How do i register our marriage in thailand?

[wants2no]

I married a thai woman in America.  To make it official in Thailand, does she have to sign something, or can I arrange for it alone?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It is official enough now. Thailand recognizes the US marriage.

Do you have something more specific in mind ?  If so, take the wife and marriage documents, her ID and house registration to the Amphur. You'll need to take your passport.

[sidzz]

Hi

My Wife and I who got married in the UK this year have just been doing this.

First got to your embassy and get them to make a verified copy of your marriage cert. and stamp it with the embassy stamp

Then get that translated into thai at a registered translator service. about 500 baht

Next, hop in a cab and go up to the ministry of consular affairs conveniently located in nothaburi and get them to stamp the papers to say they're real...

Then go to your wifes Amphur office. The one named in the family ( house) paper, and queue for several hours in several different offices...

And finally she will get her name changed to your surname, and a yellow paper which is receipt until she's issued her new id card.

Simple.........!

Good Luck

Sidzz

[taxexile]

what are the benefits of registering a marriage in thailand?

does it affect the husbands visa status in any way?

will the wifes rights under thai law change in any way?

thanks in advance for any answers.

[pnustedt]

I married in HK - never registered anything in Thailand. My wife got a new p'port, ID etc. in my surname, however we do know people in the HK consulate quite well and they are personally aware of our relationship.

The only change is that when she buys land in Thailand now I have to sign that I have no interest in it - previous to our marriage they didn't need any input from me.

I should be able to apply for a Non-imm O on the basis of our marriage in due course.

[taxexile]

pnustedt

who asked you to sign?

if your marriage is not registered in thailand why did they insist you sign ?

our marriage is registered in the uk,nothing registered in thailand,my wife has uk and thai passports but when we(she) bought some land last year, i was just the invisible falang in the background. wasn't involved at all.

[pnustedt]

pnustedt

who asked you to sign?

if your marriage is not registered in thailand why did they insist you sign ?

The people in the local amphur who administer the transfer of land title ask me to sign. They know we are married - we know them quite well and my wife carries a Thai passport/ID with my surname.

I didn't need to be involved before we were married.

My wife tried to buy some land late last year but couldn't do so because I wasn't there to sign so she bought it in her sister's name and transferred it when I was over a couple of weeks ago.

Is your wife's Thai passport/ID still in her maiden name?

[taxexile]

yes, her thai passport is in her maiden name and the uk in our married name.

she wants to make a will someday and leave the land to me, but i dont know how that will work out legally.

but for the time i dont think we will register our marriage in thailand.

[pnustedt]

she wants to make a will someday and leave the land to me,

No, you cannot inherit land in Thailand. That is the purpose of signing at the amphur that you have no interest in it - once they realise you're married you'll have to sign for any subsequent land purchases.

[taxexile]

thanks for that info pnustedt.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

she wants to make a will someday and leave the land to me,

No, you cannot inherit land in Thailand. That is the purpose of signing at the amphur that you have no interest in it - once they realise you're married you'll have to sign for any subsequent land purchases.

Leave it to the kid/s. A wife is now not required to change her surname to the husbands, and in fact, she can change it back to her old family name if she wishes.

[pnustedt]

she wants to make a will someday

I believe that it is possible to make a will and bequest the land to say, the kids (if they are Thai), with the priviso that, if you survive the wife, you have a lease of the land for 30 years, renewable if you live beyond the 30 years.

However, I haven't checked this out with a solicitor yet. That is what I would propose do if possible.

[taxexile]

and more thanks

[kwiz117]

she wants to make a will someday

I believe that it is possible to make a will and bequest the land to say, the kids (if they are Thai), with the priviso that, if you survive the wife, you have a lease of the land for 30 years, renewable if you live beyond the 30 years.

However, I haven't checked this out with a solicitor yet. That is what I would propose do if possible.

This is the first time I heard about this 30 Yr lease thing.

Can anyone else in this forum confirm this?

The information I got from my Company lawyer is that no Foreigner can inherit any Land. Kids can provided that they have Thai Nationality and born to your Thai Wife.

I also know a situation one foriegner from Austria married to a Thai Lady, own the House under his name and the Land under her name.

His explanation for doing this is that if by chance something bad happen to her before him, then no one else in her family can come and claim any right as the House is under his name.

Also now he has a kid and now it will anyway not be a problem as they can write a will to transfer both the house and the land to her name.

To update about chaging the Name of wife, getting a new ID Card and updating the house Registration book. All of this took less than 1 Hr.

I mean she got her original ID and everything done. We did it in the Ladprao District Office.

Lagalisation of English-Thai Translation can be done at Chianwathana Consular Division too. It has an Express Service and you have to pay double the fees. One Document will cost 200 Bht [Normal[ and Express 400 Bht. Express Service will give you the Legalised Document within 2 Hrs time.

Ample Parking Facilities. It is easy if you go from Vibhavadi-Ransith Rd and then take a turn to Pakret-Chianwathana Rd.

You will see an English Name board after driving for around 1KM saying "Consular Division"

In front of the consular Division, you get plenty of small time Translation Service guys. But they may need your help to do the Translation of some English Words.

[wants2no]

I am a U.S. citizen living in the U.S. and my wife, from whom I am separated, is Thai living in BKK. She claims to not be able to receive land from her father, because he does not trust me until I send her divorce papers. I told her that I cannot receive any ownership of land given to her. I'm stalling on the divorce, and don't want it. Am I correct that they need not worry about my inheritance right?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I should be able to apply for a Non-imm O on the basis of our marriage in due course.

You can apply for a Non-Immigrant O visa right now if you want

[dr_Pat_Pong]

what are the benefits of registering a marriage in thailand?

does it affect the husbands visa status in any way?

will the wifes rights under thai law change in any way?

thanks in advance for any answers.

There are no specific 'benefits' Tax, other than eligibility for a Non-Immigrant O visa and the lesser monies required for the extension available to a person married to a Thai ( rather than the retirement visa )

The wife ( or Thai husband ) loses no rights these days

[dr_Pat_Pong]

yes, her thai passport is in her maiden name and the uk in our married name.

she wants to make a will someday and leave the land to me, but i dont know how that will work out legally.

but for the time i dont think we will register our marriage in thailand.

TAX she definitely cannot leave land to you.

[lopburi3]

I am a U.S. citizen living in the U.S. and my wife, from whom I am separated, is Thai living in BKK. She claims to not be able to receive land from her father, because he does not trust me until I send her divorce papers. I told her that I cannot receive any ownership of land given to her. I'm stalling on the divorce, and don't want it. Am I correct that they need not worry about my inheritance right?

She probably can not register the land until she is divorced or has you sign paperwork that you understand it will never be yours, which probably would have to be done in person at the time of transfer (just a guess).

Extra comment, sorry: why not get it over with and have the divorce? Better you both find someone else rather than drag it out.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I am a U.S. citizen living in the U.S. and my wife, from whom I am separated, is Thai living in BKK.  She claims to not be able to receive land from her father, because he does not trust me until I send her divorce papers.  I told her that I cannot receive any ownership of land given to her.  I'm stalling on the divorce, and don't want it.  Am I correct that they need not worry about my inheritance right?

Definitely no chance of you inheriting any of that land divorced or not. That is so easy for her father to ascertain in Thailand. The Amphur can show him the laws relating to ownership.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

This is the first time I heard about this 30 Yr lease thing.

Can anyone else in this forum confirm this?

CONFIRMED ... back to the lawyer ... you need help .