Background info: I am an Australian married (in Thailand) to a Thai woman and have built a home in Yasothon province. I currently have an extension of stay for a retirement visa. My local Amphur is Kham khuean kaeo (pardon any spelling errors)

I went thru the process of getting a residence certificate so that I could get a Thai drivers license. I had success with that, however the traffic department  took the original and now I only have a copy which seems to be worthless. I went back to my local Amphur to get a fresh original and they said no, no - you need to start afresh meaning getting the village chief to come to the local Amphur again.

So I read that a yellow house book is a multi-use document and consequently better than a certificate of residence. I went to my local Amphur to see what is required. The boss said I needed to get my passport translated certifiably into Thai and that needs to be stamped by the Australian embassy. This seems like obfuscation to me as every other Thai bureacracy I have dealt with is happy with sighting an original passport with no need for a translation or embassy stamp. Further how is my embassy expert in Thai, that the translation is correct? The boss spoke in Thai and my wife translated so there is a distinct possibility of mistranslation. My wife says we have got the boss offside and he is exerting his authority.

So my question is: what really is required to get a yellow house book?

Varies from Amphur to Amphur.
In my case a certified copy of passport ( at British Embassy ) was requested, this then was translated at MFA.
Also a translation of my birth certificate at MFA was requested.
On obtaining these they then requested a certified copy and translation of my decree nisi .
At this point I felt I was being given the runaround and stopped .

Others have reported just the passport and 10 minutes of their time was all that was needed .

Others have reported witnesses ( not family members ) need to be provided, usually village headman is the best option.


Sooo, to answer your question “ what really is required to get a yellow house book “

Depends on how your Amphur follow the ruling..... or which way the wind is blowing !!

Quote

Varies from Amphur to Amphur

Certainly does...

I have tried three times to get a yellow book from our local Kweng without success. 

He just keeps changing the requirements, so Ive given up.

after two trips to bangkok and them saying now we need more paperwork, i just gave up.  Its a huge circle jerk

As you can see from the replies sometimes it’s just as if they don’t want you to have it and create hurdles.

 

Soon the “ I got mine with a passport and 20 baht “ posters will be along to gloat !!

 

I hate gloaters [emoji35][emoji35]

 

Unless it’s me gloating of course [emoji51]

 

I'm still waiting for mine after submitting all the documents about 2+ months ago at my local Amphur in Bangkok.

 

They basically said there have been a lot of "fake" applications/documents so now they send to MFA to get verified (could be bs who knows?)

 

I supplied copied and translated birth certificate, passport and UK wedding certificate all with UK legalised stamps, Thai Embassy UK stamps and MFA stamps. Other thai docs included wife's tabiaan baan, mortgage docs, house plans etc etc etc etc.

 

Will wait and see...

 

RAZZ

 

 

I paid, unofficially. 2500 ThB, and got one ( based on the Blue Book of my wife) in ca. 6 weeks.

2 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

I paid, unofficially. 2500 ThB, and got one ( based on the Blue Book of my wife) in ca. 6 weeks.

More fool you, i paid nothing, got my yellow book in under 30 minutes, no translation of passport, or anything thing else.

I got mine last year at the Nongpure office and it was hassle. Lady wanted a copy of my 90 day report. As I was working at the time and in and out of the country, I did not need to do the 90 Reports. She insisted it was required. Went to the Jomtien Soi 5, office and explained the situation. They all said not needed, but finally convinced them and they did it for me. Took it to the Nongpure office, she was happy and a month later we got the Yellow book.

 

Moral of the story, try and keep a happy face, jump the hoops and you can get it, but as everyone says, it all depends on which office you use and probably who takes the application. Seems a common issue at and Thai government office form Immigration, to Social Security to your local Amphur office. Remember TIT.

 

Edited May 20, 20197 yr by KhunKenAP

18 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

As you can see from the replies sometimes it’s just as if they don’t want you to have it and create hurdles.

 

Soon the “ I got mine with a passport and 20 baht “ posters will be along to gloat !!

 

I hate gloaters

 

Unless it’s me gloating of course

 

Yes me......????

