How can a Thai partner come to Belgium to get married?
The Thai partner applies in Bangkok for a long-stay visa D “with a view to marriage”. First the Belgian partner makes a declaration of marriage at their commune. Then the Thai partner applies at TLScontact with that declaration, legalised Thai documents, a medical certificate and a criminal record. The partner in Belgium must prove income, housing and health insurance. The visa takes about 4.5 to 5 months, is valid for 6 months, and the wedding must take place before the stay permit ends.
Spoyzy in Bangkok prepares the Thai documents (translation and legalisation) and checks the complete visa file.
Some couples prefer to marry in Belgium, with family and friends, instead of at a district office in Thailand. This guide explains the official route, based on the Belgian Embassy in Bangkok checklist and the Belgian Immigration Office (dofi).
In short
- Visa: national visa D for marriage in Belgium (the visa shows code B47)
- Age: at least 18 when marrying a Belgian, at least 21 when both partners are non-EU nationals
- Start at the Belgian commune: the declaration of marriage must be less than 6 months old when you apply
- Fees: visa fee €250 + contribution fee €242 paid in Belgium before applying
- Processing: usually 4.5 to 5 months
- After arrival: register at the commune within 8 days, marry within the 6-month stay, then apply for residence
Why couples choose Spoyzy
- We speak Thai, English, French and Dutch, so both partners understand every document
- We handle the Thai side: district office documents, translation by our partner translator recognised by the Belgian Embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassy legalisation
- 150+ marriages and 800+ legalised documents
- Rated 5.0 ★ on Google
1. Marry in Belgium or in Thailand?
| Marry in Belgium | Marry in Thailand | |
|---|---|---|
| Visa steps | Marriage visa D, then residence at the commune after the wedding | Wedding first, then one family reunification visa D |
| Where the paperwork starts | Belgian commune (declaration of marriage) | Belgian Embassy (certificate of no impediment) and Thai district office |
| Wedding | In Belgium, family and friends there | At a Bangkok district office, then legalisation in Thailand |
| Visa time | About 4.5 to 5 months | Decision within 6 months after applying |
Both routes work. Couples who marry in Thailand read our marriage registration guide and our family reunification guide.
2. Who can apply?
- A Thai (or other non-EU) national who wants to marry, in Belgium, a Belgian or a non-EU national living legally in Belgium
- Both partners must be unmarried (single, divorced or widowed)
- Age: 18 or older to marry a Belgian; 21 or older for both partners if neither is Belgian
- Marrying a non-Belgian EU citizen? You may be able to use the free EU family visa instead. See our EU family visa guide
3. Step 1: the declaration of marriage at the Belgian commune
The couple first makes a declaration of marriage at the commune in Belgium. The commune gives you its own list of documents. It usually asks for the Thai partner’s birth certificate and proof of single status, legalised and translated. The visa application must include a copy of this declaration, issued less than 6 months before the visa application.
Plan the Thai documents early: each one is legalised by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, translated by a recognised translator, then legalised by the Belgian Embassy (by appointment, €25 per document, paid in baht: 1,000 THB). Many documents are needed twice: once for the commune and once for the visa.
4. Documents for the visa
General
- Long-stay visa application form (visa-on-web), printed, dated and signed, with a recent colour photo (3.5 × 4.5 cm)
- Original passport, valid at least 3 months after the planned departure from the Schengen area, with 2 blank pages, plus copies of the data page and all used pages
- Proof of payment of the contribution fee (€242), paid before you apply
- Visa fee (€250), paid at TLScontact
- Two identical sets of copies, A4, in the checklist order
From both partners
- Certificate showing you are not married now (for the Thai partner: legalised + translated + legalised by the embassy)
- Divorce certificate or death certificate of a former spouse, if any (same legalisation)
- Copy of the declaration of marriage from the Belgian commune
- A chronological history of the relationship (how you met, visits, contact)
From the partner in Belgium
- Copy of the Belgian ID card or residence card (front and back)
- Proof of suitable housing: property deed or a registered rental contract
- Proof of stable, regular and sufficient income: payslips of the last 12 months and/or the latest tax assessment
- Proof of health insurance (mutuality) covering the risks in Belgium
From the Thai partner
- Medical certificate from a doctor approved by the Belgian Embassy, less than 6 months old
- Criminal record (Royal Thai Police), less than 6 months old, legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Belgian Embassy. Spoyzy can request it for you; if you apply yourself, you need an introduction letter from the Belgian Embassy for the police
- Travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen countries, at least €30,000, covering at least the first 90 days
5. How much income does the partner in Belgium need?
The Immigration Office applies the same income rules as for family reunification. As of October 2026, two amounts exist during a transition period (until August 2027): €2,217.47 net per month under the old rules or €2,456.97 net per month under the new rules. Which one applies depends on your situation, and some income (such as social assistance) does not count. We check this with you before you apply.
