Two Thai nationals registering in Thailand
Only Thai identity documents are needed. Translation becomes relevant later, when the certificate is filed with a foreign authority.
Source: https://www.bora.dopa.go.th/
Marriage registration in Thailand and marriage records used abroad
Short answer
Marriage in Thailand is registered at a district office (amphoe) or Bangkok khet office under Thai law. Registration produces a marriage certificate (Kor Ror 3) and a marriage register record (Kor Ror 2). Where one party is a foreign national, the registrar normally asks for a statement of marital status issued by that person's embassy in Thailand, together with a Thai translation legalised by the Department of Consular Affairs. To use Thai marriage records abroad, the translation must follow whatever the receiving authority requires — for Australian authorities, translations produced in Australia must come from a NAATI-certified translator.
The documents involved
| Document | Thai form | Issued by | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage register record | Kor Ror 2 | District / khet registrar | Full record of the registration; requested where an authority needs complete details. |
| Marriage certificate | Kor Ror 3 | District / khet registrar | Evidence that the marriage was registered; commonly filed with partner visa applications. |
| Certificate of marital status (Thai national) | Kor Ror 22 | District / khet registrar | Confirms single, divorced or widowed status for marrying abroad. |
| Statement of marital status (foreign national) | Affirmation / Certificate of No Impediment (name varies by country) | Embassy or consulate of that country in Thailand | Confirms the foreign party is free to marry under their own national law. |
| Divorce certificate | Kor Ror 7 | District / khet registrar, or a court judgment | Shows a previous marriage has ended, where applicable. |
Step by step
1. Check eligibility and identity documents
Both parties must meet the requirements of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code. Thai nationals bring the national ID card and house registration; foreign nationals bring a passport. Anyone previously married brings evidence that the earlier marriage has ended.
2. Obtain the statement of marital status from the foreign party's embassy
The foreign party contacts their embassy or consulate in Thailand for a statement that they are free to marry. The document name, appointment process and supporting evidence differ by country — check that embassy's own website.
3. Translate into Thai and have the translation legalised
The embassy statement is translated into Thai in full, then submitted for legalisation to the Legalisation Division of the Department of Consular Affairs through the channels published on its website.
4. Register at the district or khet office
Both parties attend in person with any witnesses the registrar requires. Where one party cannot communicate in Thai, the registrar may require an interpreter. Kor Ror 2 and Kor Ror 3 are issued on completion.
5. Translate the marriage records for use abroad
Request a freshly issued copy from the registrar, then translate it to the standard the receiving authority sets. For Australian authorities, translations produced in Australia must come from a NAATI-certified translator; translations produced outside Australia must carry the translator's full name and contact details.
Situations we handle
A Thai national and a foreign national registering in Thailand
The additional step is the embassy statement of marital status plus its legalised Thai translation. Some registrars also ask for a translation of the passport bio page.
Source: https://consular.mfa.go.th/
Filing a Thai marriage certificate with Australian authorities
Partner and family visa applications ask for evidence of the relationship, including the marriage certificate with a translation that meets the department's published translation requirements.
Source: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/
Registering a marriage outside Thailand
The foreign registrar usually asks a Thai national for a Kor Ror 22 certificate of marital status, translated and legalised as that country requires. Confirm the exact chain with the authority that will receive it.
Source: https://www.mfa.go.th/
Common mistakes
- • Name spelling on the translation differing from the passport — keep one consistent transliteration across every document in the set.
- • Submitting an old photocopy instead of a freshly issued copy from the registrar.
- • Translating only part of a document; stamps, seals and marginal notes must all appear in the translation.
- • Assuming an embassy statement is valid indefinitely — many are issued with a short validity period.
- • Arranging legalisation that the receiving authority never asked for, or skipping a step it did ask for. Always work backwards from the authority's written requirement.
Frequently asked questions
Which document do Australian authorities usually want, Kor Ror 2 or Kor Ror 3?
Most applications are filed with the marriage certificate (Kor Ror 3). Where fuller detail is requested, the marriage register record (Kor Ror 2) is obtained from the registrar as well. Follow the wording of the document checklist you were given.
Does the translation have to be done in Australia?
No. Translations produced in Australia must come from a NAATI-certified translator. Translations produced outside Australia must show the translator's full name and contact details. Many applicants outside Australia still choose a NAATI-certified translation because it removes doubt at the assessment stage.
Can you handle this while I am overseas?
