Stepdaughter Wants To Change Her Last Name To Mine

[BKKstan]

My daughter will be 20 soon and she would like to change her last name to mine.Does anyone know the process for doing this?

[Livinginexile]

Would she require permission from her Father?

[Chang_paarp]

Should not be a major problem, changing names in Thailand is relatively common, the most common reason is to change luck. The gold medal weight lifter (?) changed her name on the advise of a monk prior to her success.

Place to start would be the local provincial office as the name on the ID card will need to be changed. As the lady in question is almost 20 it should be fairly simple.

[yermanee]

Should not be a major problem, changing names in Thailand is relatively common, the most common reason is to change luck. The gold medal weight lifter (?) changed her name on the advise of a monk prior to her success.

Place to start would be the local provincial office as the name on the ID card will need to be changed. As the lady in question is almost 20 it should be fairly simple.

I don't think it's as simple as that.

What about birth certificate, passport, school diploma's etc. etc.

Agree however about the place to start.

Yermanee :jap:

[harrry]

I understand surnames must have meanings in Thai however they useually relax this requirement for children of foreigners.

[scorecard]

From my experience, similar situation, about 6 years ago:

1. Thailand is not like many other countries where this is a personal decision, there is process through the courts to make a court order saying the name has changed, but basically nobody can object. In Thailand you have to get permission to change your name from the Interior Ministry and this is non negotiable.

2. Your daughter needs to write a letter to the Interior Ministry explaining why she wants to change her name and at the same time requesting approval. Attached you write a letter saying that she is part of your beloved family and you have no objections whatever and your give your permission for her to have your family name.

3. This needs to be submitted all in Thai language and this is where I had a stroke of good luck.

I was searching for a translation 'shop' and purely by accident I came across a service which also knew how to prepare the prescribed form, they knew exactly where to take it, they actually lodged the documents on our behalf, checked for the approval, picked up the approval document and we took delivery at the translation 'shop'.

We had the approval document back within about 4 or 5 working days. From memory their fee for everything was about 2,000Baht which included the listed fees at the ministry, their translation work, motorcycle taxi fares. etc.

Where is the translation 'shop'. I can't remember the name of the shop but here's the location:

- Walk past the front of Diethelm Tower (opposite the new US Embassy buildings) on Wireless Road (walking towards Ploenchit Road), keep walking another 20 metres and there's a string of older shophouses, mostly noodle shops etc. Keep walking to nearly the end of the shophouses then turn right and go in the last door (ignore the numerous touts all vieing for your translation business) then walk upstairs. Sorry I can't remember if you go to the second or third floor. Walk to the end of the corridor and it's the last office on the right side.

The staff (6 years ago) all spoke good English, very pleasant, very focused and very knowledgeable, gave us lots of valuable hints etc. They did the translation of my English section to Thai and e.mailed it back to me requesting that a Thai family member check for accuracy. It was perfect, and this was all completed well within 24 hours.

They then submitted the documents, called back perhaps a day later and said the documents have been accepted (meaning that the Interior Ministry had accepted the application). As mentioned above it was back in our hands, approved, within 4 or 5 working days.

4. Now you go to your local amphur office with the original of the Interior Ministry approval letter and copies( take many copies and ensure you have copies to keep for the future) plus Tabien Bann book, current Thai ID card etc.

They issued a new ID card, changed the name in the Tabien Baan etc. All completed within an hour or so.

5. Then we went to the Thai passport office, to get a reissue of the passport with new name (you get a new passport number). They were very cooperative but as well as wanting a copy of the new ID card they wanted a copy of the approval letter from the Interior Ministry, and we have since encountered the same thing many times (copy of ID Card and perhaps Tabien Baan with the new name, plus a copy of the letter from the Interior Ministry.)

Hope this helps and good luck.

Edited November 11, 2011 by scorecard

[GooEng]

From my experience, similar situation, about 6 years ago:

1. Thailand is not like many other countries where this is a personal decision, there is process through the courts to make a court order saying the name has changed, but basically nobody can object. In Thailand you have to get permission to change your name from the Interior Ministry and this is non negotiable.

2. Your daughter needs to write a letter to the Interior Ministry explaining why she wants to change her name and at the same time requesting approval. Attached you write a letter saying that she is part of your beloved family and you have no objections whatever and your give your permission for her to have your family name.

3. This needs to be submitted all in Thai language and this is where I had a stroke of good luck.

I was searching for a translation 'shop' and purely by accident I came across a service which also knew how to prepare the prescribed form, they knew exactly where to take it, they actually lodged the documents on our behalf, checked for the approval, picked up the approval document and we took delivery at the translation 'shop'.

