Non O (married to Thai) Guide from start to finish?

[DoDoey]

I'm trying to find a guide to getting a Non O visa based on marriage to Thai. I'm sure there's a simple A to Z guide in the forum, but I can't find it. All of the posts I've found seem to start with OP already in the process, nothing from start to ending.

Our situation:

We're in Thailand already, and I'm on a 60 day tourist extension, expires October 13. We obtained this in Pathum Thani, which is where my wife's house book address is. We've rented an apartment in BKK, and Pathum is quite a haul, should we be going to PT or Chaeng Wattana? We were married in the US (South Carolina) in 2007, and my wife holds dual citizenship. I established a Thai bank account in my name with 400K on August 13.

Questions:

1. What is the next step for me, I believe I have to transition from tourist stamp to non immigrant visa? When and where should I do this? This is the A to Z guide I'm looking for.
2. Regarding our marriage certificate. Does it need to be translated into Thai? I found several post on TV that said yes, and that it could be done at Chaeng Wattana and stamped at MFA the same day. Well, we went there today, and all the translators said we needed to take our South Carolina marriage certificate to the US Embassy to get some sort of guarantee that it is authentic before it would be accepted at MFA. I haven't seen that anywhere on TV. Do we need to have it translated? Do we need an MFA stamp to make it official? Do we need to then register our marriage in Pathum Thani?
3. Will I need to leave the Kingdom at some point, and return on Visa?

Thank you to all who offer help and friendly advice.

[ubonjoe]

You should be using CW immigration since your are living in Bangkok.

The first thing you will need to do is register your marriage at any Amphoe/Khet..

You need to do an affidavit swearing that your marriage certificate is valid, true and correct at the embassy. You will need make an appointment at the embassy. Then you will need it an your marriage certificate translated to Thai and then certified by the MFA. A translations service can do it all for you.

Then you would go to the Amphoe and register your marriage. They will then issue a Kor Ror 22 to prove the registry (you will need this at immigration).

The first step is to apply for a change of visa status from a tourist visa entry to a 90 day non-immigrant visa entry at immigration. You will complete a TM86 form and attach a photo. Your wife must go with you to do the application.

You will need a letter from your bank confirming the 400k baht in the bank and a letter confirming the funds came for abroad. Plus copies of your updated bank book. The money just has to be in the bank not 60 days for this step.

Copies and Original of your marriage certificate and the Kor Ror 22.

Signed copies of you wife's house book and ID card.

Copies of your passport photo page, visa, entry/permit to stay stamp, extension stamp and TM6 departure card.

Photos of you and your wife in and around your apartment and one of the 2 of you next to or under the apartment number.

The fee of 2000 baht.

The next step is to apply for the extension of stay during the last 45 days or your 90 day entry or when you have had the money in the bank for 60 days. You will complete a TM7 form. Again your wife will to be with you.

You will need every document and photo you needed for the first step except for the letter from the bank stating the money came from abroad.

[DoDoey]

You should be using CW immigration since your are living in Bangkok.

The first thing you will need to do is register your marriage at any Amphoe/Khet..

You need to do an affidavit swearing that your marriage certificate is valid, true and correct at the embassy. You will need make an appointment at the embassy. Then you will need it an your marriage certificate translated to Thai and then certified by the MFA. A translations service can do it all for you.

Then you would go to the Amphoe and register your marriage. They will then issue a Kor Ror 22 to prove the registry (you will need this at immigration).

The first step is to apply for a change of visa status from a tourist visa entry to a 90 day non-immigrant visa entry at immigration. You will complete a TM86 form and attach a photo. Your wife must go with you to do the application.

You will need a letter from your bank confirming the 400k baht in the bank and a letter confirming the funds came for abroad. Plus copies of your updated bank book. The money just has to be in the bank not 60 days for this step.

Copies and Original of your marriage certificate and the Kor Ror 22.

Signed copies of you wife's house book and ID card.

Copies of your passport photo page, visa, entry/permit to stay stamp, extension stamp and TM6 departure card.

Photos of you and your wife in and around your apartment and one of the 2 of you next to or under the apartment number.

The fee of 2000 baht.

The next step is to apply for the extension of stay during the last 45 days or your 90 day entry or when you have had the money in the bank for 60 days. You will complete a TM7 form. Again your wife will to be with you.

You will need every document and photo you needed for the first step except for the letter from the bank stating the money came from abroad.