The only real hurdles in obtaining mine were a request for a residence certificate from immigration (~40 minutes drive each way) and an interview with the head of the amphur. After submitting all they wanted they made me wait 2 weeks and then called me back to pick up the book. In their defense it really was a busy period in the year. Got my hot pink id a few days later.

1 hour ago, Isaan Alan said:

So my question is: what really is required to get a yellow house book?

It will be what the "boss" in your local office tell you.

My local Amphur office, Bang Rakam, insist that I must be MARRIED to get a Yellow book.

Best answer already given is it varies from amphur to amphur.   And some amphurs are just down right not interested in issuing a Yellow Book to a farang.  Kinda like how opening a bank account at some bank branches is hard for farangs, but the branch down the soi makes it easy.  All comes down to local management.

 

For me I got my Yellow Book within the first two weeks of arriving Thailand almost 11 years ago here in my western Bankgok "khet" (a.k.a., amphur in Bangkok).   Just needed the wife's blue book for the land/home we had already purchased here in Bangkok, her Thai ID card, my passport, and another Thai to vouch for me (which was a Toyota sales person we bought I new SUV from).  Nothing needed from my home country embassy or Thai immigration.  Anyway, about 2 hours later and some administration fee of less than Bt100 I had my Yellow Book.  And a few years ago when they finally started issuing Pink ID cards if you had a Yellow Book I went and got a Pink ID in about 30 minutes....only the Yellow Book was needed for that.  The Pink ID card and Yellow Book have the same number.

Got mine 11 or 12 years ago, took my passport, wife and village headman. Was there over an hour but most of that was them chatting and an occasional question to me. When I moved province I got a letter from them and presented it to my follow on province and was issued with a new book and pink ID card, all in one hour and 60 baht.

Got mine 11 or 12 years ago, took my passport, wife and village headman. Was there over an hour but most of that was them chatting and an occasional question to me. When I moved province I got a letter from them and presented it to my follow on province and was issued with a new book and pink ID card, all in one hour and 60 baht.

They would be “ fools “ to give Mister T the runaround !! [emoji51]

Pretty straightforward for me as the new head of Land registry welcomed farang residents, and after a grumpy-looking Amphur head gave his blessing for a small token of a hundred baht, all was completed during one day. 

 

One amusing incident, was the lady deputy at the land registry who pointed to my completed documentation and wanted to know where England was. I had to draw a map of the UK, and fill in the countries. Still have it in my Imm dossier. Next time I'll say and write British. 

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

More fool you, i paid nothing, got my yellow book in under 30 minutes, no translation of passport, or anything thing else.

Did you miss the posts that said it varies from place to place?

 My Baalat (Deputy Sheriff) at the local Amphur (a woman) was initially reluctant to issue me the Tabien Ban Leong but fortunately, I had hauled the Pooyai Ban with me. 

He said:  "You want this poor farangs wife to hold everything"? 

Walked out of the Amphur half hour later with the Yellow Book ????. 

4 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

As you can see from the replies sometimes it’s just as if they don’t want you to have it and create hurdles.

 

Soon the “ I got mine with a passport and 20 baht “ posters will be along to gloat !!

 

I hate gloaters

 

Unless it’s me gloating of course

 

They probably added the required envelope.

 

6 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

As you can see from the replies sometimes it’s just as if they don’t want you to have it and create hurdles.

 

Soon the “ I got mine with a passport and 20 baht “ posters will be along to gloat !!

 

I hate gloaters

 

Unless it’s me gloating of course

 

I got mine for free. No idea what she showed but Mrs E did it all. Now if you asked me about a document for Barclays in UK that was a different story. Eventually got my Yellow translated. Lady shipped it and got it stamped at CW. Been worth it's weight in gold since then. 

6 hours ago, rawhod said:

Certainly does...

I have tried three times to get a yellow book from our local Kweng without success. 

He just keeps changing the requirements, so Ive given up.

The yellow book is a classic example of Thai bureaucracy.

 

Some people will beat their chests and tell you how easy it was, but I like you just got stonewalled every time, until I just said 'F#$k It' and gave up.

 

Every Amphur makes up their own rules, and that can vary from person to person.

