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Is it too late to legalize a marriage ceremony that took place 8 years ago in a village in Thailand?

MarriageVisa and ImmigrationLegalization of Marriage in ThailandThai Marriage ProcessVillage CeremonyEmbassy RequirementsCNI CertificateAmphur OfficeAustralian VisaThai Marriage Certificate
Dec 16, 2022
2 years ago
Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Permission to post please.

Hello, We were married in a village ceremony 8 years ago. We didn't t legalise this marriage and is it too late to get this process done and get the paperwork?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The original poster is seeking clarification on the steps to legalize a marriage they previously conducted in a village ceremony 8 years ago. The majority of responses indicate that the village ceremony held no legal weight as it was not formalized through official paperwork. To legalize their marriage, they need to obtain a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) from their embassy, have it translated into Thai, and then present it at their local Amphur office to finalize the legal marriage. The community reassures that it is not too late to formalize their marriage, regardless of how long ago the ceremony took place.
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Stuart **********
No you can just actually get married, currently you aren't married
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stuart *********
 thank you. I always knew about more paperwork but to us we are married "until death do us part"
2 years ago
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John *********
@Phil *****
 do not forget to have the Thai Marriage certificate translated into English and stamp by a solicitor it will help if you decide later in life to move from Thailand
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John ********
 thank you for your comment. Yes I am aware of this is a requirement the Australian bridging visa ❤❤❤❤
2 years ago
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John *********
@Phil *****
 Ian in Uk and it’s requested every time I renew my wife’s visa
2 years ago
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John *********
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Nicolas ********
How is this different than any country in the world 🤦🏻‍♂️ "yea my cousin married us 10 years ago , what do you mean it's not recognized by the court"
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nicolas *******
 thank you Nicholas. Alot of my friends have gone through with a village marriage and have the legal certificate after visiting their embassy and Or Bor Tor office. My question was regarding my marriage done 8 years ago. I did think maybe it would affect the marriage process
2 years ago
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Jyrki *********
@Phil *****
 What is Or Bor Tor office?
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jyrki ********
 mayor's office
2 years ago
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Jyrki *********
@Phil *****
 Do you mean Amphur?
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jyrki ********
 yes
2 years ago
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Phil ******
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Nadine ********
Depending on where you’re from, you need to go to your embassy to get ‘Freedom to Marry’ certificate. This will then need to be translated into Thai. Then it needs to be handed in at the Ministry of foreign affairs, depending on if you’re doing this in Bangkok for for example in Chang Mai processing time can be anything between 3 to 6 working days. With this paperwork you need to go to your local amphur office, hand in your documents and your wife’s documents (Usually just the Thai ID card, sometimes copy of house book, and if she was married before divorce papers) Then you get married at the registry office there, have you received your pretty flowery wedding certificate and Kor Ror 2. So again depending on your nationality this is basically it, but certain nationalities require you to go back to the embassy and have your Thai marriage certificate legalised so that it is legal in your home country. Most embassies don’t require you to do this though
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nadine *******
 Thank you so much and yes I am aware of this part of the process. So a village marriage means nothing to the process?
2 years ago
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Nadine ********
@Phil *****
 Correct, it means absolutely nothing.
2 years ago
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Nadine ********
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Ivan *********
we had it legalized at the local Amphur office in Bangkok
2 years ago
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Will ************
At present you are not legally married. In fact you are not married. The village bash is just a ritual.
2 years ago
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Lynnette *******
@Will ***********
 yes, but thats why he's asking if he can now do the paperwork to legalise it.
2 years ago
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Ulrik *********
@Lynnette ******
 0 or 1000 ceremonies makes no difference if he wants to get married for real. It's just a party
2 years ago
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Lynnette *******
@Ulrik ********
 think he knows that. So that's why he's asking if he can now make it official. Even after 8 years.
2 years ago
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Ulrik *********
@Lynnette ******
 I thought that my reply would uncover that question, but with limited English skills, I might have failed of making myself understandable. 🙂

It makes no difference if you have a party or no party, or if your party was 8 or 80 years ago. A Thai ceremony is not legally binding, and therefore has no saying in a real marriage.
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ulrik ********
 your English is fine thank you.
2 years ago
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Ulrik *********
@Phil *****
 Thank you, and best of luck to you and your wife 🙏
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ulrik ********
 I'm sure my wife is like Isla Fisher's famous line at the end of the bathroom scene....watch till the end 5555.

****************************
2 years ago
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Phil ******
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Alistair ********
Have another beer and relax mate!
2 years ago
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Sri **********
You can marry again and try
2 years ago
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Greg ********
You need a CNI certificate of no impediment to marry from your embassy, it will then need to be translated into Thai.