Wow, very precise, thank you! The only hiccup I see is that the 400K came from my wife's account at another bank in Thailand, which is where we have our wire transfers from the US pre-authorized. Being in Thailand, our bank in the US won't allow us to set up a new transfer to the new account. Will this derail the whole process?

[ubonjoe]

They may not ask for the proof. But if you can get proof the funds were transferred into your wife's account that would be accepted.

[4evermaat]

So it sounds like OP wants an 1 year extension, not a non-o multiple entry visa.

[ubonjoe]

So it sounds like OP wants an 1 year extension, not a non-o multiple entry visa.

Where has anybody mentioned getting a multiple entry visa. You are the first.

[4evermaat]

Where has anybody mentioned getting a multiple entry visa. You are the first.

I'm trying to find a guide to getting a Non O visa based on marriage to Thai. I'm sure there's a simple A to Z guide in the forum, but I can't find it....

on further inspection, he didnt mention the # of entries.

[visionchaser45]

Registering U.S. marriage in Thailand:

First, make an appointment with US Embassy using the appointment system that you can find on their WEB site. Print out appointment confirmation page. Obtain a blank affidavit form (found on their WEB site) and fill out blank affidavit with the appropriate information and add “For the purpose to register my marriage in Thailand, I, <full name>, declare that I married <spouse full name> at <City, State, USA> on <date>.” Do NOT sign the affidavit!

Go to the US Embassy at appointment time/date. You will need to show your US passport at the front door. Need to give them your cell phone and any other electronic devices (key fob, etc). I also gave them my Thai drivers license to go with my belongings to prove they were mine but I don't think that is needed. Go inside to the US citizen services area. Stand in line in front of window 3 for queuing. Hand them your affidavit and the print out of the appointment which they will look at and hand back with a queue number. Then proceed to cashier for payment of affidavit which is $50 USD. They take US Dollar, Thai Baht (1600) or Credit Card. Credit Card will be charged in the US so best to have US Credit Card. They prefer US Cash if possible. After payment, hand affidavit, passport and payment receipt to window 6 and wait in sitting area. I had my marriage certificate with me but they didn't require it. For me, after about 50 minutes, I was told to initial and sign the affidavit which I did in blue ink. I then walked back to the front area and obtained my cell phone and other belongings.
I then turned right out of the Embassy and walked to a translation center. The place I went to charged 400 Baht for each page of translation, 1000 Baht service charge to deliver, process and pick up the affidavit from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and 400 Baht MFA legalization fee for a total of 1898 Baht (with VAT added). They wanted my name and address as shown on my work permit and house book for proper translation purpose. I didn’t have either with me so I told them I would scan them and send the information to them via email. They said they would translate the document in the afternoon and send me it via email for confirmation before sending it to the MFA. Paid the 1898 Baht, got a receipt and left.
Went home and scanned in the Work Permit pages that had my name and the company name. I also scanned in the blue house book page with the Thai address. I cropped the scanned image to just the information required and emailed it to the translation service. The agency sent the affidavit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and it was returned 3 days later.

If your Amphur is not in an area where they encounter a lot of farang, you should go somewhere that does first. Our Amphur in Isaan didn't know what to do, so we went to Bang Lamung first and got it all stamped official, then headed back up to our home Amphur to record it.

[ubonjoe]

Where has anybody mentioned getting a multiple entry visa. You are the first.

I'm trying to find a guide to getting a Non O visa based on marriage to Thai. I'm sure there's a simple A to Z guide in the forum, but I can't find it....

on further inspection, he didnt mention the # of entries.

He was asking about getting a non-o but should of been asking about doing a change of visa status at immigration to get a non immigrant visa entry which is what I gave him the answer to and then the extension of stay.

It is not possible to do an extension without a non immigrant visa entry.

[dingle]

UbonJoe's information was very good, but would just like to make one little adjustment.

Your bank book MUST be updated on the day of application for a marriage visa, not the day before/week before, at least it has to be at Khonkaen immigration.

[weescotsguy66]

I tired to get a Non Imm O registered using my tourist visa I was inform by Immigration in Hua Hin that I needed a Non Imm O Single Entry first issued outside the country.

[ubonjoe]

I tired to get a Non Imm O registered using my tourist visa I was inform by Immigration in Hua Hin that I needed a Non Imm O Single Entry first issued outside the country.

Bangkok is the only immigration office that can do a conversion or change to a non immigrant visa based upon being married to a Thai.

