Affirmation of marriage

[Eclipse]

Sorry but that is just your view of what "marriage" should be.

There are many forms of "marriage" and they are all "legal" within the communities and cultures that accept a form of marriage which does not require "legal" contracts and documentation.

Within the West the concept of a Common Law marriage is accepted even within the legal system !

Sorry but you are wrong and I am right.

Simple as that.

[blackcab]

Well what a storm in a teacup!!

Not sure where to start.

I am presuming OP is a UK citizen. I am presuming OP has a valid UK passport. I am presuming. OP has, if required a UK Birth Certificate. If the OP was previously married I presume he has the ORIGINAL of the Dissolution of Marriage from a UK court, if he was married in the UK..the one with the red stamp not a photocopy. If he was never married anywhere that becomes irrelevant. An original P60 is a good idea as well as other original proof of income.If he has a UK address a Council Tax bill would be good. I am presuming too that the OP wishes to marry a Thai national......

As I understand it, provided that all original documents, together with the affidavit, are submitted to the Consular Section of the British Embassy (and you will need to check the present obligatory payment method..Money orders from a Thai Post Office made out to their preferred location are OK..and send the whole lot EMS to Bangkok with the return address and payment for EMS, they will check the UK registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths and subsequently issue your affidavit.

Then go to an agent ..one of those by the BTS Station by the Embassy. Mildee SornBunthong at Express Translation is good.She will translate everything into Thai and take it to The Ministry of Foreign Affairs.They will confirm your freedom to marry. Thailand being light years ahead of the UK is able through the girl's ID Card and Tabian Baan to establish her legal status as single instantly. But do e aware that legal, formal marriage in Thailand is very much optional.

You take all this to your local Amphoe with or without witnesses and you will be married.

Then you MUST have your Marriage Registered and that needs to be certified also by the MFA. The British Embassy will not register a marriage. The obvious thing to do next is to have all the Thai documents translated into English. Your marriage will be recognised by both the Thai and English authorities. You can register your marriage in the UK in Stockport but it has little meaning.

Regrettably, whatever one's views on civil partnerships, and temple weddings may be they have NO legal status, not even in Thailand. The woman's family may have quite a different view! The 50/50 split of assets on divorce only relates to marriage. Of course both Thai and English courts will have a view on the division of assets and the custody of children, but that would, I think, require in Thailand a civil action

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

You don't need a birth certificate. You don't need a P60. You don't need a council tax bill.

Payment is by cash, and you have to do it in person. Forget EMS, and forget money orders because you have to physically sign the Affirmation before the Consul or Vice-Consul in person.

I can also assure you that the embassy staff do not check the birth, marriage and death records either.

Finally, you can not register an overseas marriage at the GRO in the UK any more. I have no idea why you mentioned registering in Stockport, especially as the GRO is in Southport. In case you were not aware, Stockport is a grimy town just south of Manchester, while Southport is a seaside town about 50 miles away. Which rather sums up your post really - very far from the intended mark.

You have done a great job of posting a complete load of misinformation. Why bother typing all that drivel when it makes you look so foolish?

[bentarm44]

Well what a storm in a teacup!!

Not sure where to start.

I am presuming OP is a UK citizen. I am presuming OP has a valid UK passport. I am presuming. OP has, if required a UK Birth Certificate. If the OP was previously married I presume he has the ORIGINAL of the Dissolution of Marriage from a UK court, if he was married in the UK..the one with the red stamp not a photocopy. If he was never married anywhere that becomes irrelevant. An original P60 is a good idea as well as other original proof of income.If he has a UK address a Council Tax bill would be good. I am presuming too that the OP wishes to marry a Thai national......

As I understand it, provided that all original documents, together with the affidavit, are submitted to the Consular Section of the British Embassy (and you will need to check the present obligatory payment method..Money orders from a Thai Post Office made out to their preferred location are OK..and send the whole lot EMS to Bangkok with the return address and payment for EMS, they will check the UK registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths and subsequently issue your affidavit.