We had the approval document back within about 4 or 5 working days. From memory their fee for everything was about 2,000Baht which included the listed fees at the ministry, their translation work, motorcycle taxi fares. etc.

Where is the translation 'shop'. I can't remember the name of the shop but here's the location:

- Walk past the front of Diethelm Tower (opposite the new US Embassy buildings) on Wireless Road (walking towards Ploenchit Road), keep walking another 20 metres and there's a string of older shophouses, mostly noodle shops etc. Keep walking to nearly the end of the shophouses then turn right and go in the last door (ignore the numerous touts all vieing for your translation business) then walk upstairs. Sorry I can't remember if you go to the second or third floor. Walk to the end of the corridor and it's the last office on the right side.

The staff (6 years ago) all spoke good English, very pleasant, very focused and very knowledgeable, gave us lots of valuable hints etc. They did the translation of my English section to Thai and e.mailed it back to me requesting that a Thai family member check for accuracy. It was perfect, and this was all completed well within 24 hours.

They then submitted the documents, called back perhaps a day later and said the documents have been accepted (meaning that the Interior Ministry had accepted the application). As mentioned above it was back in our hands, approved, within 4 or 5 working days.

4. Now you go to your local amphur office with the original of the Interior Ministry approval letter and copies( take many copies and ensure you have copies to keep for the future) plus Tabien Bann book, current Thai ID card etc.

They issued a new ID card, changed the name in the Tabien Baan etc. All completed within an hour or so.

5. Then we went to the Thai passport office, to get a reissue of the passport with new name (you get a new passport number). They were very cooperative but as well as wanting a copy of the new ID card they wanted a copy of the approval letter from the Interior Ministry, and we have since encountered the same thing many times (copy of ID Card and perhaps Tabien Baan with the new name, plus a copy of the letter from the Interior Ministry.)

Hope this helps and good luck.

scorecard - great post, good of you to take the time and effort to get all that info in!

have you any idea how this works for minors(kids)?

my oldest son has a thai first name - i was absent at his birth and the official at the amphur would not let my wife give him a western name - and we want to change it to the western name everyone calls him by.

do you know if my wife and i as parents can initiate this process?

any advice gratefully received.

[bifftastic]

Not that I'm doubting what others have posted, but my wife has changed her name twice in her life and all she did the last time was go to the Amphur, filled out a form and they countersigned the Tabien Baan and issued her with a new ID card. She then used that, and the certificate they gave her confirming the name change, to get a new passport, which was a similarly straightforward procedure in the passport office in Chiang Mai, passport delivered 6 days later.

This was in June of this year.

(I'm not sure how she did it the first time, I didn't know her then)

I would estimate that the whole process in the Amphur took about 20 minutes, and the staff did not regard it as anything unusual.

Edited November 11, 2011 by bifftastic

[Mario2008]

A change of name is requested at the amphur, the procedure is describes here:

First name: http://www.dopa.go.th/English/servi/cfname.htm

Last name: http://www.dopa.go.th/English/servi/clname.htm

As has been mentioned, the problem will be that the name must have a meaning in Thai and you are not her legal father. (Than they could make an exeception). Since the name will be forwarded to the central registar for approval I fear there is little room to persude the amphur to allow the use of your last name.

[ludditeman]

You got to the Amphur Office, fill out a form, pay 60bht for a new ID card with the new name on it.

Each name in Thailand can only be used once, so if someone else got their first, tough luck.

Some Amphur offices won't allow foreign names, some will. Up to them.

You get a new ID card and a certificate proclaiming your previous name and your new name that is produced with birth certificates, qualifications, bank accounts, etc. that were gained under your original name.

Very easy!

@ Mario, I must type faster

@ Mario, I just registered a Thai citizen with a completely English name without problem (translated into Thai script as they don't allow names registered in English characters) No part of the name means anything in Thai. The Amphur office I used had no problem doing this, and there was no forwarding anything anywhere. In and out with new documents in 30 minutes.

Edited November 12, 2011 by ludditeman

[bifftastic]

Same for my wife, nothing was forwarded anywhere, the name doesn't mean anything in Thai (it's my surname) ID card issued immediately.

[Mario2008]

1 "funny" comment deleted.

[Mario2008]

I agree the part about forwarding seems to be outdated, maybe only special cases are forwarded for aproval. There is no problem geting the foreign name of a spouse, these are indeed not forwarded.

OP's stepdaughter's name change will probably indeed depend on the amphur. That still means it is not according to regulations, but some amphurs don't follow the rules all to strictly.

