How it works having a baby in Thailand?

[scoteng]

Hi, I have a baby due with my Thai partner in the next few weeks. I live in the UK at the moment and she's in Bangkok. Now I'm very confused as to how it works over there with the birth. She's told me that I need to send to her a certifcate of residence, proof of employment letter, certified copy of my passport, and a proven analylis of my DNA. Now I've got the first three things sorted, but proven analylis of my DNA? I don't know how it's possible to do this as I've spoke to some DNA companies and I've been told that it's only possible when the baby is born to test the baby in Thailand and test me here. Now she keeps on at me about the DNA but I don't know what to do about it, and also I don't get why the hospital is requiring all this stuff? Now I won't be able to get to Thailand for the birth due to the current pandemic, but can she not just put me down as the father on the birth without me being there? She mentions something about an ID card for the baby as to the reasons for all this stuff she's requiring? Anyone with some experience in this can enlighten me please. Also would like the baby to have my family name, thanks :)

[Pilotman]

Sorry to say, but you are going to have a devil of a time getting this sorted and only then if you come to Thailand to get the ball rolling.  I have no wish to depress you, but my step son was (is) in your position with his Philippine GF and their daughter.  They have a 5 year old girl and despite all efforts, he has been unable to prove that  she is British by birth to a UK citizen father.  He has had all the DNA tests, affidavits etc and to date, nothing has worked.  The issue with him, which may not be with you, is that his GF is still legally married to a Philippine Citizen and that is muddying the waters, even though the Phills chap does not claim any paternity and doesn't want to know.   My best advice to you, which is what my step son is now doing, is to engage both a Thai Law firm and a UK immigration lawyer and let them navigate you through the issues.  Start with a Thai law firm and see where you get, through the normal Embassy registration process, but you will need a DNA test of you and the baby to start with. You need to be here when the baby is born, and that, with the travel restrictions in place, is not going to be easy, that's why you will need a lawyer here to help. Good luck with it all and I wish you all success.   

[lopburi3]

27 minutes ago, scoteng said:

my Thai partner

Sorry can not be of help but above seems to means you are not married so expect this is the issue if you want child to have your name paperwork is required and you not being here makes it more problematic.  Expect if no answer now you can take action later but was not aware babies had ID cards.  Do not believe she can just put down anyone's name as the father although it is possible to have out of wedlock fathers name with proper paperwork from the father.

[n00dle]

9 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Sorry to say, but you are going to have a devil of a time getting this sorted and only then if you come to Thailand to get the ball rolling.  I have no wish to depress you, but my step son was (is) in your position with his Philippine GF and their daughter.  They have a 5 year old girl and despite all efforts, he has been unable to prove that  she is British by birth to a UK citizen father.  He has had all the DNA tests, affidavits etc and to date, nothing has worked.  The issue with him, which may not be with you, is that his GF is still legally married to a Philippine Citizen and that is muddying the waters, even though the Phills chap does not claim any paternity and doesn't want to know.   My best advice to you, which is what my step son is now doing, is to engage both a Thai Law firm and a UK immigration lawyer and let them navigate you through the issues.  Start with a Thai law firm and see where you get, through the normal Embassy registration process, but you will need a DNA test of you and the baby to start with. You need to be here when the baby is born, and that, with the travel restrictions in place, is not going to be easy, that's why you will need a lawyer here to help. Good luck with it all and I wish you all success.   

Sorry, what does the philipines have to do with anything?

 

I see you have posted a confused emoji in response to my question.

 

I think confused accurately sums up the state of mind that would have you commenting with an irrelavent personal anecdote involving another country altogether and a woman legally married to another man 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by n00dle

[Pilotman]

Just now, n00dle said:

Sorry,what does the philipines have to do with anything?

Duh, the issues are exactly the same, in proving paternity to the UK authorities.  I would have thought that was obvious. The man is looking for help, not snide comments. 

[nikmar]

I was not married to my (now) wife when our son was born. The difference being that I was here in Bangkok when he came into this world. From the events that occured directly after, I understood that he needed to be registered the next day ( or 2 days) or it would be a problem to get his Thai ID card in the future. All that was required from me was my passport. We had hospital documents and Mother's documents. At no point was I asked for a DNA sample. At all. 

 

This was 13 years ago, so it may have changed but there was no problem with my son having my name ( in Thai script, so there is a slight pronunciation difference). From there, with Thai birth certificate, plus his Mum's and mine, we got him registered at the British embassy so there should be no problem getting him a british passport.

 

The difficulty is that you are not here for the birth, I can only suggest that you trawl the net for any relevant information and maybe a talk with a Thai embassy could help. 