Translation is fully online — send scans and receive a signed PDF by email. Steps requiring the physical original, such as consular legalisation or attendance at the district office, need someone present in Thailand.
How much does it cost?
Fees depend on the document set, language pair and turnaround. Send the scans by LINE, phone or email and our staff will quote before any work starts. Government fees are those published by the relevant authority at the time of lodgement.
Official sources
Content reviewed August 2026. General information on document preparation, not legal or migration advice. Requirements, forms and fees are those published by the relevant authority at the time of lodgement.
Marriage document guides
- Registering a marriage in ThailandHow a marriage is registered at a Thai district or khet office, which documents the registrar asks for, the difference between Kor Ror 2 and Kor Ror 3, and how the records are translated for foreign authorities.
- Marrying a foreign national in ThailandThe extra steps when one party is a foreign national: the embassy statement of marital status, its Thai translation, legalisation by the Department of Consular Affairs, and registration at the district office.
- Thai marriage documents for AustraliaHow Thai marriage records are prepared for Australian partner and family visa applications, what the department's translation requirements say, and how NAATI-certified translation fits in.
- Marrying outside ThailandWhat a Thai national needs when registering a marriage in another country: the certificate of marital status (Kor Ror 22), its translation and legalisation, and reporting the marriage afterwards.
Official sources you can verify
The information on this page is based on the official sources below. Reviewed August 2026. Requirements change — always confirm with the receiving authority before lodging.
- Department of Provincial Administration (Ministry of Interior)Civil and family registration records and certified copies.
- Department of Consular Affairs, MFA ThailandRules and procedures for legalisation of documents in Thailand.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of ThailandOfficial announcements and updates on consular and treaty matters.
Marriage document questions
Reviewed August 2026. Requirements change — confirm with the receiving authority before lodging.
Which documents are usually needed to register a marriage in Thailand?
Typically an affirmation of freedom to marry issued or witnessed by your embassy, a translation of that affirmation into Thai, consular legalisation of the translation, passports, and — where relevant — divorce or death certificates for a previous marriage. The district office (amphoe) sets the final list, and requirements differ between offices.
Does Australia recognise a marriage registered in Thailand?
A marriage validly registered under Thai law is generally recognised in Australia, and the Thai marriage certificate with a certified English translation is what you lodge as evidence. Recognition is a legal question decided by the Australian authority or court dealing with your matter, not by a translator.
Do I need to translate the Thai marriage certificate for a partner visa?
Yes — any document not in English needs an English translation when it is lodged as evidence. For a Thai marriage certificate that means the certificate itself plus the marriage registration record (Kor Ror 2 / Kor Ror 3) if the authority asks for it.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
What is a single status certificate and who issues it?
It is a document confirming your current marital status. For Thai nationals it is issued by the district office through the civil registration system; for foreigners the equivalent is usually an affirmation or statutory declaration made at your embassy in Thailand. Both routes normally end with translation and consular legalisation.
We were married before in another country. What extra documents apply?
Evidence that the previous marriage ended: a divorce decree, annulment order or death certificate, translated and, where required, legalised. Some district offices also apply a waiting period for a woman after a divorce unless a medical certificate is provided — confirm the current rule with the office where you will register.
Can the whole marriage document process be done remotely?
Translation and certification are handled online. Registration itself requires attendance at the district office, and the embassy affirmation requires attendance at your embassy. We prepare and courier the paperwork so the in-person steps are as short as possible.
How this usually plays out
Illustrative scenarios used to explain how the process works. They are not individual customer cases and are not a guarantee of any authority's decision.
Marriage registration involving a foreign national
Client: Thai and foreign couple · Location: Bangkok, Thailand
- Services involved
- Guidance on the document chain · Certified translation
- Documents
- Affirmation of freedom to marry · Passport · Identity documents
- What we handled
- • Set out the order of steps each office in the chain requires
- • Translated the items that the district office needs in Thai
- Where it usually goes wrong
- Attending the district office before the earlier step in the chain is complete
- Process outcome
- Each step taken in the order the offices publish
Marriage certificate issued overseas, used in Thailand
Client: Thai national · Location: Overseas (Australia)
- Services involved
- Guidance on the certification chain · Certified translation
- Documents
- Foreign marriage certificate
- What we handled
- • Checked which certification the Thai receiving office requires for a foreign certificate
- • Translated the certificate together with any certificate attached to it
- Where it usually goes wrong
- Translating the certificate but omitting the attached certification page
- Process outcome
- A set covering the certificate and everything attached to it
Divorce record needed before a new registration
Client: Thai national · Location: Provincial Thailand
- Services involved
- Document review · Certified translation
- Documents
- Divorce registration · Household registration
- What we handled
- • Confirmed the record reflected the current civil status in the registry
- • Translated the record along with the endorsement showing the status change
- Where it usually goes wrong
- Relying on an extract issued before the status change was recorded
- Process outcome
- A translation reflecting the currently recorded status
Reviewed August 2026. Requirements change — confirm with the receiving authority before lodging.
