Key Takeaways
- ✓Same-sex marriage has been legal in Thailand since 23 January 2025 — couples of any gender, including two foreigners, can register with the same rights as any married couple.
- ✓Thai-only couples can often register in a single visit to any district (amphoe/khet) office; foreigners first need an embassy Affirmation of Freedom to Marry, a certified Thai translation, and MFA legalisation.
- ✓Requirements, fees, and embassy practices vary by office and country and can change — always verify with your local district office and your embassy before you act.
Please read first — important disclaimer
PrideShow is a directory and connector for Thailand's LGBTQ+ Pink Economy. We are not a law firm, an immigration agency, or a government office. The information below is general information only and is not legal advice. Marriage rules, required documents, fees, and processing times vary by district office (amphoe / khet) and by embassy, and they can change. Always verify the current requirements directly with your local amphoe/khet office and with your embassy before you act.
Last verified: June 2026.
Thailand made history on 23 January 2025, when its Marriage Equality Act came into force — making Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia, and the third in Asia (after Taiwan and Nepal), to recognise same-sex marriage. The law amended Thailand's Civil and Commercial Code, replacing gendered words such as "man and woman" and "husband and wife" with neutral terms like "individuals" and "spouses." In plain terms: two people of any gender can now legally marry in Thailand and receive the same rights as any other married couple.
This guide walks Thai citizens and foreigners — including two foreigners marrying each other — through eligibility, where to register, the documents you need, the step-by-step process, fees, timing, and the rights marriage gives you. Where something commonly varies or is still being finalised, we flag it clearly so you can double-check before your appointment.
Who can marry? (Eligibility)
Under the amended Civil and Commercial Code (Section 1448), the core conditions are:
- Two people, of any gender. The law is no longer limited to a man and a woman.
- Both must be at least 18 years old. The Marriage Equality Act raised the minimum marriage age from 17 to 18, to align with international child-rights standards.
- Neither person is already legally married. Thailand recognises monogamous marriage; if you were previously married, that marriage must have ended by divorce, annulment, or the death of your former spouse, and you must be able to prove it.
- Both parties consent freely and are of sound mind (a person whom a court has declared incompetent cannot validly marry).
- The couple are not within a prohibited degree of family relationship (for example, direct blood ascendants/descendants or full/half siblings).
Flag — age 18 and consent
Some sources note that, in exceptional cases, a court may permit marriage involving a person under 18; and where a party is over 18 but not yet of full legal age (typically 20), a parent's or legal guardian's consent letter may be required. This is an area that varies — confirm with the registrar.
Note for foreigners
Thailand will register your marriage even if your home country does not recognise same-sex marriage. However, whether your home country later recognises the Thai marriage is a separate question governed by that country's own law — see the FAQ.
Where to register
You register a marriage with a District Registration Office:
- In the provinces, this is the amphoe office (สำนักทะเบียนอำเภอ / ที่ว่าการอำเภอ).
- In Bangkok, it is the khet (district) office (สำนักงานเขต).
- Thai nationals abroad can register at a Thai embassy or consulate.
You are generally not required to register in your area of residence — you may choose a convenient district office. According to the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), registration is available across Thailand's hundreds of district offices (and Bangkok's 50 khet offices), and the law applies nationwide.
Practical tip
For couples with foreign documents — affirmations, certified translations, legalised affidavits — larger offices in Bangkok and Chiang Mai tend to have more experience with international couples. A smaller rural amphoe can absolutely register a same-sex or international marriage, but it is wise to call ahead and confirm what they will require.
Appointments / online queue
Thailand's Bureau of Registration Administration (BORA, under DOPA) runs an online advance-booking system so you can reserve a date and time and reduce waiting. You can book through the DOPA/BORA portal (bora.dopa.go.th, advance-service booking at q-online.bora.dopa.go.th). Booking ahead is optional but recommended, especially around symbolic dates (for example, Valentine's Day) when district offices are busy.
Documents you need — Thai citizens
For two Thai nationals, the standard documents are:
- Thai national ID card (บัตรประชาชน) for each person.
- House registration certificate (ทะเบียนบ้าน / tabien baan) — bring it or a copy, per your office's instructions.
- Two witnesses, each aged 20 or over, with valid ID. (Thai guidance describes witnesses as adults of full legal age who are not legally incompetent.)
- If previously married: proof the prior marriage ended — a divorce certificate or the death certificate of the former spouse.
- Parental/guardian consent letter — only if required because of age (see eligibility flag above).
- A prenuptial agreement (สัญญาก่อนสมรส), if the couple wishes to make one — optional, but if you want one it should be presented at registration.
