Marriage Registration in Thailand
The first step is to obtain an affidavit from your embassy confirming that you are free to marry. This must then be translated into Thai and authenticated. This is done at the district office, also known as an ‘amphur’ or ‘khet’.
Once this has been completed, it needs to be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok and legalized.
1. Affirmation of Freedom to Marry
For a foreign couple to marry in Thailand, they must obtain an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry from their home country. Depending on their country, the document may require them to submit proof of divorce or death certificate of their previous spouses. The document is signed by a consular official and translated by an authorized translation service into Thai language.
The translated declaration must be submitted along with copies of both parties’ passports to the local district office, or a ‘amphur’, in order to register their marriage. For couples that have significant assets, it is highly recommended to consult a family lawyer prior to the registration as this will ensure their rights in terms of ownership.
It is important to note that the embassy will only issue this document for a specific month, therefore, it is vital to visit them before the specified date in order to avoid any delays. This step can be done by either party by themselves or a notary service can also be hired to do it on their behalf.
2. Affidavit
Assuming you have obtained the clearance, you will need to get an affidavit from your country of residence (this is also known as an Affidavit of Marital Status) and then have it translated into Thai by a certified translator. Having this affidavit allows you to register your marriage at a district office or ‘Amphur’.
The affidavit will state that you and your partner are of legal age to marry in your home country, and that there is no law or other impediment against their marriage in their home country and/or Thailand. They will also need to state that neither of them is an insane person, or that they are not blood relatives within the direct ascendant or descendent line or brothers and sisters of full or half blood.
This affidavit must be signed in front of a District Officer. The affidavit should be made in the month that you intend to register your marriage, as this is mandated by your Embassy.
3. Thai Translation
After you have your document #1 and translation of it in Thai you need to take them to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok (or have someone else do it for you if you sign power of attorney). They will authenticate your documents which normally takes less than a day.
After you have your documents from the embassy and the translations legalized you can now go to any amphur or khet to register your marriage. You will also need a copy of your passport. It is important that you make the appointment at least 4 days before your planned wedding date as they can get very busy at this time of year.
4. Thai Consular Affidavit
Basically this is an affidavit signed by the person who performs your marriage search (normally a solicitor). It features notarization by your Embassy and proves that you and your partner have the legal freedom to marry.
This is important for couples who plan to use their Thai marriage certificate to register in a different country. We will have your affidavit translated into Thai and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to meet local Thailand requirements. This service saves you from having to spend long hot days running around Bangkok trying to meet the Embassy requirements.
Please note that we do not provide this service for same sex marriages. For general information on getting married in Thailand, please see the embassy website. You can book an appointment online to submit documents for checking by staff at the British Embassy in Bangkok. The fee is PS25 per person. Please book early as appointment availability is limited.