jayson1

On 1/8/2022 at 1:20 PM, sinthavee said:

I got my Thai ID card yesterday. From application at Santiban to finally getting the ID was 3 years 5 months and 18days.

I was at the Khet by 8:08 AM.

I had taken prior appointment on 29th Dec 2021. Officer started to work on my Tabienban name changing & preparing necessary documentation for the Thai ID from 8:45 AM.

Both the witnesses required were with me in the office right from 8:45 AM. I had to sign free documents in Thai. Witnesses too had to sign a document each.

By 12:15 PM he completed changing my nationality in the Tabien ban to Thai. He handed me the documents required for ID card issuing department to process further & issue me the ID card.

After lunch, I met the staff processing the documents for issuing ID card. She took all the documents and asked me to fill up the application form seeking ID card. She also took 2 photographs (2x2.5” white background) from me. I signed the form and the witnesses also signed the form.

 Finally, the documents were ready & were sent to the Head of Khet. I was called to the Khet Head’s office. She had few general questions & wished me all the best.

I was asked to go get photo for getting  my ID card. Removed Shoes & mask, had my photograph taken, both the thumb fingerprints were registered.

 Later the staff asked me to come to the counter and collect my ID card. Before collecting, she recorded both my index finger prints.

 Officer in the morning as well as staff in the afternoon had scanned and saved relevant pages of my passport,PR book,Red book,Pink ID card and the Naturalisation Certificate. Officer also had taken my signatures on many pages of photo copies of my travel documents.

i did not have to make/submit any photocopies of my original documents. Whatever was required was copied by the officer on the office copier, & he only asked me to sign each of the page. He also had taken 4 photographs (2x2.5” white background) from me, and used on the documents he prepared. I got my ID at 3:15 PM. My witnesses had to stay till that time. One was the owner of the the house in which my name appears & another was his sister staying in a separate house of her own.

 Overall it was a long but pleasant experience.

For those who are yet to complete the Tabien Ban updation to change Nationality to Thai & get Thai ID card issued, take home points are:

1.Be prepared for a long day at Khet office.

2.Have 2 witnesses; if you are a member of a household, owner of the house must be one of the witnesses. Both the witnesses also need to be with you from start to end of the process. Please inform them in advance that they might have to spend almost a day.

3. Be prepared to forgo lunch (you might carry some food & eat it during lunch break) or eat whatever is available near the Khet office.

4. Carry all your original documents including the documents provided by Santiban. Remember to carry at least 6 Nos of 2x2.5” size white back ground photos. Also, the original Tabien ban book.

5.You need to write the names of your parents & siblings in Thai on the ID application form. ID application needs to be written in Thai(you might use chrome browser for transliteration of Names from your language or English). If you can not write your self, have someone with you to help you,on this.

5. Have patience; officers and staff need time to complete the required documentation process. They can’t bypass our short cut & shorten the process. Depending on their experience & skill, some one could process faster & some other could be slow.

 

Wish you all the best.

 

I got my ID card on 14 January. Broadly similar experience to @sinthavee. Arrived at 8:30 and fully finished just before 16:30. Finished house registration part around 11:00. After pleading and begging, they said they could schedule appointment for ID card at 14:30 that day. I handed over documents so they could pre-prepare. Back at 14:30. Both witnesses had to be there until almost the very end (make sure to check before letting the witnesses leave).

Now to changing bank accounts, tax id etc.. Oh joy!

43 minutes ago, jayboy said:

I'm not sure about that.In the 1980's I recall at least two senior British businessmen learning Thai who took the Thai

language examination geared to Thai primary age children.I can even remember the photograph of them both at the British Club when receiving certificates

https://www.thaigov.go.th/news/contents/details/50437 is the official summary of the Cabinet minutes for 11 January (scroll down to Law). I assume taking the Grade 6 equivalency test is one way to meet the new language requirement. I took this test in the late 90s. It is a fairly comprehensive test covering speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The description here https://www.thaisolutions1502.com/services/thai-teaching/examination-grade-6-private-small-group-or-one-to-one/ matches what the test was like. for me. 

Even if your Thai is good, you probably need to study specifically for the test to ensure you will pass (I did a 30 hour course at a language school). I recall you had to address an envelope correctly and there lots of ways to loss points if you don't follow the correct method. All things such as Thai culture etc.

