khongaeng

8 hours ago, yankee99 said:

Maybe someone can share their experience with flying out of thailand. 

 

Tomorrow im going to the airport do i just hand the check in counter both passports? 

 

Go to the thai immigration hand them my thai passport and ticket? 

Check In - Thai Passport (and foreign passport if no visa in your Thai passport)

Immigration - Thai Passport Only, in 10s of trips out of Thailand for my dual national relatives, I have never seen immigration want to see another passport ever.

At the Gate - Depends on which passport the check in counter used to check you in.  I recommend you using your Thai passport, but you can use either.  If you give them the wrong one, the automatic scanner will beep requiring you to walk 1 meter to the people behind the computers who will scan your boarding pass and look at the passport you handed the gate agent, they will then promptly wave you through.

My general policy is to only use my foreign passport when absolutely necessary (like at check in when a visa is required for the final destination), once you are out of Thailand you can flash which ever passport you want while in transit to your final destination.  I have never seen agents at the boarding gates check for visas in your passport unless you are boarding a flight to the US (there may be others), so I typically just use whichever passport is handy from then on.  When arriving at your destination immigration, use whichever passport is required to enter that country.  On the way back, just reverse the process.

5 hours ago, Arkady said:

Having said that I was surprised that it got as far as cabinet approval which shows the decision makers in the cabiet were convinced the overall visa proposals might really result in a huge inflow of foreign lolly to bail out the Thai economy.  

This would seem quite short-sighted of the government though.  If there is significant foreign investment like this, I would suspect it would drive up land prices significantly, putting them even more out of reach for the average Thais.  Just look at the crazy prices for condos in places like Pattaya or Hua Him or Bangkok where foreigners can own condos.  You can buy a nice house with land for the price of a condo!  This will make a lot of Thais (who own land) very happy in the short term as now they could potentially offload their properties easier, but once prices go up, I could see a bubble forming very quickly like it has with Condos.  

Of course, this policy could just be like so many other government policies where foreigners just avoid the whole thing because it is too complicated, or just too risky overall.  For instance, didn't the government expect a few million tourists in Thailand already with the Sandbox program.  In a way, I do hope they overcomplicate the process for foreign investors to buy land.  

In any case, a good rule of thumb for any recession is that cash is king in the short term before things equalize.  I certainly don't hope for a recession, but I'm glad that I'm finally in the position where I can invest directly in Thailand real estate when / if paper assets hyper inflate or become worthless, as would be the case if things crash hard.  

3 hours ago, kst said:

Mine was showing my passport number so I updated it as DLT branch was near to the khet. 

 

Do they still issue lifetime driving licenses here? Mine is for 10 years. I renewed once and you have to sit thru a 1 hr video showing gross accident videos, pass the colour test, braking test and the other test with the strings before they renew it for you. 

I thought licenses were good for only 5 years.  Do you recall how you got the 10 year?  As far as I understand, lifetime licenses stopped being issued around the year 2000.  If you got one before then, then you are golden.  Back when they were issued, they were simple pink cards with a small picture that you had to get laminated yourself.  I've always wondered how good their recording keeping from back then was, and if there would be some way to get one "retroactively"

On 9/5/2021 at 7:03 AM, DrJoy said:

Thanks for the detailed answer. I dont think its luck. MOI is very strict about the paperwork.

Ministerial guidelines mention` He should have a regular occupation`

They have not mentioned explicitly that gaps in WP is a ground for rejection.

Encouraging information for the future candidates.

 

What was your timeline, from start to finish?

On 9/5/2021 at 10:20 AM, Arkady said:

My application was missing the first WP which was nearly 2 years of the 3 year qualifying period because my SB case officer refused to take the copy from me, saying they only wanted the current one.  This sounded very wrong to me and I urged her to take it but she wouldn't and there was nothing I could do. So it wasn't a big surprise when I got the call from the MoI section head 3.5 years later saying it was missing and telling me to report to the office the same day with old WP in hand, although it was a surprise that she called in person.  As a result of my case officer's stubborn incompetence, my WPs probably got more scrutiny than they otherwise would have.  Anyway, I am of the view that WP gaps will still be grounds for rejection, if they are noticed.

My experience was actually similar, but fortunately it was caught at SB.  When I initially applied, I was told by SB officer that they didn't need a copy of my WP from the first 2 years of my 3 year period prior to application, but that they only needed a copy of my current WP.  Then I got a call back from SB 1 year later that they needed a copy of my first WP, "just in case". I quickly rushed back to the office to provide a copy of my first WP, and that was the end of it.  

