Last Will and Testament in Thailand

In my experience with dealing with a lot of the expat community in Thailand, the task of obtaining and making a last will and testament seems to be a subject they do not wish to talk about, or is put at the bottom of their list of priorities. Would you leave your assets to chance in your own home country?

Coming to Pattaya and enjoying the sunshine and wonderful lifestyle can make the best of us forget what things are important. It is so easy to put important tasks to the back of our mind and think, “I’ll do that job tomorrow.” Don’t make this mistake. In my professional opinion, protecting your assets in Thailand and abroad should be a very strong priority for you, your Thai partner, and your overseas beneficiaries.

Your home, car, motorbike and Thai bank account needs protection for your beneficiaries, be they your family in your home country or your Thai partner over here. It doesn’t matter if you are married or unmarried – you need to make sure your property both real and liquid go where you want.
For a small expense you can safeguard your hard work and possessions – Don’t put off an easy job because of perceived unpleasantness.

What you need to know about making a will in Thailand

IF I DON’T HAVE A WILL WHAT HAPPENS TO MY ASSETS?

If you have not got a last will and testament in place it is a horrendous task for your Thai partner to claim the right to your assets if you are not married. I myself have had one friend who unfortunately died in Thailand and even more unfortunately did not prepare a last will and testament. One year later and his family was still going through the Thai judicial system to claim his assets which are trapped in probate. All of this can be avoided by making a quick visit to the Key Visa Co office. If you have a Thai partner and you are not married then your partner has no claim over your assets whatsoever, leaving them in a very vulnerable position.

If you wish your family to receive your assets then they have the arduous task of coming to Thailand and proving they are next of kin. They then have to employ a Thai lawyer to undertake your case which can be a lengthy process – anything from 18 months or even longer.

During these 18 months there will be numerous visits to the courthouse, incurring large legal fees. In some instances the legal fees have totaled 50% of the estate’s value. This massive stress your beneficiaries have to endure can be even more costly.

An even more harrowing prospect is the possibility of the court not accepting your beneficiaries’ petition. This will result in your assets being lost. All because you did not want to write a will.

DOES MY THAI PARTNER NEED A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT?

In my professional opinion the answer is yes. You may ask why? Taking into consideration the other side of the coin, if your Thai partner is the owner of your assets e.g. home, car, motorbike and has these in their name, or you are married and you are entitled to a 50/50 share, what would happen if your Thai partner should unfortunately die?

In my past experience I have witnessed the Thai partner’s next of kin claim the right to the assets of their deceased family member. The foreign partner who had paid for everything was left with nothing. This included having their home and car, where they once lived happily, taken away from them because they had no Last will and testament arranged which, believe it or not, is a sadly common occurrence.

It is difficult to deal with losing a loved one, but to lose your assets in Thailand at the same time would be an unbearable kick while you’re down.

Preemption is the best policy and my advice is take just a small piece of your time to arrange a Last Will and Testament for your own piece of mind. You can then carry on with your quality of life knowing your assets are secure.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN ADD TO MY WILL?

One of the main problems I have seen is that when a foreigner dies in Thailand there can be a conflict between the family in their home country and their Thai partner. This is often due to the Thai partner wanting a Buddhist cremation ceremony and the family wishing the body to be sent to the home country. This can be a very awkward situation for the foreigner’s embassy to deal with. So, in the last will and testament, the foreigner can state in which way they wish to be laid to rest.

HOW DO I ARRANGE A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

If you wish to arrange a last will and testament at Key Visa Company we make the whole process a hassle free experience for the client. We do understand that this type of consultation is difficult for the customer, so we make it as easy for you as possible. We start by consulting with the client and asking them to produce information on their assets and who the named beneficiaries will be.

The client then returns with the information and we prepare their last will and testament. The format we use is both in Thai and English and can be translated into any language.

The whole process, from receipt of information to document delivery, is three to four days from start to finish.

CAN I/WE CHANGE THE WILL AT ANY TIME?

The will can be altered at any time by the client. If there are two parties involved in the will, both parties have to produce the signature on the paperwork and their original identification before the lawyer will proceed with any changes. The cost for changing the will can vary on the level of changes needed but will be fair and good value for money as with all of our services.

During your time as an expat in Thailand if you are receiving a private or state pension, you may be asked to prove that you are still alive by having a responsible person sign a document affirming this fact. If at any time you require a proof of life document, you can contact Key Visa for help.

WHAT IF I HAVE A WILL IN MY OWN COUNTRY?

