Thai missions run a civil registration service: births, marriages and deaths occurring in their district, entered into the Thai system. Behind all of it sits the house registration book, which is the real civil record in Thailand and governs far more than an address.
Quick facts
A child born in the United States to a Thai parent is Thai, but the practical steps — birth registration at the mission, then entry in the house registration and the identity number — are what make that usable.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Birth registration abroad | Consular tariff | Produces a Thai birth certificate |
| Marriage registration | Consular tariff | Recognised in Thailand once entered |
| Death registration | Consular tariff | Plus repatriation documents |
| U.S. certificate, legalised | $15–$50 plus chain fees | Federal certification required |
| House registration entry | Charged in Thailand | At the district office |
Adding a child to the house registration is done in Thailand, at the district office where the family is registered, and it is what gives them the thirteen-digit identity number everything else runs on.
How to file
- Order the U.S. certificate of the event from the state vital records office.
- Put it through the certification chain, ending at the mission for that state.
- Book the civil registration appointment at the mission covering your address.
- Attend with both parents’ documents and the Thai parent’s identity card.
- Obtain the Thai certificate that results.
- Arrange the house registration entry in Thailand, in person or through a relative.
Required documents
- U.S. certificate of the event, legalised.
- Thai parent’s passport and identity card.
- Thai parent’s house registration document.
- Other parent’s identification.
- Parents’ marriage certificate where applicable.
- Proof of address in the consular district.
Where to file
At the mission covering your address for the registration; at the district office in Thailand for the house registration entry.
Thailand Consulate
View details →BostonThailand Consulates
View details →ChicagoRoyal Thai Consulate General
View details →Coral GablesRoyal Thai Consulate General
View details →DallasConsulate of Thailand
View details →HonoluluConsulate General of Thailand
View details →HoustonConsulate General of Thailand
View details →New OrleansConsulate General of Thailand
View details →New YorkRoyal Thai Consulate General New York
View details →PortlandConsulate General of Thailand
View details →PortlandRoyal Thai Honorary Consulate General
View details →WashingtonRoyal Thai Embassy
View details →WashingtonRoyal Thai Embassy (Consular Office)
View details →Additional notes
The identity number
The thirteen-digit number is the key to everything Thai: healthcare, banking, property, schooling. Obtaining it for a child born abroad is the real goal of the exercise.
Marriage registration
A marriage celebrated in the United States is recognised in Thailand once registered, which matters for property and inheritance under Thai law.
Names in Thai script
Transliteration between Thai and Latin script varies. Fixing the Thai spelling early avoids mismatches across a lifetime of documents.
Two systems, two steps
The consular registration and the house registration are separate. Doing only the first leaves the job half done.