6. Costs
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa fee (visa D) | €250, paid in baht at TLScontact |
| Contribution fee (Immigration Office) | €242, paid in Belgium before you apply |
| Legalisation at the Belgian Embassy | €25 per document, paid in baht (1,000 THB) |
| Other | TLScontact service fee, Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation, translations, medical certificate, insurance |
Nothing is refunded if the visa is refused.
7. Timeline
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Now | Collect the Thai documents, have them translated and legalised |
| Next | Declaration of marriage at the Belgian commune |
| Within 6 months of that declaration | Pay the contribution fee, then apply at TLScontact Bangkok (an embassy interview is possible) |
| About 4.5 to 5 months later | Decision. Visa D valid 6 months |
| Within 8 days of arrival | Register at the commune (you receive an Annex 15, then an A card valid 6 months) |
| Before the A card ends | Get married. The card is not renewed |
| Right after the wedding | Apply for family reunification at the commune with your passport and the marriage certificate |
8. After the wedding
Because the Immigration Office already checked the conditions with the visa, the residence application is simple: the Thai spouse brings the passport and the marriage certificate to the commune. The spouse of a Belgian receives an F card; the spouse of a non-EU national receives an A card. If the wedding does not take place before the stay permit ends, the commune gives an order to leave the country.
9. Common mistakes
- A declaration of marriage that is more than 6 months old on the day of the visa application
- Applying without proof of payment of the contribution fee (the application is not processed)
- Thai documents not legalised in the right order: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then translation, then Belgian Embassy
- A rental contract that is not registered
- Income just below the amount, or income that does not count
- A medical certificate or criminal record older than 6 months
- A short or vague relationship history
10. How Spoyzy helps
- A personal document list for both partners
- Thai documents from the district office, translation by our partner translator recognised by the Belgian Embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassy legalisation
- Thai criminal record (police clearance): we handle it for you
- Help with the relationship history, the visa form and the TLScontact appointment
- A full check of the file before you apply
Read also: Which Belgium visa do you need?, Cohabitation visa for Belgium and Family reunification after marrying in Thailand
Planning a wedding in Belgium?
Tell us on WhatsApp your nationalities, where you live, and when you would like to marry.
About Poy
Poy runs Spoyzy Co., Ltd. in Bangkok, a specialist for Thailand–Europe visas and official documents. Poy has handled 150+ marriages, 200+ visa cases and 800+ legalised documents, and works in Thai, English, French and Dutch.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Thai citizen get married in Belgium?
Yes. The Thai partner applies in Bangkok for a visa D to marry in Belgium, after the couple has made a declaration of marriage at the Belgian commune.
How long does a Belgium marriage visa take?
The Immigration Office says it generally takes 4.5 to 5 months from the date of the application.
How much does a Belgium marriage visa cost?
The visa fee is €250 and the contribution fee is €242, plus the TLScontact service fee, legalisations, translations, the medical certificate and insurance.
Can my Thai partner come on a tourist visa and marry in Belgium?
The official route to marry and then stay in Belgium is the visa D for marriage. With this visa the Immigration Office checks the conditions in advance, so after the wedding the residence application at the commune is simple.
How long do we have to get married after arrival?
The stay permit (A card) is valid for 6 months and is not renewed. The wedding must take place before it ends.
What is the minimum age?
18 when marrying a Belgian. 21 for both partners when neither is Belgian.
Does the Belgian partner need a minimum income?
Yes, stable, regular and sufficient income, as for family reunification: €2,217.47 or €2,456.97 net per month in October 2026, depending on the rules that apply.
Which Thai documents are needed?
Usually the birth certificate and proof of single status (and a divorce or death certificate if previously married), plus a criminal record, all legalised by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, translated and legalised by the Belgian Embassy.
What happens after the wedding?
The Thai spouse applies for family reunification at the commune with the passport and marriage certificate. The spouse of a Belgian receives an F card.
Is it easier to marry in Thailand?
It means one visa application instead of two steps, but the wedding is in Thailand. Many of our couples marry in Bangkok and then apply for family reunification.
Sources (checked 29 October 2026): Belgian Embassy in Bangkok, checklist “Visa for marriage in Belgium (D visa)” and “Visa for Belgium” (visa fee €250 from 1 July 2026); Immigration Office (dofi.ibz.be), “D visa application for the purpose of marriage or legal cohabitation” and “Contribution fee” (amounts since 1 January 2026); income amounts as in our family reunification guide.
Last verified: 29 October 2026.
Written by Poy, founder of Spoyzy
Poy has handled 200+ visa cases, 150+ marriages and 800+ document legalisations for Thai–foreign couples and families. Poy speaks Thai, French and English (and a little Dutch), and explains every document to both partners in their own language.
Ask Poy on WhatsAppLast updated: October 2026