Visit your local Amphur office as they will tell you exactly what you need for them to marry you legally

You will be issued with a certificate and Kor ror 2 document
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Greg *******
 thank you. So my next step is the embassy and the Or Bor Tor. So my village ceremony is fine being 8 years old
2 years ago
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Greg ********
@Phil *****
 just go to your local Amphur 'district' office and ask what documents you need for them to marry you, my wife and I just married in the presence of two witnesses
2 years ago
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Ulrik *********
@Phil *****
 Your Village ceremony has no legal bearing, and if you wish you can have a new ceremony daily (or never)

According to the law you are not married, and no legal instance will care if you have 0 or 1000 ceremonies.
2 years ago
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Ulrik *********
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David **********
Village ceremony doesnt make you legally married. Its ritual only.
2 years ago
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David **********
@Phil *****
 I cant see that how long it is since the village ceremony would have any impact on your decision to be formally married. It should be irrelevant.
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@David *********
 Thank you for your reply. I know this. However, friends have done this process when recently married in the village ceremony by going to their embassy and then to the Or Bor Tor to receive the marriage document.
2 years ago
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David **********
@Phil *****
 a friend who married a thai recently said it was very complicated and that the amount of paperwork and and travelling to government offices in different provinces was incredible.
2 years ago
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Graham ******
@David *********
 it just requires 2 nights stay in Bangkok for the Embassy visit (UK in my case, online booking), getting translations then to on the Thai ministry for verification then you have everything required for the Amphur to legalise the marriage
2 years ago
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Nadine ********
@Graham *****
 the process at the Ministry of foreign affairs takes a lot longer these days. Since Covid a lot of the time I can take up to 5 working days.
2 years ago
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Graham ******
@Nadine *******
 You can present the documents and pay to have them posted to you when complete, no need to wait the few days it could take
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham *****
 yes I know this. So no need to go through the marriage once more?
2 years ago
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John **********
@Phil *****
 you are not legally married. Only the amphur can do this. No need for a ceremony, just turn up with all the required documents and they will issue the certificate.
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 Thank you. So a village marriage means nothing in the Thai marriage process. Is this correct?
2 years ago
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Stuart **********
@Phil *****
 we it does, it means you paid for a big party but other than that it means nothing 👍
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stuart *********
 thank you nah it was very quiet just immediate family. No envelopes
2 years ago
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John **********
@Phil *****
 correct. It's just a party.
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 ok...
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@David *********
 thank you. Yes I am aware its complicated. It's the time factor I am worried about
2 years ago
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Nadine ********
@Phil *****
 It does not have to be complicated at all. Depending on your nationality can be very straightforward. However certain embassies make it a complicated process that is correct.
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nadine *******
 I'm Australian
2 years ago
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Nadine ********
@Phil *****
 If you’re Australian you will have to go to the embassy in person to get your paperwork and after the marriage, you don’t need to go back to have your document legalised.
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nadine *******
 thank you again. So the Village marriage doesn't mean anything as did this?
2 years ago
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Phil ******
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Singh *****
You can legalize your marriage now..

No problem
2 years ago
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John ********
It's never too late Congratulations 🎉🎈🎊
2 years ago
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Daniel ************
it has no meaning / just buddhist marriagw / if you want legally been married need do the official paperwork - has nothing to do with a village buddhist "marriage ceremony"
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi
@Dan***
. Thank you for your reply. I m confused as friends have done this process recently by going to the embassy and then to the Or Bor Tor to receive the marriage document.
2 years ago
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Kool *******
@Phil *****
 from your embassy you need a notarized right to marry letter, that has three options, single never married, widowed, or divorced. You need supporting documents with the last two, final divorce papers, and a death certificate for widowed. After you get this document notarized from your embassy you must have it translated into Thai, and that translation certified by the ministry of foreign affairs as being accurate. You take these documents, with copies of your passport pages and your passport, copies of your new wife's Thai ID card, to the local Amphur to get legally married and have it registered. It is one process. You also need two witnesses. Some offices require getting an appointment, and some don't. Some might also require that your passport is notarized by your embassy as being real. The right to marry document is required at every Amphur. That is the most time consuming item to get, but once you have that everything else is very easy. Check with your local Amphur of what they require specifically.
2 years ago
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Phil ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kool ******
 thank you. I will be doing exactly what you advise.
2 years ago
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Phil ******
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Luc ************
@Phil *****
 so they married at the embassy to get their paperwork.
2 years ago
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Luc ************
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