Name change after the wedding. Any benefits / drawbacks?

[Shurup]

I've just got married 6 days ago (traditional wedding) and now we are trying to register the marriage. Today we went to Canadian embassy to get the affidavit to marry, got it translated and certified. Tomorrow we're going to register it. During this time I guess there is an option for her to change her last name.

I'm leaning towards the name change, she's leaning towards keeping her current name as to avoid all the other changes on all the bank accounts, house books, green and blue books, id cards, etc. etc. etc......

I can see there's no benefits for her here to change the name, only headaches. No real benefits for me either.

But once she applies for a Canadian residency and when we move to Canada, will there be any benefits or drawbacks regarding the name change? I would guess there aren't too many Canadians here but I'd also guess the US laws are pretty much the same so if anyone South of the boarder has anything to say, please do!

Can she keep her Thai name in Thailand and register with my name in Canada?

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[ubonjoe]

The name change will be done on her house book and ID at the time you get married if she chooses to do it. The rest will not be that hard to change.

The complication is that her passport will have her maiden name unless she changes it when you are married. I can see this leading to complication for visas and etc..

There is no negative side to changing her name in my opinion. My wife had no choice when we got married and has had no problems.

[saakura]

A change to the name and surname is one of the easiest things to do in Thailand. Some thais change their names and even surnames, multiple times in a lifetime to bring them luck. And they dont seem to have any difficulties in getting all their documents endorsed under the new name.

[Shurup]

The name change will be done on her house book and ID at the time you get married if she chooses to do it. The rest will not be that hard to change.

The complication is that her passport will have her maiden name unless she changes it when you are married. I can see this leading to complication for visas and etc..

There is no negative side to changing her name in my opinion. My wife had no choice when we got married and has had no problems.

Ok sounds simple, but will there be any negatives if NOT changing her name?

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[Shurup]

A change to the name and surname is one of the easiest things to do in Thailand. Some thais change their names and even surnames, multiple times in a lifetime to bring them luck. And they dont seem to have any difficulties in getting all their documents endorsed under the new name.

Thanks but this only answers part of my question. Most of the Thais don't marry to foreigners and leave the country. I'm also interested in how changing, or not changing her name will affect her Canadian applications. As well as her current multiple entry visa to the US.

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[Farma]

I've had 2 long term marriages. 1 wife changed to my surname the other retained her maiden name. Both had no problems obtaining visas or having the marriage recognised in my home or third party countries where we lived.

As mentioned it's common for Thais to change their name.

The only reason my 2nd wife opted to retain her maiden name was for convenience. She had businesses, property and degrees in her name prior to marriage. It was more convenient to keep her maiden name for her business life in Thailand

[Shurup]

Any ideas if it's possible to keep her maiden name here in Thailand and use my name when applying for residency and later citizenship? I guess what I'm asking, is it possible to have 2 countries passports with different last names?

Just considering all the possibilities and all the pros and cons.

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[BigRick]

Good post I just got married today myself. Actually we got married yesterday and the lady screwed up the paperwork so we had to go back and have it redone. Talk about nightmare if we did not have someone special to call the amphor the lady was going to try and get us to sign a divorce decree then remarry. Amazing Thailand! They get really confused with long western names. Seems 22 letters was too much to comprehend.

[Shurup]

Good post I just got married today myself. Actually we got married yesterday and the lady screwed up the paperwork so we had to go back and have it redone. Talk about nightmare if we did not have someone special to call the amphor the lady was going to try and get us to sign a divorce decree then remarry. Amazing Thailand! They get really confused with long western names. Seems 22 letters was too much to comprehend.

LOL. Well not really, but LOL! Sorry.

On topic, wife decided to change the name on everything so once this is done, there won't be any issues anywhere.

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[dannyspurs]

There is the third option, which my wife and many of her Thai friends in the US have opted for: Thai name on Thai passport, married name on foreign passport or ID (in this case US). This leads to minor hassles, such as deciding which name to use for frequent flyer points, or when she had a plane ticket in Thai name but wanted to use her American credit card (married name) in the duty-free shop at BKK.

