The best of the absurb "unofficial fees"

[giddyup]

Pattaya28 ........... bizarre is the perfect choice of words.

The Sattahip Amphur Manager was the 'boss' I referred to. He's the man we met twice to check and recheck papers that would be needed and it was he who thought his last minute demand/request for another task/paperwork was going to be the cute money-spinning idea

Mr Giddyup - I am not an Aussie so all your documentation described is irrelevant to me. I have now told you several times my costs were B40 (I had previously for various reasons gathered all the papers needed myself with no incurred costs) and if your costs were as you described then so be it.

My topic is about "unofficial fees" and the planned cessation thereof as reported in the BKK Post yesterday (Thursday 28th).

Requesting a passport translation (or maybe a small donation to make that request disappear) strikes me, as Pattay28 said, bizarre!

Next ............

Unless you are a Thai, the same regulations apply to all foreigners getting married in Thailand, not just Aussies. Do a Google search for "Thai Marriage Requirements".

One can get married for Thai law only, there is no obligation to register your marriage at your Embassy.

Is that marriage recognised anywhere out side of Thailand?

[Mobi]

Pattaya28 ........... bizarre is the perfect choice of words.

The Sattahip Amphur Manager was the 'boss' I referred to. He's the man we met twice to check and recheck papers that would be needed and it was he who thought his last minute demand/request for another task/paperwork was going to be the cute money-spinning idea

Mr Giddyup - I am not an Aussie so all your documentation described is irrelevant to me. I have now told you several times my costs were B40 (I had previously for various reasons gathered all the papers needed myself with no incurred costs) and if your costs were as you described then so be it.

My topic is about "unofficial fees" and the planned cessation thereof as reported in the BKK Post yesterday (Thursday 28th).

Requesting a passport translation (or maybe a small donation to make that request disappear) strikes me, as Pattay28 said, bizarre!

Next ............

Unless you are a Thai, the same regulations apply to all foreigners getting married in Thailand, not just Aussies. Do a Google search for "Thai Marriage Requirements".

One can get married for Thai law only, there is no obligation to register your marriage at your Embassy.

Is that marriage recognised anywhere out side of Thailand?

Yes, a Thai Marriage is recognised everywhere. It is 100% legal.

However in order to use it abroad, you will need to have the marriage certificate translated into English, and then stamped as correct by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I used to use one like that in the UK for all manner of reasons, including residence. I then got divorced in an English court who, of course, recognised my marriage in Thailand.

[giddyup]

To Clarify.

All relevant documents that were required, I had with me at the marriage office.

Confirmation from the British Embassy that I was not married had to be supplied, obviously with my passport details.

This 1-page document was translated in BKK and then certified by either the Thai Embassy or a Thai Consul.

If something the Sattahip "Boss" omitted to inform the OP of, until the last minute, that really does not surprise me.

And, I never went to BKK for the translation and the certification stamp. I used a third party for that tedious task, which took 3-4 days and cost literally a few Baht.

The only thing of any real expense was the British Embassy 1-page document, which was about 4000 Baht.

According to the OP he didn't have to bother with any of that rigamarole, just paid his 40 baht and bob's your uncle.

[Pattaya28]

I believe a Thai marriage is recognized globally, provided the "Marriage Certificate" has a translation document with it, certified by a public notary.

[giddyup]

Yes, a Thai Marriage is recognised everywhere. It is 100% legal.

However in order to use it abroad, you will need to have the marriage certificate translated into English, and then stamped as correct by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I used to use one like that in the UK for all manner of reasons, including residence. I then got divorced in an English court who, of course, recognised my marriage in Thailand.

That's what I'm talking about, you have to complete the formalities if you want the marriage to be accepted worldwide.

[giddyup]

I believe a Thai marriage is recognized globally, provided the "Marriage Certificate" has a translation document with it, certified by a public notary.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you also have to get clearance in the form of a stat dec from your embassy, which is then translated and approved by the Thai Consul.

[crickets]

6600 baht to get the document translated and approved. Way over the top.

[giddyup]

6600 baht to get the document translated and approved. Way over the top.