By the way, at no point did anyone want to see that actual old original WP, they were happy with copies of every page with any sort of details printed or hand written.  I was only required to show my current WP when I first applied at SB and at the NIA interview, I never had to show it again, even though I diligently maintained it throughout the process.  

I posted my experience in detail on page 201 of this thread.  In summary it took me 3.75 years.

I'm not sure if I am allowed to link to it directly or not. Sorry moderators if this is not allowed:

On 9/3/2021 at 4:28 PM, Lacrimas said:

Thanks that's a good idea. I have to hire two Thais though, right?

This is what I did. It worked out perfectly in the end.  Only 2 Thais are required if you are married to a Thai, otherwise 4 are required, wife (shareholder) can't be one of them.  Minimum Thai salary is 9,000 baht per month.  Your salary must be minimum 40,000.  They both have to be registered with social fund.  Since you are a shareholder, you will not need to be registered for social fund. 

On 6/10/2021 at 10:06 PM, Arkady said:

 

I found this on Tilleke and Gibbon's website regarding a relaxation of the foreign exchange regulations in 2019.

Outward transfers

When conducting outward transfers of foreign currency in an amount less than USD 200,000, the customer is no longer required to provide supporting documentation to commercial banks. This represents an increase from the previous threshold of USD 50,000.

 

When I switched my Bangkok Bank accounts over to my new Thai identity, I asked them this question.  They said that even though I had previously set up the special ability to remit funds back to my home country as a foreigner (which required a work permit, passport, etc.), I would have no problem remitting as much as 10 million baht per day.  So this would be in line with the 200k USD that you mentioned.  I have never had the chance to test that limit, but that is what they told me, after talking the the central branch on the phone while I was sitting there.  

On 6/11/2021 at 12:53 PM, Arkady said:

Does anyone have experience of getting a foreign passport for a child born after they got citizenship?  I wondered, if it would create any complications with both parents being Thai on the birth certificate since the parents' nationality on the birth certificate can be used as evidence of nationality by passport authorities.  

 

 

 

At least with a Thai father on the birth certificate a child will have the opportunity to be promoted above the rank of private, if he or she joins the Thai military or gets drafted.  That archaic regulation is a disgraceful piece of racial discrimination against Thais with foreign fathers that is also unconstitutional.  I know one look krung who was an officer in the Thai army but it was his mother who was farang, so he was OK.

 

I have never had an issue with getting the first passport for a child from an embassy that on the child's birth certificate neither father or mother have that nationality listed.  I suppose it depends on if the country allows dual nationality (you might have issues with Germany).  My experience is that if the parents are already registered with that embassy, if they bring the documents showing the child is theirs, then the child is added to the system.

On 10/13/2017 at 11:35 AM, khongaeng said:

 

Letter of Intent - Thai.docx 114.24 kB · 17 downloads

Letter of Intent.docx 82.13 kB · 14 downloads

Passport Affidavit and Criminal Record - Thai.docx 122.29 kB · 16 downloads

Passport Affidavit and Criminal Record.pdf 190.68 kB · 17 downloads

Education Affidavit - Thai.docx 119.26 kB · 13 downloads

Education Affidavit.pdf 189.27 kB · 20 downloads

Years ago when me and my American friend started the process, I posted the templates that he used on for the US Embassy.  I don't know if they are applicable today or not.  My experience at my Embassy was similar with @onthemoon so I can't tell you much about the American Embassy except what I have been told. 

The funny thing about the US Embassy from what I have heard is that you can fill out a generic affidavit saying that you graduated from university on so and so day, or that you have no criminal record, or that you like to wear pink underwear... and they will sign it and stamp it (embossed) for a flat rate of 50 USD per page. The especially strange part about it is that the Thai authorities generally accept such documentation as official without question.  He explained to me that the US Embassy will not issue any sort of documentation certifying any vital details for you, the only method you can use is an affidavit form.  I'm glad that my Embassy was more helpful than the Americans

My friend told me that he actually combined a few statements like his passport details and no criminal record and "of age" details all on the same affidavit.

I hope this helps.

No one asked to see a single one of my documents from the time I finished my NIA interview until the time I actually got my Thai ID card.  This includes MOI interview, Oath, and picking up my Citizenship Certificate. 

4 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Yes, Thais don't need a letter from their old amphur. They advised me to wait one week. They said the owner has to remove my name from the housebook first, which doesn't mean I have to be there. Actually, they said that can be done online too. They also said it might be difficult as my province have never done this before. 

Thank you Neeranam, this is very helpful.  This is the first I have ever heard about removing a name from a housebook online.  Do you by change have a link to the webpage where that would occur?  