[user12345]

Just an FYI... This really helped me out because I'm out of visa pages on my passport and needed more time before I would have to convert my visa to a 1 year. You can actually go to Penang and pay a little extra for a 1 year non-immigrant O marriage visa right off the bat, with no need to convert it inside Thailand. I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days.The fee was 550 ringet, or 5500 baht. I just brought all the necessary documents that are listed above and proof that I make over 40,000 baht per month. The process was really painless.

[minotaur]

UbonJoe's information was very good, but would just like to make one little adjustment.

Your bank book MUST be updated on the day of application for a marriage visa, not the day before/week before, at least it has to be at Khonkaen immigration.

Does this apply to CW as well?

It would be so much easier to get the letter done the day before.

[Lite Beer]

UbonJoe's information was very good, but would just like to make one little adjustment.

Your bank book MUST be updated on the day of application for a marriage visa, not the day before/week before, at least it has to be at Khonkaen immigration.

One little adjustment.

He is not applying for a Marriage Visa. There is no such thing.

He is apply for a 12 Month Extension of his Permision to Stay in the Kingdom.

[Merlindxb]

"Just an FYI... This really helped me out because I'm out of visa pages on my passport and needed more time before I would have to convert my visa to a 1 year. You can actually go to Penang and pay a little extra for a 1 year non-immigrant O marriage visa right off the bat, with no need to convert it inside Thailand. I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days.The fee was 550 ringet, or 5500 baht. I just brought all the necessary documents that are listed above and proof that I make over 40,000 baht per month. The process was really painless."

I have done it this way for a few years now.

Please can someone explain for me "I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days." which I have to do as well!

Rgs//Peter

[smotherb]

There is. of course, a much simpler way:

no paperwork needed,

no immigration visit needed,

no non-O visa needed,

no extension needed,

no Amphoe certification needed,

no bank minimum needed,

no embassy visit needed;

just three simple steps--A to C, if you will.

A) meet girl

enjoy girl

C) leave girl

Preferably, all within 24 hours.

[ubonjoe]

"Just an FYI... This really helped me out because I'm out of visa pages on my passport and needed more time before I would have to convert my visa to a 1 year. You can actually go to Penang and pay a little extra for a 1 year non-immigrant O marriage visa right off the bat, with no need to convert it inside Thailand. I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days.The fee was 550 ringet, or 5500 baht. I just brought all the necessary documents that are listed above and proof that I make over 40,000 baht per month. The process was really painless."

I have done it this way for a few years now.

Please can someone explain for me "I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days." which I have to do as well!

Rgs//Peter

He has to leave every 90 days because a non-o visa based upon marriage only gives a 90 day entry.

A one year extension of stay based upon marriage only requires you to do a a report to immigration every 90 days.

[Daniel Boon]

I went to Thai Consulate in Brisbane (Australia)

60 day tourist $45

90 day in out $225

[DoDoey]

"Just an FYI... This really helped me out because I'm out of visa pages on my passport and needed more time before I would have to convert my visa to a 1 year. You can actually go to Penang and pay a little extra for a 1 year non-immigrant O marriage visa right off the bat, with no need to convert it inside Thailand. I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days.The fee was 550 ringet, or 5500 baht. I just brought all the necessary documents that are listed above and proof that I make over 40,000 baht per month. The process was really painless."

I have done it this way for a few years now.

Please can someone explain for me "I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days." which I have to do as well!

Rgs//Peter

He has to leave every 90 days because a non-o visa based upon marriage only gives a 90 day entry.

A one year extension of stay based upon marriage only requires you to do a a report to immigration every 90 days.

Really, I don't know what the best visa or extension would be for me. Whatever allows me to stay the longest, with the least amount of headaches and expense. I would like the to be able to come and go from Thailand as I please. I am married to a Thai citizen, we have an apartment (rent) here, so whatever that entitles me. Thanks for the responses so far. Could someone please advise what is the best for my situation as described above? By the way, I have the marriage certificate thing pretty much buttoned up, I have my appointment at the US Embassy next week.

Edited August 27, 2014 by DoDoey

[ubonjoe]

"Just an FYI... This really helped me out because I'm out of visa pages on my passport and needed more time before I would have to convert my visa to a 1 year. You can actually go to Penang and pay a little extra for a 1 year non-immigrant O marriage visa right off the bat, with no need to convert it inside Thailand. I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days.The fee was 550 ringet, or 5500 baht. I just brought all the necessary documents that are listed above and proof that I make over 40,000 baht per month. The process was really painless."

I have done it this way for a few years now.

Please can someone explain for me "I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days." which I have to do as well!

