Changing Wifes Name In Her Passport

[mekka]

My wife's passport is in her maiden name, and we have been married a while and are about to hand in our australian spouse visa application, should we get her name changed in her passport first to make things less complicated?

Also what is involved in the name change? is a whole new passport issued? ive been told they actually change the name in the passport? And is Bangkok the only place to get this done?

thanks in advance

[bridge]

My wife's passport is in her maiden name, and we have been married a while and are about to hand in our australian spouse visa application, should we get her name changed in her passport first to make things less complicated?

Also what is involved in the name change? is a whole new passport issued? ive been told they actually change the name in the passport? And is Bangkok the only place to get this done?

thanks in advance

To make application, or be granted a Spouse visa, there is no legal requirement that your partner change her maiden name. Whether you wife chooses to change her name, or retain her maiden name, it does not make the visa process any more or less complicated.

Regards

bridge

[mekka]

My wife's passport is in her maiden name, and we have been married a while and are about to hand in our australian spouse visa application, should we get her name changed in her passport first to make things less complicated?

Also what is involved in the name change? is a whole new passport issued? ive been told they actually change the name in the passport? And is Bangkok the only place to get this done?

thanks in advance

To make application, or be granted a Spouse visa, there is no legal requirement that your partner change her maiden name. Whether you wife chooses to change her name, or retain her maiden name, it does not make the visa process any more or less complicated.

Regards

bridge

My wifes name was changed when we married, she has an ID card with her new surname, although her passport was issued before we were married so still carries her old name...can she apply for her spouse visa with her maiden name issued passport? as id think this is no longer valid as she has legally changed her name..

[WeeGB]

My wife (Thai), changed her name after marriage. This was done at Bang Na (Bangkok), and she has a sticker in her passport, stamped by the office, to show her change of name. We always have to explain this when travelling, but have never had a problem.

It may be useful if you also extend her Thai passport, (my wife's was for 5 years), and is now extended to 10 at the same time. This is also done by a sticker in the passport, and again we've had no problems when travelling.

Hope this helps.

[mekka]

My wife (Thai), changed her name after marriage. This was done at Bang Na (Bangkok), and she has a sticker in her passport, stamped by the office, to show her change of name. We always have to explain this when travelling, but have never had a problem.

It may be useful if you also extend her Thai passport, (my wife's was for 5 years), and is now extended to 10 at the same time. This is also done by a sticker in the passport, and again we've had no problems when travelling.

Hope this helps.

Can these changes only be made in Bangkok? and where abouts was it done?

[WeeGB]

We did the change of name in 2001, and the extension in 2005. Both were done at the Thai passport office in Bang Na, which is an area of Bangkok. At the time, this was the ONLY place that Thai passports were issued / changed, as far as I know it's still the same. Sorry can't remember the price structure, but it's probably gone up in price since then.

[Norrad]

My wife is still using her passport from before we were married when she travels with me without any issues.

[Mario2008]

Can these changes only be made in Bangkok? and where abouts was it done?

Don't know about the name change, but Thai passports can be applied for at several locations:

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2633.php

Click on consular affairs for the locations.

[bangkapiboy]

My wife's passport is in her maiden name, and we have been married a while and are about to hand in our australian spouse visa application, should we get her name changed in her passport first to make things less complicated?

Also what is involved in the name change? is a whole new passport issued? ive been told they actually change the name in the passport? And is Bangkok the only place to get this done?

thanks in advance

I had the same situation with my wife. Easy. Just take your wife, her passport, and your marriage certificate (probably ID card, and to be safe her tambien ban too) and go to the Foreign Affairs building in Chang Wattana. They will put an official stamp in her passport declaring the name change. Passport will still be used as normally and works just fine, as my wife's was then used entering Malaysia and Singapore. No need for a new passport.

[eladblum]

[quote name='bangkapiboy' date='2008-11-23 11:18:32'

I had the same situation with my wife. Easy. Just take your wife, her passport, and your marriage certificate (probably ID card, and to be safe her tambien ban too) and go to the Foreign Affairs building in Chang Wattana. They will put an official stamp in her passport declaring the name change. Passport will still be used as normally and works just fine, as my wife's was then used entering Malaysia and Singapore. No need for a new passport.

I went over there with my wife last april to change her name. They forced her to change her passport to a new one even her old passport was issued only one year before that.

[Cuban]

Just take your wife, her passport, and your marriage certificate (probably ID card, and to be safe her tambien ban too)

Similar situation, got ID card changed (20 Baht fee) at same time as marrige, they did screw up the English wording on the title, they wrote Miss rather than Mrs on the new Thai ID card's English section.

Application for new passport failed due to that issue. In Thailand Tambien Ban (house book) and ID acrd are the starting point for all offical document processes.

New Thai ID issued in the correct name, Mrs. Thai Cuban, new passport issued without any hassle at that point, fee 1,000 Baht.