 

The best of luck to you. I hope this doesn't cloud what should be a very happy occasion for you.

[Keyser Soze666]

Mmmm. Things must have changed a lot if all this is true.

 

When my 2 were born the hospital staff literally just asked my wife what the name of the father is to put on the birth cert was and that was it! 

 

Edit: I may have gave them a copy of my PP but that was it. And I was present at both births, so maybe this is the difference.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Keyser Soze666

[n00dle]

4 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Duh, the issues are exactly the same, in proving paternity to the UK authorities.  I would have thought that was obvious. The man is looking for help, not snide comments. 

Perhaps you should re read the post, in no way does he address uk paternity. 

 

The man is asking about thai process, not how to legalize paternity in the uk with a woman in another country who is already legally married to someone else.

 

He specifically asks about the thai process:

41 minutes ago, scoteng said:

Now I'm very confused as to how it works over there with the birth.

 

42 minutes ago, scoteng said:

but can she not just put me down as the father on the birth without me being there? She mentions something about an ID card

Which part of this is unclear?

 

He can easily be put on the birth cert as the father. I certainly was. 

 

I beleive the dna request is so he can be naturualized as the father in the absence of them being married. I had this done at the amphur a few years later.

 

As a canadian getting my child citizenship was also a simple matter, but I wont go into it as it is as irrelavent to the op as your anecdote above.

[KhaoNiaw]

13 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Duh, the issues are exactly the same, in proving paternity to the UK authorities.  I would have thought that was obvious. The man is looking for help, not snide comments. 

Isn't his name on the birth certificate? Years ago I actually got married to my daughter's mother so my daughter could get her British passport because at the time only a woman could pass on British nationality if unmarried. A year or two later it became possible for unmarried men to do the same and I think being named on the birth certificate is enough for the British authorities now. Paternity in Thailand has some difficulties of its own and it sounds like the OP's partner is probably trying to deal with this. 

I'm not sure how the Thai system works now but in the early 90s when my daughter was born, they just asked for my surname and put it on the documents at the hospital, then on the birth certificate and registration at the district office. However, a friend who had a child around the same time was told they couldn't use his surname because he wasn't married to his child's mother. 

[n00dle]

2 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Mmmm. Things must have changed a lot if all this is true.

 

When my 2 were born the hospital staff literally just asked my wife what the name of the father is to put on the birth cert was and that was it!

For all intensive purposes same here. I beleive the issue is naturalization as they are unmarried. This is an administrative process which I believe dna might speed up.

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, n00dle said:

Perhaps you should re read the post, in no way does he address uk paternity. 

 

The man is asking about thai process, not how to legalize paternity in the uk with a woman in another country who is already legally married to someone else.

 

He specifically asks about the thai process:

 

Which part of this is unclear?

 

He can easily be put on the birth cert as the father. I certainly was. 

 

I beleive the dna request is so he can be naturualized as the father in the absence of them being married. I had this done at the amphur a few years later.

 

As a canadian getting my child citizenship was also a simple matter, but I wont go into it as it is as irrelavent to the op as your anecdote above.

read between the lines.  I can't imagine that he doesn't want the child to be a British Citizen.  Perhaps you know him, so know better. 

[Keyser Soze666]

3 minutes ago, nikmar said:

we got him registered at the British embassy so there should be no problem getting him a british passport.

 

 

Without wanting to veer off topic do you know reg him at the Brit embassy made no difference whatsoever in getting him a Brit PP. They have even stopped the option of doing that now.

[Keyser Soze666]

1 minute ago, n00dle said:

For all intensive purposes same here. I beleive the issue is naturalization as they are unmarried. This is an administrative process which I believe dna might speed up.

I wasn't married when either of mine were born. I am now though, things started getting tougher with visas you see ????

[n00dle]

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

read between the lines.  I can't imagine that he doesn't want the child to be a British Citizen.  Perhaps you know him, so know better. 

Yeah, no. 

 

Im going to go with the question the op asked. 

 

But great story, thanks for sharing.

[fredwiggy]

All your questions answered here, first 30 minutes cost 1000 baht............https://www.isaanlawyers.com/

Edited June 19, 2020 by fredwiggy

[Jane Dough]

You don't need DNA proof. You just declare you are the father.

 

Rooster

[OneMoreFarang]

Maybe first you should improve your communication with your Thai partner.

