Uk national marrying Thai national in Thailand - is this process correct?

[HollyT]

Hi everyone.

 

I'm English and will be marrying my Thai partner in April. I have done some research but just wanted to check if I have the process right by people who have done it already - people on ThaiVisa were very helpful last year when we were applying to get his UK visitor visa, so I have come back for more help!

 

So as I understand it, this is the process:

 

1. I need to go to the British embassy for affirmation document to prove I can marry. I book an appointment, take my 2300 baht and my passport and fill in the template from the gov.uk website.

2. Go to the MFA to get my document translated and legalised.

3. Go to the amphur to register marriage.

 

Do I need to take anything else to the appointment? Proof of work, income, address etc?

Is the MFA the only place I can get my document translated/legalised, or can I return home to Surat Thani and do it here? If I have to do it at the MFA, how long does it take / what is the fee?

Am I then free to take my translated document to any amphur I wish? (So I can go alone to Bangkok, get my documents, then return to Surat and marry here?)

 

On paper it looks like a simple process, which I'm sure it can't be, so I must have got it wrong somewhere!!

 

Thankyou for any help!

 

 

 

[happylarry]

 

Once you have your affirmation to marry from the Embassy the easiest way to do it is take it to one of the many translation shops around the Embassy and leave it with them to translate and get stamped at the MFA and then they post to your home address.

You also need to get your passport translated and stamped at the same time. You don't leave your passport with them, you just leave a copy.

Once you have the documents then yes, you can use them in Suratthani.

There is a translation shop in the Homepro shopping center just over the road from the Embassy, on the first floor just before the exit to the skywalk.

HL

[happylarry]

Just reread your post.....you need to take your divorce papers or death certificates if you have been married before, to prove that you are now free to marry.

And yes the MFA is the only place to legalize your documents but you really don't want to go there yourself, what with the traffic and the hassles and you probably would not get it done on the same day and would have to go back again to collect.

The price at a translation shop would probably be about two thousand baht or thereabouts including postage to your home.

HL

[Preacher]

Translation is not done by the MFA, you have to provide a translation yourself (from an agency). The MFA checks the translation.

The translation agency can take care of the MFA part for you, for a fee of course.

 

You can only legalise the documents at the MFA. But many people don't know there are several MFA offices in Thailand you can turn to. There is none in Surat though.

 

MFA offices are in:

- Bangkok

- Chiang Mai

- Songkhla

- Ubon Ratchathani

[happylarry]

Preacher you are correct that the MFA itself does not do translations but within the same building there are several translation shops and this is why people assume they are one and the same.

HL

[HollyT]

Thanks for the information!

[markeewan]

The process is essentially as you describe but there are a few additional things to consider and check.

 

Not every Amphur will perform the marriage ceremony, so you should check first. I was turned away from Prawet office and ended up doing the process at Bang Rak, which is all set up to do foreigner marriages. The only other thing to consider is that whereas before they used to accept anyone to act as a witness, you now need two family members, so you should check this point also. As my friend got caught out with the need for additional witnesses around the time that the fake marriage scam was uncovered.

 

You need to arrive at the MFA early as only the first 30 people will have their application processed the same day. If I had the task to do again I would pay the agent to organise the translation and process it at MFA. You will save yourself a heap of time and for less than 10,000 baht it makes the process easier. 

 

My experience was:

Day 1 Australian Embassy 1 hour,.

Find a translation service and translate - 4 hours

Go home.

 

Day 2 Leave home at 5am and travel to MFA -1 hour

Wait for them to open 1 hour

Rush in and queue to go upstairs 30 mins

Interview with some lady behind a desk

Wait some more - 30 mins

Hand in all the documents, pay some money and wait - 2 hours

MFA Closed for lunch 1- hour, eat at the onsite food hall and go and look at the wooden Thai houses across the road

Come back after lunch and find there is a translation error. (My own fault for not filling out the Freedom to Marry form neatly)

Find an agent to take the document back to around Silom - 30 mins

Wait for correct document to return and resubmit -1 hour

All approved - 1 hour and out of there by 3 pm

Travel home - 1 hour

 

Day 3 Bang Rak should take 3-4 hours tops

 

Hope this helps

 

 

 

 

 

[Kenegg]

Best of luck and congratulations hope everything goes ok...all this does work I did it last April.. an agency can save you a lot of running around 9000baht should get you the whole package (including marriage at a Bangkok Amphoe) :-)

[Kenegg]

Legallymarriedinthailand.com are good and not too expensive. :-)

[Emster23]

On 1/7/2017 at 9:38 AM, happylarry said:

Just reread your post.....you need to take your divorce papers or death certificates if you have been married before, to prove that you are now free to marry.

And yes the MFA is the only place to legalize your documents but you really don't want to go there yourself, what with the traffic and the hassles and you probably would not get it done on the same day and would have to go back again to collect.

