If you marry a Thai citizen, or even if both you and your spouse are foreigners, your may register your marriage in Thailand. It is a fairly simple process if you have all the required documents ready. Once registered, it will be considered a legal marriage pursuant to Thai law, and the marriage will be recognized throughout the world.
When unregistered couples have children, the children usually take the father’s surname. If the parents separate, in most cases, the children stay with their mother but still use the surname of the father. This is sometimes confusing to foreigners who want to marry a Thai woman and sponsor her child but wonder why the child does not have the same family name as the mother.
You may register your marriage in any registration office within the country. The registration, which is the actual legal documentation of the marriage, usually takes place a few days before or after the wedding ceremony, and sometimes on the same day. The marriage certificate is issued shortly after the registration is submitted, and the certificate is recognized by most countries (along with a certified translation into the official language of the country).
Some foreigners prefer to have a lawyer assist in the registration process, to acquire the official documents from their embassy in Thailand, have them translated, and to expedite the process with minimal fuss. For a reasonable fee, a qualified law firm that has expertise in Thai law and the laws of your country can help reduce delays and complications. Depending on personal situations, for some it is better to register the marriage in Thailand, and for others it is better to register in their home country. You should consult with your experienced lawyer and determine which is before for you.
You and your future spouse can do the paperwork yourselves, but it can be a very time-consuming experience. If you are a foreigner, you will need to get numerous documents from you embassy (in Bangkok). Forms need to be submitted and transmitted from one Thai government office to another, and many of these government offices are located in different parts of Bangkok.
After you have gathered together all of your documents, you may want to register at local registration office in the area where your future Thai spouse lives. As mentioned before, the marriage can be registered at any registration office in Thailand, but some people prefer to do it in their home district and close the time of the wedding, which usually takes place in their hometown.
The procedure, requirements, and documents necessary for registering your marriage if you are a foreigner marrying a Thai are as follows:
- Appear in person with your passport at your embassy in Thailand to complete a declaration attesting that you are single and free to marry in accordance with Thai Law (blank forms are available at the embassy). This process has now been enforced and required by all Thai registration offices. In the past, there were problems when foreigners registered their marriage in Thailand while they were still married or only legally separated from their spouses in their home country. Your embassy will check your background with the proper authorities and will be able to verify your marital status and notarize your document. Of course, there will be some fees for this. If you have previously been married, which ended by divorce or death, you will also need the original certificates. In addition, a criminal background check needs to be done in your home country and a report submitted.
- The completed declaration will then have to be translated into Thai by an approved translation office.
- Take the declaration, translations, supporting documents, reports, and photocopies of your passport to the Legalization Division of the Consular Affairs Department, where the consular official’s signature will be authenticated. Your documents are then ready for submission to the registration office (amphur), which will register the marriage and issue the marriage certificate in Thai.
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