Marriage Registration in Thailand is a lengthy process. However, it is essential that it is carried out correctly to ensure that the marriage is legal.
Couples need to visit their local District Office (known as ‘Amphur’ or ‘Khet’) and provide the necessary documents. The registration does not require a ceremony to take place.
Documents Required
If you and your partner are both foreigners, the ‘Affirmation of Freedom to Marry’ that you get from your embassy needs to be translated into Thai and have its translation certified. This will allow you to file the document at the local District Office (also called the ‘Amphur’ or ‘Khet’).
The date that your marriage is registered with this office will be the day you are officially married under Thai law. This can be done before or after a religious ceremony.
Remember that your embassy and Thailand’s government offices are closed on week-ends and during the Thai public holidays. So be prepared to wait a while before you can complete the registration process.
Obtaining the Affirmation of Freedom to Marry
As all foreigners marrying in Thailand must follow Thai legal procedures the first step is to obtain an affirmation of freedom to marry. This is normally done at your embassy in Bangkok and has to be countersigned by a consular official.
You then take the completed declaration (also called an affidavit) to a translation office to have it translated into Thai. The registrar will need proof of your address, so the document should show this, preferably a tabien baan or Pink ID card.
The documents are then taken to the district office, known as the amphur (or khet) and they will register your marriage.
Getting the Affirmation Translated
A religious ceremony may be a lovely part of the day but in Thailand a marriage is not considered legally binding until all of the paperwork has been filed and registered at a district office (known as amphur, amphoe or khet).
Once you have your passport verified and your freedom to marry affirmation translated by an official translator you will need to take these documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Legalization Division. It is possible to do this at the same appointment you attend to have your passport authenticated.
Your law firm in Thailand will then accompany you to take your translated documents and your embassy signed Affirmation to the local district registrar for registration.
Getting the Affirmation Signed
The affidavit form that you obtain from your embassy will need to be translated into Thai. You can find translation services near most embassies for a reasonable cost. It then needs to be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok for legalization.
Once the affidavit and translation have been authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs they are ready for submission to the local district office known as the Amphur or Khet. The District Registrar will register the marriage Thailand in accordance with Thai law and issue a Marriage Certificate.
The document issued is only valid for the month specified on the affidavit. If you wish to marry in a different month then you will need to repeat the process.
Getting the Affirmation Legalized
It is advisable to use a professional translation service for this step. Once you have the attested and translated affirmation, you will need to take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok where it will be legalized.
The last step is to get the marriage registration done. Once this is complete, you will be married in accordance with Thai Law.
It is a good idea to contact the District Office (khet/amphur) where you want to marry in advance to ensure that they will register your marriage. This will avoid having to spend 4 or 5 days in Bangkok visiting embassies and filling out paperwork.
Getting the Affirmation Registered
Once you have obtained your affirmation certificate, it is then a case of making an appointment at the district office (also known as Khet in Bangkok). You will need to bring both your passports and one photocopy of each plus two witnesses. These witnesses must be Thai citizens.
Once all of the paperwork is in order a senior registrar will then sign the Kor Ror 2 and Kor Ror 3 documents. These are your legal Thai marriage certificates.
