On my way to Tesco this morning I thought I would drop by my local Amphur office to apply for a yellow book. I took my blue book, passport, deeds of my condo etc and, following posts I have read here, thought it would be a simple matter.

 

Three local govt. officers scrutinised my papers. I have lived here for most of the years out of the previous fourteen since I bought my condo and have a current extension to my non-immigrant O visa (for retirement),

 

I was told that I needed to go to my embassy (British, in my case) and have copies of my passport verified and then translated into Thai. Then I should need to bring two Thai witnesses to sign various documents.

 

Have others had this experience or a different one?

 

Best regards.

 

 

It varies from Amphoe to Amphoe.

It is not unusual for them to want a certified copy of your passport and the translation of it.

Same for the witnesses.

As Joe stated, different Amphur different requirements .

 

I was required to visit the British Embassy for a certified copy of passport and then a translation from MFA ( along with other translated docs ).

Thanks for the replies.

I didn't have any of these problems. I went to Pattaya city hall.

Although I got refused the first time I walked back in again and got to speak to the manager and she offered me an ID card as well getting the yellow book issued.

I must be lucky with all the planets aligned or something.

59 minutes ago, ThaIrish Sean said:

I didn't have any of these problems. I went to Pattaya city hall.

Although I got refused the first time I walked back in again and got to speak to the manager and she offered me an ID card as well getting the yellow book issued.

I must be lucky with all the planets aligned or something.

You didn't need to get your passport translated?

The official BORA manual issued for District Office procedures states a copy of passport translated as well as 2 witnesses. This was what I had to provide years ago in Bangkok.

Before you go too far, ask yourself if you really want or need a 'yellow book'?  I went through all the procedures you mention, and more.  Finally got the book and since then it has not been the slightest use to me.  Show it at Immigration, TM30 registration, 90 day report, visa extension, and no I/O has ever been interested.  Complete waste of time and money in my opinion. 

13 minutes ago, Robin said:

Before you go too far, ask yourself if you really want or need a 'yellow book'?  I went through all the procedures you mention, and more.  Finally got the book and since then it has not been the slightest use to me.  Show it at Immigration, TM30 registration, 90 day report, visa extension, and no I/O has ever been interested.  Complete waste of time and money in my opinion. 

How many times a year do you get a Certificate of Residence? 

I am also in the process of applying for a yellow book.  There was an obvious reluctance to accept my application but I persevered. I had to produce all the documents listed by Londinium.  I'm currently looking for a second witness. Both witnesses have to be Thai and hold a tabien baan in the tambon where I live.  I have many Thai friends who live in my tambon, but they all hold tabien baans from other tambons. 

I believe that if a foreigner holds a tabien baan he is exempt from the Land and Property Tax on a condo owned and occupied by him. 

No. They took copies etc. of everything and I signed all but the manager was super friendly and perfect English.

Can't remember if they took copies of my Thai driving licence?

Something else I remembered which may have made a difference is I had a yellow book already in Phetchabun so it may have been a cancel that one and they issue Pattaya one.

You cannot have two, apparently.

6 hours ago, chub said:

 

I believe that if a foreigner holds a tabien baan he is exempt from the Land and Property Tax on a condo owned and occupied by him. 

Yes this is true and that is why this book will be on my to do list when back in Thailand...

Hi ya i just finished doing my yellow book & pink card the passport vitrification can be done by post very easy just pay on line at embassy web page and send off passport as for translation anywhere thet does them not sure where you are but i done mine in central plaza ground floor ubon ratchathani  

ps the mfa stamp on translation can be done by post to 

Edited December 29, 20205 yr by Binger

7 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

How many times a year do you get a Certificate of Residence? 

I get one CoR every 5-6 years to renew my driving licences

9 hours ago, Robin said:

Before you go too far, ask yourself if you really want or need a 'yellow book'?  I went through all the procedures you mention, and more.  Finally got the book and since then it has not been the slightest use to me.  Show it at Immigration, TM30 registration, 90 day report, visa extension, and no I/O has ever been interested.  Complete waste of time and money in my opinion. 

My opinion is the complete opposite of yours, it has simplified so many things I’ve needed or wanted to do over the years. Yes I could’ve done everything without it.... but much less simply.

10 hours ago, Robin said:

Before you go too far, ask yourself if you really want or need a 'yellow book'?  I went through all the procedures you mention, and more.  Finally got the book and since then it has not been the slightest use to me.  Show it at Immigration, TM30 registration, 90 day report, visa extension, and no I/O has ever been interested.  Complete waste of time and money in my opinion. 

 

Agree 100%. I, too, was given the "Bangkok Runaround" by my amphur, the most time-consuming bit of which was with coming up with a Thai translation of my Embassy passport certification which satisfied MFA over-fussy verification requirements. And, unlike you, I didn't even get the book at the end of the day because some eagle-eyed official back at the amphur spotted that the Thai transliteration of my surname in the passport certification translation didn't exactly match my wife's as stated in her blue tabien baan and ID card! At that point I simply threw in the towel and haven't looked back with any feelings of regret over my inability to obtain this hallowed book ever since that particular wild goose chase took place several years ago.

Edited December 30, 20205 yr by OJAS

My Thai wife and I went to our Amphur (Sansai, Chiang Mai) in 2015, just carrying her blue housebook, our wedding certificate and my Swiss passport copy, and I got the yellow book plus the pink Thai ID card in less than 30 minutes. No Embassy certified copies, translations or witnesses whatsoever. Maybe I should add that my wife is a real talent in talking to government people, always showing respect and using the right words, and we therefore never had problems anywhere, also not at Immigration or DLT.