Name change is optional
Under marriage equality, spouses may keep their own surnames or, by agreement, share one. There is no legal requirement to change your name.
Documents you need — foreigners (and two foreigners marrying in Thailand)
If one or both of you are not Thai, there are extra, sequential steps. Each foreign partner must complete these for themselves. The typical requirements are:
- Passport (and, in practice, your arrival/entry record or relevant visa page) for each foreign party.
- An Affirmation of Freedom to Marry (also called an affidavit/affirmation of marital status or eligibility to marry), issued by your own embassy or consulate in Thailand. This is a sworn statement that you are legally free to marry. Note that for many countries (for example, the United States) the embassy provides a self-sworn affidavit — it is your sworn declaration, not a government certification of single status.
- A certified Thai translation of the affirmation (and often of relevant passport details), prepared by a qualified/registered translator.
- Legalisation by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Both the original affirmation and its Thai translation are submitted to the MFA Legalisation Division (Department of Consular Affairs) — in Bangkok this is at Chaeng Watthana. The MFA stamps/legalises the documents so a district office will accept them.
- Two witnesses with ID (some couples bring one from each side).
- If previously married: proof the prior marriage ended (divorce or death of former spouse), translated and legalised as required.
Typical order of operations for foreigners: 1) get the affirmation from your embassy, 2) have it translated into Thai, 3) legalise the original and translation at the MFA, 4) go to the district office to register.
Flag — embassies differ a lot for same-sex couples
Whether your embassy will issue the affirmation, what it costs, what it is called, and whether it attaches conditions varies significantly by country. Some embassies (for example the US and the UK) issue affirmations readily and recognise same-sex marriage; others — typically embassies of countries that do not themselves recognise same-sex marriage — may refuse, restrict, or attach conditions (for example, requiring a Thai work permit or education visa). This is country-specific and can change — contact your embassy directly and early.
Flag — two foreigners is allowed, but check both embassies
Thailand permits two foreigners (including a same-sex couple) to marry here. The practical bottleneck is usually whether each partner can obtain the affirmation from their embassy. If one partner's embassy will not issue it, that couple may be unable to complete a Thai registration — confirm both sides before booking travel.
Step-by-step: how to register
A simplified end-to-end flow:
- Confirm eligibility (both 18+, single, free to marry).
- Foreigners: obtain your embassy Affirmation of Freedom to Marry, get a certified Thai translation, and legalise both at the MFA (Chaeng Watthana in Bangkok). (Thai-only couples skip this step.)
- (Optional but recommended) Book your appointment via the BORA/DOPA online queue, or call your chosen amphoe/khet to confirm requirements and walk-in hours.
- Gather your documents (IDs/passports, house registration for Thais, affirmation + translation + MFA legalisation for foreigners, divorce/death certificates if relevant, witnesses' IDs).
- Go to the district office together with your two witnesses.
- Complete the application form. The registrar uses the Kor Ror 1 (คร.1) marriage application; the registrar checks your documents and that both parties meet the legal conditions.
- Both spouses and both witnesses sign, and the registrar records the marriage.
- Receive your certificate. The office issues the marriage register record (Kor Ror 2 / คร.2) and the marriage certificate (Kor Ror 3 / คร.3) — your official proof of marriage.
Same-day in most cases
For Thai couples with documents in order, registration is often completed the same day. For foreigners, the registration itself is usually same-day once your affirmation, translation, and MFA legalisation are already done — it is those earlier steps that take time.
Fees and timing
- Registration at the district office is free of charge when done at the office itself.
- Off-site registration (asking officials to perform the ceremony at another location) typically incurs a fee of 200 baht, plus you arrange transport for the officials.
- Translation and MFA legalisation carry their own separate fees, which vary by translator and by the MFA's published schedule and processing speed (standard vs. express).
- Embassy affirmation fees vary widely by country and can change with exchange rates and policy.
- Timing: Thai-only couples can often finish in a single visit. Foreigners should budget extra days/weeks for the embassy affirmation, translation, and MFA legalisation steps before the district-office visit.
Flag — fees and times are indicative, not guaranteed
Government schedules, MFA processing times, and embassy charges change. Treat the figures above as a starting point and confirm current amounts with each office.
Rights you gain by marrying
Marriage equality gives same-sex spouses the same legal rights and duties as any married couple under Thai law. These include:
- Inheritance & succession. A legal spouse is a statutory heir and can inherit from the other under the rules of intestate succession; spouses are also generally exempt from inheritance tax on assets received from a deceased spouse.
- Medical decision-making. Spouses can make medical decisions and give consent for an ill or incapacitated partner.
- Joint marital property (sin somros). Assets acquired during the marriage are generally treated as shared marital property, with rules for management and division.