[Shurup]

There is the third option, which my wife and many of her Thai friends in the US have opted for: Thai name on Thai passport, married name on foreign passport or ID (in this case US). This leads to minor hassles, such as deciding which name to use for frequent flyer points, or when she had a plane ticket in Thai name but wanted to use her American credit card (married name) in the duty-free shop at BKK.

Ah! That's basically what I was asking in post #7. I guess there are little headaches here and there going this route.

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[dannyspurs]

There is the third option, which my wife and many of her Thai friends in the US have opted for: Thai name on Thai passport, married name on foreign passport or ID (in this case US). This leads to minor hassles, such as deciding which name to use for frequent flyer points, or when she had a plane ticket in Thai name but wanted to use her American credit card (married name) in the duty-free shop at BKK.

Ah! That's basically what I was asking in post #7. I guess there are little headaches here and there going this route.

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Yes, little headaches, but my wife (and most of her friends) are willing to put up with it to avoid having to change name on all their Thai things (ID card, passport, credit cards, etc.). We've been married for seven years, with yearly trips back and forth, and the minor hassles haven't had her even close to thinking of changing (in either country).

[giddyup]

Good post I just got married today myself. Actually we got married yesterday and the lady screwed up the paperwork so we had to go back and have it redone. Talk about nightmare if we did not have someone special to call the amphor the lady was going to try and get us to sign a divorce decree then remarry. Amazing Thailand! They get really confused with long western names. Seems 22 letters was too much to comprehend.

Was the Amphur office where you were actually married? I asked my lady to ring them yesterday and ask about getting married and they told her we had to do it at my embassy. I get so many conflicting answers from the Thai bureaucracy.

[laislica]

I'm a Brit and married in the town hall.

My wife opted to change name.

A day or so later she went to a local office and showed the marriage cert and got a Change Name Cert and a new ID.

She then went to the passport office and got the new passport.

Popped into the bank and opened a new account.

She didn't bother changing the name on the account and ATM card with a different bank.

Since the marriage she got an EEA family member visa and came to Spain (my country of residence) and I got her registered as a resident of Spain there. There were a lot of hoops to jump through and I can't help thinking how much more difficult it could have been with different family names. Spain are used to each couple having different family names but not so for the UK.

When visiting tourist hotels in Thailand, there is no argument about her being my wife.

(before we married, one hotel in Karon wanted 1,000 Baht / day extra - for my girlfriend! I said she is my wife and they waived the extra charge - as long as I had the same wife every day LOL)

[PaulHamon]

You wife shoudl keep the old name, it's a pain in the arse for them to have your name... opens them up to extra attention and scrutiny. also ur wife will need to hall her name changing paperwork everywhere for everything office.

Paul Hamon / พอล เหมันต์

Luckily my surname is so close to เหมันต์ (an old know Thai word for winter) and spelt it this way on all my transcripts,nNow everyone thinks that I took her name and she never gets asked.

Best idea would be the charge you name in surname your home country to 'na ayutthaya' and then get yourself you and your wife a very famous/know/wealthy Thai surname. lol

[CDNinKS]

My wife changed her name for most of the reasons listed here, easier to convince the embassies that she is my wife and will return to Thailand, hotels, airlines, credit cards, etc.

There have been times though when my wife thinks that when people see she has a farang last name they charge her farang prices

[expat_4_life]

Firstly, I have not researched the current regulations. Decades ago I can tell you that it was impossible for my wife to register land in her name once she changed her name.

If that is currently the case, then it is one negative.

Edited March 7, 2014 by expat_4_life

[Shurup]

Firstly, I have not researched the current regulations. Decades ago I can tell you that it was impossible for my wife to buy land once she changed her name.

If that is currently the case, then it is one negative.

I don't think there's a problem with this now, I don't know of any cases when Thai national wasn't able to buy land, etc. due to name change, but I'd really love someone can confirm this.