[scorecard]

From my experience, similar situation, about 6 years ago:

1. Thailand is not like many other countries where this is a personal decision, there is process through the courts to make a court order saying the name has changed, but basically nobody can object. In Thailand you have to get permission to change your name from the Interior Ministry and this is non negotiable.

2. Your daughter needs to write a letter to the Interior Ministry explaining why she wants to change her name and at the same time requesting approval. Attached you write a letter saying that she is part of your beloved family and you have no objections whatever and your give your permission for her to have your family name.

3. This needs to be submitted all in Thai language and this is where I had a stroke of good luck.

I was searching for a translation 'shop' and purely by accident I came across a service which also knew how to prepare the prescribed form, they knew exactly where to take it, they actually lodged the documents on our behalf, checked for the approval, picked up the approval document and we took delivery at the translation 'shop'.

We had the approval document back within about 4 or 5 working days. From memory their fee for everything was about 2,000Baht which included the listed fees at the ministry, their translation work, motorcycle taxi fares. etc.

Where is the translation 'shop'. I can't remember the name of the shop but here's the location:

- Walk past the front of Diethelm Tower (opposite the new US Embassy buildings) on Wireless Road (walking towards Ploenchit Road), keep walking another 20 metres and there's a string of older shophouses, mostly noodle shops etc. Keep walking to nearly the end of the shophouses then turn right and go in the last door (ignore the numerous touts all vieing for your translation business) then walk upstairs. Sorry I can't remember if you go to the second or third floor. Walk to the end of the corridor and it's the last office on the right side.

The staff (6 years ago) all spoke good English, very pleasant, very focused and very knowledgeable, gave us lots of valuable hints etc. They did the translation of my English section to Thai and e.mailed it back to me requesting that a Thai family member check for accuracy. It was perfect, and this was all completed well within 24 hours.

They then submitted the documents, called back perhaps a day later and said the documents have been accepted (meaning that the Interior Ministry had accepted the application). As mentioned above it was back in our hands, approved, within 4 or 5 working days.

4. Now you go to your local amphur office with the original of the Interior Ministry approval letter and copies( take many copies and ensure you have copies to keep for the future) plus Tabien Bann book, current Thai ID card etc.

They issued a new ID card, changed the name in the Tabien Baan etc. All completed within an hour or so.

5. Then we went to the Thai passport office, to get a reissue of the passport with new name (you get a new passport number). They were very cooperative but as well as wanting a copy of the new ID card they wanted a copy of the approval letter from the Interior Ministry, and we have since encountered the same thing many times (copy of ID Card and perhaps Tabien Baan with the new name, plus a copy of the letter from the Interior Ministry.)

Hope this helps and good luck.

Sorry, I should have mentioned:

The above process is specific to changing to a western /non Thai family name / non-thai person giving permission to use their family name.

I am not the birth father, he passed away many years earlier.

I do remember when we went to the Amphur office, we explained what we were wanting, the officer noticed the approval letter from the Interior Ministry and immediately said something to the effect 'that's what i need to see / have'.

My experience was 6 years ago, perhaps even a bit more, maybe it has changed.

Edited November 12, 2011 by scorecard

[johna]

I understand surnames must have meanings in Thai however they useually relax this requirement for children of foreigners.

western surnames do have meanings, I have just goggled mine no problem finding the meaning.

[GooEng]

yep the surname change is no problem, my inquiry is specifically about the change of name of a thai child of mixed foreign/thai parentage to a foreign name.

i think although the law may say the name must have a meaning in thai, whether this is enforced is totally down to the amphur you end up at, but if anyone knows otherwise of a method via the interior ministry or event through a lawyer i'd like to hear of it.

[Mario2008]

This falls under the department of provincial administration. Best have your wife contact them, if the amphur doesn't want to change.

www.dopa.go.th

[GooEng]

This falls under the department of provincial administration. Best have your wife contact them, if the amphur doesn't want to change.

www.dopa.go.th

thx mario, nice one.

[catwho]

My step/Daughter who is 10 goes to the same school as my son,when we enrolled this yr we asked if my surname [our married name]could be added on to my daughters mothers maiden name.[no prob]just saves other kids asking questions.

BUT i am so glad i saw this before she gets her thai ID card,and new passport and i take her to oz next year to live when we get permanent visa,are there any problems with this name change as we have a letter from the amphur for visa reasons stating that wife is sole parent,in wifes maiden name.

there is the part they say what other names are u known by on the visa app.i hope all that is needed.

ta cat