You are probably right, but it wasn't just one document, it was the stat dec, plus 3 pages of my divorce papers. I was stressed out enough after spending two and a half hours on the bus, another 30 minutes on the skytrain, then a 30 minute walk to the Aussie embassy, which then involved another hour of waiting. I wasn't in the mood to be shopping around for the cheapest translator in BKK just to save myself a few hundred baht.

[prk888]

so nearly 5 years ago one Amphut tells me what papers are required and then a 2nd Amphur processes it all for legal marriage and bob's your uncle. B40 too !

Marriage cert. etc then allow very young daughter to also get a British passport as well as the Thai one.

But now I am advised by our all-knowing Aussie friend that he believes this is actually illegal.

I can concur with Mobi's post #32 but again that was done after marriage - and the Thai MFA didn't ask for UK passport translation either

Off topic reply because it has been hijacked I know but just to complete the picture

PS - I have also been told that the said first Amphur typically recommends a Bxxx cash donation (unofficial fee?) to immediately eradicate need for passport translation

Now .... maybe ................ back on track (unless even more spurious comments follow)

[giddyup]

so nearly 5 years ago one Amphut tells me what papers are required and then a 2nd Amphur processes it all for legal marriage and bob's your uncle. B40 too !

Marriage cert. etc then allow very young daughter to also get a British passport as well as the Thai one.

But now I am advised by our all-knowing Aussie friend that he believes this is actually illegal.

I can concur with Mobi's post #32 but again that was done after marriage - and the Thai MFA didn't ask for UK passport translation either

Off topic reply because it has been hijacked I know but just to complete the picture

PS - I have also been told that the said first Amphur typically recommends a Bxxx cash donation (unofficial fee?) to immediately eradicate need for passport translation

Now .... maybe ................ back on track (unless even more spurious comments follow)

I don't profess to be all-knowing, but I suggest you do a Google search for "Thai Marriage Requirements" to see what is required of all foreigners, not just us lucky Aussies. Perhaps they made a one-off exception and you got fast-tracked because they liked the cut of your jib.

[thaibeachlovers]

I don't know how it was possible to get married in 40 minutes, maybe just the visit to the Amphur office might take that long. I went through the preliminaries yesterday, and this was what was involved. First up, a visit to the Aussie embassy to fill out a stat dec and provide divorce papers from previous marriage, cost around 1300 baht. Next was a visit to a translator for the same paperwork, who would then take it to the Thai Consul for approval, cost 6600 baht. After the paperwork has been stamped and approved and sent to me by courier, we then will have to go to the local Amphur office to actually marry, cost unknown. I do know when I lodged my will at the Amphur office they wanted my passport translated, which is probably a rip off I know, but sometimes they won't proceed unless you comply. So far I have probably spent 10,000 baht in "fees", including bus to and from BKK, skytrain, taxis etc, and still not actually married yet.

Obviously it's just the visit to the Amphur office. Mine took less time than that. I don't remember how much it cost, but not much. The clerk took our photos for us.

In Bkk they have a fancy samlor to have your photo taken in.

[Anthony5]

Yes, a Thai Marriage is recognised everywhere. It is 100% legal.

However in order to use it abroad, you will need to have the marriage certificate translated into English, and then stamped as correct by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I used to use one like that in the UK for all manner of reasons, including residence. I then got divorced in an English court who, of course, recognised my marriage in Thailand.

That's what I'm talking about, you have to complete the formalities if you want the marriage to be accepted worldwide.

But completing the formalities isn't mandatory to get married in Thailand. Where did the OP say his marriage was registered abroad? May be it isn't important for the OP to have it registered in his home country currently, he can always do that in the future if he want to, but nevertheless he is now officially married and it cost him 40 Baht.

[berybert]

To Clarify.

All relevant documents that were required, I had with me at the marriage office.

Confirmation from the British Embassy that I was not married had to be supplied, obviously with my passport details.

This 1-page document was translated in BKK and then certified by either the Thai Embassy or a Thai Consul.

If something the Sattahip "Boss" omitted to inform the OP of, until the last minute, that really does not surprise me.

And, I never went to BKK for the translation and the certification stamp. I used a third party for that tedious task, which took 3-4 days and cost literally a few Baht.

The only thing of any real expense was the British Embassy 1-page document, which was about 4000 Baht.

According to the OP he didn't have to bother with any of that rigamarole, just paid his 40 baht and bob's your uncle.

Quite possibly your aunty too.