Change Of Surname After Marriage

[malct]

Hi All

Planning on getting married in BK and then applying for a spouse Visa.

issue we might have, My GF is wanting to get married and having my Surname, this will mean changing her passport and ID, our issue will be applying for the spouse Visa and which is the best way to deal with the change of surname and appying for the Visa.

We arrive on Sunday evening in Bangkok, On the Monday i need to go to the British embassy to show my divorce paper and a letter for freedom to marry.

planning on getting married on the Wednesday and then submitting the visa on the Friday morning. ( Is it right that this has to be done on line and book an appointment?)

All going well, She will be in the UK for Christmas

Malc

[raymp]

WE did the same. Married in BKK then applied for a spouse visa 6 months later.

With the application we gave copies of the old name passport, id card etc, and copies of the new name id.

When you marry you will get a name change document to take to the amphur in her home town. When the name is changed you willget a document from the amphur. The name change will be recorded in the family book also.

Give a copy of everything with the application. In Thai and a translated copy of everything to english. Even the family book must be translated

If you get married wednesday you won't have time to submit friday.

The new passport takes a few days, the new id card and name change must be done iin her home town, so after marry you need to go back with all the marry documents to change her name. Then get a new passport after the name change.

The get eevrything translated

[kunash]

hi, we just did this last week. i read somewhere that if you new wife wanted your surname then this had to be done in her hometown. so it may be easier to marry and change the surname there. though you can marry in bangkok if you wish.

after this, you can get a new id card and passport in bangkok. this is not a problem. my wife did. we did not have time to get a new id card in her hometown. though you have to get the id card first then passport - which takes 3 days ( in bangkok).

remember, you cannot submit the online visa app. until you get the passport - as you will need the number. but dont worry, there are normally lots of spare time slots available, even for the next working day.

you will go to the embassy on the monday, get the affirmation back monday afternoon. then take the affirmation to a translation company on ploenchit road. (cross over the road from embassy and take a right. you will then get to the main road - this is called ploenchit - cross over this road by the bridge ). hopefully you can get the translation done by monday afternoon.

then, tuesday take it to the ministry of foreign affairs - get the fast track and this will be ready by the afternoon. the skytrain would get you there quicker

i would then go back to your wife's home town and marry there, and change her name. if you go back tuesday night then this can be done on wednesday, otherwise thursday.

how busy is the ampur in the hometown? does the ampur issue passports? if it is busy, i found getting a new thai passport for the wife and her new id card, in bangkok - was very quick. ask the taxi driver in bangkok where to go. this takes 3 days. maybe your hometown ampur takes longer?

my bet would be, you will get her passport the following wednesday morning. you could then submit the app. and you should get the app. time for thursday

and yes, get the marriage cert translated and your wife's birth certificate if you have time ( this is for the uk - not necessary for visa )

good luck

[raymp]

Amphur's outside BKK generally won't do farang marriages. THe exception being Pattaya and ChangMai. Even in BKK the only amphur we could find that would do a marriage was in Silom.

[beano2274]

When you get married they ask if she wants to have your name, she is given a form and signs it. The problem you will have is her passport, it will take a bit longer to get this ready, so you need to plan the Online visa application and the visit to VFS a bit later.

[7by7]

Amphur's outside BKK generally won't do farang marriages. THe exception being Pattaya and ChangMai. Even in BKK the only amphur we could find that would do a marriage was in Silom.

Completely wrong. Any ampur will marry you, provided you have the correct documentation.

Malct, it is up to her whether she changes her name on her passport or not, but if she does then allow the time for this as she cannot do it until after the marriage and will have to do it before she submits the visa application. It takes about 5 working days if she applies at the passport office in Bangkok, longer if from outside.

This post and the one following it may be of interest.

You say that "All going well, She will be in the UK for Christmas." If that is your time frame remember that the spouse visa will be valid from the day it is issued for 27 months and she must be in the UK for at least 24 months in order to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. If her spouse visa expires before she has completed the 24 months in the UK she will need an expensive extension, known as Further Leave to Remain. If delaying her departure from Thailand for more than 3 months after the visa is issued she can request in the application that the start date of the visa be postponed for up to 3 months.

