I'm interested in legally adopting my 20 year old adult stepson who lives with my wife and I and goes to college.I've taken care of since he was 4.According to my wife his mother this only requires a trip to the amphur at Banglamung to provide easily obtainable documents and a quick google search confirms this.Does anyone have experience of this process and any useful tips and possible pitfalls to be aware of please?Thanks.

I have absolutely no experience with this, but can only think that it may not be possible to adopt an adult, but entirely possible to bequeath them in your will.

Can you post what is the purpose of wanting to adopt an adult step son? What does it achieve?

6 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

I have absolutely no experience with this, but can only think that it may not be possible to adopt an adult, but entirely possible to bequeath them in your will.

Can you post what is the purpose of wanting to adopt an adult step son? What does it

I'd like him to inherit my name and his mother thinks it would make it easier for him to travel to the UK later if he so desires although I'm not sure it would..

@chang50 Quite an easy process, was for us. Our daughter adopted us, as parents. Simply went to Amphur office with IDs, and filed the paperwork there. We all have the same last name (my wife's) now.

Even did a couple wills, since she is now starting to acquire some assets. Also protects me a bit, house & land lots, in case wife craps out before me, though highly unlikely.

7 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

@chang50 Quite an easy process, was for us. Our daughter adopted us, as parents. Simply went to Amphur office with IDs, and filed the paperwork there. We all have the same last name (my wife's) now.

Even did a couple wills, since she is now starting to acquire some assets. Also protects me a bit, house & land lots, in case wife craps out before me, though highly unlikely.

Thanks 🙏 hopefully we find it as easy.

On 2/21/2026 at 11:59 PM, chang50 said:

I'd like him to inherit my name and his mother thinks it would make it easier for him to travel to the UK later if he so desires although I'm not sure it would..

I'm not British, but I would think the standard way of achieving what you would like to do is to have a UK marriage and move back, and then apply to bring some family out.

I've done a quick Google search and under British law, you can not adopt an adult.

If there is a moral here it is : Don't wait 16 years to adopt a child.

On 2/21/2026 at 7:42 PM, chang50 said:

I'm interested in legally adopting my 20 year old adult stepson who lives with my wife and I and goes to college.I've taken care of since he was 4.According to my wife his mother this only requires a trip to the amphur at Banglamung to provide easily obtainable documents and a quick google search confirms this.Does anyone have experience of this process and any useful tips and possible pitfalls to be aware of please?Thanks moto x3m.

From what I’ve heard, adult adoption in Thailand is usually straightforward if everyone agrees and documents are complete. Still, it’s smart to confirm requirements with the Banglamung amphur first, just in case something has changed.

2 hours ago, hankinstall said:

From what I’ve heard, adult adoption in Thailand is usually straightforward if everyone agrees and documents are complete. Still, it’s smart to confirm requirements with the Banglamung amphur first, just in case something has changed.

Thanks.

On 2/22/2026 at 7:08 AM, KhunLA said:

@chang50 Quite an easy process, was for us. Our daughter adopted us, as parents. Simply went to Amphur office with IDs, and filed the paperwork there. We all have the same last name (my wife's) now.

Even did a couple wills, since she is now starting to acquire some assets. Also protects me a bit, house & land lots, in case wife craps out before me, though highly unlikely.

Ok - I'm interested. Exactly how did that work. I was considering adopting my step son when he was 14 but was told it was impossible. So I'm interested in how did you Amphur process that request.

25 minutes ago, connda said:

Ok - I'm interested. Exactly how did that work. I was considering adopting my step son when he was 14 but was told it was impossible. So I'm interested in how did you Amphur process that request.

Really was simple, we all showed up, with IDs, blue & yellow books (daughter already on ours). She stated her intentions, they provided paperwork, I think, and just entered everything in the system. Her birth parents were NOT required, MIA anyway.

Next step, was to change last names, if wanting. Which she did on her ID to wife's last name. Really was too simple.

On 2/23/2026 at 5:28 PM, VocalNeal said:

If there is a moral here it is : Don't wait 16 years to adopt a child.

Wow! Even more of a knob than I thought you were. You have outdone yourself. What an incredibly vile post. I'm surprised your parents didn't have you adopted.

On 2/22/2026 at 6:59 AM, chang50 said:

I'd like him to inherit my name and his mother thinks it would make it easier for him to travel to the UK later if he so desires although I'm not sure it would..

You are correct at age 20 he has no right British citizenship either by adoption or descent, you need to be under 18, so he would remain Thai and would need to follow travel rules that Thais do

22 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Really was simple, we all showed up, with IDs, blue & yellow books (daughter already on ours). She stated her intentions, they provided paperwork, I think, and just entered everything in the system. Her birth parents were NOT required, MIA anyway.

Next step, was to change last names, if wanting. Which she did on her ID to wife's last name. Really was too simple.

So she is legally, under Thai law, you daughter? That didn't require a court visit and a judge's signature? Were you provide with legally binding paperwork?

38 minutes ago, connda said:

So she is legally, under Thai law, you daughter? That didn't require a court visit and a judge's signature? Were you provide with legally binding paperwork?

I'm pretty sure, since an adult, nothing to be adjudicated. If she was just changing her name, she could have done that without us. They needed my PP/yellow book & wife's ID, and took a bit more that a 5 minute name change.

Wife stated she's legally our daughter now.

I asked to adopt her when young, and even had parent's permission, of course a lawyer told me no prob, though I didn't believe him. So went to head guy at family services that would actually approve the application, and he said now way.

Stated just a scam. Locally it would be turned, and appealed to BKK, turned down again, and just a scam to get lawyer fees. Would take a fat brown envelope to get approved.

31 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I'm pretty sure, since an adult, nothing to be adjudicated. If she was just changing her name, she could have done that without us. They needed my PP/yellow book & wife's ID, and took a bit more that a 5 minute name change.

Wife stated she's legally our daughter now.

I asked to adopt her when young, and even had parent's permission, of course a lawyer told me no prob, though I didn't believe him. So went to head guy at family services that would actually approve the application, and he said now way.

Stated just a scam. Locally it would be turned, and appealed to BKK, turned down again, and just a scam to get lawyer fees. Would take a fat brown envelope to get approved.

So really, she just changed her name? I attempted to adopt my stepson when he was in his teens, but was told by my Thai lawyer that he was too old for adoption so I didn't press ahead on it. Same for the US. He was 16 when I started the process. Even so, I may bring it up with my son, but at the moment he keeps his biological father's name even though this guy (Thai) has been in the wind. I've never met him and I don't believe my stepson communicates with him.

Just now, connda said:

So really, she just changed her name? I attempted to adopt my stepson when he was in his teens, but was told by my Thai lawyer that he was too old for adoption so I didn't press ahead on it.

No, she didn't just change her name. Not sure how you misunderstood my post.

In the past, I was told by Thai official, couldn't adopt due to 'trafficking fears'. Unless married to mother & birth father approved, near impossible to adopt.