This whole process seems so odd, and not in line with what "real Thais" are privileged to do.  Moving my children's house registration within days of birth was never an issue without any sort of reporting or paperwork from the origin office.  Everything was taken care of at the destination office.  This seems very similar to what those with yellow books have to do.  Is this another instance where Naturalized Thais are second-class Thais when compared to people "born Thai"?

17 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I believe it is all stored online these days. 

I changed my yellow book a couple of times and needed a letter from the outgoing provincial office to show the new office. However, my wife and kids didn't need such a letter; the house owner removed their names and no letter was needed as the info was online. 

I plan to change my blue book in a week or so. 

The Bangkok office I talked to made it sound like I would need a letter even after I am on the blue book.  This would be a pain to get the house owner to come to the office again only to get a "Move Out" letter. I am familiar with this process for yellow books, but I thought Thais could move into any house registration without a letter from the outgoing registration office.

Where you able to get a letter when you got your first ID card, or are you planning to try the move at the destination office first?  Did they recommend that you wait for a while on your first house registration before moving?  The office I talked to said I should wait 2 weeks after being on the Blue Book before initiating the move to the new registration and that I might require a letter too.

On 1/1/2021 at 8:18 PM, yankee99 said:

I took the oath at SB Bkk and handed them my updated book at the same time. 

That sounds like a really good way to do it.  I wish that I had done this too, because at that point in the process, it probably wouldn't make your process take any longer.  I am curious if you would still pick up your naturalization certificate from SB in Bangkok, or in Banglamung.  

The naturalization certificate has your house registration (that was posted in RG on it), so for me, my address is some random relatives house in Bangkok that they probably will sell one of these years.  I wonder if I will always need to keep a record of change of addresses over the years as I move from house registration to house registration, similar to the chain that a Thai person has to show if they have changed their name multiple times.  So for instance with my Naturalization certificate showing one address, I would need to have a copy of the house registration from that house, then the next house that says I moved from the address on my Naturalization certificate, then another copy showing moving from the next address and so on. 

You would think that they would have a copy of this in the system, but every time I do some paperwork like a visa that requires my marriage certificate, I have to bring my wife's name change documents that shows her change from maiden name to my last name and so on.  Keeping a chain of house registrations would be a pain for sure.  

I wonder if anyone has had any experience in using their naturalization certificate after they have already changed their house registration 2 or more times after that.  

35 minutes ago, yankee99 said:

That's what i did after moi before oath changed back to Banglamung 

Did you take your oath at SB Branch in Bangkok or in Banglamung?

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Just noticed  that my ID card is valid for 9 years. Does anyone know why this odd number? 

 

Also, I'm going to quit my job, do I need to visit the tax office for anything? Is money coming into Thailand from abroad taxable?

 

 

How odd about the 9 years.  I will let you know what mine says when I get my ID card hopefully in the next 2 weeks.

You are supposed to cancel your work permit at the labor office, but if you leave your job, then your company will have to do that for you anyway.  

Money coming into Thailand is technically taxable, but only if it is income.  The Thai tax authorities have no way of proving the money is income or just savings you are bringing in from abroad, so there is no real reason to report it.   This is an easy way to live tax free, assuming you have a foreign employer.  
 

Just out of curiosity, did you get a new ID number with your Thai ID, or is it the same number as was on your Pink ID, or Tax ID?

6 hours ago, onthemoon said:

I see - I believe this reply is only for the second question.

I do not yet have the Blue ID card.  Just a pink ID and my name posted in the Royal Gazette.

This is the guidance given to me from my SB officer.  You are required to maintain a Visa until you have received the Blue ID card.

Someone else (I don't remember who) posted that they allowed their work permit to lapse in the time interval between RG posting and applying for the Blue ID card at the Amphur/Khet.  On the other hand, others have said they were asked for their work permit when applying at the Amphur/Khet.  I suppose the period of time between RG posting and obtaining the Blue ID card is in a grey area.  

I will confirm with my officer when I pick up my naturalization certificate (still no word on when that will happen) what exactly you have to maintain after RG and before getting the Blue ID card.  This list I have compiled that I think falls in this grey area of what happens if it expires or changes during this waiting period is:

1. Visa

2. Work Permit

3. Employment Salary (minimum 40k per month, or can you immediately drop to Thai levels of around 10k per month)

4. 90 day reporting

I suppose holidays have impacted the normal processing, and when I talked to my officer this week, I was told that the paperwork hasn't yet been sent back from MOI.  It is amazing how many times the paperwork is sent back and forth and back and forth. It's no wonder why people who apply from other provinces have such little success in making it to the end of the process.  I think by the time our applications are approved, each of our paperwork packages must be part of the million-miler club.