About Marrying a Khmer Woman

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Ronny
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About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by Ronny »

Ok, so from what I've read, if you want to marry a Khmer woman, you have to show proof of having an income of $2,500 or more. What? That's a lot of money if you marry her and then live in Kampuchea. Seriously, how many of you guys have a monthly income of $2,500 or more while working in Kampuchea? To me, that sounds extreme being that Kampuchea is so underdeveloped. My point is that, if you were to marry a Thai woman, all you have to do is register your marriage and show proof that you have at least 400,000 Baht in a banking account. Thailand is much more developed than Kampuchea but it's easier to get married there. Why? So for all you guys who married a Khmer woman, please feel free to tell me how you went about getting married. Thanks.
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PSD-Kiwi
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Re: About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by PSD-Kiwi »

PSD-Kiwi wrote: Sat May 13, 2017 11:28 pm First of all, you will need to go to the MoFAIC in Phnom Penh and meet and speak to Mr Ung Vantha in the Legal & Consular Department, this man will give you the application forms and lists of required documents, he will not accept any money. Do not deal with anyone else, as they will all ask for ridiculous sums of money. Mr. Ung Vantha's (MoFA) phone number, 016608586.

You will need to present the following to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

1. "Application for foreigner to marry Khmer citizen" (provided by MoFAIC)
2. Certificate of non-impediment/single status/divorce certificate (if applicable)/ex-spouses death certificate (if applicable)
3. Criminal record check from your country of citizenship
4. Passport with valid E type (Ordinary MEEV) visa, minimum 6 months validity
5. Letter of employment/proof of salary minimum $2500USD p/m (Male only). Work permit/work book/business license if employed in Cambodia.
6. Letter from your Embassy - permission/consent to marry
7. Pre-nuptial Medical certificate from Calmette Hospital (no older than 3 months)
8. 2x passport photos

NOTE: Foreign males must be under 50 years old to legally marry a Cambodian citizen in Cambodia.

All above documents must be notarised/certified from your nearest Embassy except 1,6 and 7.

Khmer partner will need to present;

1. "Certificate of celibacy, widowhood, divorce" (single status) from Sangkat
2. National ID card
3. Birth Certificate
4. Family Book and/or Carnet de Residence
5. Pre-nuptial Medical certificate from Calmette Hospital (no older than 3 months)
6. 2x passport photos

Note: The blood tests are for HIV, Hepatitis, and a few other diseases, chest x-ray is for TB. Cost from Calmette for the blood tests, x-ray and medical certificate is $120 per couple ($60 each). You will need to take your passport/national ID card, as well as 1x passport photo per person.

Once the MoFA processes the documents which takes about 1-2 weeks, you will be issued a letter which you must submit with all of your documents to the Ministry of Interior. You will both be interviewed by someone in the MoI, and if they are satisfied it will take approximately another 2+ months for them to issue an authorisation to marry letter, which you will then need to submit to your partners Sangkat, who will then issue you with your marriage certificate.

MoFAIC:

I'm not great at explaining directions, but I hope this helps...
When you go to the MoFA, enter the compound via the side entrance, do not go to the large main entrance on the riverside. There is a guard hut where you and your partner will have to show ID, and they will give you a visitors pass. Walk straight ahead to the large building straight ahead and to the right, and enter via the first side entrance.

As you enter, immediately on your left you should see a sign for e-visa on your right hand side, continue walking straight down the corridor. The 3rd or 4th door on the right hand side is Vanthas office. As you look at his office door, there should be a small alcove with a Buddhist statue to the left of his door, this is how you will know which office is his. Remember that this is a Cambodian Ministry, and they keep strange working hours...I think they take lunch from about 1100 - 1400.

MOI:

Do not go to the Main MoI compound. You need to go to an office called “National Committee to Lead the Suppression of Human Trafficking, Smuggling, Labour Exploitation and Sexual Exploitation in Woman and Children” (S.T.S.L.S), which is at the General dept of Identification building at this location…

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Gen ... ation+(GDI )/@11.5344525,104.9511904,17z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x4d2d71f75dee8eb6!8m2!3d11.5343962!4d104.9550942

Take all of your completed documentation and letter from the MoFAIC with you and try to arrive early (by 0900hrs at the latest). There all of your documentation will be checked, and if anything is not in order they will inform you of what you need to fix.

Once everything is in order, you will pay the official $200 fee, which you will receive a receipt for, and then be interviewed by several people, mostly regarding things like how you met your partner, how long you’ve been together, have you travelled together on holiday, how long have you lived/been travelling to Cambodia, what is your job, family members names and contact details, what are your plans, do you plan to take her overseas and exploit her, etc…Its not as daunting as you may think. Your partner will be near you the entire time, so if there any language barriers, ask her to translate for you.

Once everything is in order, it can take anywhere up to 4 months before you receive the letter of permission to marry from the MoI, which you then take to your partner's Sangkat in order to be issued your official marriage certificate. There is no requirement for a wedding ceremony in order to be issued a marriage certificate.

