Name Change Legally

[Pakeha]

Ok. Getting married in one month as some of you may well know. My soon to be wife is going to take on my surname. I will not be taking hers or having a hyphenated surname - I'm not some pansy!

What does she do to change her surname? And where is it done? And what are the costs? Is it done before or after getting married?

Secondly, my stepdaughter also wants my surname. She currently has her biological fathers surname, which is different to her mothers (just to confuse matters). How do we change her surname to mine legally?

[Boo]

your wife to be needs to take the wedding certificate to the amphur & get a new id card issued, once she has that she can then apply for a new passport in her married name too. Contact bank to change with wedding cert/id card & any other bills can be done the same as well.

As for your step-daughter, not sure but would have thought her father might not be too happy about it or if he is ok, you may need his permission? I'm sure one of the other posters will have accurate info about it.

Congrats on the wedding

[Pakeha]

Thanks Boo.

Do you know if we can do the id card change but then fly out of LOS without the name change in the passport? The reason being that it will take a while to get the new passport and appropriate visas in the passport.

My partner has sole custody of our daughter so shouldn't be any issues.

[Boo]

It is possible, just be sure to carry the wedding cert & old id card in case the airline ask as presumably the visa will be issued in her married name but placed in the passport with the old name. Might be worth booking tickets in her maiden name too or check first with the airline before booking

What country are you going to?

[think_too_mut]

Do you know if we can do the id card change but then fly out of LOS without the name change in the passport?

Passport name and ticket name MUST be the same.

[Pakeha]

Very good point! We'll be flying back to NZ. Ticket is in her maiden name - same as current passport. I was concerned the passport name might not match up at immigration if we've changed her name on her id card.

[SNGLIFE]

Changing the child's surname to yours requires an adoption if done in Thailand. Messy and long process. If anyone has been successful changing child's surname in Thailand without an adoption, please post details!

[SNGLIFE]

This is the process if you go the route I suggested in a previous post. Laws differ state-state in the USA, but it is much easier to just get the green card, then change the name, if you can.

http://www.peoples-law.org/name_change/how_name_change.htm

Ridiculously easy, huh?

Edited March 26, 2009 by SNGLIFE