occasionally stay there.