[KhaoNiaw]

The sticky at the top of this sub-forum is very informative:
How To Gain Parental Rights as a Father

[spoon1967]

You no longer need to be married to be the legal father (I was at the time, but now divorced), she may need a copy of your passport so that your details can be put on the birth cert.  On the birth cert the child is given an ID number, this will be the same number as the Thai national ID when issued, my son got his recently at age 7, that's when they get there first one so don't understand why she is saying the info she needs is for that.  When travelling on domestic flights, you can use the child's birth cert as ID, but must be an original, no copies. Your child is also entitled to dual UK/Thai nationality. 

DNA is only required if you have a dispute as far as I'm aware.

The above is my experience, other may have more info.

[Irishrogue]

I have 4 children in Thailand, they are from 16 years old down to an 8 year old I am legally registered as their father and at no time was I required to provide DNA evidence. I did not have a work permit when the first 2 were born but did for the last 2 and the only document I had to provide was my passport. After the birth it was then my wife who took care of all the necessary documentation but again only my passport and signature, which I assume in your case can be dealt with if even required via email. 

[spoon1967]

1 minute ago, spoon1967 said:

You no longer need to be married to be the legal father (I was at the time, but now divorced), she may need a copy of your passport so that your details can be put on the birth cert.  On the birth cert the child is given an ID number, this will be the same number as the Thai national ID when issued, my son got his recently at age 7, that's when they get there first one so don't understand why she is saying the info she needs is for that.  When travelling on domestic flights, you can use the child's birth cert as ID, but must be an original, no copies. Your child is also entitled to dual UK/Thai nationality. 

DNA is only required if you have a dispute as far as I'm aware.

The above is my experience, other may have more info.

I forgot to mention, I was overseas when my son was born so no need to be at the birth to be put on the birth cert.

[herfiehandbag]

On 6/19/2020 at 10:32 AM, nikmar said:

I was not married to my (now) wife when our son was born. The difference being that I was here in Bangkok when he came into this world. From the events that occured directly after, I understood that he needed to be registered the next day ( or 2 days) or it would be a problem to get his Thai ID card in the future. All that was required from me was my passport. We had hospital documents and Mother's documents. At no point was I asked for a DNA sample. At all. 

 

This was 13 years ago, so it may have changed but there was no problem with my son having my name ( in Thai script, so there is a slight pronunciation difference). From there, with Thai birth certificate, plus his Mum's and mine, we got him registered at the British embassy so there should be no problem getting him a british passport.

 

The difficulty is that you are not here for the birth, I can only suggest that you trawl the net for any relevant information and maybe a talk with a Thai embassy could help. 

 

The best of luck to you. I hope this doesn't cloud what should be a very happy occasion for you.

Exactly the same for me - my daughter was registered at the local registry office in Chiang Rai. She has my surname, and a western Christian name - Lucy. I had to explain to the Registrar what Lucy meant (from the Latin "Luce" meaning light), then no problem.

 

The real problem is getting her

 a UK passport; we were not then married, so the UK authorities will not give her UK nationality, and bizarrely I cannot get her a visa to visit the UK as a Thai national since the visa people say that she should travel on a UK passport. I have been round and round the houses so many times with this in the last 5 years, but to no avail. After an initial straight refusal (no reason given other than that she was "illegitimate") now Emails, telephone calls and letters simply go unanswered. No one wants to know.

 

You should be OK though - the year after Lucy was born the rules changed, and were she a year younger (she will be 15 in July) she would be entitled to UK nationality. For her though it is discretionary, and they won't touch it!

 

Anyway, the very best of luck to you!

Edited June 20, 2020 by herfiehandbag

[Autonuaq]

Are you married then the marriage will cover you as the father.

 

For the dna you have to apply to the police hostpital in bangkok, foresnic unit.

 

This is one of the few places in thailand that are accpeted dna test by the thai.

 

Yoi could read all this in the many posts.

 

Theb you need to go to court and and under go the examination by appropriate goverment instances.

 

Finally you will have a court order to register as the father based on dna.

 

With this the child can apply to get you nationality.

You have to do this in your own country.

All document have to be translated and legalized. The best is to do this at the ministry of foreign affair in bangkoki have had very worse translations that where rejected by the Isaan lawyer office I had used.

Many translation errors 

All will take about 1.5  to 2 years and will costs also a few bath for the dna test as well the laywer, the court and the translation and legalization.

Again if you are married all would be easier. And costs lesser.

 

The foreign dna is useless

 

 

[gavlar]

I have 4 year old Thai son, my partner and I are not married,  his surname is mine on Thaii birth certificate and only my PP required by hospital.

He travelled to UK on his Thai PP and got him his UK passport with no issues. 

DNA test might be required for registering your child in Thailand Courts for you to have parental rights, as although your on birth certificate as father, you have no rights as your not married.

