Do I need to translate and legalize my Thai partner's UK divorce document to get married in Thailand?

Mar 19, 2018
7 years ago
David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Not a visa question really, but will affect my visa application if I can get married :-) My Thai partner was divorced in UK 3 years ago and we have the certificate. I have my affirmation legalised at the MFA. One of the translators we spoe to said we would need my partners UK divorce document "translated and legalised" in the UK. I never heard of this and cannot find any reference to this on internet. All I can find is that we need the divorce documents with us, which we have. It was ok for mine so cannot see why it would not be ok for hers?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The question revolves around the requirement of having a Thai partner's UK divorce document translated and legalized in order to register a marriage in Thailand. The poster has their own affirmation legalized but is uncertain whether the same is needed for their partner's divorce papers, which were adequate for their prior marriage. Comments suggest confirming the requirements at the Amphur office where the marriage will be registered.
Tod *********
I guess you'll find out when you go to the Amphur to register the marriage, report back and let us know
David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
So, the latest update is we now (well nearly as it is in post) have the legalised and signed divorce doc from UK on way to thailand, very efficient and speedy process lol Cannot believe they asked me for the solicitors name who signed it and I had to google it, even though her name was on the bloody certificate, do they not have google in UK legalisation department? lol So if it arrives next week, next step is to try the Amphur and see what next obsticle he can find lol, then off to HCM for visa in few weeks.
Robert *******
If your to be wedded wife was married in the UK and divorced she needs to show the proof of this divorce before she can marry again.
David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Update, the saga continues ;-) Amphur told us to come back and I was expecting a yes or no to get married, turns out it was to register for divorce in Thailand and a wait of 310 days lol Unbelievable, he could have told me to do that when I wsa there.first visit So in a nutshell they will not accept an original UK divorce document for a thai national in Thailand, it has to be legalised in the UK. Then the fun starts. FOC in Milton Keynes says silicitor or notray public can sign a pdf copy, however it is impossible to get a solicitor to sign a copy without the original in front of them, its nuts. Some don't even know they no longer seal the doc with red stamp, that stopped 5 years ago according to the court. So now I have to give my visiting daughter the original ( which happens to be a printed doc and looks exactly same as the pdf) to take back to uk to get signed and sent to FOC who then legalise, send it to Thai embassy in London, then send to Thailand and off to CW to get it stamped. This is bloody madness. Had I known all this crap I would have got married in UK reistry office and legalised that in UK. All of this basically caused by UK embassy who now no longer stamp a Thai nationals UK divorce doc. In the meantime we do the Thai wedding ceremony on weekend which I expected to be only 50 or so people which now seems to have expanded to around 500 and growing !! Where do these people come from, never saw so many cousins lol
David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Phil ******
they dont stamp it.
Phil *******
I think I would get a translation done at the immigration office in Bangkok. Maybe see if they will also give it an approved translation stamp.
Steve *******
@David ******
Ok, yes let us know. Good luck anyways.
David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Steve ******
Hi. They already coppied her two passports and copy of the divorce doc and all of these are part of the affimation docs I have so I am hoping its all ok. Had I known any of this I could have easily gone to Thai embassy and got the UK divorce doc legalised before I came. i will post update once I find out, maybe of help to others as I am sure I wont be the last lol.
Steve *******
If she divorced in the UK then maybe get her decree absolute translated into Thai and stamped by the MOFA. Just an idea. It would confirm her divorce.
Robert *******
I think the beste way is that she goes to the amphur, check her marriage status in the system, file the divorce papers if she founds out she is still married, get it all recorded and than the next day go for the marriage.
David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
all info I have so far says both marriage and divorce frome either country is recognised in both
David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert ******
no but all sites and legal websites say the UK one is valid in Thailand. So I thought once you get affirmation to marry and present the documents to amphur the old one is nulled and new one becomes current?
Robert *******
Did she also get divorced in Thailand?
David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
to clarify, she married in Thailand, lived in UK and divorced in UK. UK embassy in BK do not legalise divirce documents, they used to but not now. There is no way UK embassy will do an affirmation for a thai national. I could have done an affirmation for her using her UK passport but then when I got married I would be marrying a UK citizen here so no good for non o visa? Also we called amphur 2 weeks ago and asked what we needed, before we left UK, and no mention was made of a legalised divorce document. Surely if mine is valid so should hers? Also surely the MFA would not issue the affirmation to me today if all was not ok?
Steve *******
Yes. I think you'll need to take her decree absolute to the British Embassy and go through the same process to obtain her affirmation to marry
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