If you have a will in your own home country it will not be sufficient to protect your assets in Thailand. My advice is to arrange a last will and testament in Thailand to protect your assets here.

We at Key Visa Company feel very strongly about advising the expat community, no matter how difficult the consultation, to preempt a more difficult situation later by taking the proper precautions now.

The cost of making a Last Will And Testament at Key Visa Company is only 12,000 Thai baht. For this fee we produce four original copies of the last will. You keep an original, your beneficiary keeps an original, and we keep two copies safe. We are always ready to give the beneficiary all the help needed to sort any legal proceeding out, but this is not included in the above cost.

If you wish to have a consultation regarding a Last Will And Testament then please email [email protected] or call the office on 038 422 131 for further details and we will make it as painless as possible.

Great sevice very professional would highly recomend them to anyone
5 / 5 stars
Kevin Isaac

I have used Key Visa for 8 years for all my visa needs and made my last will and testament with them – highly recommended!
5 / 5 stars
Geoffrey Forster

Ask us a question

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Phone Number

    Subject

    Last Will and Testament

    Your Message (required)

    Robert P.
    Robert P.
    00:40 05 Jun 23
    Very fast, simple smooth, efficient service.
    Lewi L.
    Lewi L.
    03:04 21 May 23
    If you need assistance with any visa related this is the place in Pattaya.
    Stephen A.
    Stephen A.
    07:41 05 Mar 23
    Key visa was the best. Sadly the owner, Darren, past away December 22.
    danny W.
    danny W.
    03:43 13 Feb 23
    Absolutely fantastic service great staff totally stress free and professional services I highly recommend.
    Bob C.
    Bob C.
    11:33 09 Feb 23
    Dave C.
    Dave C.
    14:30 08 Feb 23
    been using this company for years, great service.
    Keith J.
    Keith J.
    04:01 26 Jan 23
    Tom A.
    Tom A.
    23:04 21 Jan 23
    kook A.
    kook A.
    10:17 18 Jan 23
    DAVID C.
    DAVID C.
    06:47 17 Jan 23
    Recently obtained a visa for myself and British passport for my partner..No hassle no immigration queueing. Great staff great service thank you Key Visa Thailand…..
    Frank J.
    Frank J.
    10:43 01 Jan 23
    Very helful and efficient.
    Francisco M.
    Francisco M.
    08:20 31 Dec 22
    I went to key visa company for a consultation about marriage visa. it turned out they don't do that type of visa but there was another option and the lady was professional and courteous. but since my visa is not finalized I can't honestly give a full report on visa company.
    tony L.
    tony L.
    01:17 30 Dec 22
    The service and support I received from Darren & his Team in relation to a recent Passport Application for my son was exemplary.The service & professional way in which they expedited the application & explained clearly each step of the process's involved, was faultless.All of which resulted in a speedy & positive result.Darren & TeamThank you very much & I wish you all,A Very Happy & Prosperous New Year 2023 ( post Covid)Tony
    Kristijan C.
    Kristijan C.
    16:48 22 Dec 22
    Great helpful staff
    Sean T.
    Sean T.
    11:39 21 Dec 22
    Job done, Thank you team and sorry to hear of the passing of Darren 🙏
    Thomas K.
    Thomas K.
    14:21 13 Dec 22
    Thank you for your reply, but there is no ringtone or pickup when ringing your office and none of my mails and messages have been answered.
    Michael S.
    Michael S.
    15:42 10 Dec 22
    I read today that Darren suddenly has passed away - far too early in his life.It's never too late to write a review and his services on his company - named Key Visa Co. - so I will use this review to say that I have always been satisfied helping me by his large knowledge about the visa system in Thailand.Every time I met him I was surpriced to noticed his honest and friendly commitment, and over the years I was always convinced that he was not only helpful but also indicated in his way of recognizing his customers. You could always count on him and I was never disappointed.It pains me that he has passed away at such an early age, but I believe that his customers will always remember him as a businessman who only wanted to give his customers the best possible experience and service.He will be missed!R.I.P. Darren.
    C B
    C B
    15:54 09 Dec 22
    Seems to know about visas in Thailand
    Peter W.
    Peter W.
    07:23 08 Dec 22
    The Key visa team led by Darren have 18 years of experience navigating the visa minefield.I am just one of Darren’s satisfied clients.
    Chris T
    Chris T
    13:24 03 Dec 22
    Fast and friendly
    Ross C.
    Ross C.
    16:28 30 Nov 22
