My thai wife only has an American passport. Thai passport expired along with her ID card. Immigration mentioned I needed to get our marriage certificate certified. No sure if that is by the American Embassy or MFA. She cannot get a thai passport because the birthday is incorrect on the American passport. Any information on what to do. I got the marriage license translated by a non government office. We are both over 50 and would use my income for financial proof.

This does not belong in the Pub, moving to Thai Visas Forum.

Her problem lies with the US-passport, so she should inquire with the US passport office how to correct her passport.

If she still has her old passport she can enter Thailand on that one. She should not enter on her US passport, that will make her subject to visa requirements.

Given the different dates it might be better to apply for a tourist visa in her US passport and only show that one to the airline, so the ailrine will let her fly. But enter Thailand on the expired Thai passport.

She can contact the Thai Cosular Department, nationality section in Bangkok by e-mail and see what they can do in issueing a new passport. But she does not need her US-passport to renew her Thai passport or ID-card.

www.consular.go.th

if she is in thailand have her to go along to the police station and report her id.card as lost then to her ampher and get a new one.my wf.got a new id.after 7yrs.without one.

Are you in or outside of Thailand? If outside just have her enter on old Thai passport (fully legal) and then US passport and DOB will not be an issue. She is Thai and fully allowed to be here without your status.

If already here using US passport she should be able to obtain new ID card (listing on some home register will be required) and then new passport here. Once that obtained can exit on US passport and return on Thai passport to be here as Thai.

If you insist on her being your retirement dependent proof of marriage filed at an immigration office and form KR22 will be required and if passport/marriage certificate DOB are different it may have to be resolved first.

She can also get 1 year extension of stay on her US passport by only proving that she is born Thai.

We are outside Thailand and will be entering late October. Wife wants to see if she can live in Thailand. We would return later for permanent residence. We will be coming back to the US after 3 months. If she uses her Thai passport to enter, what happens when she goes back to the US. The American passport will not have a stamp in it. I do like the idea of using the expired Thai passport. Our home is in Thoeng and we have to travel to Mae Sai for immigration visits (100 km). I appreciate all the comments.

She can also get 1 year extension of stay on her US passport by only proving that she is born Thai.

Does that require quarterly visits to immigration?

We are outside Thailand and will be entering late October. Wife wants to see if she can live in Thailand. We would return later for permanent residence. We will be coming back to the US after 3 months. If she uses her Thai passport to enter, what happens when she goes back to the US. The American passport will not have a stamp in it. I do like the idea of using the expired Thai passport. Our home is in Thoeng and we have to travel to Mae Sai for immigration visits (100 km). I appreciate all the comments.

There is no problem with not having a stamp in the US passport. But she will need to elave Thailand on her new Thai passport. She cannot leave on her expired Thai passport, so the new Thai passport must be taken care of during her stay.That should not be a problem, as that has nothing to do with the US-passport. But she must be registered on a household registration book in Thailand.

As said she would need a new ID card and be listed on home register and new passport would then be available within about a week (which she could use for exit if entry make on expired passport or for next entry if exit made on US passport). Yes 90 day address reports would be required if here as a foreign national. Remember US passport is required to be used for US entry - no stamps are required or expected as thousands of travelers are dual nationals who would not have a Thai stamp.

When you use the word "permanent residence" I hope it is only as meaning stay here as official PR is not going to be an option for you if here on retirement extensions (as your over 50 mention suggests).

We are outside Thailand and will be entering late October. Wife wants to see if she can live in Thailand. We would return later for permanent residence. We will be coming back to the US after 3 months. If she uses her Thai passport to enter, what happens when she goes back to the US. The American passport will not have a stamp in it. I do like the idea of using the expired Thai passport. Our home is in Thoeng and we have to travel to Mae Sai for immigration visits (100 km). I appreciate all the comments.

There is no problem with not having a stamp in the US passport. But she will need to elave Thailand on her new Thai passport. She cannot leave on her expired Thai passport, so the new Thai passport must be taken care of during her stay.That should not be a problem, as that has nothing to do with the US-passport. But she must be registered on a household registration book in Thailand.

My wife says she is no longer listed on a house register. It apparently disappeared after her parents died. She has been in the US for 30 years.

She can also get 1 year extension of stay on her US passport by only proving that she is born Thai.

Does that require quarterly visits to immigration?

Yes, 90 day reporting must be made if in Thailand on her US passport.

Does she have any family who can list her? Perhaps just enter with tourist visas for this trip in that case and if it appears a move to be made do the paperwork for ID/Home Register while here for your next trip.

If she has family in Thailand she can ask them to register her on their household registration.

But I would first contact the Thai Foreign Ministry, consular department and see what they can do to help your wife with getting a passport while still in the US. They are very friendly and helpful.

