Thai/falang Adoption In Los

[jaideeguy]

I posted the following on the 'general topics' thread and got mostly useless banter and no info, so let's hope that this posting on the 'Chiang Mai forum' will yield more constructive results........

I've been to two attourneys, went to my consulate {US}inquired with countless friends and have found lots of conflicting [and dated] info and was wondering if any forum members can advise me on the LATEST legal procedures regarding the adoption of our two thai children [ages 6 and 8] that i have been raising as my own for the last 5 yrs. Our 5yr marriage is legally registered with the wife's local amphor and i would like to give them my family name and later register them with my embassy and get them US passports for their future.

i've been told to start procedings thru the local amphor, the local municipal hall, and even bkk [that being my last choice, because i live in Chiang Mai].

I might mention that the oldest maintains his biological [deadbeat] father's name and the youngest has my wife's maiden name. my wife assumed my legal family name.

i've also gotten several different versions of what is required of me. one list had a total of 18 documents that i had to provide, most translated and noterised by my embassy [@ $30/stamp].

anyone out there that has actually done this recently, as i hear that there are new regulations that streamline the process from 2 yrs to less than 6 mo??

i love these two children as my own and i am 'papa' to them........just want to make it legal!!

Just to make my situation more clear........i have been living in LOS for 6+ years on retirement visa, have sufficient income to support and educate in the best schools my two kids, their [deadbeat] father is totally out of the picture [like i said, he abandoned both the first born and my wife and may be hard to contact, but his name is on the birth cirtificate as father of the oldest boy].

and my immediate goal is to simply go thru the legal thai adoption procedures and give them my family name........then eventually i will apply for US passports for them.

i just want to leave my kids with as many open doors [or options] as i can. that's simply what any responsible parent should offer their children.

So, does anyone out there in 'thai-visa land' have any recent experience with thai/falang adoption?? i know that i'm not the only one that wants to do this.......

thanks in advance.....

[BKK90210]

Seem like you're a good guy with a gentle heart... and I hate to dash your hope.

The only thing matter for now is that your wife has to have the "the sole custody paper” signed by her ex-husband for those 2 children. And then you (being a US citizen) must get the clearance from INS first to be eligible to adopt. Without these 2 pieces of paper then it will be useless to proceed anything beyond this point.

Good luck

[jaideeguy]

OK, then assuming that i get those documents in order, then where do i apply for me legally adopting. i've heard BKK from some people, but recently heard that there is a new law that lets me apply thru the municipal hall in CM, which would be a lot less painful than BKK.

thanks for your input

[BKK90210]

Please contact the Thai Department of Social Welfare first, there is a branch in Chiangmai. You will have to apply there and they will tell you what to do. I don’t know their phone number. This department is responsible for all child welfares and all adoptions in Thailand. They will be able to provide you with lots of indepth information about the thai adoption.

However, be aware that the father has rights under Thai law. Don't expect courts/officials to be favorable to you just because the father basically abandoned her. They will have to follow the law. Be really sure you want to go through the hassle before you start, it could be a long and painful process. It may take years and years...

Good luck

EDIT: The full name is

Department of Social Development and Welfare, Ministry of Development and Human Security

Edited April 6, 2006 by BKK90210

[Ajarn]

Best of luck to you...

Sorry that I can't offer anything more than the name of a good lawyer close to you...

Khun Pipat 053-242-900

[Dustoff]

~

It is difficult to ask these questions but..

Will the children themselves benefit somehow from this adoption/name change?

I am an American who married his Thai soulmate in America (she went with me from here on a tourist visa) and she has a son that I wish to provide for for the rest of his life. But then I have US Military benefits that will extend to him just because I married his mother and it is not necessary that I adopt nor even change his last name; in fact his mother still retains her Thai last name at my urging.

"A rose by any other name", eh? If this legal change that you would like to make in their lives offers no lifetime financial or educational benefit, will being a Thai with a falang name help or hinder them in the long run? That, trust me, is a question, not a judgment!

Picture this:

An American not-really-yet-divorced mom, meets Thai (or whatever 'foreign') man...

Love.. adoption.. and her soon-to-be 7 & 8 year-old American school children are now going into the tough public school environment having to say, "My mom married this Asian guy, ya know, and now my name is something that you likely cannot even learn to pronounce.."

"Please don't make fun of me..."

It is unlikely that you will get them "US passports" unless you and your legal wife get a US immigration visa and go thru the whole INS/citizenship procedure within the United States for many years.

There likely IS a chance that you can adopt but if Thai Laws are the mirror of western/American as I suspect, it won't happen without a release of parental responsibility and permission from their biological father. It sounds like this could happen if you could find him but it ain't gonna be cheap.

Geez, this sounds so negative but I don't mean for it to be. It is just that I have been dealing with some of these very same things for quite some time now..

Maybe just let them be Thai and do your best for them however you can?

Good luck!

[Maejo Man]

Why not go and see the lovely people out at the Vieng Ping Orphanage, and have a chat with them. They are dealing with adoptions on a daily basis, and might be able to throw some light on the legalities of you situation...Good luck

[BKK90210]

Yes, The Vieng Ping Orphanage. This orphanage is a part/under of Dept. of Social Welfare. They would have much info regarding adoption, if you live in northern region.