Based on the experience of different people, Phuket is a city of love and romance. No wonder that many individuals visit the island of Phuket to enjoy honeymoons with their heartthrobs. But is it possible for you to get legally married in Phuket? What are the steps for getting married in Phuket?
Yes, you can get married legally in Phuket whether you are a Thai or foreigner with no affiliation to Thailand. According to the Thai Embassy, anyone can get married in Phuket as long as they have fulfilled all the requirements for marriage in Thailand. So, you can visit Phuket today to start preparing to get married on the island.
While getting married legally in Phuket may sound like a straightforward affair, it involves tons of things. Therefore, you need to learn everything involved in getting married legally in Thailand before you start anything. This article will describe what you need to understand about marrying legally in Phuket.
How much does it cost to get married in Thailand?
To explain how much it costs to get married legally in Thailand, it is paramount to describe the processes involved. As we shed light on the process for marriage in the Land of Smiles, we will add the cost implications. With this, it will be easier for you to create a budget for marriage in Phuket and other places in Thailand.
- Get an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry – around 3,500 THB (106 USD)
Once you are ready to marry in Thailand, the first thing you have to do is to visit your embassy. This embassy will offer you an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry in the Land of Smiles. In most cases, you will need to book an appointment before getting the affirmation.
This specific cost of an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry will depend on your particular embassy. However, it is usually around 3,000 to 3,500 THB. After getting the stamp, you can proceed to start your marriage rite.
- Translate the affirmation and your passport – around 1200 THB (about 36 USD)
The next step is to translate your passport and affirmation into the Thai language. There is no fixed price for this as there are numerous places where you can translate these documents. In most cases, you will have to spend about 1,200 THB for these two documents to be translated.
The translated copies will be stamped at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Afterward, you can take these documents to Amphur, which is the district office. At the district office, you will be given an appointment for your marriage.
From the figures above, you will need around 5,000 THB (about 151 USD) to process everything required for the appointment. However, it is worthwhile to understand that there are many other things involved that will cost you lots of money. These other things may include:
- Dowry
If you want to get married to a Thai woman, it is crucial to pay dowry to her family. Since we don’t have a fixed price for dowry, the family of the bride will determine the dowry. As stated by Unique Phuket, a middle-class Thai family will require about 100,000 to 300,000 THB (about 3,030 to 9,100 USD) as a dowry for a college-educated bride. However, for an uneducated woman, the dowry will be significantly lower.
- DIY vs. Hire people
Another factor that can affect the cost of getting married in Thailand is whether you want to do it yourself (DIY) or hire people to do it. Without mincing words, you will save lots of money if you want to do it yourself.
As noted by Hotels.com, you will require only about 5,000 THB to do it yourself. However, this can be quite stressful, so you may want to consider hiring people to handle the process for you. You can hire a wedding service that will handle all parts of the process. You just provide the needed documents, and everything will be handled expertly within 3 to 5 working days. Notably, this will cost you about 20,000 THB (over 600 USD). Some companies may charge you lesser than this amount.
- Cost of wedding ceremony
It is important to note that this is not necessary as you can just do the documentation and be legally married in Thailand. Nonetheless, many people consider a wedding ceremony to be vital. So, if you are one of those people, you must think about how much it will cost you.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), people spend around 5 million to 20 million THB (150,000 to 600,000+ USD) on an average wedding in Thailand. However, people still spend as low as 1,000 USD (less than 35,000 THB) on a small wedding in Thailand. So, the specific cost of a wedding ceremony depends on what you want.
In addition to the cost above, you may also need to spend on getting some extra documents. These documents are just parts of the criteria for marriage in Thailand. The most important documents are:
- Original birth certificate – you must be at least 20 years old. If you are between 17 and 20 years old, you need parental consent
- Completed statutory declaration/Affirmation of Freedom to Marry
- Passport or another proof of identity
- Certificate of Divorce or Death Certificate of the previous spouse (if you are previously married or a widow)
- The couple must not related by adoption or blood
What happens when you marry a Thai woman?
Marrying a Thai woman is not quite different from marrying women from other parts of the world. Although there are some cultural rites that you need to do, marriages to Thai women can take place in or outside Thailand.
Here are the things that happen when you marry a Thai woman:
- You have to pay a dowry before the marriage
Once you have decided to marry a Thai woman, you may need to prepare to pay a dowry. Otherwise regarded as the sin sot, the dowry system in Thailand requires the bride’s family to make some financial requests. The dowry is meant for showing some form of financial commitment to take care of the bride who will move in with him after the marriage.