NOTE: The first line of 1 states. กำหนดสถานที่ในการยื่นคำขอมีสัญชาติไทยของหญิงต่างด้าวที่มีสามีเป็นผู้มีสัญชาติไทย (basically this is setting out the requirements of the locations for submitting an application is foreign female married to a Thai male) which it lists as DPA for Bangkok and provincial halls for outside of Bangkok. 2 also references foreign female (this relates to evidence needed to submit). 3-5 make no reference as whether this foreign female or includes males as well. It may be necessary to see the actual draft regulation or gazetted regulation to see who it actually applies to and then how this fits within the Act. Then see how SB and MOI interpret how it applies as well...

2 hours ago, Arkady said:

If you don't expect to travel overseas or be in any situation where you have to show your passport with valid visa, such as checking in to local hotel or applying for credit card, you could wing it and just wait for your ID card without dealing with Immigration which I note is an inconvenient trip for you. You would not be doing anything illegal as you are legally Thai but could encounter some hassles without a valid visa or ID card, particularly, if you are stopped at random by cops or  something.  But even for most traffic scrapes the cops only ask for your driving licence. I don't think it is necessary to cancel your visa, particularly if it has expired by the time you get your ID card. That might encourage them to try to charge overstay.  PRs are a different matter.  They obviously have to return their alien and residence books to Immigration.

Thanks for responding and the always helpful advice. It is much appreciated.

No plans to go anywhere, apply for anything, and I don't drive. I will get the Naturalisation Certificate on 4 January. I have the Ministry of Interior letter confirming my Thai citizenship which finally arrived today and confirms I am a citizen as of the date of gazette publication.  I think I will just wing and wait to get the ID card and avoid going to Chaeng Wattana to cancel my visa.

I would also like to thank everyone who has commented and provided helpful advice over the years.  I read every post in this thread back in 2014, established when I would be eligible, and applied early in 2018. In reality, the application process is more daunting and bureaucratic than difficult. The process was much easier to navigate after reading this thread. For anyone who eligible and plans to continue to live in Thailand, I would suggest they seriously consider it.

On 12/28/2021 at 5:00 PM, Neeranam said:

Immigration need to see the letter of Naturalisation. 

I suggest you go to immigration and ask for a Covid extension. That's what I did, in exactly the same situation as you. 

However, I stay just 5 min from immigration and it was very quiet, but why complicate things, you are not really a Thai in most people's eyes until you get that beautiful blue ID card (and even then ????). 

You could take a chance and just let it expire but I didn't want the stress and decided to do everything buy the book until getting the card. 

When I cancelled my 2 month visa at immigration, they said I didn't need to, but I preffered to get a little story written in my passport, and show off my I'd card, as I'm the first farang in my city to get one. 

Thanks for responding. Chaeng Wattana is a long way from my place. I will wait to get the Naturalisation Certificate. 

On 8/8/2021 at 8:57 AM, Neeranam said:

On the same day as getting naturalization doc, I went with my wife and documents to the khet. The woman said to come back the next month which would have meant my visa would need renewed. I pleaded and said I'd be 'extremely grateful' if she could fit me in somehow before the end of the month; she managed to give me the next week, and got a nice bonus for doing so.  

Arrived at the khet at 1.30 and was out with a blue ID card at 2.45. Only thing was that she told me I'd only need one witness but the second day said I need 2.

Easy solution the other witness(house owner) called his son who jumped on a bike and came in 10 min. I was worried as he's only 19 but no problem.

 

Not to revive an old post, but I expect to soon hear from my Special Branch Case Officer that I can collect the naturalisation certificate (some group as sinthavee). I have already visited the District Office who say that the document from the Ministry of Interior has arrived and booked me in for 14 January at 9am as this is the earliest slot available.

I understand from Section 5 of the Nationality Act that I became a Thai citizen as of the date of publication in the Government Gazette (24 November). I see from others that they have cancelled their visa/permission to stay after getting their ID card.  The issue is that my Thai visa/permission to stay expires this week. So the question is (a) what proof does Thai immigration require to cancel the visa, and (b) what happens if if I go to immigration to cancel the visa AFTER the date it has expired even though my visa was still valid on the date I legally became a Thai citizen. Would I be fined? Has anyone done this before?

