Before you can register a marriage in Thailand you must have the affirmation and translation legalized. This is done by visiting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok.
Once the documents are authenticated you can go to any registration office (called an "Amphur" or "Khet") to legally register your marriage. This will make it valid throughout the country and recognized worldwide.
Raising a family in Thailand is a long process from the pre-marital check-up and finding a suitable obstetrician to completing all the paperwork required for marriage registration. And even if everything goes well, there will still be other expenses to think about such as an international school for the kids.
The first step is to get your statement of affirmation that you are free to marry and translated by a reputable translation firm (there are plenty of ads for such services online or in the newspaper). Once you have these documents, they need to be legalised at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok.
You can go yourself or have someone you trust do this for you but it is a very time consuming procedure so we recommend to do it as early as possible. Once the documents are legalised, you can take them to the local district office, also known as a Khhet or Amphur.
A marriage is more than just a celebration of love or a religious union, it also creates legal binding effects that cannot be revoked by law. These effects can be important in the event of international divorce proceedings or if you are considering applying for dual citizenship or nationality in Thailand. This is where translated marriage certificates come in handy.
Foreigners marrying in Thailand must be prepared to show their passports, arrival cards and affidavits declaring that they are free to marry (visit your Embassy’s website for the procedure). The affidavit should then be translated by an approved translation office and then legalized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The marriage registration process in Thailand is the same for both Thai citizens and foreigners. After completing the registration ceremony at any district office or Amphur, both parties must provide an interpreter and witnesses. Afterwards, both couples will receive copies of their marriage certificate in the Thai language.
It is important that if both parties are not Irish nationals they both get the affidavit signed by their own Embassy/Consulate before they travel to Thailand. The affidavit essentially states that both parties are single and free to marry in accordance with Thai Law. The affidavits should also include the names and addresses of two guarantors from home and each guarantor will need to provide proof of income.
Once both parties have the affidavit they need to take it along with copies of their passports to a reputable translation office. They will translate the documents into Thai and then get them legalised at the Legalisation Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department. The documents are then ready to be taken to the Amphoe office where they wish to register their marriage. Each Amphoe office has its own requirements but most require the Embassy certified 'affidavit' and the Embassy certified copy of the passport information pages and translated documents, all with the originals and Thai translations all legalised.
A marriage registration (or khet) is the process by which a married couple officially registers their union at a local district office, known as an Amphur or Khhet in Thai. This is a very important step that not only creates legal binding effects in Thailand but also may impact your visa application should you wish to live here.
This process can take several days and is a simple enough procedure on paper, but many small details have to be considered in order to have the document completed properly. A small error can be very costly in time and money.
All foreigners wishing to marry in Thailand must obtain a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage from their home country embassy or consulate. We can assist you with obtaining this document and having it authenticated for use in Thailand. The fee for this service will vary based on your nationality.