Paperwork to Marry

[JAS21]

I was unfortunate enough to have to go, with my wife, to the MFA today … my wife wanted a copy of her passport validating. Whilst there, we met a guy from the UK who wants to marry a Thai Lady. The lady has not been married before.

He has his ‘Affirmation To Marry’ stamped at the British Embassy, translated and stamped at the MFA.

 Can someone please provide a list of what else the Amphur, one in BK  and called something like Bang Lux or Bang Luk, will need from each please … thanks.

[ubonjoe]

At most Amphoes and Khets (Bangkok) all that is needed is his passport plus a copy, her ID card and a copy of her house book registry. Plus 2 witnesses.

Moved to here.

[electric]

Now he has docs officially stamped by MFA, the couple can have the marriage ceremony anywhere of their choosing in Thailand. The marriage must then be registered at an Amphur for it to be recognised as a proper legal marriage. The Amphur will issue 2 wedding certificates, one for him, one for her. Both are entirely in Thai script.

 

A formal, lavish ceremony is not compulsory. Many choose to do just the simple "Registry office" type marriage at the Amphur.

 

He will need .... full set of all the stamped docs from MFA, and his passport. It is vital that he makes copies of ALL docs from his Embassy and MFA. These will be useful at some later stage in life. The Amphur will keep all originals.

 

She will need ... ID card and Tabian Baan (blue house book)

 

Also, 2 witnesses. One will need to be able to speak Thai and English, as the Amphur lady will ask him several important questions, and witness signatures are required on several docs.

[missi]

hi 

i have a question . me and my bf are coming to Thailand for a vacation and maybe getting married . does MFA accept the affirmation to marry document that i got in my country from our foreign affairs or do i have to come to Thailand and get another one from my country s embassy there ? 

[SaintLouisBlues]

16 minutes ago, missi said:

hi 

i have a question . me and my bf are coming to Thailand for a vacation and maybe getting married . does MFA accept the affirmation to marry document that i got in my country from our foreign affairs or do i have to come to Thailand and get another one from my country s embassy there ? 

How much is your bf paying for the "sin sod"?

[missi]

we dont really know about that but he s willing to do whatever it takes

[electric]

5 hours ago, missi said:

hi 

i have a question . me and my bf are coming to Thailand for a vacation and maybe getting married . does MFA accept the affirmation to marry document that i got in my country from our foreign affairs or do i have to come to Thailand and get another one from my country s embassy there ? 

 

Hi missi ... couple of things. I'm assuming you are a female and non Thai, and that your boyfriend is also non Thai.

 

Just wanted to clarify that, as same sex marriages cannot be registered in Thailand (so I believe. I may be wrong ?) Plenty of wedding planners will do the ceremony, but it can't be legally registered.

 

Moving on to answer your question. MFA's sole role is to legally authenticate your Affirmation to Marry doc. Both original and translated Thai copy. They are notoriously pedantic and very often reject applications with the smallest of errors, usually translation related. So, when they see your doc with a non Thailand located foreign embassy stamp on it, there is a high probability that it will be rejected. 

 

Getting Affirmation to Marry doc from your Embassy in BKK is very simple. Takes maybe 30 minutes. Then you need that doc translated to Thai. Most Embassies have translation places nearby, or plenty at MFA itself. Will take about 3-4 hours.

_____________________________________________

 

Perhaps another idea worth considering. Have a simple Registry Office wedding in your home country, then during your vacation in Thailand, have a nice big ceremony to confirm your vows. No offficial Thai MFA or Embassy documentation required.

 

Bucket loads of wedding planners in Thailand will perform that for you.

 

I really don't see the point of you wanting to register a marriage in Thailand, particularly if you're both foreigners, and only here for a short vacation.

[grankboy]

Does the MFA do it on the same day ?

[electric]

26 minutes ago, grankboy said:

Does the MFA do it on the same day ?