Then go to an agent ..one of those by the BTS Station by the Embassy. Mildee SornBunthong at Express Translation is good.She will translate everything into Thai and take it to The Ministry of Foreign Affairs.They will confirm your freedom to marry. Thailand being light years ahead of the UK is able through the girl's ID Card and Tabian Baan to establish her legal status as single instantly. But do e aware that legal, formal marriage in Thailand is very much optional.

You take all this to your local Amphoe with or without witnesses and you will be married.

Then you MUST have your Marriage Registered and that needs to be certified also by the MFA. The British Embassy will not register a marriage. The obvious thing to do next is to have all the Thai documents translated into English. Your marriage will be recognised by both the Thai and English authorities. You can register your marriage in the UK in Stockport but it has little meaning.

Regrettably, whatever one's views on civil partnerships, and temple weddings may be they have NO legal status, not even in Thailand. The woman's family may have quite a different view! The 50/50 split of assets on divorce only relates to marriage. Of course both Thai and English courts will have a view on the division of assets and the custody of children, but that would, I think, require in Thailand a civil action

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

You don't need a birth certificate. You don't need a P60. You don't need a council tax bill.

Payment is by cash, and you have to do it in person. Forget EMS, and forget money orders because you have to physically sign the Affirmation before the Consul or Vice-Consul in person.

I can also assure you that the embassy staff do not check the birth, marriage and death records either.

Finally, you can not register an overseas marriage at the GRO in the UK any more. I have no idea why you mentioned registering in Stockport, especially as the GRO is in Southport. In case you were not aware, Stockport is a grimy town just south of Manchester, while Southport is a seaside town about 50 miles away. Which rather sums up your post really - very far from the intended mark.

You have done a great job of posting a complete load of misinformation. Why bother typing all that drivel when it makes you look so foolish?

Does this bit about:

" registering marriage with MFA "

belong in the same tea cup as the stuff about birth cert, P60 etc ??

[blackcab]

After I was married I got my marriage documents translated and certified by the MFA.

It was very useful and worth the cost. No need to register it anywhere. You keep everything and make copies as necessary.

[bentarm44]

Thanks for that blackcab.

So when I go Immigration to apply for a visa extension, marriage; the marriage cert/doc I get when I marry will suffice for that purpose with Immigration ?

If I am reading this right, you had your marriage cert/doc translated and certified at MFA for your own records/use; nothing to do with Immigration/visa extension requirements ??

Sorry to labor the point, I just want to try hard to get this right first time; if possible.

[ubonjoe]

Thanks for that blackcab.

So when I go Immigration to apply for a visa extension, marriage; the marriage cert/doc I get when I marry will suffice for that purpose with Immigration ?

If I am reading this right, you had your marriage cert/doc translated and certified at MFA for your own records/use; nothing to do with Immigration/visa extension requirements ??

Sorry to labor the point, I just want to try hard to get this right first time; if possible.

If you get married here all you need is your marriage certificate and Kor Ror 2 marriage registry to apply for an extension of stay based upon marriage.

[bentarm44]

On Tuesday 24th May I attended The British Embassy Bangkok to request Affirmation to Marry a Thai National in Thailand.

The security prior to entering the Embassy site was similar to entering an airport for an international flight. In addition, my mobile phone was taken; to be returned on leaving the site.

I had completed the relevant form in the manner advised to by TVF.

I was called to window 1 by a friendly Thai female; who asked for the form and my passport; both of which she approved of. Ditto my divorce doc (UK 2001).

She then asked for 2650BT, and told me to sit back down and wait for a few minutes.

I took the liberty of asking if she wanted to see any of my Proof Of UK Address docs, her reply being, "No, I believe you"; which surprised me.

In comparison, there was a poorly presented English male, with similar Thai female, at window 3 getting all kinds of grief; mainly about how he was going to support a proposed Thai wife in Thailand.

As per my post # 19, I had stated no job and no income on my affir. form; whilst my p.port shows several extensions for reason of retirement.

I was asked no questions regarding my personal finances.

