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Do I need to legalise my marriage certificate for a visa in Thailand?

marriage certificate legalization Thailand visa NON-O visa retirement visa expat immigration visa requirements for marriage

Jan 15, 2024

10 months ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Do I need to legalise our marriage certificate in Thailand? We were both legally married in my country-Singapore. A visa consultant in Thailand told me I need to legalise our marriage certificate at the Singapore embassy in Bangkok and at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. First time I heard it.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user inquired whether they need to legalise their marriage certificate in Thailand, given that they were married in Singapore. A visa consultant mentioned that it should be legalized at the Singapore embassy in Bangkok and at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Commenters clarified that if the user is applying for a retirement visa (NON-O) due to being over 50, legalizing the marriage certificate is not necessary. Furthermore, if the marriage is to a Thai citizen, recognition may be needed, but getting a spouse visa for another foreigner is challenging.

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Steve *******

Not needed for a Non Imm O visa based on being over 50 years old, ie 'retirement visa'

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Brandon ************

Are you talking about a marriage to a Thai person or a marriage to another foreigner?

If you want a retirement visa you don't have to do anything about marriage to a Thai person. And getting a following spouse visa for another foreigner is almost impossible nowadays.

If you want a marriage visa with the lower financial requirements and you're married to a Thai person then you'd need to get your marriage recognized in Thailand.

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Chris *****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

My wife is a Vietnamese and we both got legally married in Singapore last year. I have the marriage certificate by my Singapore government.

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Brandon ************

so what are you asking about? There's not really any embassies that will issue a trailing spouse visa anymore so you both have to qualify for a retirement visa on your own. She cannot piggy back off you unless you can find an embassy willing to issue the visa.

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Nongnuch ********

@Brandon ***********

that's how it is, absolutely correct, Brandon!

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Chris *****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

A consultant told me that I need to legalise my Singapore marriage certificate in Thailand which I find odd. First time I heard it. I’m checking if it’s true.

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Brandon ************

the only time you would every need it is if you're trying to extend a trailing spouse retirement visa. As in one of you has a retirement visa with the proof of funds and the other doesn't have to show funds. But the embassies have stopped issueing this for the most part. I don't know if any that will still do it. So then you would both need to apply for your own retirement visas with your own proof of funds. Your marriage is irrelevant.

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Chris *****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

Ok noted with thanks. Seems like the consultant does not understand my situation clearly and has stated wrongly….

Yes getting a trailing spouse visa based on retirement is Mission Impossible.

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Nick *******

from what I understand. You now have to apply for the trailing spouse from your home country.

I was lucky and my wife got one in Penang just before they stopped doing them.

If you can apply from your home country the marriage certificate will need to be verified by your own government, then the Thai embassy in your country, then in Thailand translate to Thai , then sent to the ministry of foreign affairs in Bangkok to be stamped again .

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Chris *****

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks Nick but my marriage certificate is by the Singapore (SG) government. It is a legal document. Not need further verification in SG.

We can’t do trailing spouse visa based on retirement anymore unless it’s for working or studying only. I checked with the Thai embassy in SG. I think the Thai embassy in many countries have stopped it.

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Nick *******

if your wife is Vietnamese try there if she's following you .

I'm pretty sure it's only ended outside the home country.

I had much confusion at the Thai end with it not being so common so don't give up too easily

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Chris *****

ORIGINAL POSTER

We did check with the Thai embassy in Vietnam too. Same outcome as in Singapore. The only way is Ed visa.

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Nick *******

bugger . We've only had our about 4

***

months on a retirement visa .

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Chris *****

ORIGINAL POSTER

Immigration stuff is ever changing… it’s like the weather 😅

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Nick *******

unfortunately true . What I read on the other visa group when it ended on penang was home country was still possible.

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Julane *******

I tried in my home country and they wouldn't give me the 90 day O Visa (even though I submitted my husbands retirement O extension documents). So I went to Penang and got it there. I was the first who managed to get it in early 2023. Sadly, they stopped issuing them.

Pre-covid, there were even more options, as friends have obtained theirs in various SEA Thai embassies.

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Chris *****

ORIGINAL POSTER

Lucky you 👍🏻

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Julane *******

And thankfully I could guide a batch of spouses to get theirs there too. Many reached out to me for details after I posted about it. I spent 9 months trying to get this darn 90 day O... until I got lucky in Penang.

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Chris *****

ORIGINAL POSTER

😳 WOW

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Chris *****

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