Home / Name Change Overseas / Japan · ภาษาไทย
🇯🇵 Thai Name Change (ช.3/ช.5) for use in Japan
Apostille chain · Japanese · 12–18 วันทำการ
Quick Answer
After the Amphur issues ช.3/ช.5, downstream records to update: Zairyu Card reissue · My Number Card · Juminhyo update · Bank/kokumin-kenko-hoken. Primary authority: Municipal (shiyakusho/kuyakusho), Immigration (Zairyu Card update), My Number, driving licence centre.
Legalization steps
- ช.3/ช.5 → แปลญี่ปุ่นโดยผู้แปลรับรอง + hanko + statement
- MFA → Apostille
- ยื่น Immigration Bureau ภายใน 14 วัน (Immigration Control Act §19-9)
Documents to update
- Zairyu Card reissue
- My Number Card
- Juminhyo update
- Bank/kokumin-kenko-hoken
FAQ
- Change katakana too?
- Optional — Zairyu uses Roman spelling primarily; katakana can stay the same.
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Official sources — expats in Thailand
The information on this page follows the official sources below. Always check the latest version before you file.
- สำนักงานตรวจคนเข้าเมือง — วีซ่า รายงานตัว 90 วัน TM.30— Immigration Bureau
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)— Immigration Bureau
- กรมสรรพากร — ประมวลรัษฎากร ภาษีเงินได้ VAT— Revenue Department
- กรมการจัดหางาน — ใบอนุญาตทำงานคนต่างด้าว— Department of Employment
- กรมการปกครอง — ทะเบียนราษฎร ทะเบียนครอบครัว— Department of Provincial Administration
- กรมการกงสุล — บริการรับรองเอกสาร (นิติกรณ์)— กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ
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Frequently asked questions
- How does a foreigner register a marriage in Thailand?
- The foreign partner first obtains an affidavit of freedom to marry from their embassy in Thailand, has it translated into Thai and legalized by the Department of Consular Affairs, and then both parties register the marriage at any district office (amphoe) with passports and two witnesses. Since the Marriage Equality Act took effect on 23 January 2025, same-sex couples register on exactly the same basis.
- Do we need an interpreter at the district office?
- Yes in practice — most district offices require that a foreign party who does not read Thai be assisted by an interpreter, and many request that the interpreter present identification and sign the register. Some offices also expect a prenuptial agreement, if any, to be presented before registration, because a prenuptial agreement in Thailand is only valid when registered together with the marriage.
- Is a Thai marriage recognized in my home country?
- A marriage registered at a Thai district office is generally valid worldwide, but recognition procedures differ: many countries want the Thai marriage certificate and the Kor Ror 2 extract translated, legalized by the MFA and certified by their embassy before it is entered in their civil register. Some countries additionally require registration with their consulate within a set period.
- How is a prenuptial agreement made enforceable in Thailand?
- Under the Civil and Commercial Code a prenuptial agreement must be in writing, signed by both spouses and two witnesses, and registered with the marriage at the district office on the day of registration — an agreement signed afterwards is void as to property arrangements. It also cannot contradict public order or the rules on parental duties, so the drafting must be Thailand-specific rather than a translated foreign template.