These are the guidelines to foreigners getting married in Thailand. Many foreigners have been coming to Thailand to have their marriage registered in the Land of Smiles.  Some are marrying their Thai spouses, while some of those who go to Thailand are marrying their likewise-foreigner partner. Here we have some basic tips for foreigners who wish to marry in Thailand: Wedding Ceremony or Marriage Registration.

These two present entirely varying functions. The wedding ceremony is typically held by both spouses to give merit to the family, at the same time to the religious and custom beliefs which is traditional to the family. This does not mean that your marriage is already legitimate and valid in Thailand. This is where Marriage Registration comes in.

Marriage registration in Thailand is the process of formally documenting the union into the Registry of the country. The registration will indicate the start of a legal marriage in Thailand. Speak to a Thailand lawyer today for more assistance.

Apart from his/her passport certified by the embassy, another important document which is required from a foreigner who wants to marry in Thailand is his/her Affidavit of Freedom to Marry.  This Affirmation Affidavit must be acquired from his/her Embassy in Thailand after arriving in the country. Once an Affidavit is obtained, he/she should have it translated to Thai and certified at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After doing so, then proceed to the local district office for the marriage registration.

What follows

Both spouses are each given a Certificate of Marriage after the unification is officially registered at the district office. Since the certificate is in Thai, the foreign spouse will need to have it translated into English before the Certificate can be used for filing to his home country.  After the translation, the document should be brought to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Certification.

It is necessary for some nationalities to report their marriage at their country’s Embassy in Thailand. Ask your Embassy regarding this when applying for the Affidavit of Freedom to Marry. If you are required to report your marriage, just present the certified translation of your marriage certificate for this purpose. So now you understand the guidelines to foreigners getting married in Thailand.