Cheapest Way To Divorce? (Married in US-not registered in Thailand)

[Plate]

Hello everyone

The wife and I have come to an agreement to getting divorced. No splitting of assets or anything like that. We have no kids. We married back in the US. The marriage in the US was not registered in Thailand. We just want a quick and easy divorce.

Do I need to go through my resident State in the US where I got my married or can this easily be handled with little cost at the Embassy in Bangkok?

I see tons of these 'Quick and Easy Divorce For $299' ads back in my home state but not sure about that.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

FYI, the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok has nothing to do with divorce in Thailand, nothing.

Where are you located? U.S.? Thailand?

If Thailand, the chain of events might be to get your U.S. marriage "registered" in Thailand at an amphur, then do the divorce there. This would be recognized in the U.S.

If you're in the U.S., no idea....

Mac

[Netzero]

Divorce jurisdiction for courts requires that you or your spouse meet a residency requirement - does not matter where you got married.

You have a few choices: (1) register your marriage in Thailand but be sure to check that your immigration/visa status will be accepted by the Amphur and they will register the marriage then do a divorce. This can be tricky for non Thais so get a Thai lawyer and have a plan that is going to be OK at the Amphur, (2) get a divorce in Guam - yes Guam - they have a process for uncontested divorce, you can establish 'residency' there for purposes of the divorce very easily AND it is recognized in the USA (all states).

Unless you or your spouse want to establish residency in a US state - even the state where you got married - there will be a residency requirement. Nevada is pretty easy as a recall (30 days?) but Guam is the best. They have made a business out of it.

Good luck

[nithisa78]

There is no such thing as quick and easy divorce. You are about to find out.

Cheap, I'll be laughing about that forever.

[SlideRiceFC]

My ex-wife and I did a quick and easy divorce back in the states (but both are American). In our case I was able to download the documents online for an uncontested divorce and we signed and had them notarized and turned them in at the local courthouse. It's been so long but I think the only stipulation was establishing that we'd lived apart for at least 6 months but I don't think there was any real checking involved in that and probably works differently in other states. This was years ago but I think there was just the fee at the notary and some small filing fee at the courthouse. I think it ended up costing less than $60 total.

I'd assume one of those services just handles the documents and acts as notary for their fee. It might be the way to go if you don't plan to head back to the states to push papers around. Back when we did ours similar services were over a grand so $299 doesn't sound terrible.

[fred Kubasa]

Why ever even mention the marriage ? Record keeping here is notoriously bad so, unless, you bring it up, no one will discover it !

[meekhao1066]

I assume your wife is Thai and staying in Thailand, if so:

Firstly you both should approach the local Amphur office and ask them what you actually need to do and have …… Sometimes you get different requirements from different offices.

But it goes something like this

Register your marriage in a local Amphur (anyone) to do this you need:

Your USA marriage certificate, authenticated by the secretary of state in the state in which you were married. (The USA embassy are not empowered to do this) …… http://www.nass.org/state-business-services/apostilles-document-authentications/

Once have the authenticated divorce document take it to the Thai embassy in the USA for their authentication

In Thailand then have a Thai translation completed of the marriage certificate with authentications

Take to the MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in Chang Watana for authentication of both the original and translation …….. there are people there that will do the translation and arrange for the MFA to authenticate (so you do very little but ask them …….. probably cost about 1200 THB including government fees)

Some Amphurs also require an affirmation from you in front of a USA embassy official in Thailand stating you are who you state to be and that you got married as per the marriage certificate. But as I say ask the Amphur what they require and if they want such an affirmation ask them to show you a previous one preferably done by a USA citizen.

With the preceding go to the local Amphur and register the marriage ……. Takes about 1 hour if not too busy.

Then the Amphur will tell you how long before can get divorce …. Some might say next week some say tomorrow.

Go to get divorce when advised, which will take about another 90 minutes as long as you both agree

You will get a divorce certificate (2 documents) ……. One for you and one for your wife.

Take yours to the MFA have it translated into English and get both authenticated all by the same people who helped with the marriage certificate translation ……. For future should you wish to remarry outside Thailand.

The process is basically simple but the first stage in the USA takes a little time ……. Check the web site of the USA Bangkok Embassy etc

As long as one of you are resident in Thailand (your Thai wife) you can be here on a Visa or even a 30 day at the airport ....... but again check with the local Amphur

If you wish to hire a Thai lawyer it will probably cost you 100 to 150k Thai Baht and there is absolutely no reason to do so in uncontested divorce.

[smotherb]

There is no such thing as quick and easy divorce. You are about to find out.

Cheap, I'll be laughing about that forever.

