As we can read on the site of the Thai Consulate Belgium under 'Marriage procedure', we need a number of documents. At the top right it says 01/2007, which doesn't exactly boost my confidence in things. A little further on, a legalization price of € 15 per document is stated, which also appears to be outdated.
The extracts/certificates/proofs are: birth certificate – family composition – place of residence – nationality – marital status – celibacy – dissolution of previous marriage – good conduct & morals. Since I never took a vow of chastity, I had my reservations about 'celibacy' but… soon I was spearing a good hour towards Brussels-Central, defending my papers (smoothly issued by the Bruges city services) with my life, if necessary.
From the 'Central' you need strong calves & big breath if, like me, you want to walk the climb to Foreign Affairs (Legalisations). Bonus: back it's downhill. Time: approximately 15 minutes.
Once there I was smoothly through the security check & guided to counter 5 where I deposited my folder with documents with undisguised pride and an almost triumphant 'please'. "Bonjour". A friendly girl who did not speak Dutch called a helpline with “un instant please”. The two of them looked over the wealth of documentation and came to a conclusion: sir, two documents must be returned with the signature of the mayor or competent alderman, not like now (from a simple official). Ok “tant piss” (meanwhile I had worked out my best French, out of necessity). But it got even better… we cannot accept the 'good behavior & manners' document for legalization, it has to be sent!
When I asked where the answer was to here. When I asked for an envelope & stamp that I would be happy to pay for, a discussion ensued in which I rather emphasized the absurdity of this situation. Result: from the deluge of rolling r's I especially remember the words “exception” and “pour une fois”. Six legalizations would be sent, two had to be submitted again. Six times twenty = 120 Euro please. Been back in the meantime: inside overcrowded, outside another 10 people waiting. Fortunately, on my first visit I had obtained a piece of paper stating that I did not have to queue. Forty Euro lighter and ten minutes later it was downhill.
Check! the signatures (mayor or alderman) – document good behavior & morals must be sent – make an appointment online with BUZA (easy to cancel) – € 20 per document – French is the working language (during my visits)
Dear blog readers, these are personal experiences, feel free to improve, add to.
Ps: a question about Visa: on the conscious, dated page of the Consulate it says 'Bring a photocopy of the documents legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' – does this also mean that I must state when applying that I am getting married in Thailand? – is a Tourist Visa (stay 50 days) ok in this case?
With thanks,
Submitted by Yvan(Bruges/Korat)
If you plan to stay in Thailand for 50 days, a “Tourist visa with Single entry” is sufficient.
Upon entering Thailand, you will receive a residence period of 60 days.
If necessary, you can have that period of stay extended once by 30 days (1900 Baht) at an immigration office
Today we would get married in my madam's amphu, have all the necessary documents translated and legalized via the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And so in good spirits to the amphu, as the highest official, a woman more well-dressed than a general, thought that the papers were not in order, she doubted the authenticity, and would first send them back to Foreign Affairs, waiting time 10 to dawn??? On what?? They came from there, but if you earn a maximum of 16.500 baht per month as the highest official, and then a village girl comes along with a farang who has 4 times as much per month, then jealousy rears its head…. Or am I wrong now?.
the latter is a “personal assumption” and is not based on solid facts. Where do you get the fact that that officer barely earns 16.500THB/m? Hear say? Moreover, that officer has every right to verify the authenticity of certain documents if she has any doubts. Then at least she does her job properly for that 16.500THB/m.
Then you ask very politely how you can shorten the waiting time or what you need to do to get the papers on the amphur in order…. add a 500 Baht note and see what happens….
I haven't had to do it yet, but I often hear that those notes can work wonders...
Then you just go to another Amphur, if you don't want to pay extra. You are not the first to be rejected randomly, often it is surmountable with some money, but sometimes the papaya pok-pok just fell wrong….
Officials ascribe much more power to themselves in Thailand than we are used to here.
@Philip. you should have made a donation. This is Thailand and that's what people expect. No donation but opposition to the extreme. Just ask if you can pay the fine or something like that right away. Or you say that you now want to pay the extra costs that result from a quick transaction. Then everything runs smoothly. I was caught at the time for Baht 200 (no money) and no income was reported by me, mai pen rai. Calling “corruption” doesn't help anything. If you want to get something done, it costs money. Good luck with it.
Dear people, I've been in Thailand for 15 years, so I know how things work, but this general will immediately piss me off, so I don't want to negotiate. And as far as the earnings are concerned, you can simply find those amounts on the net.
As I can read, it has therefore been refused to legalize your copy of the criminal record, I cannot find anything on the site that this should be sent by post, is this somewhere on the website of the foreign affairs legalization service? I also have to be there next week for the same legalizations. Does anyone have any info or tips regarding these legalizations? Thank you in advance.
@Philippe: 'good behavior & manners' refused at first, had to be sent - later after discussion I was able to leave it (I think this doc needs to be thoroughly checked) & it was sent to my address along with the other documents be, whatever happened. Tip: make sure that ALL the necessary documents are signed by the mayor or aldermen (and not by an unknown official)! Good luck.