I'm an American with a Thai wife living in the USA. My wife recently gave birth here in the U.S. to our baby girl. Am in the process of obtaining a Thailand Birth Certificate from the Thai Embassy.

It will be several years before we return to the LoS. While we are able to have a friend or family member register our daughter in Thailand, is it really necessary? Seems I've read previously that we can handle house registration at any time in the future. If so, is there a time limit (e.g., prior to child turning 18)?

Thanks.

She'll need to be a Thai citizen, or at least a legal resident, to get put on the house registration.

There is no time limit, she can be registered at any time in a household registration book as she is living abroad.

One thing to remember is that in order to apply for a passport (or ID-card) in Thailand itself, she must be on a household registration book. Applying abroad for the passport is no problem and more and more Thai consulates are able to even issue a Thai ID-card.

To Mario2008: Thanks. That was what I was hoping for. Getting my daughter her Thai Birth Certificate is important; worrying about her Household Registration is not.

To bdw: You are correct. Thanks for offering the info.

Update. We took no action in Thailand. While filling out the application to mail to the Thai Embassy in LA, however, there's a line that optionally asks for a Thai address. Having approval of a close friend, we provided his address.

The birth certificate we received in the mail clearly shows that she was born -- & lives -- in the U.S. There is also a line identifying her Thailand Address.

Additional requirement. Perhaps taking a play from Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Thai Embassy requires all birth certificates to be certified by the applicable state's Secretary of State (only one Apostille is needed, regardless of how many certified copies you are requesting).

Other useful information-1. The application also asks if you want a Thai Passport. However, your answer has no bearing on anything (i.e., nothing is mentioned on the birth certificate). I called the LA embassy to ask about this; the lady said that the question on the form was only a meaningless formality, that you have to apply with the proper form & payment IOT receive a Thai Passport.

Other useful information-2. You can request certified copies at the same time, though you have to fill out another form for this. The advantage of simultaneously requesting this is that you don't have to supply a second prepaid USPS Express return envelope.

Thai Birth Certificate Application: form RTG-LA-R1

Legalization Petition (certified Birth Certificate copies): form RTG-LA-PT, or

Legalization Petition (certified Birth Certificate copies): form RTG-LA-PE

Forms are available from: http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_legal_download.aspx