Marriage documents must tell a continuous story
Marriage bundles are read as a sequence of events. A missing divorce record or name change usually triggers a request for further information, so we check continuity before translating.
What we check before starting
- Whether single status or the end of any previous marriage is fully evidenced
- Whether the post-marriage name matches the passport and the rest of the bundle
- Whether the recipient wants the marriage register, the certificate, or both
- Whether ministry or embassy legalisation follows the translation
Where we tell you not to spend
- If the recipient accepts the register extract only, the certificate need not be translated
- A fresh certified extract from the registrar is usually cheaper than fixing the bundle later
What we do not promise
- • The receiving authority decides the outcome; we do not promise results
- • Government fees and processing times vary with the period and the workload of each office
- • We do not give legal, financial or medical advice beyond the scope of translation and certification
Reviewed August 2025. Confirm current requirements with the receiving authority before lodging.
Ask about your document path on LINE @NAATIMarriage and divorce records: steps and what to prepare
Thai marriage matters usually need both the certificate and the register extract, because the two documents carry different information and many authorities ask for both.
Step 1: Confirm which document the destination wants
Check whether they need the marriage certificate (Kor Ror 3), the marriage register (Kor Ror 2), or both — and Kor Ror 6 and 7 for divorce.
Step 2: Re-issue at the district office
Obtain freshly certified copies from the registrar office where the marriage was registered, or through the cross-district process currently available.
Step 3: Translate and certify for the destination
Translate into the destination language with an accepted certification, spelling both parties' names exactly as in their passports.
Step 4: Legalise and complete the final step
Legalise the translation at the Department of Consular Affairs, then complete either the Apostille or the destination embassy step.
What to prepare
- Freshly certified marriage certificate and/or marriage register
- Thai ID cards and house registrations for both parties
- The foreign spouse's passport
- Divorce records or a death certificate for any previous marriage
Why sets get sent back
- Single-status certificates have a very short life; request them close to lodgement
- The foreign spouse's name must match the passport exactly, including diacritics
- Some countries also require documents from their own side; check both directions at once
If you would rather not track each step yourself, send scans on LINE. Our team, which has handled this type of work for over 15 years, will map your document route first — where it should end, how many copies you need, and which steps would be wasted — and you decide afterwards whether to do it yourself or hand it to us.
Marriage documents: which version is accepted
The marriage register entry and the marriage certificate are different documents, and destinations often set a recency rule. This table compares them.
| Option | What it certifies | Issued or signed by | When to use | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original | The document issued by the authority, with wet signature and seal | Issuing office: district registrar, school, government agency | The receiving authority asks to sight or retain the original | Keep it safe — some authorities do not return lodged documents |
| Freshly issued certified extract | A copy re-issued and certified by the issuing office with a current date | The issuing authority | The original is old, damaged or lost, or the destination sets a recency rule such as 3–6 months | Must be requested from the issuing office and follows that office's queue |
| Notarially certified copy | A copy certified by an attorney as matching the original sighted | Notarial Services Attorney | The destination accepts certified copies and you must keep the original | The original must be produced, and it does not replace a fresh extract where a recency rule applies |
| Certified translation | A translation of the document with the translator's certification | Certified translator, e.g. NAATI-certified | The source document is not in a language the authority accepts | Always lodge it together with a copy of the source document; a translation alone is usually not assessed |
- Start from the receiving authority and work backwards to the steps you actually need
- For Australian authorities lodging online, a NAATI-certified translation is usually the end of the chain
- If the destination asks for “original with seal”, check whether MFA or embassy steps are also required
- Do not run ahead to the next step before the destination confirms — some steps must be redone from scratch
If you are unsure where your document chain should stop, send scans and the name of the receiving authority on LINE. Our advisory team, with more than 15 years on this type of work, will map the route first so you do not pay for steps you never needed.