The price at a translation shop would probably be about two thousand baht or thereabouts including postage to your home.

HL

 Just add from my experience: went to a suggested translation MFA etc shop. Had my stamped official divorce papers from previous Thai marriage (triumph of hope over experience with second shot at it). Shop wanted copy of ID card of ex, which threw me. Amazingly, back in condo did have copy of that. I have no idea if that was submitted to MFA or not. Glad I didn't have to contact the ex.

 If going to marry in Banglamung, be prepared to be humbled one way or another by "the mayor". Maybe she just wanted to see if I would blow stack: "There should be an 'a' in this word and there isn't" (in the translation). <deleted>? "I know what it means, you know what it means, MFA knows what it means as they put their stamp of approval on it" (trying to smile or at least resist some felonious urges I had.

Got there at 9:45 in the morning, finally done at 1:45.

 I now understand why ISIS prisoners just kneel and wait for head to come off.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

When we did it,i had to produce my decree nisi with a signature of the judge and stamped.I had the declaration and all the other stuff.When you walk out of the embassy,just wait on the pavement and you will be approached by a girl(usually) who will do all the paperwork for you,and,as the other poster says,post it to you,All very easy and painless,and they are trustworthy.Its better ti pay them the fee and be trouble free.You shouldnt have a problem.

[Baerboxer]

3 minutes ago, Khon Kaen Dave said:

When we did it,i had to produce my decree nisi with a signature of the judge and stamped.I had the declaration and all the other stuff.When you walk out of the embassy,just wait on the pavement and you will be approached by a girl(usually) who will do all the paperwork for you,and,as the other poster says,post it to you,All very easy and painless,and they are trustworthy.Its better ti pay them the fee and be trouble free.You shouldnt have a problem.

 

Sorry to nitpick Dave but it's the Decree Absolute you need. Not the decree nisi. You are only divorced once the decree absolute is issued and it is this document which proves the divorce.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Baerboxer

Yes mate,you are absolutely correct.It is the decree absolute.It was purely a typing error. I do apologise to the poster for any misunderstanding.

[flyingdoc]

In relation to the Sinsod and all the other usual requirements cynically but aptly listed by Meatboy, I think that you will find that Holly T is female and is marrying her Thai boyfriend, and not the usual other way round !!  Any diiferences in respect of what might be expected to be provided?!!

[roo860]

Just one thing that I thought was strange, I took my decree absolute with me to the embassy. Called me up to the counter, handed over money etc. I then asked what time tomorrow or whenever do I return to pick up the freedom to marry paper. The lady said wait about 20min, I asked her do you not check in UK to see if I'm married, she said no, so I could have said all along I've never been married.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[steve187]

yearly extension for being married to a male Thai national is a piece of cake as well

[Deepinthailand]

Sorry passport translated?  Since when?

[metisdead]

Off topic posts as well as troll posts and replies have been removed. 

[Eneukman]

On 1/7/2017 at 9:31 AM, happylarry said:

 

Once you have your affirmation to marry from the Embassy the easiest way to do it is take it to one of the many translation shops around the Embassy and leave it with them to translate and get stamped at the MFA and then they post to your home address.

You also need to get your passport translated and stamped at the same time. You don't leave your passport with them, you just leave a copy.

Once you have the documents then yes, you can use them in Suratthani.

There is a translation shop in the Homepro shopping center just over the road from the Embassy, on the first floor just before the exit to the skywalk.

HL

 

I used the translation shop in Homepro last year. They did the translation and dealt with the MFA for us and sent the affirmation to us a few days later. Their fee was reasonable and saved us a lot of hassle. We subsequently got married at the ampeur in Ban Chang in Rayong province where some of Noi's family live. If one ampeur won't marry you, try another.

 

As far as I can recall, I didn't need to have my passport translated. 

 

Alan

[happylarry]

Trouble is Eneukman amphurs are like immigration offices where every one interprets the rules differently and ask for different things. I bet you had to show your passport though and I am surprised that they accepted it written in a foreign language. Anyway if someone is going to the trouble of getting one document translated and stamped then they may as well get two done at the same time, then they are covered, rather than get one of the many offices that do insist on it and have to start all over again.

HL

[Harveyboy]

Hi tks for this I'm going to bkk in a few days time to the British Embassy I was told after the affirmation I could go to I think it is called chang wattana to the MBA where I could get the docs translated then go upstairs to get the stamped ect but you are saying one of the the translation shops near Embassy would translate the get it stamped and posted to me that seems a much easier way by far am I correct in what I said if so could you tell me a little more where exactly and costs involved would be a great help thanks

Sent from my SM-T550 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[happylarry]

Directions are in my first post (second post on here) or alternatively there are normally people hanging around the Embassy gate who approach you and ask if you want translations. Do not be afraid to go with these people, they are simply acting for the translation shops and get a small commission from the shop for taking you there, and all the shops go to the MFA for an extra charge. It really is easy and nothing to get stressed about.