NOTE: yes, I realise I could have extended the visa a few weeks ago, but it it is a bit strange to extend the visa after I became a Thai citizen. 

2 hours ago, sinthavee said:

Wish you all Merry X’Mas.

We have good news that the documents have reached SB.

 They should be starting to call from next week onwards. Some of us might get the certificate late next week & definitely in the 1st week Jan,2022. Waiting call from SB.

Thanks. I called my case officer this afternoon. He said I should be able to collect next week BUT he added that the Ministry of Interior computer system (database?) is down which is why there has been a delay. He wasn't sure whether I would be able to process the ID card because the information may not have been sent to the District Office.

As the District Office is nearby, I went to ask. The person was very helpful. They checked and said they had yet to receive the letter. They started the process, but said it could not be completed until they receive the letter directly from the Ministry of Interior.

3 hours ago, sinthavee said:

Any update Jayson1 brother?

I telephoned my SB case officer this afternoon who informed me that SB is still waiting for a document from the MOI. He was unsure when this document would arrive, but would let me know when it did. He said SB is aware of the November gazette notification, but they cannot finalise the process until they receive this document from MOI.

2 hours ago, sinthavee said:

Hi Jayson1 & Qualtrough brothers,

Latest update from SB as of today morning(just before lunch time). It is 21 days from RG notification(24th Nov 2021).

i checked with my SB officer today. He said that their office hasn’t yet received the necessary documents from MOI. Once received, they will be ready to issue the sthai Nationality Certificate & will call.

May be you can contact your respective officers in a couple of days time & check if you haven’t checked yet.

Thanks for this. I have yet to hear from my SB case officer AND have not received the letter from MOI either. I plan to reach out on Friday and then I can update in the group when I receive a response. 

15 minutes ago, qualtrough said:

Further to that, does anyone here have a bookmark or link for any post(s) detailing what you need to do and show once you get your certificate?

Most of my notes are copying and pasting without saving a link. Go to page 219 - https://aseannow.com/topic/121353-story-of-my-thai-citizenship-application/page/219/#comments - as there are multiple posters who posted their experience of getting the ID card etc.

Just now, sinthavee said:

Hi Jayson1 brother,

 Hearty Congratulations.

i spoke to my SB officer today. He told me that they need to wait for the documents to arrive from MOI. He was not able to give a date, but told me that we should be getting the certificate before the New Year.

 Any further update, will be shared here. All the Best.

Thanks for the prompt reply. If I hear from my SB Case Officer, I will also post.

2 hours ago, Scraman said:

Az vaccine Covishield made in India is not accepted in the EU, only AZ vaccine Vaxzevira.

 

Not quite correct as this is a national competence issue. 18 European and Schengen countries now accept Covishield - see here.

4 hours ago, Caldera said:

I cannot comment on the situation in France, but it is definitely true for Germany.

 

https://www.pei.de/DE/newsroom/dossier/coronavirus/coronavirus-inhalt.html?cms_pos=3 (German language, the Thai made AstraZeneca vaccine is listed)

https://th.ambafrance.org/Deplacements-vers-la-France

for those who can’t reach French “Vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are Comirnaty (Pfizer & BioNTech), Spikevax (Moderna), COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen and Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) and their equivalents*; in particular the Covid-19 vaccine Astra-Zeneca produced in Thailand.”

This can be confirmed at the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products website -   https://ansm.sante.fr/uploads/2021/07/28/21072024-covid-19-vaccins-liste-noms-pays.xlsx   - where under Thailande AstraZeneca is listed.

This is a file photo.  In yesterday's briefing she was wearing a mask

7 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Well go back and tell him he's wrong.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-thailand/thailand-orders-a-further-35-million-doses-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-idUSKBN29A0VF

AstraZeneca vaccine will be produced in Thailand by a Thai company. It will not be imported for sale. A small amount is being imported by the Thai government to help expedite the Thai FDA approval process. AstraZeneca's FDA application does not allow it be imported by the private sector, per Thai FDA Sec-Gen in KhaoSod yesterday evening. https://www.khaosod.co.th/covid-19/news_5763659

When IB posted details on their Facebook, this was after the Cabinet approved the draft Notification on the visa extension. Now, the Notification has been gazetted - http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2563/E/096/T_0008.PDF - so it is actually official. Actual Notification as already reported.