 

So spin the roulette wheel and see how it goes 

Edited May 20, 20197 yr by GinBoy2

7 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Varies from Amphur to Amphur.
In my case a certified copy of passport ( at British Embassy ) was requested, this then was translated at MFA.
Also a translation of my birth certificate at MFA was requested.
On obtaining these they then requested a certified copy and translation of my decree nisi .
At this point I felt I was being given the runaround and stopped .

Others have reported just the passport and 10 minutes of their time was all that was needed .

Others have reported witnesses ( not family members ) need to be provided, usually village headman is the best option.


Sooo, to answer your question “ what really is required to get a yellow house book “

Depends on how your Amphur follow the ruling..... or which way the wind is blowing !!

Took me all of 25 minutes to get mine in Songkhla. Copy of passport, original birth certificate, names of mother and father to enter into a separate form. No translations required.

In and out in about half an hour, just wife and passport, they took what copies they wanted themselves.

 

But as with so many things in the Kingdom, it entirely depends on who you see and where you go, there is rarely any consistency in requirement or service from any office judging by the vast array of experiences I have seen posted on this forum.

 

All comes down to what happens on the day. 

 

The best you can do is to visit prior to actually applying and ask directly what they require, then hope you get the same person when you do apply. ????

Got my yellow book and pink ID card early this year at pattaya city hall. 

1.get certified copy of my pp from Oz embassy. 

2. Have it translated and certified by MFA.

3. Go city hall with above docs including copies of chanote, blue book, 2 Thai witnesses with copies of their ID card and their blue house books. 

 Quite a bit involved, but pretty straight forward once you have all the app docs. 

 

 

Anyone have a current update CM report of how hard as in what is needed and where to go? Or can one go to many places up here?

7 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Varies from Amphur to Amphur.
In my case a certified copy of passport ( at British Embassy ) was requested, this then was translated at MFA.
Also a translation of my birth certificate at MFA was requested.
On obtaining these they then requested a certified copy and translation of my decree nisi .
At this point I felt I was being given the runaround and stopped .

Others have reported just the passport and 10 minutes of their time was all that was needed .

Others have reported witnesses ( not family members ) need to be provided, usually village headman is the best option.


Sooo, to answer your question “ what really is required to get a yellow house book “

Depends on how your Amphur follow the ruling..... or which way the wind is blowing !!

that's correct, all depends on the amphur and you do need 2 Thai witness, preferably neighbors that know where you live and translated certified copies of your passport, birth certificate, 2 photos, blue book and some luck

This is the best official way to get your yellow book:

1. Translate your Passport to Thai from your Embassy 

2. Go for confirmationstamp to the Thai foreign Ministery in Bangkok Wattana

3. Apply within 1 Month ( Important!) in your Aumpher for the yellow Book.

The rest is up the Aumpher, they will give you information. 

Dont believe all the fancy Storys here in TV.

Edited May 20, 20197 yr by ujayujay

When we first inquired at Khao Kho they said cannot have as you are not married. We were married in the Amphoe last month so went for the Yellow Book and pink ID

We needed:

the copy of the certified passport, translated and stamped by the MFA. They need it translated as everything in the YB & ID has to be Thai

the Stat Declaration that was translated to Thai and stamped by the MFA (do not know why but a copy went in the file

wife's ID and copy of her house book

3 photos (had 2 but not enough)

the puu yai was there at a meeting so he vouched for me as a witness.

 

They also ASKED for my original birth certificate, my fathers death certificate (dead 35 years), my mothers death certificate (dead 12 years) and their religion and where they lived. Even if they were available I am sure that they would have wanted them certified by the Australian Embassy and translated to Thai as no one in the office could read or speak English.

 

At this point did not really lose it but talked strongly to the wife that none of it was available and was ready to walk away. There was some conversation between the wife and the two officers who then said OK we can use what we have. This took them 1.5 hours while there were many people waiting to be served.

 

Two weeks later I had the YB and ID card as I applied just before Songkran.

 

Good luck at your local Amphoe.

Edited May 20, 20197 yr by GreasyFingers
addition

For Mukdahan I had to go to the British Embassy for a passport and visa translation, after that - plain sailing.  Good luck

 

Edited May 20, 20197 yr by Mukdahanman