For foreigners marrying a Cambodian citizen, the only official fees payable are;

- $200 fee paid to the 'National Committe to Lead the Suppression of Human Trafficking, Smuggling, Labour Exploitation and Sexual Exploitation in Woman and Children (S.T.S.L.S)' , which is a department of the MoI. The fee covers admin, interviews and background check costs. An official receipt is issued.
- 20,000 Riel fee paid to the Sangkat which issues the official Marriage Certificate. An official receipt is issued.

(Note: The interviewers at the MoI expect a small "donation" each, about $5 each covers it...probably a good idea to just pay this to ensure your application is approved)

Many people no doubt end up dealing with the wrong people and/or fixers and end up getting fleeced purely because the information on the whole process is not readily available and can be confusing.
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phuketrichard
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Re: About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by phuketrichard »

"....if you were to marry a Thai woman, all you have to do is register your marriage and show proof that you have at least 400,000 Baht in a banking account. "
u dont need show any Money to get married, the 400,000 in the bank is to get a 1 year extension.

need a bit more,
certificate from ur embassy saying ur single and that needs be translated to thai and than legalized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
than u go to the local amphur and marry
take the paper and get translated to English
than back to Ministry of Foreign Affairs. and have it legalized
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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PSD-Kiwi
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Re: About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by PSD-Kiwi »

In regards to the salary issue...Just ask your employer to provide a signed letter, with company letter head, with an increased salary rate.

Or if your employer won't do it just make your own letter up... The MoFAIC and MoI don't actually contact your employer to check.
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PSD-Kiwi
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Re: About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by PSD-Kiwi »

PSD-Kiwi wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:33 am In regards to the salary issue...Just ask your employer to provide a signed letter, with company letter head, with an increased salary rate.

Or if your employer won't do it just make your own letter up... The MoFAIC and MoI don't actually contact your employer to check.

And why have you started a new thread on this subject, you have already asked the same question on another thread which you started https://cambodiaexpatsonline.com/post166929.html#p166929

Also, why are you even asking about marrying a Cambodian woman when you don't even live here, or have you already got a Cambodian girlfriend in Thailand?
Ronny
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Re: About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by Ronny »

Sorry for the confusion, PSD. The intent of this thread was not to inquire about what I legally need to do to marry a Khmer woman (IF that's what I ever decide to do), it was more a question about why you need that much money ($2,500) to marry a Khmer when in the more affluent neighboring countries don't require this. It just seems so strange to me. Other than that, I just wanted to know if there is any way to "skirt around the issue" if you want to marry but don't make that much money in a month. The age thing is also strange, I might add. I guess the Khmer authorities don't want a bunch of old guys getting married in their country, lol. Oh well, I'm 49 so my expiration date is coming up pretty soon.
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PSD-Kiwi
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Re: About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by PSD-Kiwi »

PSD-Kiwi wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:33 am In regards to the salary issue...Just ask your employer to provide a signed letter, with company letter head, with an increased salary rate.

Or if your employer won't do it just make your own letter up... The MoFAIC and MoI don't actually contact your employer to check.
The age and salary requirements were introduced to try and curb trafficking, foreigners were coming and marrying local women then taking them back to their countries (Korea, Malaysia, Arab Nations, etc.) and forcing them into slave labour (maids, brothels, factories, etc). I highly doubt these measures have been very successful in curbing this practice though.
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StroppyChops
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Re: About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by StroppyChops »

PSD-Kiwi wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2017 3:06 pm
PSD-Kiwi wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:33 am In regards to the salary issue...Just ask your employer to provide a signed letter, with company letter head, with an increased salary rate.

Or if your employer won't do it just make your own letter up... The MoFAIC and MoI don't actually contact your employer to check.
The age and salary requirements were introduced to try and curb trafficking, foreigners were coming and marrying local women then taking them back to their countries (Korea, Malaysia, Arab Nations, etc.) and forcing them into slave labour (maids, brothels, factories, etc). I highly doubt these measures have been very successful in curbing this practice though.
Although it gives the appearance of trying to curb trafficking - wouldn't want to actually change any immoral practices while certain families are benefiting from them.
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
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phuketrichard
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Re: About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by phuketrichard »

it never addressed the issue of an over 50 Khmer lady wishing to marry an over 50 Barang>>>
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: About Marrying a Khmer Woman

Post by Anchor Moy »

Ronny wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2017 2:55 pm Sorry for the confusion, PSD. The intent of this thread was not to inquire about what I legally need to do to marry a Khmer woman (IF that's what I ever decide to do), it was more a question about why you need that much money ($2,500) to marry a Khmer when in the more affluent neighboring countries don't require this. It just seems so strange to me. Other than that, I just wanted to know if there is any way to "skirt around the issue" if you want to marry but don't make that much money in a month. The age thing is also strange, I might add. I guess the Khmer authorities don't want a bunch of old guys getting married in their country, lol. Oh well, I'm 49 so my expiration date is coming up pretty soon.
Because you will need a minimum of $2500 to host a Cambodian wedding.
But why are you asking questions about a wedding that you are not planning to have ?
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