Ask question
This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.

Is it easier to apply for a Thai visa with a Thai marriage certificate versus a UK marriage certificate?

Feb 26, 2026
2 months ago
Richard ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Which is best to have when applying for any visa, yellow book, id card or driving licence is it easier to have a Thai marriage certificate when married to a Thai rather than just UK certificate like myself?
513
views
9
all likes
3
replies
4
users
TLDR : Answer Summary
When applying for a Thai visa, especially a 90-day Non-O visa based on marriage, having a Thai marriage certificate is not strictly necessary initially; a UK marriage certificate can suffice. However, to obtain a 12-month extension of stay, a Thai marriage certificate is required, which involves a multi-step authentication process for the UK certificate. In addition, it's confirmed that a yellow book, ID card, or driving licence is not essential for visa applications, but benefits may vary based on the nature of the visa, such as retirement visas being perceived as easier for access to certain documents.
90 DAY REPORTING RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Use the trusted Thailand 90 Day Reporting Serviceto get your in-person report done and mailed to you for as low as 375 THB (even if the online system doesn't work for you).
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
Iago *******
Good luck on your venture . Are you retirement age ? Found out that retirement visa is easier than a marriage visa for access to Yellow book and ID Card plus Driving Licence
Like
Reply
Graeme *******
Well firstly you need a passport, if not a Thai marriage certificate its a bit of a tricky road at the Amphur they will insist your wife is still single, so there are companies in Bangkok that take your passport and certificate get it authorized then take to Intrtnal Affairs and send you back all the authorization for your local Amphur to finally yes you are married and once in their system will issue a letter for immigration when you renew your visa. Think it costed about 4,000 baht to get done but company we used very good.
Like
Reply
John **********
The yellow book, ID Card or Driving licence is not required for a visa application. If you want to apply for the 90 day Non-O visa based on being married to a Thai you can use your UK marriage certificate to apply for that, however you wouldn't be able to use that to apply for the 12 months extension of stay inside Thailand. For that you need a marriage certificate from your local amphur in Thailand and to get that you will need to get your UK marriage certificate apostilled by the FCDO in Milton Keynes then authenticated by the Thai consulate in the UK and finally you need it verified by the MFA inside Thailand before proceeding to the Amphur.
Like
Reply
Reply to
John **********
Reply
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
... members · 60% approval rate
The Thai Visa Advice And Everything Else group allows for a broad range of discussions on life in Thailand, beyond just visa inquiries.
Join the Group
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
View the Conversation
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
The ask:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.