- Tax: married couples may access spousal tax treatment — for example a spouse allowance of up to 60,000 baht (claimable when your spouse has little or no income of their own) and the option of joint or separate filing, subject to Revenue Department rules.
- Adoption & parenting. Legally married same-sex couples may jointly adopt a child, with both partners holding equal parental rights and responsibilities.
- State and employment benefits. Spouses may extend certain personal/financial benefits — for instance, pension and welfare entitlements — to one another, as those schemes are updated to use spouse-neutral language.
- Spousal visa (for a foreigner married to a Thai national). A same-sex foreign spouse of a Thai national now has the same right to a Non-Immigrant O (marriage) visa and its long-stay one-year extension as opposite-sex spouses. Both a foreign marriage certificate and the Thai certificate (Kor Ror 3) are generally accepted in support.
Flag — dependent visas for two foreigners are rolling out in stages
As of mid-2026, dependent status has been extended to same-sex spouses of some foreign long-stay visa holders — notably LTR (high-potential resident) visa holders. For other foreign long-stay categories (for example, the spouse of a Non-B work-visa holder), confirm the current dependent-visa rules with the Thai Immigration Bureau before relying on them, as implementation is still being phased in.
Flag — tax and benefit specifics change
Exact deduction amounts, joint-filing mechanics, and which welfare/pension schemes have been fully updated are governed by separate agency rules that evolve. Confirm details with the Revenue Department (for tax) and the relevant fund/agency before planning around them.
Frequently asked questions
Is same-sex marriage actually legal in Thailand now?
Yes. Thailand's Marriage Equality Act came into force on 23 January 2025. Same-sex couples can register a marriage at any district (amphoe/khet) office and receive the same legal status as any married couple.
Note on the effective date
The law was first announced for 22 January 2025, then confirmed for 23 January 2025 — the date 120 days after its 24 September 2024 Royal Gazette publication. The first 1,839 couples registered on 23 January 2025.
Where exactly do we go to register?
A District Registration Office — the amphoe in the provinces or the khet office in Bangkok (or a Thai embassy/consulate for Thais abroad). You can usually choose a convenient office rather than your registered address.
Can two foreigners get married in Thailand?
Yes — two foreigners, including a same-sex couple, can marry in Thailand, even if their home countries do not recognise same-sex marriage. The practical condition is that each partner must obtain an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry from their own embassy (then translate and MFA-legalise it). If one embassy refuses, that couple may not be able to complete the registration — check both embassies first.
What documents do foreigners need?
Typically: passport; an embassy-issued Affirmation of Freedom to Marry; a certified Thai translation; MFA legalisation of the original and the translation; two witnesses; and, if previously married, proof the prior marriage ended. Requirements vary by embassy and district office — confirm both.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Registration at the district office is free. Off-site registration is usually 200 baht plus transport. Translation, MFA legalisation, and embassy affirmations carry separate, variable fees. Thai-only couples often finish in one visit; foreigners should allow extra time for the embassy/translation/MFA steps first.
Will my Thai same-sex marriage be recognised back home?
That depends entirely on your home country's law, not Thailand's. Some countries recognise a foreign same-sex marriage; others do not. If recognition at home matters to you (for taxes, immigration, or inheritance there), get advice under that country's law.
What rights do we get after marrying?
The same as any married couple: inheritance/intestate succession, medical decision-making, joint marital property, spousal tax treatment, the ability to jointly adopt, and — for a foreign spouse of a Thai national — eligibility for the Non-O marriage visa. Some downstream rules (for example, dependent visas for spouses of foreign visa holders) are still being updated.
Do we need an appointment, or can we walk in?
Many offices accept walk-ins, but you can book online in advance through the BORA/DOPA queue system to reduce waiting. Around busy/symbolic dates, booking ahead is strongly advised. Call your chosen office to confirm its hours and document checklist.
Official resources
- District (amphoe/khet) registration office
- Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) — dopa.go.th
- Bureau of Registration Administration (BORA) — bora.dopa.go.th; advance booking at q-online.bora.dopa.go.th
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Legalisation Division (Chaeng Watthana)
- Thai Immigration Bureau
- Revenue Department
Disclaimer (repeat)
This article is general information, not legal advice. PrideShow is a directory/connector, not a law firm or government office. Rules, documents, fees, and timelines vary by district office and embassy and can change — please verify with your local amphoe/khet and your embassy before acting. If your situation is complex (prior marriages, foreign documents, children, immigration), consider consulting a qualified Thai family lawyer.
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Written by the PrideShow editorial team in Bangkok. Data-backed, community-informed, and always naming our sources. Want to write for Rert.? Pitch us at editorial@prideshow.org