[malct]

Thank for your advice. Your all a good bunch of people

It might be easier to to change her Surname later in the Marriage and then we can move things quickly.

regarding been in the UK for 24 Months, That will mean that i can only have 3 Months aboard with My wife in a 27 month Period, Mind you it would give me a change to save some money.

I am sure that all my plans will slot into place like its happened to so many people on the forum.

Malc

[Frogster]

Malct, it is up to her whether she changes her name on her passport or not, but if she does then allow the time for this as she cannot do it until after the marriage and will have to do it before she submits the visa application. It takes about 5 working days if she applies at the passport office in Bangkok, longer if from outside.

Errrmmm.... Can I ask for clarification please as I will be doing something very similar..... If she decides not to change her name (at the time of marriage) I take it she can still apply for the visa, but in her maiden name.... the connection between you would still be that you are married, just with different names? am I correct?

Also.... I understand that she will get the paper for change of name at the time of marriage..... is this time restricted.... or could she use it say next time in Thailand... 1 or 2 years away?

[raymp]

Amphur's outside BKK generally won't do farang marriages. THe exception being Pattaya and ChangMai. Even in BKK the only amphur we could find that would do a marriage was in Silom.

Completely wrong. Any ampur will marry you, provided you have the correct documentation.

Malct, it is up to her whether she changes her name on her passport or not, but if she does then allow the time for this as she cannot do it until after the marriage and will have to do it before she submits the visa application. It takes about 5 working days if she applies at the passport office in Bangkok, longer if from outside.

This post and the one following it may be of interest.

You say that "All going well, She will be in the UK for Christmas." If that is your time frame remember that the spouse visa will be valid from the day it is issued for 27 months and she must be in the UK for at least 24 months in order to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. If her spouse visa expires before she has completed the 24 months in the UK she will need an expensive extension, known as Further Leave to Remain. If delaying her departure from Thailand for more than 3 months after the visa is issued she can request in the application that the start date of the visa be postponed for up to 3 months.

I can name 7 arounf BKK that won't marry farang. Rat Buran and Phrapradaeng being the 2 i can remember easily

[toddmeister]

"Amphur's outside BKK generally won't do farang marriages. THe exception being Pattaya and ChangMai. Even in BKK the only amphur we could find that would do a marriage was in Silom."

I've only ever heard the opposite to the above. We married in Phuket at my wife's local amphur in Kathu. No problem with me being farang. Very friendly and easy going. My wife was then able to change her name on her ID card and tabien baan pretty much straight away and then sent away for a new passport a little later (took a week to get a new one from outside Bangkok). I've heard of people having issues in Bangkok but as for outside BKK I've only ever heard others encouraging people to use local amphurs where possible. I've heard Bang Rak amphur in BKK is popular

Regards

[7by7]

regarding been in the UK for 24 Months, That will mean that i can only have 3 Months aboard with My wife in a 27 month Period, Mind you it would give me a change to save some money.

Not quite. She needs to have been resident in the UK for at least 24 months to be time qualified for ILR. She is allowed time out of the Uk for holidays etc. during this period, without any restriction. Except that when she does apply for ILR she will need to show that the UK is her country of residence; which may be difficulkt to do if she's spent most of the preceding 2 years out of it!

Errrmmm.... Can I ask for clarification please as I will be doing something very similar..... If she decides not to change her name (at the time of marriage) I take it she can still apply for the visa, but in her maiden name.... the connection between you would still be that you are married, just with different names? am I correct?

Also.... I understand that she will get the paper for change of name at the time of marriage..... is this time restricted.... or could she use it say next time in Thailand... 1 or 2 years away?

First point definitely correct; see the posts I linked to above.

Second point, I think so. Though my wife changed her ID card at her local ampur immediatly after our marriage, she didn't change her passport until she renewed it at the Thai embassy in London.

There is no legal reason why any ampur anywhere in Thailand can or will not marry a farang. If anyone has been refused at any particular ampur it must be for some other reason.