What are the steps to get married in Thailand as a South African and apply for a Non-O visa afterward?

Question

Hey guys.  I would like to get some advice about a couple of things.  Half about visa, half about marriage.  I'm South African and I have been living and working in China for the past 5 years.  My Thai fiance and I are planning on getting married so I applied for an affirmation of freedom to marry from my embassy in Bangkok.  My embassy in Shanghai said I had to do it there.  So I applied for it and waited 4 months for this document to come from South Africa.  Now it arrived and I had to take it to the consulate office here in Bangkok to get authenticated.  I just got back from their offices and they told me that I now have to send this back to the Thai embassy in South Africa so that they can stamp it and then I need to bring it back.  This seems like a horrific pointless back and forth and I am not sure why all of this is required.  So I would like to know if this is really how it is supposed to go or is someone making a ton of work for me unnecessarily. 

The second part, if by some miracle we manage to get married, I need to apply for my Non-O visa.  For that, I need proof of income.  Would it be OK if I just show them bank statements to show I get this kind of income every month?

One would think that 2 people who would like to get married would be a fairly simple procedure, but good Lord this just feels like getting sent from one place to the other with no one actually being able to give clear steps from start to finish.

The second part, if by some miracle we manage to get married, I need to apply for my Non-O visa.  For that, I need proof of income.  Would it be OK if I just show them bank statements to show I get this kind of income every month?

One would think that 2 people who would like to get married would be a fairly simple procedure, but good Lord this just feels like getting sent from one place to the other with no one actually being able to give clear steps from start to finish.

Ask Thailand · Answer

The user is seeking advice on the complicated process of getting married in Thailand as a South African, requiring an affirmation of freedom to marry and document authentication through multiple embassies. Additionally, they are inquiring about the requirements for applying for a Non-O visa, specifically concerning proof of income.

Andy ******** · Answer

Sorry to hear the hoops you’re jumping thru . Don’t add to your problems by thinking of using the Phuket ampho . From my experience any where but Phuket . !!

Tod ********* · Answer

WOW, that's quite a lot of hoops to jump thru for you [mention redacted], :/

Sorry to hear that, do report back and let us know how it works out if you can.

Good Luck (y)

Anton ***************** · Answer

Yes, that is what I did and when I was at foreign affairs today to certify the documents and translations they said I need to send it to the Thai embassy in my country first, get it stamped and then they will do this. Some new rule I think that started in March for South africans. Don't know what we did to make them not trust our country...  ☺

Tod ********* · Answer

I am siding with the advice given by [mention redacted],

Usually you get the affidavit of freedom to marry document from your consulate here, you take it to a translation company, they translate it, they (or you) take that to the ministry of foreign affairs office and get it certified as accurate. Then you take those documents along with you when you go to the Amphur to register your marriage.

Anton ***************** · Answer

Thank you guys. Alan Cornwall I will try and email Karin,  thanks.

Anna ************* · Answer

Hello. Im assuming that you want to get marry in Thailand. Once you get that document authenticated by your embassy you must go to Thai foreign affairs office at chaengwattana and get it translated and certified the translated verion. THEN you go to the district office to regis your marriage.

I married a South african.

I married a South african.

Tod ********* · Answer

Once you do get married you cannot use bank statements to prove income if you are using that method for an extension.

You would show a notarized letter from your consulate stating you get over 40k baht per month in income, or you would Bank 400k baht in a Thai bank account in your name for 2 months before you apply for the extension

What are the steps to get married in Thailand as a South African and apply for a Non-O visa afterward?

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