    Fantastic company. Darren & his team couldn’t of been better! Polite, responsive, knowledgeable and most importantly they know what they’re doing & get the job done!! Very pleased with the entire process start to finish, me & my GF will be using the company for all of our visa needs moving forward! Thank you Darren & the team!!UK tourist visa application for Thai national.
    Leo T.
    Leo T.
    09:53 25 Nov 22
    Fantastic service
    Christopher W.
    Christopher W.
    08:01 25 Nov 22
    key Visa has a proven track record. They have got me a retirement visa for years and renewed my passport without me having to go to Bangkok. They also got my daughter, born in Thailand, an English passport.Use Key Visa to sort out your retirement visa problems and for getting passports renewed or being obtained for citizens of dual nationalityExceptionally efficient
    finlay S.
    finlay S.
    10:06 24 Nov 22
    Had to renew my uk passport and chose key visa to deal with my application as I am up country in Chaiyaphum province.Great service from Darren and staff always quick and friendly replies to emails.Passport back in 11 weeks time it takes for uk to process.Collected by Key visa and posted by ems to me with old passport and letter to transfer visa stamps to new passport.Great service.
    Michael H.
    Michael H.
    07:31 20 Nov 22
    Michael “Mick” N.
    Michael “Mick” N.
    11:05 19 Nov 22
    Polsky E.
    Polsky E.
    01:56 11 Nov 22
    After attempting for 2 days to get a retirement visa myself with my Thai girlfriends help to no avail and being left totally frustrated I eventually gave up and contacted Darren. After consultation with Darren he calmly brought me back down to earth, reassuring me that the visa would be procured with little effort by myself. I left feeling very confident and reassured at what Darren had said. Yesterday I collected my passport with said visa for 15 months. Many thanks to Darren and team, Key Visa did a great job.
    Alan J.
    Alan J.
    00:20 08 Nov 22
    Non imm "O" extension quick efficient no hassles service.
    Bryan P.
    Bryan P.
    02:53 06 Nov 22
    Very pleased with the service I received here. Darren was very knowledgeable. Now my retirement Visa has been issued. I am delighted with Key Visa. Fantastic service. I am very grateful.
    Tim M.
    Tim M.
    08:08 30 Oct 22
    No wasting time
    Martin William B.
    Martin William B.
    09:43 27 Oct 22
    Only go to the best !!!
    Joe on the Go !
    Joe on the Go !
    02:44 24 Oct 22
    Maurice P.
    Maurice P.
    10:51 21 Oct 22
    Having had a difficult time renewing my UK passport I have to thank Key Visa service for their excellent help in difficult times in successfully getting my updated passport. Covid has played a big part in delays from the passport office along with increased demand and the Ukraine conflict but for those non UK residents this has caused many delays. Darren and his staff have been most helpful in ensuring this was completed as quickly as possible and I thoroughly recommend their service to anyone who are looking for this type of service. Many thanks for a five star service.
    berny P.
    berny P.
    06:23 20 Oct 22
    Australian friend having problems with thai wife spouse visa, agency are being very helpful with a excellent customer service
    Christopher B.
    Christopher B.
    15:21 18 Oct 22
    As always absolutely top class advise and speedy response - these guys have been looking after us for around twenty years and in my opinion the very best.
    J T.
    J T.
    07:55 15 Sep 22
    Thanks to Darren and his team for renewing my retirement visa and re-entry permit! I got it back in ONE DAY! Awesome service. I highly recommend Key Visa and will definitely be using them again in the future!
    Brenda B.
    Brenda B.
    03:16 12 Sep 22
    Friendly and efficient service ...
    Nicholas D.
    Nicholas D.
    22:35 19 Aug 22
    In difficult times they got the job done. UK passport renewal in 2022. My only gripe is my emails and phone calls went unanswered during the process. I was rude to the lady in the office. Sorry about that. When we asked for my (old) passport to be sent back on short notice for the 90 day renewal they sent it back immediately. Thanks guys. Sorry for the trouble
    Steve H.
    Steve H.
    06:47 12 Aug 22
    Darren and his staff are friendly, helpful and most of all very knowledgeable. If you need real and accurate advice then look no further.
    Pieter M.
    Pieter M.
    14:23 31 Jul 22
    perfect help to get a visa
    Ian L.
    Ian L.
    04:53 08 Jul 22
    Darren and his team are truly excellent offering an exemplary service. Was updated regularly as visa was processed and everything went smoothly. Darren took time to explain the process and was always available to answer questions. Highly recommended. Thank you
    Wayne C
    Wayne C
    01:52 07 Jul 22
