Hi all,

I hope someone can help. My girlfriend is pregnant with my baby, we are not yet married and I am currently working in the UK. My flight back to Thailand is a few weeks before the baby's due date. I would like to know that IF the baby comes early in my absence, can she still have my name and will I be able to have my name on the birth certificate? Please can someone explain the process to me.

Many thanks in advance

Kindest regards

When the baby is born the child needs to be registered at the amphur. At that time the mother and fathers name are entered by the person registring the birth.

You can be entered on the birth certificate as the father with no problems, but the birth certificate will focourse be in Thai. Advise is to have a copy of your passport and prepare a translation of your name in Thai language.

With you on the birth certificate it will not mean that you are the legl father of the child according to Thai law. For that you need to legitimise the child. See:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/381917-how-to-gain-parental-rights-as-a-father/

Thanks for your help. So just to confirm, if I am absent for the birth my gf can put my name on the birth certificate and baby can have my name? Then once we are married we must go to the local amphur and legitimise the child?

Thanks again

You can be on the BC without any problem. If the child can have your last name is more problematic, as you are not the legal father yet. Most amphurs will allow it without any problems, but some are reportedly strict.

Once the child is born you have two options:

- go to the court and ask to be recognised as the legal father

- get married and you automatically become the legal father with registering the marriage at the amphur.