How to register a marriage

Guidance for British nationals wishing to marry in Thailand

This information on marriage in Thailand is provided as a general guide and is based on the information provided to the British Embassy by the Thai authorities. The British Embassy cannot guarantee that the information is accurate and will not be liable for any inaccurate or incomplete information.  British nationals wishing to marry in Thailand must contact the Thai authorities to be sure of the requirements that they need in order for their marriage to take place.

The British Embassy in Bangkok is not authorised to perform marriages. Any marriage in Thailand should be performed according to Thai law and detailed questions on the procedure should be addressed to the appropriate Thai authorities. Some guidance is provided on the website of the Royal Thai Embassy in London.

The Thai authorities require that any foreign national wishing to marry in Thailand must obtain an “affirmation of freedom to marry” document. The affirmation must be made in person at the Consular Section of the British Embassy in Bangkok or Honorary Consuls. It is not possible to obtain the affirmation from the United Kingdom in advance.

The marriage will only be recognised under UK law if it is valid under Thai law.  For it to be valid in Thai law, the marriage must be registered with the Registrar at an Amphur office (District Office). A religious ceremony on its own is not recognised as being valid under Thai law.  In Thailand, wedding ceremonies/parties can be held separately from the marriage registration.

The Thai marriage certificate will be in Thai language only. You may wish to commission a “sworn translation” of the marriage certificate from license translators, so that you can use the document for legal purposes in the U.K. Please note the certificate is a legal document and should not be modified e.g. by laminating.

A foreign national does not automatically acquire British nationality through marriage to a British national.

It is not a legal requirement that you have your Thai marriage certificate deposited with the General Register Office (GRO) in the UK.

According to the UK Border Agency in Bangkok, if you marry a Thai national, he or she will require a visa to visit or settle in the UK. Please note that applicants are not required to submit a GRO certified marriage certificate with their UK visa application. The UKBA, Bangkok will accept original Thai marriage certificates as proof of marriage, if accompanied with a certified translation. Local information about how to apply in Thailand can be found on the VFS website. If you have a general visa enquiry, you can call +66 (0)2800 8050 or e-mail your enquiry to info.ukth@vfshelpline.com.

Kindly note that we are not able to answer individual enquiries about the procedure to marry in Thailand.

A step-by-step guide to the procedure on getting married in Thailand is as follows.

1. Affirmation of Freedom to Marry in Thailand

• Please retype the affirmation including your details on one page in the same format as the attached sample and bring it in person to the Embassy to sign before a British Consular official. 
  
• We accept affirmations during Consular normal public opening hours (08:00 - 11:00 on Monday - Friday) An appointment for this service is not necessary.
  
• We provide this service to British nationals only. The fee of Baht 3,250 per affirmation is payable.
  
• Please bring with you to the Embassy your passport, as proof of identity, and evidence that any previous marriages have been dissolved/terminated (an appropriate death certificate or divorce certificate [for the UK a decree absolute from the court]. Certificates issued in a Third country outside UK and Thailand must be certified by the relevant British Embassy/Consulate or its respective Embassy in Thailand). Only the original evidence or a certified copy will be accepted – photocopies will not be accepted under any circumstances.

2. Have the affirmation translated into Thai

• Once the affirmation has been signed, you will need to have it translated into Thai.  The British Embassy does not undertake the preparation or translation of documents. Many reputable translation companies advertise on the internet as well as in the Thai local press, and there are a number of companies within a short walk of the Embassy. Our staff are not allowed to recommend any particular firms in the private sector to the public.

3. Have the affirmation authenticated and translation certified

• All Thai Registrars will require authentication of the British Consular Official’s signature and certification of the Thai translation.  This must be obtained from:

The  Legalisation Division
Department of Consular Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
123 Chaeng Wattana Road,
Laksi District, Bangkok 10210

Tel : +66 (0) 2 575 1056–59,  0 2981 7171  
Fax : +66 (0) 2 575 1054
Email : consular04@mfa.go.th
(08:30 – 15:30 hrs)

4. Submit the document to the Registrar

• The affirmation and translation are then ready for submission to the registrar, who, if satisfied, will register the marriage and issue a Thai marriage certificate.

NB:  The fees may have alter without prior notice.