Dual Nationality...do you have to choose ?

[madox66]

Do your children born in Thailand with one Thai parent and dual nationality have had to choose one citizenship when they reached 18 or 20 ? 
Is it different for boys (army) and girls ?
How Thai administration would ever know if somebody has a dual nationality ?
Thank you
 

[ubonjoe]

The do not have to choose. They can do it if they want to at the age of 20. Before their 20th birthday it is the parents choice not theirs.

No difference between boys and girls.

They would not know a person had dual nationalities unless they told them or they used a non Thai passport to enter the country.

[BritManToo]

No.

No.

They can't unless you tell them.

Edited November 15, 2018 by BritManToo

[Preacher]

It would also depend on the other country of citizenship. While Thai law doesn't force people to choose, Malaysia for instance is a completely different thing.

 

[ubonjoe]

Bumping this to the first page so that the OP can see it and not do another topic like he did earlier.

[Pungdo]

I was told by a Thai lawyer when I was doing all the paperwork after my daughter was born that she would have to choose down the track which nationality she wanted to be, but I have met quite a few guys over the years who's kids were in their mid 20's that had never been asked to choose and still held dual nationality.

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, Pungdo said:

I was told by a Thai lawyer when I was doing all the paperwork after my daughter was born that she would have to choose down the track which nationality she wanted to be,

He did not know what he was talking about. There is nothing in the nationality act that they have to choose. It merely has the clause to state they can may make the choice at the age of 20.

[BritTim]

6 minutes ago, Pungdo said:

I was told by a Thai lawyer when I was doing all the paperwork after my daughter was born that she would have to choose down the track which nationality she wanted to be, but I have met quite a few guys over the years who's kids were in their mid 20's that had never been asked to choose and still held dual nationality.

As I understand it, there was such a law (routinely flouted) years ago. However, it has long been legal for Thais to hold dual nationality.

[mike324]

Thai law doesn't allow dual nationality, but they are not strict with it as of yet. I have many friends with dual since they were born, some obtain their thai citizenship in 20s and 30s. Everyone kept on using two passports without any problem.

[Toosetinmyways]

Just to repeat the last post. My friends children are both in their 30's and they hold Thai and UK passports since birth.

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, mike324 said:

Thai law doesn't allow dual nationality, but they are not strict with it as of yet.

The nationality act does not state whether it is allowed or not allowed. That is why it is not a problem for Thais to have dual nationalities.

[mike324]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The nationality act does not state whether it is allowed or not allowed. That is why it is not a problem for Thais to have dual nationalities.

It does state if you want to keep your other nationality, you need to make a declaration to renounce your thai citizenship by the time you turn 20 (for those that were under 20)

 

Or under Section 19

Section 19. The Minister is empowered to revoke Thai nationality of a person who acquires Thai nationality by naturalization if it appears that:

 (2) There is evidence to show that he still makes use of his former nationality;

 

So according to the Nationality Act, it does state specifically that you are not allowed to have dual citizenship. The thing is that authorities aren't actively cracking down on folks with dual nationality. But if they want, they have the power to do so according to law.

 

Also back then you were allow to use your foreign names on Thai passports / ID cards. They have change the law which requires you to pick a Thai name when you apply for your ID card. But they are not that strict and you can still get away with it by telling them you haven't picked a thai name yet, and you will do a name change later.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong?

[Neeranam]

19 minutes ago, mike324 said:

It does state if you want to keep your other nationality, you need to make a declaration to renounce your thai citizenship by the time you turn 20 (for those that were under 20)

 

Or under Section 19

Section 19. The Minister is empowered to revoke Thai nationality of a person who acquires Thai nationality by naturalization if it appears that:

 (2) There is evidence to show that he still makes use of his former nationality;

 

So according to the Nationality Act, it does state specifically that you are not allowed to have dual citizenship. The thing is that authorities aren't actively cracking down on folks with dual nationality. But if they want, they have the power to do so according to law.

 

Also back then you were allow to use your foreign names on Thai passports / ID cards. They have change the law which requires you to pick a Thai name when you apply for your ID card. But they are not that strict and you can still get away with it by telling them you haven't picked a thai name yet, and you will do a name change later.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong?

This law is only for those naturalized Thai citizens. Kids born here are not naturalized.

