My fiancé and I are from Hong Kong and China. We are planning our wedding and would like to have a civil ceremony in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The exact date is not yet set. Since the process seems complicated for foreigners, we would like to seek advice regarding a legally valid marriage between two foreigners and the necessary preparation time.

A marriage in Thailand begins with obtaining a certificate of legal capacity to marry from the relevant embassy in Thailand. After receiving this certificate, translation, legalization, and registration follow. The marriage ceremony typically takes five business days, often less. Hong Kong passport holders must visit the Chinese embassy in Bangkok. However, the embassy will not automatically issue this certificate if the applicant is not a resident of Thailand. In this case, further checks and additional documents are required. It is therefore advisable to contact the relevant embassy and have the documents reviewed to initiate the entire Thai marriage process.

Further questions and answers can be found on the "Frequently Asked Questions" page of this website.

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