When called back to collect the stamped and counter signed affir. form I was sternly asked to verbally confirm the truthfulness of all I had stated on said form; a tad late I thought. I did so confirm. I was then told that the completion of this step permitted me to marry only the Thai National described in said affir. form; only in the Ampour as stated on the form; and only during the month as stated on the form.

So the form is only "good" for one specific proposed wife, in only one place; and only during a limited time span.

I didn't know that, but it's not a problem.

I then proceeded to a nearby Translation service etc office; one that I had seen recommended by a poster on TVF.

The staff there were happy to have my business; which was a request to translate said affir. doc; take it to the MFA; and finally post everything to my house in Korat.

A slight problem then emerged, I was told the MFA would require to see a copy of my intendeds' I.D. card.

As she was back home, we had to do a bit of fax machine work; all sorted in under 1 hour.

I was unaware of this ID card requirement; maybe most people going through this procedure are accompanied by their intended; so there is no problem.

I am currently back home waiting for the hoped for post to reach me; if it aint here by tomorrow maybe I'll phone the trans office for undated info.

I feel pretty relaxed and confident though, the Embassy experience was a breeze; and quiet a relief too.

The total charge made by the trans office was 2400BT.

[ubonjoe]

It has only been 2 days since you handed it over to the translation service. It can take a day to get the MFA certification done. You probably will have it tomorrow or Saturday.

[bentarm44]

OK Joe, maybe I'll wait 'till next Monday.

[bentarm44]

By 11 am on Monday 30th May I had still not received the awaited for mail, so I called the trans. service office. I was told all was done OK at the MFA, and everything posted (EMS) to me in Korat on Saturday 28th May. Today, Wednesday 1st June, my intended was in the village when she was handed (after signing for) said post by a friend of a friend who worked for the post office.

Not quiet what I understand as a secure postal delivery, never mind.

The MFA date stamps on both docs is 26th May, I delivered to the trans. office in the am of 24th May. My proposed date for marry, as stated on form, is the month of June.

I would guess the slightly extended delivery time from Bangkok to me in this small village near Phimai, Korat; is due to the time taken to complete the final 7 km.

I guess anyone wanting a faster completion would simply complete all the steps themselves; or wait in Bangkok to collect the docs. from any assisting third party themselves.

That's my bit done; over to the intended now.

She has 4 weeks to make a date at the Phimai marriage place; no pressure then.

[manfredtillmann]

If you have been previously married, you will need the original divorce decree for the embassy to issue the affirmation of freedom to marry.

that's what i thought (australian divorce). the translator dude, even though, judging by what everyone else posted prior, seems to have ripped me off big time, insisted i do not need this translated and certified (already paid the ozzies some thb 1000 just to put a stamp on a photo copy). he could have made another thb 1500 - but he was right - we did not need it.

the stat dec i signed at the oz consulate, stating i am actually divorced, was good enough for our local amphur. not even a question.

[bentarm44]

In the 10 days following my appnt at Brit Emb BKK, I received questionnaire e-mails from The Brit Emb BKK; and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Both pretty standard stuff about my "experience".

Towards the end of the FCO one, was a question about my gender; Options of male, female, other or prefer not to say.

An earlier question was what country are you in, so I suppose it's possible the site logic could have tailored that latter question for an earlier answer of Thailand.

Or maybe this is a normal question on any form like this these days; I mentioned my amusement on the form.

Both questionnaires asked how I thought the service provided could be improved; so I hope to see a 50% price cut in all fees and skype appointments in the future.

[blackcab]

Thanks for that blackcab.

So when I go Immigration to apply for a visa extension, marriage; the marriage cert/doc I get when I marry will suffice for that purpose with Immigration ?

If I am reading this right, you had your marriage cert/doc translated and certified at MFA for your own records/use; nothing to do with Immigration/visa extension requirements ??

Sorry to labor the point, I just want to try hard to get this right first time; if possible.

Correct. I needed the translation for both getting my wife a visa to the UK and also for getting my son a passport.