After your Embassy or Consulate issue their certifications you will need to take them to a reputable translation office and have them translated into Thai. They will then need to be authenticated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you can file your marriage registration at any amphur in Thailand.
1. Affidavit of Consent
For your marriage to be legally valid in Thailand it must be formally registered with the authorities. This is a multi-step process involving important paperwork that needs to be prepared. It is advisable to hire a legal professional to assist you with this.
The first step is to obtain an Affidavit of Freedom to Marry from your embassy. All embassies have different requirements so it is a good idea to check with them ahead of time.
It is also essential that you show proof of your previous marriage or divorce certificate. You will need the original and a certified copy. Once the Affidavit is ready it needs to be taken to a translation office for legalization. This will take a few days. Once the Affidavit has been approved it can be presented to the District Office for registration.
2. Affidavit of Age
All foreigners who wish to marry in Thailand must first get official certification that they are free to do so from their own embassy. Each country has slightly different procedures but this will generally involve bringing your passport and arrival card to the embassy for inspection before being issued with an affirmation that you are free to marry.
This must be translated into Thai by a reputable translation service (your embassy will not do this for you). After having your affirmation and the certified translation brought back to your embassy they will authenticate them. Once this is done you are then able to take them to any amphur (district office) in Thailand to register your marriage. It is recommended that you allow at least four days in Bangkok for this process.
3. Affidavit of Identity
Before you get married in Thailand you must be able to prove your identity. This is usually done with an affidavit signed by a reputable translator who is familiar with Thai procedures and can verify your signatures to be authentic.
Before the affidavit can be completed you must obtain clearance from your Embassy (see your embassy’s website for details) to confirm that you are free to marry. This will take a few days to process.
Once the affidavit and other documents are completed you can go to any district office known as an amphur or khet to register your marriage. This is the only way that your marriage will be legally binding under Thai law, although you may also choose to have a religious ceremony before registering your marriage.
4. Affidavit of Marriageable Age
In order to marry in Thailand, you must be of legal marriageable age. This means you must be at least 17 years old or, if the law in your home country requires it, have a court order to get married.
Your embassy will provide you with an affidavit verifying that you and your partner are free to marry. We will have this translated to Thai and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok.
Once you have these documents, you can go to any amphur or khet (District Office) to register your marriage. The registrar will verify that you have met all the requirements and issue a Marriage Certificate which is valid worldwide. This can only be done after both parties have signed the affidavit in front of the registrar.
5. Affidavit of Residence
The Affidavit of Residence is an important document that can be used by couples wishing to register their marriage in their home country after marrying in Thailand. It is a legal document that is authenticated by your Embassy in Bangkok and states that you and your partner are legally free to marry under the laws of your home country and that you have not been subject to any restrictions or impediments in your homeland or Thailand.
You will need this document in addition to a copy of your passport when you go to a local district office (called an amphur or khet) to have your marriage registered. You will need to book an appointment online before heading there. It takes a few days for your documents to be processed and authenticated.
