Getting a Thai birth certificate - neither parent is Thai

[brewsterbudgen]

My Laotian girlfriend is due to give birth to our baby shortly. I'm British, working in Thailand with a WP. She lives in Thailand on continuous 30-day stamps. The baby will be born at Pattaya Memorial Hospital.

Is a Thai birth certificate issued automatically (at the hospital?) or do we have to go to a District Office to get it?

What documents are required?

As we are unmarried and neither of us is Thai, will there be any problems in getting it?

Is the certificate in Thai only? If the child is to have a western name, who translates this? Will I need to provide a Thai translation of my name/details?

I just want to be prepared! Eventually, the child will, hopefully, have a British passport; and maybe one from Laos.

[ThaiRich]

If you are both non Thai you will need to register the child's birth with the proper embassy. The child will not be issued a Thai birth certificate, will not have Thai citizenship.

[ThaiRich]

Thai citizenship is only given if one of the parents is Thai.

[brewsterbudgen]

I know the child will not have Thai citzenship, but he/she will still require a birth certificate. The birth certificate, to the best of my knowledge, does not confer citzenship and will clearly indicate this, but will still need to be issued.

There must be plenty of births in Thai to non-Thai parents.

[ThaiRich]

Ok. The way you said "eventually will have a British passport and maybe Laos". Made me think you thought the child would be born with Thai citizenship.

[brewsterbudgen]

Ok. The way you said "eventually will have a British passport and maybe Laos". Made me think you thought the child would be born with Thai citizenship.

Of course, I'm might be getting my terminology wrong and there are two separate birth documents, one which confers Thai citzenship and one which just registers a birth in Thailand.

Hence the need for help!

[cnx355]

Call The British Embassy and ask them how to proceed ! Maybe your girlfriend can also call her Laotian Embassy too and check the process with them. If you are not married she may have to register with her Embassy first and then you may have to start some process at your Embassy to be recognized as the father.

Good luck !

[Mario2008]

Any child born in Thailand will recieve a Thai birth certificate after being registred at the amphur for the area where the child was born.

In your case the hospital will probably offer to do it for you, for a fee.

The process is that the hospital will offer some kind of a certificate of the birth. With this you go to the amphur and registr the birth.

You will need copies of both parents passport for this and both of their names must be translated into Thai, as well as the chosen name for the child.

The birth certificate is in Thai.

Some amphurs will want an official (stamped) copy and translation of the passport.

There is only 1 birt certificate in Thailand. The birth certificate mentions the (Thai) nationality of the child, and identifies the parents. That is why a birth certificate is proof of Thai nationality.

Reporting at an embassy is done to inform that country of the birth of one of their nationals.

[MAMMartin]

my advice - if legally possible - get to the local district office asap and marry your girlfriend. Getting the British passport will be so much easier if you are married before the birth - plus in Thailand you will have more legal status over the child. costs less than a 1000 baht and is very "romantic"

As for the birth certificate the hospital will probably sort it for a fee and get you a translation into English with the correct stamp.

Not sure on the nationality status of your child, if the child is not recognised as Thai you will need to sort the passports sooner rather than eventually

[recycler]

Agree with the previous reply that it's way easier to get the desired UK passport if you marry before the birth, you and your girlfriend will need an official document stating that you are free to marry. I'm not sure about the UK, but in NL you have to prove 3 years of caring for the child if you where not married at birth, when married you can go straight to the embassy with the translated wedding and birth certificate to get the passport.

Also the birth certificate doesn't give you any parental rights to the child under Thai law if you are not married at the time of birth.

The birth certificate is in Thai only so make sure there will not be issues when translating it back to English. For example, Thai doesn't have letters for Z and V and R could become L etc.

[ScotBkk]

my advice - if legally possible - get to the local district office asap and marry your girlfriend. Getting the British passport will be so much easier if you are married before the birth - plus in Thailand you will have more legal status over the child. costs less than a 1000 baht and is very "romantic"

As for the birth certificate the hospital will probably sort it for a fee and get you a translation into English with the correct stamp.

Not sure on the nationality status of your child, if the child is not recognised as Thai you will need to sort the passports sooner rather than eventually

You make it sound so easy my friend. Wait till he TRIES to Marry his Laotion Girlfriend. The Bullshit involved in that alone will make trying to get a birth certificate look like a walk in the Park. I registered BOTH my sons in Thailand for their birth certificates. Years on, still we are not married considering all the crap you need to go through to get her paperwork to show she can be legally married and going through the lets say' due process of backhanders and a multitude of BS.

Good luck OP

[maidee]

in most western countries, being born in the country, gets you nationality

but not for FARANG as they have as good as no rights at all

[flashpanther]

If the child is born in Thailand it can get a Thai birth certificate. Regardless of parents nationality. I know, I've researched.

Your partner is Laotian. Laotians can only hold one nationality. So you are best off registering your child as Thai. The child will then qualify not only for a Thai passport but an English one also as you are the father.