As said she would need a new ID card and be listed on home register and new passport would then be available within about a week (which she could use for exit if entry make on expired passport or for next entry if exit made on US passport). Yes 90 day address reports would be required if here as a foreign national. Remember US passport is required to be used for US entry - no stamps are required or expected as thousands of travelers are dual nationals who would not have a Thai stamp.

When you use the word "permanent residence" I hope it is only as meaning stay here as official PR is not going to be an option for you if here on retirement extensions (as your over 50 mention suggests).

I meant a retirement visa. We tried to get her an updated ID card when we where last in Thailand but the amphur would not provide one stating that there were no longer any records on file pertaining to her (to include house register). This is why I am attempting to go the retirement visa route for both of us. Would be great if we could get her a new ID card and updated Thai passport.

Expect you can take action during trip to find old home registration paperwork of parents and then get her transferred onto another family member or even friend and then proceed with ID card and then passport. It should be worthwhile if here for the long term. I suspect Embassy can not issue passport at this stage with no current ID and US passport ID not matching her birth certificate DOB. You might want to engage a local lawyer for paperwork here during your visit - it should not cost too much and if family members still around there may be one among them. Even not having a birth certificate can be overcome but it does take time - but as more years pass the harder it will become.

Expect you can take action during trip to find old home registration paperwork of parents and then get her transferred onto another family member or even friend and then proceed with ID card and then passport. It should be worthwhile if here for the long term. I suspect Embassy can not issue passport at this stage with no current ID and US passport ID not matching her birth certificate DOB. You might want to engage a local lawyer for paperwork here during your visit - it should not cost too much and if family members still around there may be one among them. Even not having a birth certificate can be overcome but it does take time - but as more years pass the harder it will become.

Thanks for your advice. I think a lawyer would be a good idea. The amphur has already sent her away because they could not find any paperwork. Thirty years is a long time. Getting the date changed on a new Thai passport has many implications. It would follow that she would have to update her American passport. Every other means of identification would probably follow. She would have to pay back three months to social security if she does everything legally. I am back to my original question concerning the marriage certificate. Do I first get the original certified in the US embassy then take it to MFA for official translation to satisfy immigration?

Years ago my wife was in exactly the same situation. She had lost contact with family and her ID and Passport were long expired. We came to Bangkok using her last issued Passport and managed to find relatives near where she grew up. She then asked a nephew to register her at his house. With the tabien baan, she went to the district office with her nephew and go a new ID card. Then we went to the Passport office for a new passport. This took a couple of weeks time but has proven to well worth the effort once we retired in Thailand.

Do I first get the original certified in the US embassy then take it to MFA for official translation to satisfy immigration?

That would be for filing with District Office to have a KR22 report of marriage available for immigration extensions of stay as your dependent wife.

Marriage certificate translated to Thai and visit to your Embassy and then MFA for registration and then District Office to register.

Years ago my wife was in exactly the same situation. She had lost contact with family and her ID and Passport were long expired. We came to Bangkok using her last issued Passport and managed to find relatives near where she grew up. She then asked a nephew to register her at his house. With the tabien baan, she went to the district office with her nephew and go a new ID card. Then we went to the Passport office for a new passport. This took a couple of weeks time but has proven to well worth the effort once we retired in Thailand.

so was my wife,first has she any relatives or someone she is close to who would enter her on their house register,then whatever district she was born in will have a copy of the birth registration,once she gets a copy of that the rest will fall into place.we wernt going to come back to thailand but living in the uk.had become just say crap,so after twenty yrs.my wife had to do all what your wf.has to if she wants to buy a property in thailand.

just a caution ask your wife is there anything that she hasnt told you that might go against her before she left thailand that might be recorded.

this does happen a mate of mine after 7yrs has just found out his wf.had a boy 10yrs ago.

as for your travel the wf.has a uk.passport used to leave the uk.then thai one to enter thailand.once she has a new id she can get a new thai passport they can check if she's had one previously and she will get one straight away.

I would suggest your Thai wife to apply for a new Thai passport while she is still in USA. In the case that she lost her copy of certified Sum-ma-no-krua (Ta-bien-baan). If she still has relatives in Thailand, she should ask them to go to any nearest Am-Pur to ask for a search of her record and to obtain a certified copy of Sam-ma-no-krua.

Only if she has her Thai passport, she can travel to Thailand without the need of retirement visa and she can stay in Thailand indefinitely as long as she use Thai passport upon arrival in Thailand and when she leaves Thailand, she must use the Thai passport. Do not present US passport. She does not need to show her US passport when dealing with any Thai government officials.

I have dual citizenship. My comment based on my previous trip to Thailand last year.

