My wife (thai citizen) and I (U.S. citizen) have a U.S. marriage license and are moving back to live in Thailand. Do we need to register as married? I have the information on how to do it, but I'm just wondering if there were any disadvantages we should know about. We're planning on doing it so that we have consistent identification. Thanks!

I'm guessing it would be good to do it for when we have kids too.

I'm guessing it would be good to do it for when we have kids too.

It doesn't really matter, also when having kids.

'Consistent identification'... also doesn't matter.

There's about three reasons to register:

1. You pay a bit less tax if you have an income in Thailand

2. You can get a marriage visa.. (non immigrant visa, often a multiple entry.. still meas leavign the country every so often though)

3. If you want to apply for Residency after 5 years contiously in Thailand, it costs half when married. (But still a cool 200K baht.. so people aren't exactly queueing up for this one either.

Now, the disadvantages to registering:

None.

Well, none that are certain.. But.. the thing is, in Thailand, not a whole lot is certain here.. Currently Thais married to a foreigner by and large don't lose any rights, can own land, etc.. Running a company.. Probably, though you never know why having a foreing last name could result into bureaucratic turbulence.

My view is that in a country that tears up even the constitution every decade or so, NO law is ever guaranteed. So the more you remain under the radar when there's no clear need, the better it is. Sometimes it pays to remind yourself that it's still a third world dictatorship at the core.

I just remembered one more negative that demonstrates the iffy legal situation in Thailand very well:

My mother in law had trouble securing a loan from the Agro-Banking people, the T.K.S., because on the house registration document there was a person with a foreign last name... (Our kid)..

Juggle-juggle-paper-paper-stamp-stamp...fiddle-fiddle.. And hey, presto: We moved our kid to a different House Registration document, re-applied: No problems.

See.. it's just VERY murky... I think a good attitude to successful living in Thailand is to stay under the radar, always check for the exits and generally don't offer anyone more information than absolutely necessary, and that very much includes your own embassy / government.

I am not sure what you mean by register.

Who can you register with?

I am sure immigration will accept your US marriage certificate for visa purposes, though you may need to get it certified by your embassy.

Get 2 copies as your wife may need one, if she wants to change here id card and Tabien Bahn to her married name.

That is it, I believe.

I didn’t, and for the past 21 yrs no one has bothered to come after me to do it. Except I had to show the US marriage certificate if I want to do the surname change on the i.d, but I didn’t bother with the surname change anyway, and the officer at the ampur seemed not care either.

I’m - dual thai/US, hubby - american

I didn’t, and for the past 21 yrs no one has bothered to come after me to do it. Except I had to show the US marriage certificate if I want to do the surname change on the i.d, but I didn’t bother with the surname change anyway, and the officer at the ampur seemed not care either.

I’m - dual thai/US, hubby - american

you have thai passport?

I didn’t, and for the past 21 yrs no one has bothered to come after me to do it. Except I had to show the US marriage certificate if I want to do the surname change on the i.d, but I didn’t bother with the surname change anyway, and the officer at the ampur seemed not care either.

I’m - dual thai/US, hubby - american

you have thai passport?

yes

Staying under the radar is good , Even if we love los , you never know what the goverment will be next year. You may have to get out. I hope not but I think thats life in Thailand.

Actually as the OP is already married [in the US] and that marriage is recognized the Thai government, they cannot register it in Thailand. Both would have to make sworn statements that they are not currently married which in their case would be false.

TH