HL

[meatboy]

On 8/1/2560 at 7:45 PM, HollyT said:

Thanks for the information!

and if you need info on getting a divorce later,that is very easy.

[Harveyboy]

1. OK so I went did it Embassy very helpfull then as you said someone offered  to do the rest translation and MFA I paid 3000 for all and everything should be here by post this week ..OK could have done MFA but by the time I'd paid taxis there and than back to Mo chit  I thought it wasn't to bad I was on my way home by 10 am 

[Harveyboy]

On 11/01/2017 at 9:33 AM, Eneukman said:

 

I used the translation shop in Homepro last year. They did the translation and dealt with the MFA for us and sent the affirmation to us a few days later. Their fee was reasonable and saved us a lot of hassle. We subsequently got married at the ampeur in Ban Chang in Rayong province where some of Noi's family live. If one ampeur won't marry you, try another.

 

As far as I can recall, I didn't need to have my passport translated. 

 

Alan

 

On 16/01/2017 at 0:43 PM, Harveyboy said:

Hi tks for this I'm going to bkk in a few days time to the British Embassy I was told after the affirmation I could go to I think it is called chang wattana to the MBA where I could get the docs translated then go upstairs to get the stamped ect but you are saying one of the the translation shops near Embassy would translate the get it stamped and posted to me that seems a much easier way by far am I correct in what I said if so could you tell me a little more where exactly and costs involved would be a great help thanks

Sent from my SM-T550 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

Yes exactly  what I did easy 

[HollyT]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. So I should give myself two days in Bangkok to get this sorted?

[Harveyboy]

On ‎06‎/‎02‎/‎2017 at 1:43 PM, HollyT said:

Thanks for all the advice everyone. So I should give myself two days in Bangkok to get this sorted?

hello i had to do this 2 weeks ago i was a little bit nervy about it all but with the help of the guys on site it worked out good first i went on Embassy site booked appointment for 8 am got there early took all paperwork they wanted i downloaded the forms filled them in at home before i left easy.. staff great helpfull took 15 minuits paid 2300 baht then went outside the  gates went with an agent there are plenty there ..to her office gave her my paperwork ..i paid 3000 they did the rest  translation all the leg work at the offices to get it all stamped and legal she then posted it all for me  to my home job done i get married in 1 week with all the paperwork needed so i all in all at Embassy  8 am in translation office 9 am  coffee 10 am ..11 on my way home no 2 days in BKK no hotels no taxis all over town ..it worked for me   hope it all goes well 

[happylarry]

52 minutes ago, Harveyboy said:

hello i had to do this 2 weeks ago i was a little bit nervy about it all but with the help of the guys on site it worked out good first i went on Embassy site booked appointment for 8 am got there early took all paperwork they wanted i downloaded the forms filled them in at home before i left easy.. staff great helpfull took 15 minuits paid 2300 baht then went outside the  gates went with an agent there are plenty there ..to her office gave her my paperwork ..i paid 3000 they did the rest  translation all the leg work at the offices to get it all stamped and legal she then posted it all for me  to my home job done i get married in 1 week with all the paperwork needed so i all in all at Embassy  8 am in translation office 9 am  coffee 10 am ..11 on my way home no 2 days in BKK no hotels no taxis all over town ..it worked for me   hope it all goes well 

Harvey, glad you took our advice and found it made sense to do it the easy way.

So many people on here seem to think there is something suspicious about using the translation offices, I really don't know why, but as they say you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink....lol

Congratulations.

HL

[Harveyboy]

8 minutes ago, happylarry said:

Harvey, glad you took our advice and found it made sense to do it the easy way.

So many people on here seem to think there is something suspicious about using the translation offices, I really don't know why, but as they say you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink....lol

Congratulations.

HL

yes mate all went great thanks for the help

 

[athousand]

I'm about to do the same process on Wednesday - I have an appointment at the British Embassy for the Affirmation to Marry. On another thread here, I read that the cost was 1,900 for the document translation and legalisation. (Below I've copied a reply I got from one of the translation services). 

 

However on this thread I've read that it's a good idea to also get my passport translated and stamped, which I had not come across before. Does that mean the passport translation is also sent to the MFA, or the stamping is just by the translation company. If the passport translation also needs to get stamped by the MFA does that explain the total cost of 3,000 instead of 1,900?

 

(Below is the quote I received from one of the translation services I found recommended on another post here) 

 

Translation                                        600 baht

Legalization Ministry Foreign Affairs    400 baht

Service fee                                        800 baht

EMS (postal service)                         100  baht

 

Total                                               1,900 baht