Rgs//Peter

He has to leave every 90 days because a non-o visa based upon marriage only gives a 90 day entry.

A one year extension of stay based upon marriage only requires you to do a a report to immigration every 90 days.

Really, I don't know what the best visa or extension would be for me. Whatever allows me to stay the longest, with the least amount of headaches and expense. I would like the to be able to come and go from Thailand as I please. I am married to a Thai citizen, we have an apartment (rent) here, so whatever that entitles me. Thanks for the responses so far. Could someone please advise what is the best for my situation as described above? By the way, I have the marriage certificate thing pretty much buttoned up, I have my appointment at the US Embassy next week.

The extension of stay is best for you. If you want to travel you would get a re-entry permit. A single re-entry permit costs 1000 baht a multiple is 3800 baht. You can leave and travel when you want to.

A multiple entry visa requires you leave every 90 days whether you want to or not.

[DoDoey]

"Just an FYI... This really helped me out because I'm out of visa pages on my passport and needed more time before I would have to convert my visa to a 1 year. You can actually go to Penang and pay a little extra for a 1 year non-immigrant O marriage visa right off the bat, with no need to convert it inside Thailand. I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days.The fee was 550 ringet, or 5500 baht. I just brought all the necessary documents that are listed above and proof that I make over 40,000 baht per month. The process was really painless."

I have done it this way for a few years now.

Please can someone explain for me "I do have to leave the country and come back for a stamp every 90 days." which I have to do as well!

Rgs//Peter

He has to leave every 90 days because a non-o visa based upon marriage only gives a 90 day entry.

A one year extension of stay based upon marriage only requires you to do a a report to immigration every 90 days.

Really, I don't know what the best visa or extension would be for me. Whatever allows me to stay the longest, with the least amount of headaches and expense. I would like the to be able to come and go from Thailand as I please. I am married to a Thai citizen, we have an apartment (rent) here, so whatever that entitles me. Thanks for the responses so far. Could someone please advise what is the best for my situation as described above? By the way, I have the marriage certificate thing pretty much buttoned up, I have my appointment at the US Embassy next week.

The extension of stay is best for you. If you want to travel you would get a re-entry permit. A single re-entry permit costs 1000 baht a multiple is 3800 baht. You can leave and travel when you want to.

A multiple entry visa requires you leave every 90 days whether you want to or not.

So I can compare apples to apples, is the process/cost for the extension different from the Non O?

[thesetat2013]

I tired to get a Non Imm O registered using my tourist visa I was inform by Immigration in Hua Hin that I needed a Non Imm O Single Entry first issued outside the country.

Bangkok is the only immigration office that can do a conversion or change to a non immigrant visa based upon being married to a Thai.

Wrong! I had my Non B converted to a Non O in Pattaya. Also another post said the money had to be deposited from the foreigners bank abroad. this is misinformation. They don't care how the 400k got into the bank as long as the account with the money is in the foreigners name and has been there for 2-3 months.

One question though? Why did you come to Thailand to do this? You could have gotten a Non O visa a lot easier in the USA or EU?

Everything you have to show marriage needs to be translated and stamped authentic. Even if you go register for Thai marriage you will need to go to the Embassy and show married abroad was legal or that you are eligible to marry here.

[ubonjoe]

I tired to get a Non Imm O registered using my tourist visa I was inform by Immigration in Hua Hin that I needed a Non Imm O Single Entry first issued outside the country.

Bangkok is the only immigration office that can do a conversion or change to a non immigrant visa based upon being married to a Thai.

Wrong! I had my Non B converted to a Non O in Pattaya. Also another post said the money had to be deposited from the foreigners bank abroad. this is misinformation. They don't care how the 400k got into the bank as long as the account with the money is in the foreigners name and has been there for 2-3 months.

One question though? Why did you come to Thailand to do this? You could have gotten a Non O visa a lot easier in the USA or EU?

Everything you have to show marriage needs to be translated and stamped authentic. Even if you go register for Thai marriage you will need to go to the Embassy and show married abroad was legal or that you are eligible to marry here.

You did not convert anything. You changed the reason for your extension of stay from working to marriage or applied for an extension of stay based upon marriage with a non-b visa entry. All that is needed for an extension is a non immigrant visa entry.

The only conversion or change that can be done is from a visa exempt or tourist visa entry to a non immigrant visa entry. For one based upon marriage it can only be done in Bangkok and they do ask for proof that the money came from abroad at Bangkok immigration.

