A marriage registered at a Thai district office is a valid civil marriage in Thailand. For use in India, the Thai marriage certificate is translated into English, legalised by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and attested by the Indian mission. Couples can also marry or register under the Special Marriage Act in India, which needs a thirty-day notice and one partner resident in the district for thirty days, or approach the Indian mission about the Foreign Marriage Act.
- Document route
- Thai notarial service attorney, Thai MFA legalisation, then Indian Embassy attestation
- Time difference
- IST is 1h30 behind Thailand all year (no daylight saving)
- Hindu marriages
- Section 8, Hindu Marriage Act 1955
- Civil marriage
- Special Marriage Act 1954
Marriage Registration from Thailand: how it works
If you married in Thailand, we first check that the marriage was properly registered at the district office and that both partners had capacity to marry, since Indian authorities may ask for evidence that any earlier marriage had ended. We then arrange for the Thai certificate and its certified English translation to go through the Thai Ministry and the Indian Embassy. For an Indian citizen marrying in Thailand, the Thai authorities usually want a document from the Indian mission about marital status, so we help with the affidavit and supporting papers before the wedding.
If you prefer an Indian marriage certificate, we prepare the notice under the Special Marriage Act for the district where one of you lives or will stay for thirty days. The notice is published, and if there are no valid objections the marriage is solemnised or registered before the Marriage Officer with three witnesses. Where both partners are Hindu, Sikh, Jain or Buddhist and married with Hindu rites, registration under state rules may also be possible. We plan the visit so that it fits your travel dates.
What clients in Thailand should know
- A Thai partner applying for an Indian spouse visa or OCI card after two years of marriage will need the marriage proof in a form Indian authorities accept.
- If either partner was married before, the divorce decree must be produced and, if foreign, recognised under Indian law.
- Thailand is a party to the Hague Child Abduction Convention but India is not, so couples with children should understand the cross-border custody position.
Step by step from Thailand
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Thailand, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Thailand
Thai notarial service attorney, Thai MFA legalisation, then Indian Embassy attestation
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Thailand where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Thailand. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Marriage Registration, or see all services for clients in Thailand and the Cross-Border Family Law practice area.
Questions from clients in Thailand
Do we need to register again in India after marrying in Thailand?
Not necessarily. A legalised and translated Thai certificate is often accepted, but some offices prefer an Indian certificate.
Can a Thai citizen marry an Indian in India?
Yes, under the Special Marriage Act, with the notice period and documents such as a passport, visa and proof of single status.
Is a Buddhist ceremony in Thailand enough?
A religious ceremony alone is not a legal marriage in Thailand; registration at the district office is what makes it valid there.