 I was made to choose a Thai name in the naturalization process, but they told me I could keep my original name when it comes to getting an ID card. The packet has to be the same name as the ID card.

There is no law stating that 2 packets are allowed, so by default it is not legal. However, rarely do they enforce this law.

[Maestro]

40 minutes ago, mike324 said:

...So according to the Nationality Act, it does state specifically that you are not allowed to have dual citizenship...

No. the law does not say that you are not allowed to have dual citizenship.

[Weddings Parties Anything]

6 hours ago, mike324 said:

It does state if you want to keep your other nationality, you need to make a declaration to renounce your thai citizenship by the time you turn 20 (for those that were under 20)

 

Or under Section 19

Section 19. The Minister is empowered to revoke Thai nationality of a person who acquires Thai nationality by naturalization if it appears that:

 (2) There is evidence to show that he still makes use of his former nationality;

 

So according to the Nationality Act, it does state specifically that you are not allowed to have dual citizenship. The thing is that authorities aren't actively cracking down on folks with dual nationality. But if they want, they have the power to do so according to law.

 

Also back then you were allow to use your foreign names on Thai passports / ID cards. They have change the law which requires you to pick a Thai name when you apply for your ID card. But they are not that strict and you can still get away with it by telling them you haven't picked a thai name yet, and you will do a name change later.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong?

You’ve got your wires crossed. Here is a good primer on dual nationality.

 

http://www.thaicitizenship.com/thai-dual-citizenship/

[mike324]

On 11/16/2018 at 8:43 PM, Weddings Parties Anything said:

You’ve got your wires crossed. Here is a good primer on dual nationality.

 

http://www.thaicitizenship.com/thai-dual-citizenship/

Its still possible to loose dual nationality, it just very rare and officials don't care about dual nationality. Again that site does state that it is possible to loose it under section 17, but its very rare.

[mike324]

On 11/16/2018 at 2:20 PM, Neeranam said:

This law is only for those naturalized Thai citizens. Kids born here are not naturalized.

 I was made to choose a Thai name in the naturalization process, but they told me I could keep my original name when it comes to getting an ID card. The packet has to be the same name as the ID card.

There is no law stating that 2 packets are allowed, so by default it is not legal. However, rarely do they enforce this law.

Yes a child born here is different scenario as a naturalized citizen, I wasn't thinking.

 

In regards to the name, I believe they change the law requiring you to have a first name in Thai, but you can have middle and last name as foreign. This has also been the same for applying ID card. Not sure when you applied for your ID card, I believe this has been the case for at least 3-4 years.

 

[Maestro]

11 hours ago, mike324 said:

In regards to the name, I believe they change the law requiring you to have a first name in Thai, but you can have middle and last name as foreign. This has also been the same for applying ID card. Not sure when you applied for your ID card, I believe this has been the case for at least 3-4 years.

I have never heard of any such requirement and the way you present it, it falls into the category of unfounded rumours.

[mike324]

On 11/20/2018 at 11:56 PM, Maestro said:

I have never heard of any such requirement and the way you present it, it falls into the category of unfounded rumours.

its not, its reported online by other folks too

[Maestro]

14 hours ago, mike324 said:

its not, its reported online by other folks too

Regardless of how often an unfounded rumour is repeated online, it is still an unfounded rumour.

[sirineou]

My wife has dual Nationality, (US and Thai) so do a few of our friends, we travel between the US and Thailand a few times a year for a decade now using both passports with no problem or comment from anyone. 

    We are now considering the purchase of a vacation home in Greece and because I hold dual Greek and US citizenship  my wife is entitled to Greek citizenship also . We looked into it and we were told there should be no problem. I posted a thread on TVF and there were several members whose wife had triple citizenship with no problem.

   I don't know about Thailand , and the US has a volunteer army but when ,I came of age  because I was not living in Greece I had to buy  my Greek army  service, It was a long time ago so I don't remember  the amount, but it was not much.

The op does not state what the other country of the dual nationality is but that's something to consider.

[mike324]

3 hours ago, Maestro said:

Regardless of how often an unfounded rumour is repeated online, it is still an unfounded rumour.

I suppose  many officials from local district offices don't know their own laws, which happens quite frequently. Or that they know the law, but just want to force you to get a Thai name since they think you are Thai its only fitting you have a Thai name as well.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post.