She asked me this question as well as if she looses her Thai nationality when she becomes Canadian, and I just laughed.

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[Cbr150r]

Firstly, I have not researched the current regulations. Decades ago I can tell you that it was impossible for my wife to buy land once she changed her name.

If that is currently the case, then it is one negative.

I don't think there's a problem with this now, I don't know of any cases when Thai national wasn't able to buy land, etc. due to name change, but I'd really love someone can confirm this.

She asked me this question as well as if she looses her Thai nationality when she becomes Canadian, and I just laughed.

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About 10 years ago when my wife changed her last name to mine we checked with our lawyer, a partner at very well respected Thai law firm, and he assured us that land purchase is allowed regardless of the name change.

We haven't had any negative issues arise from the name change.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Cbr150r

[BigRick]

Good post I just got married today myself. Actually we got married yesterday and the lady screwed up the paperwork so we had to go back and have it redone. Talk about nightmare if we did not have someone special to call the amphor the lady was going to try and get us to sign a divorce decree then remarry. Amazing Thailand! They get really confused with long western names. Seems 22 letters was too much to comprehend.

Was the Amphur office where you were actually married? I asked my lady to ring them yesterday and ask about getting married and they told her we had to do it at my embassy. I get so many conflicting answers from the Thai bureaucracy.

Yes the Amphur in Kanchanaburi. Marriage eligibility from the US embassy(Feb 12th), Used a Thai translator in Kburi the guy sucked(translated x 2) and had us send it to the black hole called Chiang Watanna got it back she had to bring in into Bkk and get it done at Bang Na(second translation March 4th)). She returned we went to get married yesterday the lady messed up the name on the paperwork(Immigration spotted it for us and said take it back). We took it back She stone walled us until the new wife got in contact with someone who got in contact with someone else who made it clear that she needed to correct her mistake. The smug look dropping from her face was priceless when she was informed she will in fact fix her mistake immediately. I let out a hardy chuckle because it was looking really screwed up at that point. The lady had actually suggested we get divorced and get remarried because of her clerical error! Only in Thailand seriously the nickel and dimming is remarkable this seemed like it was heading for the ole shake down until the right people got on the phone. Once she corrected it and everyone was cool like Fonzy we said thank you and are now married.(March 7th) I was really surprised about them not needing out witnesses. It was kind of like <deleted> did we drag these people down here for?

Edited March 7, 2014 by BigRick

[dietergerhard]

I am from Victoria. Got marrfied 2 months ago. Registered it 3 weeks later with her using my last name. Changed her name everywhere - banks, employer, social security, id card ... really easy including passport. Bought a house also no issues except I had to sign something at the land office as her husband but that would have been the case regardless of name. All in all it was a bit of running around but no issues at all. I am a retired lawyer and while this is only just my theory I believe Canadian immigration will take her application even more seriously when they see my last name on all her docs. Maybe not so much in practice but perhaps psychologically. Thats not why we did it but it can't hurt. We both like the idea of her first name going with my mine. Don't do it for stategy but don't not do it out of concern for anything.

Edited March 7, 2014 by dietergerhard

[CDNinKS]

I am from Victoria. Got marrfied 2 months ago. Registered it 3 weeks later with her using my last name. Changed her name everywhere - banks, employer, social security, id card ... really easy including passport. Bought a house also no issues except I had to sign something at the land office as her husband but that would have been the case regardless of name. All in all it was a bit of running around but no issues at all. I am a retired lawyer and while this is only just my theory I believe Canadian immigration will take her application even more seriously when they see my last name on all her docs. Maybe not so much in practice but perhaps psychologically. Thats not why we did it but it can't hurt. We both like the idea of her first name going with my mine. Don't do it for stategy but don't not do it out of concern for anything.

I agree that if she has your name it just goes that bit further with foreign embassies. My wife got a US 10 year visa on her first application and a 3 year one for Canada ( until her passport expires). I really believe applying with my last name helped in this situation.