If you ever did stay in Laos with your partner the child can request Laotian citizenship as the mother is Laotian and will be required to revoke the Thai citizenship.

So I say get the Thai birth certificate.

I am sorry to read some absolute rubbish in a few comments above.

Why do people feel the need to post, when they obviously don't know if there is truth in what they are saying.

Wish people wouldn't go off topic either.

For the record similar situation. No children myself. Researched numerous related subjects heavily and asked Thai consulate, embassy, forums etc. Register as Thai!

And getting married to a Laotian is hard... for reasons of the necessity of the affirmation to marry (communist country still - plenty visits to ministries, polices officials etc) BUT ONLY you want it recognised in Laos and/or the marriage carried out in Thailand. If you plan to live in the UK get married there, because once she gets British citizenship... 'technically' it is bye bye Laotian citizenship. Again as stated, Laos does not allow dual citizenship. How this is enforced I dunno,

[Sophon]

in most western countries, being born in the country, gets you nationality

but not for FARANG as they have as good as no rights at all

You are wrong about that, very few western countries gives citizenship to children born in the country to foreign parents. The only western countries giving unrestricted citizenship to all children born in the country are the United States and Canada. If interested read this link "Jus soli".

Sophon

Edited January 29, 2015 by Sophon

[Sophon]

If the child is born in Thailand it can get a Thai birth certificate. Regardless of parents nationality. I know, I've researched.

Your partner is Laotian. Laotians can only hold one nationality. So you are best off registering your child as Thai. The child will then qualify not only for a Thai passport but an English one also as you are the father.

If you ever did stay in Laos with your partner the child can request Laotian citizenship as the mother is Laotian and will be required to revoke the Thai citizenship.

So I say get the Thai birth certificate.

I am sorry to read some absolute rubbish in a few comments above.

Why do people feel the need to post, when they obviously don't know if there is truth in what they are saying.

Wish people wouldn't go off topic either.

For the record similar situation. No children myself. Researched numerous related subjects heavily and asked Thai consulate, embassy, forums etc. Register as Thai!

And getting married to a Laotian is hard... for reasons of the necessity of the affirmation to marry (communist country still - plenty visits to ministries, polices officials etc) BUT ONLY you want it recognised in Laos and/or the marriage carried out in Thailand. If you plan to live in the UK get married there, because once she gets British citizenship... 'technically' it is bye bye Laotian citizenship. Again as stated, Laos does not allow dual citizenship. How this is enforced I dunno,

You are right that every child born in Thailand can get a Thai birth certificate, but that doesn't mean that the child will be Thai. To be Thai (irrespective of where you are born) one of your parents has to be Thai. You used to get Thai citizenship if both of your parents were permanent residents, but I don't believe that is the case any more.

Sophon

[SarahN]

Hi, you can indeed get a thai birth certificate. Does your wife have a book issued by the docto with details of her pregnancy and scans? The birth certificate form should be the last page. If not then ask her doctor and they will advise you. Most birth certificates are issued at the hospital but you may need to go to the amphur together with the baby. It is quick and easy and costs around 80 baht.

My partner is from Laos aand I'm British, I gave birth at koh samui hospital in 2013. We went to the amphur the day after the birth, we took both our passports, boyfriends Laos id card and maybe my birth ccertificate but I'm certain on that . The baby's nationality stated on the certificate is British. It is all in thai language but we ttook it to a lawyer and had it officially translated to English for 500 baht. We used this translation when we applied for his English passport. Which was also very easy to get. Looks like you've had some very uunhelpful replies, I hope this one is a little more use to you. If you have any more questions just ask.

[SarahN]

The thai spelling of the bbaby's name can vary depending on pronunciation. Just make sure the English translation you get at the lawyers has the correct spelling.

Good luck and congratulations!

[SarahN]

Also, if you wanted to take her back to England there is a very easy way to do it without all the financial requirements and giving up her passport. Send a private message if you want and I can give you the gist of it. We are in the process of it now.

[rickirs]

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in most western countries, being born in the country, gets you nationality

but not for FARANG as they have as good as no rights at all

Not surprising as the 2007 Thai Constitution and 2014 Provensional Charter refer only to "Thai People." That means that anyone not Thai has no civil rights or liberties under the nation's constitution.

[khunPer]

Agree with Mario, post #8.

For your information, make sure your translation to Thai of parents names are correct – even an authorized translator can do it wrong – so have it double checked. It can be changed later, but rather difficult (I talk of experience).

Your birth certificate in Thai shall normally be translated by an authorized translator, and then verified by the Legalization Division of Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before your embassy accepts it. Check with the embassy, what the need of documentation. The last can be done in person at the Bangkok department, or by EMS (Express Mail Service). There are translation offices in the vicinity of Legalization Division. They can be little difficult to communicate with, as the office is very busy. They have a normal service for 400 baht and a VIP same-day service for 800 baht. I think EMS-fee is 60 baht (I used it last year).