    Great service from Darren and his Team, highly recommended! They get the job done courteously and professionally every time.
    Dave N
    Dave N
    06:32 06 Jul 22
    Easy process to get my 15 month visa. I highly recommend Darren and his team. A+
    Chris H.
    Chris H.
    04:22 06 Jul 22
    Passport renewal
    Travelling O.
    Travelling O.
    01:43 05 Jul 22
    Good and quick service, reliable staff that can handle all visa issues within reason.
    Jason M.
    Jason M.
    15:16 02 Jul 22
    Great staff very helpful. Highly recommend Key Visa.
    Nicholas W.
    Nicholas W.
    00:38 02 Jul 22
    Key Visa fantastic helpful staff you want your loved ones to go home with you this is the place that will make it happen.
    William F.
    William F.
    12:03 01 Jul 22
    I received the answers I wanted. Quickly and easily
    Brian C.
    Brian C.
    03:58 15 Jun 22
    I have used Key Visa since moving to Thailand over 3 years ago. Darren quickly helped sort out my VISA, back then and arranged for me to open a Bank Account with Bangkok Bank which is invaluable and a must for any long term stay or ex pat. Also directed me to some one who helped me get Motorbike and Driving Licence. 3 years later and on this occasion I asked them to arrange a new 50 page UK passport along with renew VISA etc. Highly recommend Darren and his staff of front office ladies to get you sorted. Thanks
    Tim F
    Tim F
    07:59 01 Jun 22
    A big thank you to Darren and the staff at Key Visa. I received prompt, courteous and professional communications and service for the annual renewal of my extention of stay and multiple reentry permit. I will be back once again this time next year. Great job!
    David H.
    David H.
    01:04 31 May 22
    T A.
    T A.
    06:30 27 May 22
    Great staff and excellent service.Both polite and prompt.
    H A
    H A
    12:05 24 May 22
    Professional and honest man, he extended my tourist visa in one day and at a reasonable price, definitely recommend this office.Hassan,
    andy W.
    andy W.
    03:21 24 May 22
    well Darren it had been 2 years since i last saw you ,i would like to thank you and your staff for an excellent service for my visa. I can highly recommend key visa for all services and i have used them for many years .Dont go anywhere else use Key Visa
    Jay R.
    Jay R.
    15:19 02 May 22
    Experienced & knowledge about all things immigration and visas
    John A.
    John A.
    07:11 20 Apr 22
    Rang them to update my tourist visa from 30 day to 60 day. Was advised I needed my passport plus another passport photo. I dropped them in the office, 5 mins paperwork. Email received day later job done✔️ Took the aggro of doing it myself as a first time visitor.Staff very helpful, I'm more than happy to give Darren and his staff a 5 star review
    paul C.
    paul C.
    19:04 04 Apr 22
    Very helpful and courteous.
    Charles C.
    Charles C.
    07:22 28 Mar 22
    Great place for expats to get visa applications completed in record time. They have great immigration contacts so you don't have to wait nearly as long as others do. Also this is only for expat visas. They don't do tourist visas.The only reason the didn't get 5 stars is because the employees are difficult to understand so I had to go in a few times instead of being able to handle things over the phone. The owner is a Brit so for English speakers he's usually always available for questions.
    Thinka B.
    Thinka B.
    05:27 12 Mar 22
    Excellent and prompt service, very professional.
    Linda G.
    Linda G.
    12:46 11 Mar 22
    Key visa staff were really helpful and knew exactly what to do for my request.My application was handled efficiently and quickly and my passport returned very quickly with the stamps required.I would definitely recommend Darren and his staff if you need any visa or passport assistance.
    John - C.
    John - C.
    13:55 07 Mar 22
    Excellent service from Darren and Key Visa. My only complaint was with The Thai Post office who managed to lose an EMS envelope with my passport in it. The passport was wrongly delivered to another town 20 miles away because the postal workers could not read English which was very clearly printed on the envelope. It took a whole day for my wife and the postman to track down the missing passport. Darren was very patient with me and my rantings and very supportive. I would advise anyone that has to deal with The ThaI Postal system to write their address in Thai. In the sticks very few people understand English.
    Scott Y.
    Scott Y.
    11:51 26 Feb 22
    I have known Darren many years and he has helped me with a range of visa processes during my time in Thailand over the past 15 years. Professional, honest, hardworking and a pleasure to do business with. His staff are friendly and welcoming and they will assist you every step of the way. I recently lost my job and thus had my work permit cancelled and Darren assured me he could help and that's exactly what he did. A pleasure to know. If you need any help and advice with visas, give him a visit - you won't be disappointed. Cheers for your help and kindness!