Land purchase is not a problem, my wife has bought land in her married name. Some people are still thinking about an old law that disqualified Thai women from owning land if they were married to a farang (name change or not) That law was struck down at least 20 years ago...

[juehoe]

Keeping the Thai family name is an advantage when living in Thailand.

[dietergerhard]

Keeping the Thai family name is an advantage when living in Thailand.

Perhaps but when my girl went for a small home loan (wanted her to do this to build her credit) they sure seemed impressed by her genuine connection to me ... remarked upon her last name

[Wat dee]

The name change will be done on her house book and ID at the time you get married if she chooses to do it. The rest will not be that hard to change.

The complication is that her passport will have her maiden name unless she changes it when you are married. I can see this leading to complication for visas and etc..

There is no negative side to changing her name in my opinion. My wife had no choice when we got married and has had no problems.

Ok sounds simple, but will there be any negatives if NOT changing her name?

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When Her passport expires She has to take foreign husbands last name if She want to have a new passport.

[thailandbeachisland]

Don;t change her name if you want that she by property in Thailand as a Thai...

Not because of the law but because of all the retarded monkeys around.

[DrDave]

There is the third option, which my wife and many of her Thai friends in the US have opted for: Thai name on Thai passport, married name on foreign passport or ID (in this case US). This leads to minor hassles, such as deciding which name to use for frequent flyer points, or when she had a plane ticket in Thai name but wanted to use her American credit card (married name) in the duty-free shop at BKK.

Same here. In the US, my wife's legal surname is the same as mine and is used on her US passport bank accounts, credit card, etc). In Thailand, everything (passport, chanotes, house books, id card, etc) has her Thai surname.

The only issue we've run into is with crediting frequent flyer miles, as dannyspurs mentioned. We were able to change her FF account to her US surname, but I doubt that we would be able to change it back to her Thai name in the future due to the documentation that has to be provided. (The ticketed passenger name must match the name on the passport used, as well as the name on the FF account). A simple solution might be to use her US name with one airline, and her Thai name with another - and use whichever airline's FF account has the name matching the passport she'll be using to enter Thailand.

Our feeling is that it makes things easier for her in Thailand if she keeps her Thai surname. As unbelievable as it may sound, my wife's sister was not permitted to transfer her interest in some land to my wife for the simple reason that she had an English surname, even though she was divorced and had all the supporting documentation. She was told "sorry, you cannot transfer land unless you change your family name first". This is the kind of thing we're trying to avoid.

[Bcgardener]

When we married about 17 years ago my wife kept her Thai maiden name as then, a Thai girl married to a foreigner could not own land. However since moving our business to Thailand a few years ago it has been a godsend . As another poster said, having an obviously western surname on her ID card or Thai passport leaves you open to all sorts of scams with various government departments or even the police as they can smell farang money. Doing some business with the local government office my wife got everything sorted quickly and correctly and gave the girl a small gift. If there was a farang surname on the ID card I am sure it would have cost more. If you plan to live overseas forever then I don't think it really matters

As her ID card has her Thai maiden name we get around the hotel check in "problems" in Thailand another way. When they ask for passports I always make sure my wife's Australian passport is on top of mine. When they open that first all "problems" disappear!

[sandyf]

I have been married for nearly 6 years and my wife kept her name because of legalities regarding her work. There is no real downside and she has had 2 new passports in that time, they only last 5 years. She has has had 3 UK visas and a Schengen visa without too much of a problem. The only minor problem was the idiots at VFS who jumped to the conclusion that we were not married and as Thais are never wrong it was a bit of a struggle to convince them.

The first time she went to the UK she traveled alone and immigration queried her name but she showed the marriage certificate and there was no problem.

I think living in Thailand it is beneficial to have the Thai name.

[Shurup]

Thanks, all good suggestions, I should have asked this a few days earlier, not one night before going to register the marriage. We now decided for her to keep her maiden name in Thailand so she'll need to change it back as she already started the process.

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