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Marriage Registration in Thailand is a vital step to legalizing your union. To ensure success, you’ll need to gather key documentation and follow certain protocols.
You’ll need to bring the verified documents to your local District Office (also known as “Amphur”) to register your marriage. The official certificate issued by this office is the only one that has legal validity in Thai law.
For both foreigners and Thai citizens, marriage registration is a required step in the process of getting married. This will ensure that the marriage is legally binding in Thailand and recognized internationally, and provides legal protections and rights for both parties.
The minimum legal age to marry in Thailand is 20 years old, and couples must have parental consent if they are under the age of 17. Close blood or adopted relatives cannot marry each other. Women who were previously married can only remarry after 310 days from the end of their previous marriage, and bigamy is illegal in the country.
During the marriage registration process, the couple will meet with a government officer who will review the necessary documentation. It’s important to prepare these documents carefully, and it’s often helpful to get help from a lawyer who is familiar with Thai family law and procedures. A prenuptial agreement can be included in the documents, but will need to be translated into Thai.
Once you have the certification from your embassy, take it along with any other documentation you need (such as divorce or death certificates) to a translation service. The service will compare the signatures on your documents with those of consular officials to authenticate them. Once they have been certified, you will be ready to visit any district office (also called an Amphoe) to register your marriage in Thailand.
Depending on your and your partner’s nationality, you will need specific documents for marriage registration in Thailand. We recommend you prepare these in advance to ensure that they meet the Thai requirements, which may differ from your home country’s. You also may need to bring additional documents that you can only get at your home embassy or consulate, such as an affirmation of freedom to marry.
For Australian citizens, you can obtain a Certificate of No Impediment to Marry (CNI) at the Embassy or Consulate-General by appointment Monday to Friday except for Embassy and Consulate public holidays. The CNI is proof that you are free to marry in Thailand and it is accepted by the local Thai authorities.
The document requires a signature from you and your partner. You must be able to read and sign it yourself as the officer will not allow you to have someone else do it for you. If you have a prenuptial agreement, you can bring it with you to present to the officer.
Foreign couples need to bring additional documentation, such as a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate of their previous spouses. You must also have a letter from your embassy or consulate that states you are free to marry in Thailand and this is usually accepted by the local Thai authorities. If the supporting documents are not in English, they must be accompanied by an official translation performed by your embassy or a reputable translation service.
The first step in registering your marriage is to present all required documents to the local District Office (Amphur or Khet). Once verified you must publicly give consent to marry at that time. After this the registrar will issue you with a Marriage Certificate and it is then legally valid. You can either have a religious ceremony or a civil one at the same time as the registration.
Despite the misinformation being spread online by some embassy websites, you can walk into any Amphur or Khet and get married once all the requirements have been met. If you are a foreigner then you will need to have an authenticated Affirmation of Freedom to Marry (original and translation) from your embassy that you are free to get married. You also need to show 2 legally adult witnesses.
If you have a prenuptial agreement it is important that you take it with you to present to the officer at the time of registering your marriage. The registrar will review it and sign it after completing the registration process.
Currently, BMA is well prepared for the implementation of equal marriage registration, with extensive publicity at all district offices. Staff at district offices have also received specialised training to ensure inclusive service delivery. BMA is confident in its readiness to offer equal marriage registration services as of 22 January 2025.
Marriage is a huge milestone and can be an exciting time in your relationship. For foreigners who marry in Thailand, there are certain procedures that need to be followed for it to be legally binding and recognized across the world. This includes the marriage registration process, which must be completed in order for a couple to gain legal rights and benefits as husband and wife in Thailand.
Before you begin your marriage registration in Thailand, it is important to verify that you meet all of the necessary requirements. These include ensuring that you have met the age requirement of at least 17 years old, and that you have all of the required documents needed for the registration to take place. It is also a good idea to contact your home country's embassy in Thailand for further information and details on their specific requirements, as some countries have more complex documentation needs than others.
Once you have all of your required documents, you will need to bring them with you to a local district office called an "Amphur" in order to register your marriage. This will be done by the registrar who will then issue you with your marriage certificate in Thai language. This document should then be taken to your home country's embassy for translation and legalization, if necessary.