Since your in the US you might check with your local Wat ( or call Thai embassy) because very year the passport officials come to our Wat in Atlanta and Thai people in need of a passport can get the process done there and it's mailed to you in a few weeks, otherwise you have to go to DC to Embassy to get it done. They have already been to our Wat this year so I guess the program is still active. Doesn't matter if her passport is expired, happens a lot. DC process is pretty straight forward also. Just get it done now, October seems a long way away but it's only 2 months and a few days and if I remember right the passport is mailed from Thailand

We are outside Thailand and will be entering late October. Wife wants to see if she can live in Thailand. We would return later for permanent residence. We will be coming back to the US after 3 months. If she uses her Thai passport to enter, what happens when she goes back to the US. The American passport will not have a stamp in it. I do like the idea of using the expired Thai passport. Our home is in Thoeng and we have to travel to Mae Sai for immigration visits (100 km). I appreciate all the comments.

Many members of my family have two passports. For the US, use the US passport for exiting and then switch to Thai passport enroute.

Reverse is true to return to the states.

Having multiple passports is illegal only in a very few countries - example - Kuwait. There, immigration holds the passport for retutn to the US Embassy in Kuwait and they in turn notify the owner the passport is at the Embassy. As some people travel often, the Embassy even has their home addresses on file and the passport is mailed to them.

Thanks for your advice. I think a lawyer would be a good idea. The amphur has already sent her away because they could not find any paperwork. Thirty years is a long time. Getting the date changed on a new Thai passport has many implications. It would follow that she would have to update her American passport. Every other means of identification would probably follow. She would have to pay back three months to social security if she does everything legally. I am back to my original question concerning the marriage certificate. Do I first get the original certified in the US embassy then take it to MFA for official translation to satisfy immigration?

The US embassy will not certify any document. They will do a certified copy that some Amphoes will accept.

Info here: The US embassy will not certify any document. They will do a certified copy that some Amphoes will accept.

Info here: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/notary_authentication.html

Edited August 1, 201312 yr by ubonjoe

Thai embassies and consulates abroad can renew her Thai ID card (since a year or so ago); they can also issue temporary Thai travel documents if she lacks the paperwork needed to renew the ID and passport.

They are very helpful and have a lot of experience in this. You should consult with your nearest embassy or consulate.

She shd leave the U.S. on her U.S. passport and enter Thailand as a Thai. There's no issue re stamps.
I have two nationalities (one is Thai) and routinely switch passports at check in and immigration to suit various countries entry requirements.

Thai embassies and consulates abroad can renew her Thai ID card (since a year or so ago); they can also issue temporary Thai travel documents if she lacks the paperwork needed to renew the ID and passport.

They are very helpful and have a lot of experience in this. You should consult with your nearest embassy or consulate.

She shd leave the U.S. on her U.S. passport and enter Thailand as a Thai. There's no issue re stamps.

I have two nationalities (one is Thai) and routinely switch passports at check in and immigration to suit various countries entry requirements.

Only some Thai embassies can now renew an ID-card. But it is the intention that in the very near future all Thai embassies will be able to renew ID-cards.

OP has the problem that the embassy wants to see additional proof of ID, but all her US ID have a different date of birth than on her Thai ID.

We tried to get her an updated ID card when we where last in Thailand but the amphur would not provide one stating that there were no longer any records on file pertaining to her (to include house register).

ID card is not going to be issued until this is taken care of.

Mario2008, Most - rather than some - Thai embassies and consulates now renew Thai ID cards.

And if they can't issue the ID card or the passport due to paperwork problems, they can and will issue temporary travel documents. There are many Thais abroad in similar situations as the OP's partner.

Thai embassies and consulates abroad can renew her Thai ID card (since a year or so ago); they can also issue temporary Thai travel documents if she lacks the paperwork needed to renew the ID and passport.

They are very helpful and have a lot of experience in this. You should consult with your nearest embassy or consulate.

She shd leave the U.S. on her U.S. passport and enter Thailand as a Thai. There's no issue re stamps.

I have two nationalities (one is Thai) and routinely switch passports at check in and immigration to suit various countries entry requirements.

I appreciate all that have commented on this issue. Your advice makes everything a lot easier. I have someone checking the local Wat in Philly to see when immigration might come. I could at least have my wife talk to them and see what they advise. The same would go for the ID card. We never lost the old one. It is just out-of-date with the correct DOB which is not on the American passport. It also appears I can take the Thai translation of the marriage certificate to the American consulate for notarization then proceed to the MFA with it. As far as 90 day visits, I will have to travel the 100 km to Mae Sai every three months. She can easily accompany me if I can get her a retirement visa also. I don't understand why they did not put immigration in Chiang Rai. Will still try to get the Thai passport but she is totally frustrated with that effort.

I suggest you contact the embassy in DC (or consulate in NY) to see when they have a scheduled visit to Philly. It is not immigration that will be at a Wat it will be consular officers from the embassy or consualte.

You can only get a certified copy at the US embassy in Bangkok they will not certify the marriage certificates is authentic as I posted earlier.

Edited August 3, 201312 yr by ubonjoe