When a farang woman marries a Thai man, is her surname automatically changed to his at the Amphur?

Not really automatically. You have to bring the Certificate of Marriage to Amphur office and show it to the officer. Then he/she will change your surname in Tabien Baan (House Registration)

no, U2U

i was asked in the amphur if i needed to change my last name as some countries require it... i declined for the moment as israel doesnt have any such requirement (at least one normal thing in our marriage complications ) since i have teenagers with my previous husband's last name and its a pain to change last names or deal with officialdom if my last name would be different or long (thai husband's last name is long, plus i would hyphenate with mine, or with my maiden name maybe... )and thai names are almost impossible in hebrew....

up to u

I changed mine when we got married because my surname is very difficult for Thai people to pronounce (and when pronounced it sounds like a particularly nasty kind of ghost ) and my husband's surname is a nice, easily pronounceable two syllable name.

But it wasn't required, they asked.

When you marry the wedding cert in thai just states that "you (Miss maiden name) married Mr whoever thaiman" but doesn't then specify that you are Mrs thaiman

I asked if I could change my name to my husbands but they wouldn't let me! They said I had to change it officially in Australia first and then come and change it in Thailand. This was in an area where they have never done a farang marriage before though so I didn't really believe them. I use my name on official documents but his name in general life!

What do you want them to change it on? You can't be on the tabien baan (blue one) or have an id card unless you are a thai citizen so they are right. You can use your married name for anything now you are legally married but getting your passport changed to your married name will save a lot of future confusion.

Thankyou everyone for the replies. Aware cannot personally be on any tabien baan, but might help to use a Mrs and a Thai surname for any other official dealings, like when you have a prang in your car I don't want to change my name, and even Thais have a problem attempting to phoneticize into English potential spouse's surname. So far as the passport goes, can you get two? Suppose not if you're not a Thai citizen. Although a Thai friend of mine has hers and an Australian one from her husband, which she says she prefers to use whenever she travels.

can't get 2 from your own country no & I would think that if you were planning in future to obtain thai citizenship then having your husbands surname may help you along (dont know that for fact though) also what happens if applying for non imm visa based on marriage, wouldn't they want to see your married name in your passport? Anyway, I changed all official papers to hubbies name but am still called by my maiden name at work for the benefit of my collegues

I didn't change my name to his officially, I am keeping my name on my passport, I have no intention of trying to become a Thai resident.

At work, the university has changed everything to my married name. Doesn't help anything, I still don't have insurance for the family or stuff like that.

I've no intention of applying for Thai citizenship. Jump through all those hoops for what? You're still a farang whatever, and that's just fine by me. If we were to move to my country, he wouldn't be considered anything other than Thai. And I believe he'd be very upset if he wasn't . But probably with more rights than I would ever have here. As for the application for the visa/extension (whatever ...) on being married to a Thai national, my understanding is that all that is required is the marriage cert, photos, paper from Pu Yai. Doesn't say anything about having to change your name on your country of birth's passport.

By the way, do I get to go into see those nice waterfalls for the same price as he does?

By the way, do I get to go into see those nice waterfalls for the same price as he does?

No.

And when you get ready to apply for the one year extension feel free to post again, there is a tad more to it than just the marriage certificate and a letter from the puyai ban.

By the way, do I get to go into see those nice waterfalls for the same price as he does?

No.

And when you get ready to apply for the one year extension feel free to post again, there is a tad more to it than just the marriage certificate and a letter from the puyai ban.

And photos ... and what?

Photocopies of all Thai stamps in your passport as well as photocopy of id page.

Photocopy of his tabien ban

Photocopy of his id card

Photocopy of marriage certificate (if married in thailand--no need for certified translation)

2 id photos of you

Letter from Puyai ban

if you are applying in a local Immigration office you will need 2 copies of everything

Since it is your initial application I would also provide photos (wedding, house etc) and some financial information if possible--best to check with your local immigration office for what they specifically want as not every Immigration officer is up on the requirements for Thai men with foreign wives.

Also be aware that he must go to the Immigration office with you as he also must fill out an application requesting your visa be extended.

Photocopies of all Thai stamps in your passport as well as photocopy of id page.

Photocopy of his tabien ban

Photocopy of his id card

Photocopy of marriage certificate (if married in thailand--no need for certified translation)

2 id photos of you

Letter from Puyai ban

if you are applying in a local Immigration office you will need 2 copies of everything

Since it is your initial application I would also provide photos (wedding, house etc) and some financial information if possible--best to check with your local immigration office for what they specifically want as not every Immigration officer is up on the requirements for Thai men with foreign wives.

Also be aware that he must go to the Immigration office with you as he also must fill out an application requesting your visa be extended.

Thanks sbk. I thought you told me in an earlier post I did not have to show financial information? And if he does, what?! Photo of the buffalo? Or are you intimating they may want some tea money as well? The rest is no problem. Phew, good job it's not Greece, or they'd be wanting the post nuptial bedsheet too! Hey! Just thought! I won't have to provide them with a certified copy of the results of a pre-wedding virginity test will I?

lol, doubt any of us would have got that first visa jacky if they did

My husband doesn't need to show any financial info anymore but seeing as how its your first application, I just don't know. Best to check with your local immigration office before going in. See if you can get hubby to call (if yours is anything like mine, its like pulling teeth and you may just find it easier to do it yourself ) --the regulations state that there is no need for proof of income but I know that on the application (form whatever it was) that my husband filled out the immigration officer did put down a figure for his income. It was not verified in any way however.

