Married To A Thai

[bangkokrick]

Hi I have been checking the threads for hours now and i cant get a satisfactory answer to my question, so please can someone help me.

I have just got married to my long term Thai girlfriend and she would like to take my family name. Does anyone know the way to go about this and also what are the implications regarding a future visa for her visiting the UK (My home country).

We are planning to stay here long term and i understand from some of the threads that i will be able to get a non immigrant o visa due to being married to a Thai depending of course on my having the necessary requirements. I am currently staying here on a 30 day visa.

Cheers, Rick

[lopburi3]

If you have registered you marriage at a District Office (only legal marriage) she should go and have new ID card made which will show your last name unless she specifically requests otherwise. She then should have it changed on her home register (and passport if she has one). Then she can use this documentation to change any other place such as bank accounts and such. That is it.

If you are in Bangkok they may not have the ID card blanks available and asked her to wait? Normally they would tell her to get a new ID card immediately.

[Maizefarmer]

What the previous contributor said is correct - off she goes with marrige certificate to get new ID card and while you are about it (as soon as she has got the ID card) - get her to get a new Thai passport: English/Western/European names on Thai passports adds a lot of credibility to USA and EU visa applications at the embassy.

Also - give some thought to how it is going to be spelt in Thai - the folk down at the Passport and ID card offices are not very good at writing English names in Thai.

I know a few cases that have resulted in some really odd sounding Thai names when translating from English to Thai. Yes - they will ask her how she wants it spelt on the passport and ID card.

Good luck - I wish you both all the best for the future.

Tim

[bangkokrick]

What the previous contributor said is correct - off she goes with marrige certificate to get new ID card and while you are about it (as soon as she has got the ID card) - get her to get a new Thai passport: English/Western/European names on Thai passports adds a lot of credibility to USA and EU visa applications at the embassy.

Also - give some thought to how it is going to be spelt in Thai - the folk down at the Passport and ID card offices are not very good at writing English names in Thai.

I know a few cases that have resulted in some really odd sounding Thai names when translating from English to Thai. Yes - they will ask her how she wants it spelt on the passport and ID card.

Good luck - I wish you both all the best for the future.

Tim

Thanks to both of you for your advice and comments. I will do as you suggested ASAP. I am so glad that i joined this Forum as the advice given is 1st class.

Cheers, Rick