    Jura K.
    Jura K.
    08:03 24 Feb 22
    Very good service. Thanks.
    andrey tkachev T.
    andrey tkachev T.
    10:44 16 Jan 22
    Very efficient and fast service . Despite the expected slowdown due to the New Year holidays and Covid, Darren and his team did everything possible to solve my problem in a timely manner. I will definitely come here again.
    nigel R.
    nigel R.
    07:50 15 Jan 22
    Very good advice, fair prices.Best visa shop i have found in 20 years
    Gal Z.
    Gal Z.
    08:41 06 Jan 22
    Pretty lovely
    John S.
    John S.
    12:06 21 Dec 21
    Great service and friendly staff which make it easier to get a visa
    Robert H.
    Robert H.
    05:56 13 Dec 21
    I recently renewed my UK Passport through Key Visa and found Darren and his staff to be extremely helpful and efficient. My Passport arrived as promised with zero drama and/or issues. And as such, I highly recommend this company and will definitely be using their services again.
    j r
    j r
    10:13 29 Nov 21
    Excellent service will use again and recommend to all. Darren and his staff answered all my many questions quickly and efficiently . Even when all travel restrictions over I still think his professional service extremely good value, a great saving of my time and effort and great value JOHN C RAI
    Martin C.
    Martin C.
    08:50 04 Nov 21
    After experiencing problems with initial application for my son's passport Darren at Key visa resubmitted a second successful application at no extra cost. Very happy with the service I received.
    Wichan P.
    Wichan P.
    10:37 27 Oct 21
    Good and fast service .
    Colin C.
    Colin C.
    02:16 25 Oct 21
    Does what it says on the tin. Excellent service.
    Hasy H.
    Hasy H.
    04:26 24 Oct 21
    Great service friendly people specially great Darren
    Joe W.
    Joe W.
    06:05 19 Oct 21
    First time used but not the last excellent service can trust darren
    justin M. C.
    justin M. C.
    15:15 18 Oct 21
    Darren and his team are always professional and on point.
    Kim N.
    Kim N.
    09:25 16 Oct 21
    William
    William
    12:35 15 Oct 21
    Not my first dealings, they are excellent.
    Cameron A.
    Cameron A.
    05:17 23 Sep 21
    Great service for getting a new UK passport during Covid restrictions around Bangkok. Thanks Darren!
    Gary Z
    Gary Z
    02:44 08 Sep 21
    Darren does a great job at reasonable cost for those who find navigating Thai immigration cumbersome or complicated.
    justin S.
    justin S.
    16:46 28 Jul 21
    In the last 16 months Darren has assisted me with getting a new uk passport whilst living in Thailand and just recently a tourist visa for my thai girlfriend, he is very knowledgeable and a pleasure to deal with, would highly recommend
    carl E.
    carl E.
    03:23 23 Jul 21
    Fantastic service highly recommended
    Lord Brett S.
    Lord Brett S.
    05:12 07 Jul 21
    I was dreading the prospect of going through the lengthy process of renewing my British passport so I decided to give Key Visa’s passport renewal service a try and I am so glad that I did.All I did was to provide two photographs and pay the all-inclusive fee of THB 12,000. This fee covers all the charges for Key Visa, British HMPO and two trips to Bangkok for Key Visa staff to submit the application and then collect the new passport. I was in and out of their offices within 10 minutes. All documentation was completed by Key Visa staff.After 20 days, I received an email from British HMPO that my passport was ready for collection.I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to Key Visa for their amazingly prompt and efficient service and would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending their British passport renewal service to anyone who wants a stress-free passport renewal.
    scott C.
    scott C.
    02:41 03 Jul 21
    Excellent service, extremely efficient, UK passport renewal completed in 3 weeks.
    Brian Y.
    Brian Y.
    08:58 13 Jun 21
    Oh dear,just another boring comment from a satisfied customer.But there's nothing boring about Key Visa.This guy Darren and his team are amazing.I applied to renew my British passport.Took heed of reading about issue delays,but my new passport came back in under 4 weeks.I live in Phuket and was worried about traveling to Bangkok during this covid time.But I needn't have,Key Visa took care of everything,and the service isn't expensive when you consider air fares,accomodation,hassle.So i'll make it brief,Thank you Key Visa,Thank you Darren,Thank you team.
    Next Reviewsjs_loader