I have been through two uncontested no children divorces, both cheap. The first, in Virginia, we were young and had nothing except our old cars and some furniture--split it and the total bill of $125. The second, in Florida, we had property, cars, household furnishings, and personal assets. We went to the same lawyer, split our assets as we saw fit, and were divorced in 30 days. It cost us about $200. Both divorces were amicable--just because you no longer want to live together doesn't mean you have to hate each other or be vindictive.

[aronp1]

Your marriage isn't reconized in Thailand.

Probably will be cheaper to register your marriage in Thailand then divorce here. To divorce in the US will cost alot more.

[MyFriend You]

My ex-wife and I did a quick and easy divorce back in the states (but both are American). In our case I was able to download the documents online for an uncontested divorce and we signed and had them notarized and turned them in at the local courthouse. It's been so long but I think the only stipulation was establishing that we'd lived apart for at least 6 months but I don't think there was any real checking involved in that and probably works differently in other states. This was years ago but I think there was just the fee at the notary and some small filing fee at the courthouse. I think it ended up costing less than $60 total.

I'd assume one of those services just handles the documents and acts as notary for their fee. It might be the way to go if you don't plan to head back to the states to push papers around. Back when we did ours similar services were over a grand so $299 doesn't sound terrible.

I actally did this - bought the California Divorce (Dissaloution of marraige) package in LAX Book Store, $150.00 including Notrary Stamp - we filled it out in the Busines Class Lounge, took it back to the Bookstore, signed stamped, notarized, even had the mailing envelope included............only stipulation was the divorce wasn't effective until 6 months after the dtae signed.............have never looked back - hat was 1986 haven't been married since. Paid a boatload of rent though.

[cyberfarang]

The American marriage has to be certified at the American embassy, translated into Thai and then a marriage certificate issued at the Thai foreign Affairs office in Bangkok.

Once the Thai version has been issued, then the divorce can proceed in Thailand.

But a stern warning, if the Thai wife insists on getting divorced in the USA, under American law she can take the OP to the cleaners.

[Plate]

Hi guys. Thanks for the answers. There is a residency requirement in the state where I got married. It looks like I may need to take the advice of a few to get the marriage egistered here in Thailand. By the way, I do have a mutli Non O Visa so not sure how that would affect it (from what im gathering if its multi..its until its experation date?)

Also the cheap divorce paralegas are saying that I can get someone to sign a witness affadavit and they wont even have to go go court. THey will just go bring docs to courthouse and it will be a simple proccess.

But I don't want to put friend/family member and have them lie to the courts that they've seen me live there. That's crazy. So, it looks like the best route is to get it registered here and then do a divorce.

I think I will go in person to the Embassy in Bangkok once I get the docs authenticated from Secretary of State, get it certified, get that translated into Thai and get a marriage certificate issued at the Thai Foreign Affairs Office in Bangkok. Then get the divorce in Thailand.

I appreciate any more advice or insight but you guys are amazing! Super thanks! I should be paying you guys for this advice.

[cyberfarang]

Hi guys. Thanks for the answers. There is a residency requirement in the state where I got married. It looks like I may need to take the advice of a few to get the marriage egistered here in Thailand. By the way, I do have a mutli Non O Visa so not sure how that would affect it (from what im gathering if its multi..its until its experation date?)

Also the cheap divorce paralegas are saying that I can get someone to sign a witness affadavit and they wont even have to go go court. THey will just go bring docs to courthouse and it will be a simple proccess.

But I don't want to put friend/family member and have them lie to the courts that they've seen me live there. That's crazy. So, it looks like the best route is to get it registered here and then do a divorce.

I think I will go in person to the Embassy in Bangkok once I get the docs authenticated from Secretary of State, get it certified, get that translated into Thai and get a marriage certificate issued at the Thai Foreign Affairs Office in Bangkok. Then get the divorce in Thailand.

I appreciate any more advice or insight but you guys are amazing! Super thanks! I should be paying you guys for this advice.

But do this quickly before your wife`s friends start putting her straight about how she can skim off the Farang husband using the American legal system, don`t drag your feet if you are serous about getting this divorce. I speak from experience.

[Konaboy1]

TRUE

I WENT TO COURT WITH MY THAI WIFE

SETTLED EVERYTHING IN COURT WITH THE 3 THAI JUDGES.

WE BOTH AGREED.WE BOTH HAD ATTORNEYS PRESENT (THAI)

ALL FINISHED?

NOT!!

BEEN TRYING FOR 2 YEARS TO GET THE SIGNED ORDER!!

SEEMS A FEE NEEDS TO BE PAID,

AMAZING!

NOT

[jacksam]

2years? Maybe pay the fee. Just a thought