 

[Thomas J]

Same way here as other countries

[khunPer]

On 6/19/2020 at 4:46 AM, scoteng said:

She mentions something about an ID card for the baby as to the reasons for all this stuff she's requiring? Anyone with some experience in this can enlighten me please. Also would like the baby to have my family name, thanks

I'm father to a Thai child – well half Thai. as I'm Scandinavian and mum is Thai – I can enlighten you about what I had to do.

 

You need a certified translation of the front page of your passport, it's mainly the name that is important. This will be needed both for placing you as father on the birth certificate, and for the baby to have your family name.

 

The first name of the child need to be a name that is approved, or rather not in the "black book". Western names are not a possibility as they are prohibited, but often used as nick name or short name. Agree with the mum which name, or name possibilities, is going on the birth certificate; you can be lucky that they don't find your preferred name for the child in the "black book"; I was.

 

Having you name on the birth certificate don't make you a legal father, unless you are a married couple. You seem to be unmarried since you write "partner"and not "wife" in your opening post. I was not married, the mom is still my girlfriend.

 

If you are NOT married then for a small child you will need a DNA test to prove father-ship, and it need, to my knowledge, to be settled in the family court. As I didn't use that when my girlfriend gave birth, I cannot help with details, but you need the be verified as father to obtain dual nationality. The British embassy in Bangkok can help you, they might even have information on their homepage.

 

You can however always have it approved later that you father, which was what I did, as my country didn't allow a child from a foreign mother, not married to the father, to have my nationality; the law changed after a judgement by the EU court. If the child is below seven years of age you need a DNA test. If the child is seven years old it's easy; you just go to the local district office (amphor) together with the mother and the child, and all three of you shall state that you are the father. The amphor office will issue a legal certificate, which you can have translated to English, and legalized by the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok.

 

A child born in Thailand from a Thai parent (mother) will be issued a Thai national ID-number. There are to my knowledge no ID-cards for minors, the child need to be seven years old to obtain an ID-card. A copy of the birth certificate can be used instead, or a pasport of course. Anyway, get a certified English translation made of the birth certificate, even worth having it legalized, as you will need that to obtain British nationality now, or later.

 

Wish you good luck with your family...????

[baansgr]

I take it you intend on visiting as soon as you possibly can regarding flights, visa etc...I know of quite a few Thais albeit they are all over 30, that were not registered until 5 or more months after being born. Just an idea maybe possible you can postpone birth registration until you can be here..

[DJ54]

On 6/19/2020 at 11:18 AM, n00dle said:

Sorry, what does the philipines have to do with anything?

 

I think they were just giving you the scenario of what to expect.USA goes through pretty much the same tick box..... DNA etc...

 

Best of luck and hopefully it goes smooth... Check with your Embassy and the can tell you everything needed .. at least from the UK side. 

[dimitriv]

My daughter was born in december last year. I am not married with the mother, but I was in the hospital when my daughter was born.

 

The only thing we needed was a copy of my passport. We wrote my name in Thai letters on a piece of paper.

 

The hospital registered the child. A couple of days after the birth the hospital gave us the birth certificate.  The child has my last name (family name) on the birth certificate. And I am on the birth certificate as the father. The information I read about this was confusing and contradicting. Some people said that the child could not have my family name because we are not married. 

 

But...  Your name on the birth certificate means almost nothing if you are not married.  You have no legal rights, completely nothing. If you want to be legally the father you can do several things. Marriage will solve all problems. The second possibility is to go to court. Court can ask for prove like a DNA test. There are more ways to do this. If the child is older and can agree that you are the father you do not need to go to court. There is a lot you can find about this online. It's also not important now, because there is not much you can do about this when you are not in Thailand.

 

The only thing you have to do now is to give her a copy of your passport. Probably a scan of your passport by email will be enough. She can print it here. She has to make sure that the hospital understands that the child must get your last name, and that you must be registered as the father on the birth certificate. It is also important to use a good "translation" of your name in Thai letters.

 

I read in a previous post here about "certified translation of the front page of your passport". But we only had a simple copy of my passport, not certified and not translated. My passport does have English descriptions for all fields like "name", "birth date" etc. So maybe that is why we didn't need a translation. Maybe you can ask her to call to the hospital, and ask what they need. 

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2020 by dimitriv

[Dazinoz]

My girlfriend had a baby in Thailand. The hospital did the paperwork and we had to take it to some government office to get birth certificate.

 

She is not Thai, she is Burmese and I am Australian both names went on birth certificate from the paperwork provided by the hospital.

 

Won't be a problem for you but my son's birth certificate listed him as "No Nationality" and printed across top "someone who is temporarily or illegally in Thailand".