Unless you do it in Samui (ask for K Nok) or Bangkok you may find it difficult (or not --who knows ) as I suspect that many places do not know the regulations for processing applications of foreign wives of Thai men. I know that last year my usual immigration officer had to tell his boss what was needed for my application as the boss did not know.

By the way, do I get to go into see those nice waterfalls for the same price as he does?

I have gotten into the parks around here for the same price as a Thai by showing my driver's license or my ID card from the university, however I have not tried to use my cards in Bangkok at the museum or other tourists spots, where I bet I will still considered to be a tourist.

Well, went to the Amphur and got married, and was asked if I wanted to change my surname. I asked if the clerk could do it there and then, as I wasn't fussed, and husband bit ticked off I really didn't care one way or the other. Not bothered about any name, a rose by any other and all that. Clerk told me she couldn't do it and I would have to go back to my embassy in Bangkok. So told clerk, never mind I won't be schlepping back up the Bangers any time soon to bung more money at the embassy. Hmm, one trip and bung for the Affirmation and then again for a needless(?) name change.

BUT. The main reason for marriage was that everything would be took tong and riep roy in case I came a cropper and erstwhile partner, now husband would automatically inherit my property. I have a blue book tabien baan, but of course, being a farang, it shows the address of the property only. Husband's name on family's tabien baan in another province and he doesn't want to go to all the hassle of transferring his name anyway. Would be a bit odd it being my property but only his name on it don't you think?

All a bit complicated I know, but supposing I were to cease to exist, die, expire, is a photocopy of the marriage cert enough to prove his being next of kin? And what about hospitals etc - if I were incapacitated, would he be able to claim my being Thai 'family'. Will it, in the absence of changing my name in my passport, entail having to carry around a copy of the Certificate to prove kinship, so to speak? How does this work?

Please enlighten me. Thanks

I'm a Vietnamese married to a Thai man. We asked the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok to change my last name to his last name. They said we should ask the local authority where my husband is living. We asked the local authority office and they said we should ask Vietnam Embassy. I still have to keep my own last name finally.

Sounds typical greenmember! Hello and welcome to the forum

Anyway, if you do want to change your name you can do it when you get a new passport, show your marriage certificate and old passport. They should be able to manage that!

For Australian women you need a name change registered by your state authority in Oz before you can change your name in your passport.

Thanks for the replies. Still not up to fagging up to Bangers to change my name. Think if you're intending having children would save a lot of confusion. But, I'm guessing it will count for nowt with the police and the 'crats, and they can see you have a visa based on marriage to a Thai National in your passport anyway.

Just one more thing (okay, two). Do you have to schlepp up to Immigration every 90 days the same as retirees? Or is it simply the once yearly application for extension blah blah?

Also, do women married to Thais have to ask (and pay) Immigration for a re-entry stamp every time said Wife of Thai needs/wants to leave Thailand? Again. Thanks.

If you have a one year extension based on marriage then yes, you do need to do your 90 day reporting and yes, you do need a re-entry permit to leave the country. Unless of course,you want to apply for a new visa all over again. Same as the guys

If you have a one year extension based on marriage then yes, you do need to do your 90 day reporting and yes, you do need a re-entry permit to leave the country. Unless of course,you want to apply for a new visa all over again. Same as the guys

Sod it. I'm relocating to 'Nam where a friend of mine has just received a six month visa, no reporting, no waste of time border runs, and no bloody coups. Bloody ridiculous waste of time. And how men who have Thai families here put up with over the bloody border every three months just to stay here beggars belief. For what? Am winging whinging letter off telling my country they should make Thais leave MY country every bloody three months/report to Immigration. Oh, and sequestrate their land.

Sounds typical greenmember! Hello and welcome to the forum

Anyway, if you do want to change your name you can do it when you get a new passport, show your marriage certificate and old passport. They should be able to manage that!

I very much like to carry my husband's surname and have a Thai first name. I've been living here for almost 4 years and each time someone (Thai) asks my name, they have a nightmare pronouncing it . The postman has the most headache when I acknowledge an EMS mail.

The issue is in Vietnam we don't change surname name after marriage. I bet there is no hope for my case.

Tell me about it! I went with my husband's family name because my last name, when pronounced by Thai people, sounds like the word for a particularly nasty kind of ghost.

And my husband has a nice short, two syllable, easily pronounceable name, so changing it wasn't a hard decision.

Tell me about it! I went with my husband's family name because my last name, when pronounced by Thai people, sounds like the word for a particularly nasty kind of ghost.

And my husband has a nice short, two syllable, easily pronounceable name, so changing it wasn't a hard decision.

Oopps! I applied for my new passport on 8 Jan but forgot to ask whether I can change my surname.

May I ask when you had your new surname (when you just came to Thailand or after having permanent residency)? Sorry I'm new and haven't read enough to know about you.

PR? No, no PR. Just one year extensions since the dawn of time

Short history, met my husband here, got married here, changed my passport name here. Went to the US armed with new passport and changed bank account, credit card and drivers license. Came back here. Have been here ever since. And Thai people still love to chuckle over how awful sounding my maiden name is in Thai