Legal Requirements for weddings Abroad
THAILAND
Documentation;
- An original full birth certificate must be provided.
- A Consular Registration Certificate.
- Two separate Certificates of No-Impediment (this can be obtained from the Superintendent Registrar. The document should not be issued more than 3 months before the wedding date). Bare in mind it takes approximately 1 month to issue the certificate.
- Decree Absolute (the final divorce paper, if applicable).
- Death Certificate (if you are a widow or widower).
- Change of Name Deed (required if you have changed your name).
- Adoption certificate (if applicable).
- If either of you are under 17 years of age you will need to be granted permission from the court in order to marry
The documents above have to be certified (legalised) by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Legalisation Department.
Once the documents have been legalised they have to be translated into Greek. (see fees below)
Documents required for a religious ceremony also have to be translated into Greek, authenticated and the Official Translators signature legalised.
All documents upon translation and legalisation have to be sent forward to either the Registry Office, or the priest four weeks before your wedding day.
Allow enough time to organise your documents especially if they have to be sent by post.
Allow time for your marriage Banns to be posted in your local church or Town Hall prior to your wedding day.
Residency Requirements: tba
Marriage Licenses:
On arriving in Bangkok the couple must visit the British Embassy in person and make an affidavit, declaring that they are both single and free to marry. They will need to bring their documents with them.
The affidavit should then be translated into the Thai language. The Embassy is generally unable to translate the affidavit, however either the tour operator or a lawyer could arrange it.
Once the document has been translated the original affidavit, along with the translation, should be taken back to the embassy where they can be notarised by a Consulate Official.
The signature of the Consulate, on both the affidavit and the translation, must be authenticated by the appropriate officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once this is done the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will issue a marriage license which enables marriage in any District Office in Thailand.
Administrative fees to both the British Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the use of their services are payable.
Marriage Certificate:
Once a marriage license has been obtained it should be taken to the Registrar at any District Office along with any other documents. The Registrar will register the marriage and issue a Marriage Certificate in Thai. Arrangements should then be made to have an interpreter present if the couple do not speak Thai.
Following the registration of the marriage the Marriage Certificate must be properly authenticated. A translation of the marriage certificate must then be produced in English.
This service is generally part of the package if the services of a wedding planner is used.
The marriage certificate can then be given to the British Embassy in Thailand, who in turn will forward the certificate to the Registrar General in the UK.
The marriage will not be registered in the UK, but the marriage certificate will simply be deposited for their records, and consequently your original marriage certificate will not be returned to you. This does not make the marriage invalid. Should a copy of the certificate be required the General Register Office can issue a copy.
Blood Test: None
Civil Ceremony: TBA
Religious Wedding Ceremony: TAB
Other Ceremonies:tba
Fees and Charges: Administrative fees to both the British Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the use of their services are payable.
Catholic Wedding Ceremony:TBA
Fees Required:
TBA
Legality: Marriages in Thailand are legally binding.
Flowers: Fresh flowers cannot be flown in from abroad due to customs regulations. Silk or artificial flowers are permitted.
Foreign Pesters, Priests, Vicars, JP's: Only officials registered in the Cyprus can perform the ceremony.
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