It is the law but there are so many exceptions and no specific penalty provided for so practically speaking it is closer to a strong recommendation. See Article 8, Regulation No. 1 issued on 25 March, as translated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/files/news3-20200327-221547-964607.pdf - which says “shall stay”. Article 18 does not provide a penalty for beaching Article 8.

Fit to fly health certificate is all you will need. Latest CAAT Notification cancelled all previous Notifications. see No. 6 https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/48998 (negative COVID test and health insurance was as a result of 19 March CAAT Notification).

This info was in the Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) that was sent to airlines this evening.

On 7/5/2019 at 6:35 AM, onthemoon said:

I am getting my documents together and have a question about the letter from the bank:

1.) Does it have to be in a certain format? Technically, I could just print out the statement as it shows how much money is in the account but I don't know whether they'll accept that.

2.) Does it have to be a savings account or can I show my LTF?

3.) I use BBL. If I have to get an actual letter, can I go to any branch or does it have to be the branch where I have the account?

Thanks in advance to the experts. 

1. I got from two different banks (SCB and BBL) to be sure (transferred some money temporarily to another account as wanted to save an extra trip to SB). BBL were inflexible with changing who to address the form letter to whereas SCB addressed per my request. It was the standard letter that they issue for immigration. In the end, SB just took the letter from SCB.

From my notes (from Arkday?)I asked SCB to add "subject" and "to" fields as follows:

เรึ่อง รับรองเงินฟากในบัญชี

เรีอน ผกก. ฝ่ายกฎหมายและวินัย บก. อก. บช.ส.

2. Mine was savings. I would be surprised if SB was to accept LTF as it is not really cash.

3. Unsure. Branch were I opened the account was the closest one so just went there.

Went to CW in Dec and I was told by the officer to bring back my updated bankbook after the 30 days and that the 400k should still be in the account. When I went back last week for the approval extension, I was told to hand over my passport, original bank book, and copies of my bank book. The person checked that I had updated the bank book earlier that day (so withdraw or deposit a small amount on the actual day if possible). To play things safe, I would try to keep at least 400k in the account until after the extension is approved.

On 1/26/2019 at 9:14 AM, Kwarium said:

Hmmm, I tried to use “recognized Thai names” such as my wife’s maiden name and MIL’s maiden name. Both were rejected by the helpful lady at the amphur as “already taken”. We created a hybrid of the two surnames and it was accepted. First name was easy and random, Thana, although I thought Wanla had a nice ring to it and got some laughs. (Wanla as in ‘how much per day’.)

 

Went with using my original name in the end.

Good to know I was not the only person who went through this surreal experience of being told name after name was “already taken”. After multiple attempts, I added “dee’ to a surname and it worked.

13 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Are we sure you "cannot touch" the money during under-consideration - or just cannot have emptied the account of most/all of it?  If "cannot touch" is true - that directly violates the stated rules, which state "two months" seasoning - not three (or four, in the case of a delayed approval -
https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1076157-visa-extension-result-delayed-issue/

).

 

Clearly, they want to discourage loans not provided through from one of their agent-buddies (when no seasoning is needed at all), so they can ensure a cut of agent-fee loot.  In that context, would make sense for them to block on a nearly-empty account, after the consideration period.  If they are getting really greedy, maybe "cannot touch" is indeed the case - further punishment for doing things the honest way (which some of them clearly detest).

I did my extension of permission to stay - "Thai wife" - in late December at CW. Just after I received the 30 day under consideration stamp, I was told to bring back my updated bankbook when I came back in the 30 days.  I was a bit surprised about this requirement and as I had planned to purchase some LTF and RMF for tax reasons so I asked whether I still needed the 400k in my bank account in 30 days and I was told "yes".

I was not asked for the TM30 last month, but tomorrow is the end of the 30 days so I will see if I am asked for it it then. Or have people have only been asked when doing the re-entry permit or 90 day reporting? (I was planning to do both tomorrow as well, but my skip and do re-entry at the airport when I have my next flight).