[farmerjo]

Just back from laos doing 90 day non-o marriage visa.

No problems with the usual copies and no bank details as long as the wife signed every document.

However i hadn't been there for a fair while and its turned into a bit of a dogs breakfast.

The ticket machine has dissappeared causing alot of chaos,also inside on collection the digital number screen not in use.

So there's a lot of patience required with people not understanding how the sequence of events works.

The other thing to remind others of is after back in thailand,went to nongkhai immigration to get a multi re-entry permit on the 90 days.But they dont do it there anymore,you have to go back to the border office now.

[dzodun]

My questions have probably been answered somewhere in this sequence but I am still not exactly sure

of my options. My Non B runs out at the end of September. I am not sure yet if I will be offered a new

contract by my Informal/Nonformal school. Being that my school tends to do things at the last minute I

can picture them waiting until the last week of September to say "Yes" or "No". Being that I am married to

a Thai, should I just plan on applying for a Non O based on marriage, and could I make this change at

my local immigration office (Kap Cherng) or must I exit the country to Laos (Savannaket) ? At present I

do not have my original marriage certificate with me, only copies from the U.S. Last year I came into

Thailand on a Non O Visa based on marriage, got a job, went to Laos to change to a Non B, went to

Kap Cherng after 90 days for an extension. There I got a single re-entry and went to the States for one

month for health reasons. I returned at the beginning of July, so my current 90 days ends on 30 Sept.

When I originally got my Non O based on marriage I did it through the mail at the Washington D.C. Thai

Embassy. Will having previous Non O's based on marriage in my passport make it easier to change

over to another one without my original MC, translated, etc?

Also, on the matter of funds, I receive a pension of approximately 400,000 Baht per year and have

about 200,000 B. in a Thai bank. Is this amount sufficient to help me qualify for a years extension

based on marriage? As I see it, my options are;

1. Try to get a year's extension if I get the new contract lined up with time to spare.

2. Try to get all the paperwork needed to apply for a one year Non O based on marriage.

3. Go to Savannaket and get another a 90 day Non O Visa based on marriage, the same as I had when I originally

entered last year.

If I am correct, I could continue teaching with any of the above options as long as I got another work

permit.

Please help me get a handle on my situation. I do not want to wait until the last minute to take action.

Thanks for insights you have.

[GrantSmith]

They may not ask for the proof. But if you can get proof the funds were transferred into your wife's account that would be accepted.

They'll ask the funds to be transferred into an account in DoDoey's name, joint accounts don't cut the mustard at CW. Provided it's been in the joint account for the 60 days they'll allow you to open a new account in your name, then transfer the funds from account A to account B, get the letter from the Bank, update both passbooks and head back up to Immigration queue. Make sure that you use the same bank as the wife's account to make the transfer of funds instant.

I'm fairly sure all Thai banks have a branch at CW and they're fairly familiar with this process. DoDoey ensure wifey is with you to avoid miscommunication.

Best way to save time, get there in the morning before 9, grab your queue number and then head downstairs to find your bank.

[ubonjoe]

My questions have probably been answered somewhere in this sequence but I am still not exactly sure

of my options. My Non B runs out at the end of September. I am not sure yet if I will be offered a new

contract by my Informal/Nonformal school. Being that my school tends to do things at the last minute I

can picture them waiting until the last week of September to say "Yes" or "No". Being that I am married to

a Thai, should I just plan on applying for a Non O based on marriage, and could I make this change at

my local immigration office (Kap Cherng) or must I exit the country to Laos (Savannaket) ? At present I

do not have my original marriage certificate with me, only copies from the U.S. Last year I came into

Thailand on a Non O Visa based on marriage, got a job, went to Laos to change to a Non B, went to

Kap Cherng after 90 days for an extension. There I got a single re-entry and went to the States for one

month for health reasons. I returned at the beginning of July, so my current 90 days ends on 30 Sept.

When I originally got my Non O based on marriage I did it through the mail at the Washington D.C. Thai

Embassy. Will having previous Non O's based on marriage in my passport make it easier to change

over to another one without my original MC, translated, etc?

Also, on the matter of funds, I receive a pension of approximately 400,000 Baht per year and have

about 200,000 B. in a Thai bank. Is this amount sufficient to help me qualify for a years extension

based on marriage? As I see it, my options are;

1. Try to get a year's extension if I get the new contract lined up with time to spare.

2. Try to get all the paperwork needed to apply for a one year Non O based on marriage.

3. Go to Savannaket and get another a 90 day Non O Visa based on marriage, the same as I had when I originally

entered last year.