As explained earlier, dowries vary from one family to another. The family’s social class and the bride’s education and social status are essential factors that will affect the dowry. Besides, the perceived financial capabilities of the groom can also determine the amount of dowry.
Nowadays, some Thai families usually return some parts of the dowries received for their daughters. The returned money is meant to be used by the new couple to take care of their family.
- The wedding ceremony has different requirements
In many other countries, wedding ceremonies can be done anyhow the couples want. However, wedding ceremonies in Thailand are a bit different in most cases. As claimed by Thaizer.com, different ceremonies are done at different times. The wedding usually starts with a morning ceremony that is usually meant for only family members of the couple as well as close friends. Later in the evening, another ceremony is done for everyone interested in celebrating with the couple.
Also, wedding guests must never wear black to a wedding in Thailand. While some cultures may view black as just another color, it is seen as bad luck when worn to a Thai wedding. Otherwise, guests can wear anything they want – either traditional Thai or casual clothing items. In addition, wedding guests will need to donate to the monks that will conduct the wedding.
However, the couple can just pay dowry and skip the wedding ceremony if they want. They can just visit the temple for blessings from the monks or even avoid it.
- You may need to support your wife’s family
In many western cultures, families don’t rely on one another for financial support. But the reverse is the case in Thailand. If you are married to a Thai woman, you should be ready to provide financial assistance to her family, except they don’t need it. This is especially important if your family’s family suffers any form of health or financial problems after the marriage.
Of course, if you are used to western cultures, it can be a huge cultural shock for you. In fact, this particular factor has led to the downfall of many marriages between Thai women and foreign men. So, as you are thinking about marrying a Thai woman, you should keep this in mind.
- You can get a long-term visa for marrying a Thai citizen
When you marry a Thai woman (or man), another thing that happens is that you can obtain a long-term visa. This is often confused with becoming a Thai national, but this is not true. In other words, marrying a Thai citizen doesn’t automatically assist you to become a permanent resident or Thai citizen. However, if you are married to a Thai citizen, it will speed up your path to becoming a permanent resident of Thailand.
Marrying a Thai woman helps you to apply for a marriage visa that can be renewed regularly without any hassle. It is a long-term visa that assists you to stay in Thailand for as long as you want.
- Your spouse may be averse to public display of affection
According to Thai culture, it is not acceptable for men and women to engage in a public display of affection. In other words, kissing, smooching, holding, etc. in public are traditionally considered to be inappropriate. As a result of this, your Thai wife may have issues with displaying affection publicly.
However, it is worthwhile to understand that westernization is already having a significant effect on Thai people. From the things they see on TV, movies, etc., many people now believe that public display of affection is okay. Consequently, your spouse may have no issue with public display of affection, but this is not the usual situation.
- Your wife can travel with you to the US
If you are from the US, your newly married spouse can follow you to the US. To live with your wife in the United States of America, you can get one of the following types of visas – K1 and K3 visas. If you want to marry your partner within the next 90 days, a K1 visa allows your partner to move with you to the US.
However, for already married people, a K3 visa is the best option. With this visa, your partner can move to the US and start staying with you without any issue. Notably, K3 comes in two formats – CR1 visa and IR1 visa. The CR1 visa is a conditional visa that enables your partner to move with you under the condition of staying married to you for at least 2 years. The IR1 visa, on the other hand, is different as it allows your partner to move to the US with you without any condition.
- Your wife may consider herself to be lower than you
Unlike western cultures, Thai culture considers women to be lower than men. In fact, wives are only expected to be supportive of their husbands. Although westernization is changing many things in Thailand, you should note that many Thai women still feel this way. As a consequence of this, your wife may seem docile as she waits for you to lead and control the family.
Does Thailand recognize US marriage?
Yes, Thailand recognizes US marriage as long as it conforms to the local laws of the country. Similarly, the USA recognizes Thai marriages.
However, if your marriage is not a conventional one between a man and a woman, it may not be recognized in Thailand. This is because same-sex marriage is illegal in Thailand. You can check out the Thai Embassy to learn more about same-sex marriages, transsexual marriages, etc. in Thailand.
Conclusion
In summary, you can marry legally in Phuket and other places in Thailand. But you must obtain some documents, satisfy some criteria, and take some steps before your marriage can be legalized in the Land of Smiles. Also, you should budget at least 5,000 THB for marriage, but the cost can be significantly higher if you want a ceremony.
