Changing Surnames in the Civil Registry for Thai Women Who Married Foreigners

Changing Surnames in the Civil Registry for Thai Women Who Married Foreigners

วันที่นำเข้าข้อมูล 9 Dec 2021

วันที่ปรับปรุงข้อมูล 3 Jan 2023

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  1. Jurisdiction
    • Thai women who have married a foreigner and wish to change their surnames on their Thai house registration must do so at the office of the district in which their house is registered (in Thailand) by presenting their original U.S. marriage certificate along with a Thai translation of the certificate which has been certified by the Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles. The foreigner spouse must be present at the district office in order to sign a memorandum of agreement allowing the Thai woman’s usage of their surname.
    • If the above is not possible, then
      • Both spouses must make a memorandum of agreement allowing the Thai woman’s usage of the other spouse’s surname at the Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles.
      • Have the translation of their U.S. marriage certificate certified at the Royal Thai Consulate (see “Certified Translations”)
      • The wife must file a power of attorney form permitting a Thai citizen to modify their surname in their Thai house registration in place of their foreigner spouse. (See “Certified Official Thai Documents (Power of Attorney)”)
    • The Royal Thai Consulate General Los Angeles may accept applications from Thai women who wish to change their surname in the civil registry following marriage to a foreigner to Thai women who reside in the following thirteen (13) states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada,
      New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming as well as all of the unincorporated territories of the United States in the Pacific such as Guam
  2. Necessary Documentation
    • Legalization application  -> Online legalization application Click Here
    • Thai national ID card or valid Thai passport of the Thai wife (Original plus 3 copies)
    • Valid passport of the foreigner spouse (Original plus 2 copies)
    • Memorandum of Agreement allowing the usage of surnames (1 copy), which the foreigner spouse must sign before a Notary Public or have the signature certified via a Notary Public Form (download below)
    • U.S. marriage certificate (Original which has been certified by government agencies of the United States plus 2 copies). The certification process for the marriage certificate is as follows:
      • Secretary of State of the state issuing the document: You must get the document certified by the Secretary of State of the state that issued the document which requires translating. You can find more information on that and where exactly to send the document at www.nass.org (click ‘Resources’ > ‘Business Services’ > ‘Apostilles / Authentications’ > Click the state that issued your document)
      • U.S. Department of State: After getting your document certified by the Secretary of State of the issuing state, you must get it certified by the U.S. Department of State as well. Only after that, the document can be brought to the Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles for an official translation. You may find out how to send your document to the U.S. Department of State and inquire for more information at:
        Office of Authentications, U.S. Department of State
        (202) 485 - 8000
        http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/
    • Translation of the U.S. marriage certificate (The document must be translated in full. Translations of summaries or briefs will not be accepted. The translator must certify translations with a signature)
    • Power of attorney form (Giving power of attorney to someone else on your behalf)
  3. Fees
    • $15 per official seal. In this case, there are 4 documents receiving an official seal:
      • Memorandum of Agreement allowing the usage of surnames
      • Certified U.S. marriage certificate
      • Certified translation of the U.S. marriage certificate
      • Power of attorney form

        Meaning that total fees in this circumstance amounts to $60

    • Payable only with a money order or cashier’s check to the Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles. Cannot be paid with cash, personal check, or credit/debit card.
  4. Processing
    • In person: Documentation can be handed in on a business day at the Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles between the hours of 9 AM and 12 PM and can be picked up the same business day after 3:00 PM.  (Temporary Suspended)
    • By mail:
      • Have a filled power of attorney form and the Memorandum of Agreement allowing the usage of surnames notarized by a notary public or using the Notary Public Form provided by the Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles (download below)
      • If you do not wish to mail in your Thai national ID card or valid Thai passport, you may send in a certified copy of all of the documents which has been notarized by a notary public or using the Notary Public Form provided by the Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles (Download)
      • Mail in all of the documents listed above along with the necessary fees in a stamped envelope with your return address clearly written on it to the Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles
      • The Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles will take one business day counting from the day it receives your mailed documents. The amount of time it takes for you to receive your official documents back depends on stamp costs and type of mail service used. The Royal Thai Consulate General, Los Angeles is not responsible for any mail that is lost in transit.