Here is the address:

Legalization Division, 3rd floor

Department of Consular Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

123 Chaeng Watthana Road

Bangkok 10210

Tel : 0-2575-1056-59 Fax : 0-2575-1054

Service hours : 08.30 - 14.30 hrs. (Closed on Saturday - Sunday and Public Holidays)

Email : [email protected]

There are some quite special rules about Laotians and marriage and relationship between Lao citizens and foreigners, which has been up one or two TVF-treads before. Perhaps you know, otherwise there are some English information at the Lao Embassy in Australia’s home page:

http://www.laos.embassy.gov.au/vtan/AEV001002.html

-you can for sure find more info when searching at Google.

Think it’s worth checking all eventualities up, before birth and decision about where to apply for citizenship.

Wish you and your GF good luck...

[brewsterbudgen]

Thanks everyone.

Marrying is out of the question for now, due to the restrictions placed on Laotians marrying foreigners. We've looked into it closely!

I'm fairly sure that the only 2 possible nationalities my child will be able to claim are British and/or Laos. I don't he/she can ever be Thai, despite an earlier post which suggests otherwise.

Babies with Laotian parents seem to be able to cross back and forth between Laos and Thailand without the need for any documentation, so I'm hoping there is no urgency to sort out a passport. In time I plan to get him/her a British passport and then he/she will be able to stay in Thailand as my dependant. It will be disappointing if he/she can't also hold Laos citzenship but presumably it won't be an issue, insofar as staying with family in Laos, until he/she is significantly older?

[BangkokWilliams2]

I had a son born last Month in Bangkok Christian Hospital.

The Hospital arranged all documents for us, a Thai + legalized translated in English birth certificate.

We are not married and both foreigners, non Thai.

The birth certificate will state that the child is a non Thai citizen.

The child carries my family name.

We did not even had to go to the Khet to do the registering, we signed all documents in the hospital office, and they did all the footwork for us, including translation.

Total fee was 2000 baht.

[CP3]

You will need to make a BC at hospital within 14days if I am not wrong. Otherwise collect at ampur. You don't need married cert but you will need passport copied of both parents and since they are in English, hospital or Ampur will direct you to their authorized translator.

[BangkokWilliams2]

You will need to make a BC at hospital within 14days if I am not wrong. Otherwise collect at ampur. You don't need married cert but you will need passport copied of both parents and since they are in English, hospital or Ampur will direct you to their authorized translator.

You have 30 days to register the birth at the nearest Khet/Amphur.

You do not need to be married, and yes, you need copies from both passports taken.

Any decent hospital have in house translators, at least in English language that is.

Easiest way is to let the hospital administration do all the registering for you....

[NicoBKK]

You will need to make a BC at hospital within 14days if I am not wrong. Otherwise collect at ampur. You don't need married cert but you will need passport copied of both parents and since they are in English, hospital or Ampur will direct you to their authorized translator.

You have 30 days to register the birth at the nearest Khet/Amphur.

You do not need to be married, and yes, you need copies from both passports taken.

Any decent hospital have in house translators, at least in English language that is.

Easiest way is to let the hospital administration do all the registering for you....

The Hospital should be able to do Birth Certificates in Thai and English for a fee. Make copies.

They (hospital) will ask the name of the newborn. Make sure you check the name in Thai language (have it read by a Thai).

Also make sure the English certificate is bringing the date of birth not as Thai year as this might cause problems when you will register the newborn at the Embassy to get the Passport/s

All smooth. No Thai Citizenship allowed

[naboo]

Make sure you are named as the father on the birth certificate. The British authorities don't require you to be married to pass on citizenship, just want legal evidence that you are the father. Your name on the birth certificate is sufficient.

Getting the birth certificate is not difficult, just make sure you have translations into Thai of all three peoples' names. For the English spelling of my daughter's name I told the translator what I wanted.

You need a document from the hospital, they tell you the specific office you must go to, took me an hour, then 300B for the translation. Or you can pay the hospital to do it. I was in a rush to get the name on the Tabien Baan to register for 30B healthcare as my daughter had several days in ICU which it covered, so I kept it in my own hands, went with wife's friend.

Good luck.

[alliswell]

I want to know what are the documents needed to process birth certificate in Distric office? My hospital didnt do it for me so i have to do it myself.

About the passport translation, is it only the first page (personal data page) or all page with stamps?

Thank you

[Mario2008]

You might require a doctors attest to the birth of the child, you will need the mothers details (copy signed ID-card if Thai).

For yourself a copy of the ID-page of the passport, many will want to have it translated. But if you have a work permit, your name should be in there in Thai and many will accept that as an official translation.

But it all depends on the local rules.

[alliswell]

Thank you Mario2008

[Puyai]

I'm British, my girlfriend is Lao. Our son was born in Thailand. The hospital will give you the required documents. Take them to the local amphur with copies of your passports and her I'd card. Make sure and get a correct translation of your name. They will issue you your child's birth certificate. Get that translated and apply for your child's British passport. You will need your birth certificate. The process was easy and straight forward. You will have no problems. Welcome to parenthood..