Legalise your foreign marriage — before applying for a Thai marriage visa.

Why Thailand requires legalisation

A marriage certificate from your home country is a domestic document — valid where issued, but not automatically valid in Thailand. To use it for a Thai visa application or to register it for legal effect in Thailand (joint property, inheritance, child registration), it must go through international authentication.

The 4-step chain (Hague Apostille countries)

If your country is a Hague Apostille Convention signatory (most of EU, US, UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, etc.), the path is shorter:

Step 1: Get an Apostille on the marriage certificate

The competent authority in the country where the marriage was registered (usually the Foreign Ministry or designated authority — e.g. Secretary of State in the US, FCDO Legalisation Office in the UK) issues an apostille certifying the document. Time: 1–3 weeks. Cost: ~$30–100 USD.

Step 2: Translate to Thai by a certified translator

Once apostilled, both the marriage certificate and the apostille itself must be translated into Thai by a certified translator. Translations done in Thailand by translators registered with the MFA are widely accepted. Cost: 800–2,000 THB per page. Time: 2–5 days.

Step 3: Authentication at MFA Thailand

Take the apostilled certificate + certified translation to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Chaengwattana, Bangkok (or use a service that walks it in for you). MFA stamps the translation as officially recognised. Cost: 200 THB per document standard, 800 THB express same-day. Time: 2 working days standard, same-day express.

Step 4: Registration at a Thai district office (Amphoe)

Bring the MFA-authenticated documents to your local Amphoe (district office — for Pattaya, this is Bang Lamung district office) along with your passport, your spouse's Thai ID/house book, and 2 witnesses. The marriage is then registered in Thailand and you receive a Thai-issued Kor Ror 22 family certificate. This is what Immigration accepts for the marriage visa.

The 5-step chain (non-Hague countries)

If your country is not a Hague Apostille signatory (most of Africa, parts of Asia, some Middle East), the path adds an extra step:

1. Notarisation in the country of marriage (usually a notary public)
2. Authentication by the relevant ministry (Foreign Affairs / equivalent)
3. Legalisation by the Royal Thai Embassy in the country of marriage — this is what replaces the apostille
4. Translation to Thai by a certified translator
5. MFA Thailand authentication + Amphoe registration (same as above)

This route typically takes 6–10 weeks total. The Royal Thai Embassy step is the slow one — some embassies take 4 weeks alone.

Country-specific notes

UK

FCDO Legalisation Office issues apostilles in 1–5 working days standard. UK marriage certificates from registry offices come in standard format that's easy to authenticate. £30 per document. The UK is a Hague signatory.

USA

Apostille is issued by the Secretary of State of the state where the marriage was registered (not the federal government). Process varies wildly — some states do it in 2 days, others take 6 weeks. ~$30–100 per document.

Germany / France / Netherlands / EU

All Hague signatories. Apostille from the relevant German Bundesland authority / French MAE / Dutch courts / etc. Usually 1–2 weeks. Standard paths well-trodden by Thai expats.

Russia / Ukraine / former CIS

Hague signatories. Apostille obtainable from Ministry of Justice (Russia) or equivalent. The Thai-language translation step is more involved because of Cyrillic certification.

India / Pakistan / Philippines

India and Pakistan are not Hague signatories. Philippines joined Hague in 2019. Path varies accordingly. Indian/Pakistani marriages need full embassy legalisation in the country of marriage.

UAE / Saudi Arabia / Gulf

UAE is a Hague Apostille member since 2025. Saudi Arabia is not. Gulf marriages typically need embassy legalisation in the country of marriage, plus Sharia-court authentication for some Muslim marriages.

The Pattaya playbook

Doing it yourself

Workable if you're organised and patient. Total cost: 3,000–6,000 THB depending on country and steps. Total time: 4–10 weeks once you have the apostille in hand.

Using a Pattaya specialist

Specialists handle the MFA Thailand step + Amphoe registration for 8,000–15,000 THB. They can't speed up the home-country apostille step (you do that part yourself or via your home-country agent), but they remove the friction of the Bangkok MFA visit and Bang Lamung Amphoe paperwork. Strongly recommended for retirees who don't want to deal with Chaengwattana queues.

What you'll have at the end

• Original apostilled foreign marriage certificate
• Certified Thai translation
• MFA Thailand authentication stamps
• Thai-issued Kor Ror 22 family certificate from the Amphoe

The Kor Ror 22 is what you submit to Jomtien Immigration for the Marriage Non-O visa. Without it, the application doesn't move.

FAQ

Related guides