If I am correct, I could continue teaching with any of the above options as long as I got another work

permit.

Please help me get a handle on my situation. I do not want to wait until the last minute to take action.

Thanks for insights you have.

In order to apply for a one year extension of stay based upon marriage you need 400k baht in Thai bank in your name only for 60 days or proof of 40k baht income.

Where is your marriage certificate from? If you got married in the states you would need to register your marriage here in order to get an extension. You need to get the original. Copies will not be accepted unless that are certified ones.

You could get a multiple entry non-o visa in Savannakhet with no financial proof needed. This would give you 90 day entries for a year.

If you have the financial proof and register your marriage you could change the reason for your extension of stay from teaching to marriage without leaving the country for a non-o.

[DoDoey]

Registering U.S. marriage in Thailand:

First, make an appointment with US Embassy using the appointment system that you can find on their WEB site. Print out appointment confirmation page. Obtain a blank affidavit form (found on their WEB site) and fill out blank affidavit with the appropriate information and add “For the purpose to register my marriage in Thailand, I, <full name>, declare that I married <spouse full name> at <City, State, USA> on <date>.” Do NOT sign the affidavit!

Go to the US Embassy at appointment time/date. You will need to show your US passport at the front door. Need to give them your cell phone and any other electronic devices (key fob, etc). I also gave them my Thai drivers license to go with my belongings to prove they were mine but I don't think that is needed. Go inside to the US citizen services area. Stand in line in front of window 3 for queuing. Hand them your affidavit and the print out of the appointment which they will look at and hand back with a queue number. Then proceed to cashier for payment of affidavit which is $50 USD. They take US Dollar, Thai Baht (1600) or Credit Card. Credit Card will be charged in the US so best to have US Credit Card. They prefer US Cash if possible. After payment, hand affidavit, passport and payment receipt to window 6 and wait in sitting area. I had my marriage certificate with me but they didn't require it. For me, after about 50 minutes, I was told to initial and sign the affidavit which I did in blue ink. I then walked back to the front area and obtained my cell phone and other belongings.

I then turned right out of the Embassy and walked to a translation center. The place I went to charged 400 Baht for each page of translation, 1000 Baht service charge to deliver, process and pick up the affidavit from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and 400 Baht MFA legalization fee for a total of 1898 Baht (with VAT added). They wanted my name and address as shown on my work permit and house book for proper translation purpose. I didn’t have either with me so I told them I would scan them and send the information to them via email. They said they would translate the document in the afternoon and send me it via email for confirmation before sending it to the MFA. Paid the 1898 Baht, got a receipt and left.

Went home and scanned in the Work Permit pages that had my name and the company name. I also scanned in the blue house book page with the Thai address. I cropped the scanned image to just the information required and emailed it to the translation service. The agency sent the affidavit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and it was returned 3 days later.

If your Amphur is not in an area where they encounter a lot of farang, you should go somewhere that does first. Our Amphur in Isaan didn't know what to do, so we went to Bang Lamung first and got it all stamped official, then headed back up to our home Amphur to record it.

Very good instructions, but I need to add some information I learned on my visit, as things have changed since Visionchaser made the post above.

In order to register your USA marriage in Thailand, you must obtain the affidavit exactly as described above. However, you must also acquire a certified copy of your passport bio page from the US Embassy. This is simply a copy of your US passport bio page with the raised stamp of the US Department of State. This also costs $50, and you should have it done at the same time you acquire the affidavit. Or, you can run back and forth between the translator and Embassy all day, like I did.

The translation service I used charged Bt. 400 per page (2 pages; affidavit and passport copy), Bt. 1000 delivery and return from Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Bt. 400 per page fee for MFA stamp. Total fee from Translation service Bt. 2600. Total fees at US Embassy $100. Honestly, I was quite upset to be charged $100 for notary service at the US Embassy, it was less than one minute work on their part. The Bt. 1000 delivery service for the MFA is money well spent IMO. That's exactly what it costs to take the BTS to Mo Chit, taxi, and toll from Mo chit to Chang Wattaena, round trip - twice. It takes two trips to Chang Wattaena to get this done, by the way. You drop it off at MFA and pick it up two days later, and it's a whole day affair getting there and coming back (for me, anyway).

Next step is to take the certified translation with MFA stamp to the Amphur, Pathum Thani in our case, and register the marriage. I'm sure that will have it's own special surprises, so more to come...

Edited September 5, 2014 by DoDoey