Legally Married Or What?

[ThaiFarmer]

Hi,

I have one small (?) problem, just to start with:

When reading about Thai visas I can see the words "Legally married" here and there.

What does "Legally married" mean in Thailand?

I've been married (in MY country) to my Thai born wife for more than 20 years and now we are planning to retire in Thailand and become farmers. She has MY familyname. As I understand it there are problems for a Thai married to a foreigner if she wants to own land in Thailand. Am I right about this? Does anyone know the exact rules about marriage, family names and land owning in Thailand?

Hope anyone out there can help me.

[ucomservices]

Hi!

Got some info for you. I am "Legally Married **" to a Thai Girl and both of us reside in India now for the past ten years as I am an Indian. She still retiains her Thai Passport and nationality.

** "Legally Married" implies that you have some Somlot "Marriage" papers from your Amphur Office in her city where she used to reside in Thailand. Your marriage is still "Legal" even if you have papers relating to your marriage from another country besides Thailand.

But, personally I think, that having your marriage registered in your Amphur Office in her city where she used to reside in Thailand would still be a better and more powerful way of doing things "Legally".

Rest, I think, that you have forgotton to mention the following :-

1. Your & your wife's age ??

2. Your & your wife's present nationality ??

If you give this information, maybe I can give you some more advice.

regards & best wishes

UCOMSERVICES

[ThaiFarmer]

Well, it's somewhat complicated.

Nationality: Swedish

Wife's age: a few years below 50

My age: a few years over 50

1. My wife is a Swedish citizen (and Thai, too). I'm of course also a Swedish citizen.

2. She has a Swedish passport with my family name.

3. She also has a Thai passport with my family name. It's not active and not used since the 80's.

4. In Thailand she had a Thai ID-card when she was young, with her Thai family name on (of course!).

5. When in Thailand 2000 she renewed this ID-card with her Thai family name (= before she married me).

6. She also bought land with this ID-card in 2000. No problem. She is a Thai citizen!

So today she has two family names, mine and her old Thai!!

But I'm beginning to wonder, how legal this is. She is married to me in Sweden. But we are NOT married in Thailand. I've heard that if a Thai is married to a foreigner and she has the foreigners family name Thailand consider her as foreigner and therefore she can not own land.........?????

Or is she an unmarried Thai as long as she is'nt married in Thailand? And if we are getting married in Thailand and wants to stay in Thailand and own land, what family name should we choose, mine or her's?

Has she done anything illegal (6. and 7. above)?

If so, how can we make it legal again?

I will apply for Retirement visa.

Complicated...... Uhhhhh!!

Heeeeelp! Please!

[Bobcat]

Your wife has done nothing wrong. She is Thai and when in Thailand will be treated as such. She has a Thai ID card and is entitled to own land. I suggest she renews her Thai passport at the Thai Embassy in your hone town. Whenever she enters or leaves Thailand, she can use her Thai passport. I would suggest that name in her passport be the same as the name on her Thai ID. When entering or leaving a foreign country, she can use her Swedish passport.

I'm not sure how you go about registering your foreign marriage here but perhaps its quite simple. I'm also not sure whether you can apply for a non-immigrant O visa before you arrive based on your marriage in Sweden.

I'm sure others will have some great advice.

Bobcat

[lopburi3]

If you have been married for 20 years and she obtained a new ID card in 2000 that indicates she is not married (and a Swedish marriage is legal in Thailand?)believe you may have a small problem but she can probably explain she did not believe marriage was legal in Thailand because it was not registered here so should not be a major item; but you should seek guidance from Embassy.

There is no longer a problem with a woman having a foreign surname for land ownership but money has to be declared as hers and paper signed by husband that he understands he has not rights to this property.

In Thailand legally married is registration at the District Office; which many Thai never bother to do.

You can not work if you plan to come here on a retirement visa. Do not believe you can be a farmer in any case.

[ThaiFarmer]

Hi fellows,

Thank you all for your advices. We will contact the Thai Embassy here for advice, just like you said "lopburi3".

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hi fellows,

Thank you all for your advices. We will contact the Thai Embassy here for advice, just like you said "lopburi3".

That's the way. You have no problems at all. Apply for an O visa when you want to come to Thailand, and extend it for a year based on marriage to a Thai.