 

Hi grankboy ... yes. You need to submit your fully translated Embassy Affirmation to Marry docs and application form to MFA by 9am. Girl will ask you if you want Express Service (ie. same day), or normal processing, which I gather could take 2-3 days. Express Service costs extra (I think it was around 2000 baht?)

 

My application was submitted at 8am. Paid for the Express Service. Waited until midday for my number to be called, only to be told the translation was not acceptable. Fortunately we had used a translation guy at MFA and he was hanging around. He redid my translation in 2 hours for free.

 

Resubmitted at 2.30pm.

 

Finally at 4.30pm, application successful and fully stamped.

 

So .... even though MFA can be a 1 day process, you will need to visit your Embassy the day before, for Affirmation to Marry doc. Where you get the translation done is up to you, but I'm thankful I used someone at MFA, rather than near the Embassy.

 

1st day - Embassy doc and translation of doc at MFA (or near Embassy if you prefer). Translation touts will mob you as you enter MFA building. Whilst at MFA, go upstairs to 2nd floor and grab a couple of blank Application Forms. Complete the Application Form whilst relaxing overnight at your hotel. This will save you time next day.

 

Get overnight accommodation as close as possible to MFA.

 

2nd day- MFA side doors open 6am. First in gets lowest ticket number for processing. Be prepared to wait in MFA all day, as your application number will be called at some time for interview, then again later to collect your stamped (or failed) docs.

 

There is a huge cafeteria on the ground floor, so you won't go hungry .... and you certainly won't be lonely. It's a busy building !

 

Good luck. Cheers.

 

[happylarry]

So you pay 2000 baht in order to sit in the building all day.....lol

so much easier paying a translation shop 1900 baht to do the translation, get it stamped at MFA and also post it to your home address.

HL

[happylarry]

Oops I forgot about the cost of your hotel and all the taxis, makes using a translation shop look even better does it not.....lol

HL

 

[electric]

4 minutes ago, happylarry said:

So you pay 2000 baht in order to sit in the building all day.....lol

so much easier paying a translation shop 1900 baht to do the translation, get it stamped at MFA and also post it to your home address.

HL

 

Yes I agree. Just not sure how the agent overcomes the personal interview by MFA "little boss" half way through the process. He asked us some questions that a translation agent would not know the answer to. Every couple sitting in the waiting area had their own 10 minute interview.

 

I suppose there may be a nice little arrangement happening between the MFA guy and the translation agents ?

 

My post was only about my experience. I was aware that an agent could possibly do everything for a price, but I'm a bit of a dinosaur ... I like to know how stuff works by doing it myself.

 

HL .... your post is unclear. Have you actually used a translation agent for 1900 baht to do the whole MFA process for you ?

 

If so, it is good value. Cheers.

 

 

[happylarry]

My wife did, yes, but I don't know which document it was. Of course it also depends how many documents and how large they are too, as a normal small one page document starts at about 300 baht to be translated.

You also have to think about the fact that you are sitting there all day because there are a dozen or so translation shops agents in there already each armed with a dozen or so different people's documents.

i don't understand your comment about interviews though, all they are doing is checking the translation against the original and then stamping it, there is nothing to be interviewed about. Oh well Only in Thailand....lol I guess there may have been a cup of tea involved aye???

HL

[grankboy]

Can you recommend any good agents to do it don't fancy sitting there all day

[happylarry]

When you come out of the British Embassy, cross the road and walk to the right for a few meters and there is a small shopping center including a Homepro. Enter this shopping center and go upstairs and walk towards the exit to the sukhumvit skywalk and there is a translation shop on the left, a couple of shops before the exit door. We have used that one before with no problems whatsoever.

if I remember tomorrow then I will post another ones details with the phone numbers, but not tonight.

HL

[happylarry]

I also tell people to not be afraid of the touts who frequent the exit door of the Embassy because they simply escort you to a local translation shop where they get a small commission from the shop for delivering you to them.

HL

[happylarry]

 

As promised here are the details of just one of many shops. Not used them myself but they have been recommended on here before.

http://www.expresstranslationservice.com/cms.php?id_cms=6

HL