Hi everyone,

I've done the research so am pretty familiar with the process of getting married in Thailand:

1. British Embassy for certificates to proove we can get married
2. Translation of these certs into Thai
3. Notarisation of these certs by the MFA
4. Marriage certificate from local amphur

We arrive in Thailand on 24 July (Friday) around 1pm and I don't think this will be anywhere near enough time go get done what we need before the offices close for the weekend.

Can we do anything before arriving in Thailand to save time there?

Can we use an agent to do this on our behalf or do we need to do this ourselves (they seem to just escort you to/from the various places)?

We're getting married on Koh Samui so I'm just hoping to avoid a wasted day and a further £300 round trip to BKK once we get down there on the 25th.

Not sure about 'letter of no objection', but the embassy may have a specific day/ time that they issue these documents, contact them to find out.

You mention UK & Irish Nationals? that would mean visiting two embassies for the letters? Then organizing the translation/ notary etc.......cutting it a bit fine on a Friday afternoon maybe...

You need an appointment to do anything at the British Embassy - see their website for details:-

https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-bangkok

Yeah, I think we'll have to head to Samui and then fly back for the day based on how this is looking

Contacted the embassy earlier today.

What amazed me the British Embassy are very thorough and pick up slightest mistake, then I got to ministry of affairs and got the translation done for 400baht.

Went up stairs handed all the necessary paper work over, They just a very quick look at it nothing like the B,E. and posted everything back to me. No hassle at all.

Off to local amphur and the Marriage documents were done. Didn't even have a witness.

What I found funny the divorce desk is next to the Marriage desk.

Like Jip99 said, Make the appointment for the British Embassy, Also make sure your paper work is correct.

Make sure you have your travel plans for getting to ministry of affairs because time will be tight if trying to do in one day. (Translation at M,O,A)

Bangkok taxis will rob you blind so try to avoid.

Best of luck

Thanks for the input guys - I don't think trying to do it upon arrival is going to be an option.

Live in Thailand for 2 years so we know the score

As a first port-of-call, I'll see if I can move our flight out with Qatar to the day before as this potentially going to be the cheapest option.

As a second, it'll just have to be a weekend stay in Bangkok with a flight down on the Monday or Bangkok Airways back up for the day from Samui.

I did the lot in three days, but that was 7 years ago,

You mention UK & Irish Nationals? that would mean visiting two embassies for the letters? Then organizing the translation/ notary etc.......cutting it a bit fine on a Friday afternoon maybe...

The Consular Section of the British Embassy is closed on a Friday afternoon, also remember that you cannot just pitch up, you need to make an appointment.

Irish nationals cannot have their affirmation of freedom to marry witnessed at the British embassy. Each embassy or consulate will only do this for their own nationals.

See Guidance for Irish nationals wishing to marry in Thailand.

Note the following

You should prepare the affidavit yourself in typewritten form on one page. On completion, please e-mail the same together with required documents below to the consulate for review.

An appointment to swear the affidavit before the Irish Consul MUST be made in advance. This should be done at least 2 weeks, before the date of which you are to swear the affidavit.

This guy is obviously British and has'forgotten' that Ireland is actually a different country.This actually doesn't surprise me as many Uk nationals fail to understand the intricacies of their nationality. The British government also fails to properly educate its citizens about the history of Ireland.I wonder why that is??!!!!!

Seems like their has been some change in Thai law regarding citizens marrying foreign nationals that have just come into place. I got my freedom to marry certificate authorized by the MFA in Bangkok last week, went to the local amphur to get legally married yesterday. The staff there were as confused as we were by the new system. After a long wait we were told that our 2 witnesses had to be people we work with, also that I had to be interviewed by a local bigwig before he could unlock the system and we would then need our certificates signed by a different bigwig. After some lengthy enquiries it was established the neither of these people were in the office yesterday. We were in the amphur for over 4 hours and are still not married.

Seems like their has been some change in Thai law regarding citizens marrying foreign nationals that have just come into place. I got my freedom to marry certificate authorized by the MFA in Bangkok last week, went to the local amphur to get legally married yesterday. The staff there were as confused as we were by the new system. After a long wait we were told that our 2 witnesses had to be people we work with, also that I had to be interviewed by a local bigwig before he could unlock the system and we would then need our certificates signed by a different bigwig. After some lengthy enquiries it was established the neither of these people were in the office yesterday. We were in the amphur for over 4 hours and are still not married.

There's been no change in Thai law concerning marriage.

Irish nationals cannot have their affirmation of freedom to marry witnessed at the British embassy. Each embassy or consulate will only do this for their own nationals.

See Guidance for Irish nationals wishing to marry in Thailand.

Note the following

You should prepare the affidavit yourself in typewritten form on one page. On completion, please e-mail the same together with required documents below to the consulate for review.

An appointment to swear the affidavit before the Irish Consul MUST be made in advance. This should be done at least 2 weeks, before the date of which you are to swear the affidavit.

My 2 cents worth.

Spouse of an Irish National/Civil Partnership with an Irish National My 2 cents worth Permission to reside in the State on the basis of marriage to an Irish national

Marriage to an Irish national does not confer an automatic right of residence in the State. A non EEA national who wishes to reside in the State on the basis of their marriage to an Irish national must make an application for permission to remain in the State.

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP07000024