How to proceed legal marriage in Thailand ?

Answer 1

Thailand is a truly unique place for most couples to make their dream wedding come true. Nonetheless, a legal marriage in Thailand for both foreigners and Thais should be performed according to Thai law.

Legal Process: A marriage in Thailand obtains legal efficacy the moment the parties express their consent in taking each other as husband and wife in the presence of a public registrar and the subsequent recording of such act by the said public official.” Witnessed written or verbal consent is required. Certain documents must be produced before the wedding takes place. The couple must prove that they are eligible to marry. If the parties were previously married, they must prove that the previous marriage has ended. This requires producing an official divorce document or death certificate of the first spouse.

To be married in Thailand, the parties must fulfill certain criteria. First, both parties must be over 17. If either party is under 20, they must acquire parental consent. Additionally, blood relatives may not marry, and the same sex marriage is not recognized under Thai law. If the female party whose marriage has recently become terminated, at least 310 days must have passed since the termination of marriage occurred unless with the proof of the certificate from a qualified doctor showing that the female party is not pregnant. Finally, foreigners must obtain written clearance from their respective embassies, or an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry.

Embassies: Different embassies have different requirements regarding marriages of their citizens in Thailand. Notably, the Chinese government has particularly strict rules regarding its citizens. First, the Chinese embassy will only issue the necessary documentation, an affirmation of freedom to marry, to citizens who are “settled” in Thailand. This is satisfied only when a Chinese national is in Thailand on a work, student or business visa. Chinese nationals may not marry on a tourist visa.

Filipino spouses will have an easier time marrying in Thailand. To acquire the necessary Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage document, they Filipino national must submit several documents to the embassy in Bangkok. These documents include a Certificate of No Marriage (from Manila) and a birth certificate. Once these have been received, a ten day period of review follows. If no objections are raised, the wedding may proceed according to Thai practice.

The process for U.S. citizens who marry other American citizens or Thai nationals is straight forward. The U.S. citizen must produce an affidavit with information required for a Thai marriage along with their passport, proof of past divorce, and parental consent (if the party is under 20 years of age). Once the paperwork has been translated into Thai, the marriage may proceed according to Thai practice.

The process for citizens of the United Kingdom is similar to that of the United States. To obtain the necessary Affirmation of Freedom to Marry, a U.K. citizen must submit a form affidavit to their embassy in Bangkok. The U.K. Embassy will issue and translate the appropriate affidavit. The marriage may then proceed according to Thai practice.

Conclusion: A Thai wedding is a wonderful experience. Countries around the world legally recognize Thai marriages. To ensure that the marriage carries weight in Thailand and abroad, parties must comply with the Thai legal parameters.