My amphur placed particular emphasis upon needing a translated and certificated copy of my birth certificate. Apparently, to them at least, my parents details are important. Unfortunately, being born in UK prior to 1983 I only have the 'short form' which doesn't show parents details. In the end I couldn't be bothered.

In Nongprue, we submitted all the required paperwork and provided a Thai National witness and the application went through. Took 6 weeks but what the hell. Pink card was half a morning of time at city hall after I received the yellow book. Not too many calories spent getting it. 

19 hours ago, Londinium said:

I was told that I needed to go to my embassy (British, in my case) and have copies of my passport verified and then translated into Thai. Then I should need to bring two Thai witnesses to sign various documents.

 

The OP's got a good point, IMHO.

Immigration doesn't require you to provide an officially translated copy of your passport when you apply for an extension, so why does an amphur office need it?

There's no doubt that an annual extension of permission to stay is a lot more important than a yellow book, after all. Indeed, some people posting here say that it's useful, while others say that it's pointless.

To be honest, I've lived here for over 16 years and can't say that I've ever found myself saying, "Dang, I really wish I'd applied for a yellow book now!"

So yes, the OP is right in my view, and they are being too strict and asking for some unnecessary things.

Will that ever change though? They ask for this stuff because they can and they always have. If you think you can get the Thai bureaucracy to streamline and reduce its paperwork requirements so that they actually make sense, well then good luck with that. 

Once again I'm confused by an OP's post. You say in your post that you already have a Blue book, so why on earth do you want a yellow book as well. You don't need both.

Edited December 30, 20205 yr by TigerandDog

12 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

Once again I'm confused by an OP's post. You say in your post that you already have a Blue book, so why on earth do you want a yellow book as well. You don't need both.

He has a blue house book for a condo that does not show that he lives there or is even the owner of it.

A yellow house book would prove he is living there and is the head of household as well.

The problem is that every government office appears to have the discretion to apply their own rules, be it the local Amphoe, Immigration, DLT or wherever.

It is something we Westerners are not used to but if you live here have to accept.

When I obtained my yellow book and Pink ID card even the Australian Marriage Certificate and my birth certificate had to be translated and certified.

When I went to renew my two driving licences at my local DLT office they wouldn’t accept the Pink ID card in lieu of the Immigration Residency certificate but at the Head Office they will, they did give me the licences for six years, that shows the inconsistencies that occur.

The only advantages in dealing with government departments here is that if you run into a problem it can usually be solved with a brown envelope, something you cannot do in the West.

12 hours ago, chub said:

I am also in the process of applying for a yellow book.  There was an obvious reluctance to accept my application but I persevered. I had to produce all the documents listed by Londinium.  I'm currently looking for a second witness. Both witnesses have to be Thai and hold a tabien baan in the tambon where I live.  I have many Thai friends who live in my tambon, but they all hold tabien baans from other tambons. 

I believe that if a foreigner holds a tabien baan he is exempt from the Land and Property Tax on a condo owned and occupied by him. 

I’ve just gone through the process in Bangkok (Naradiwat area, near Chong Nonsi). I went through the steps already described. Notarized copy of passport, official translation and two Thai witnesses (one of whom was my girlfriend). It took 3 visits to the local District office, but was also given the Pink ID card with the yellow book. The main motivator was the substantial saving in Land and Property Tax when I sell my condo, and to use the Yellow book (instead of a CoR) when I go to apply my driving licence next month.

why bother? the yellow book is not the slightest bit of use.the many expats that I know don't have one and would agree. The banks won't accept it for any transaction. Living in Thailand the last 20 years I can't see a single use for it.

3 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

My amphur placed particular emphasis upon needing a translated and certificated copy of my birth certificate. Apparently, to them at least, my parents details are important. Unfortunately, being born in UK prior to 1983 I only have the 'short form' which doesn't show parents details. In the end I couldn't be bothered.

 

You could, if you had wished, have obtained a duplicate birth certificate in long form including your parents' details from the GRO in Milton Keynes. That's what I did when DWP mislaid my original short form birth certificate which I had submitted to them as part of my State Pension application a few years ago. But probably not worth the hassle just for a yellow book as you say - particularly if your "beloved" amphur were then to insist on the duplicate certificate also being verified by the Embassy, who, for their part, would inform you that they were unable to do this and that you would need to submit yourself to the dreaded legalisation process as described in all its cumbersomely bureaucratic detail in the link below!

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/714089/Legalisation_info_June_2018.pdf

 

14 hours ago, Robin said:

Before you go too far, ask yourself if you really want or need a 'yellow book'?  I went through all the procedures you mention, and more.  Finally got the book and since then it has not been the slightest use to me.  Show it at Immigration, TM30 registration, 90 day report, visa extension, and no I/O has ever been interested.  Complete waste of time and money in my opinion. 

Same as my experience.....a waste of time.

 

I would suggest anybody thinking of getting the YB and ID go and check with your own amphur what are their requirements.  If you dont need to jump through hoops get them by all means.  Secondly I would check with those services where the YB and ID may be required/more convenient such as Imm office, traffic office, hospital etc.  In my area it is of no use at all, in fact some arent even aware of it.

 

Take note that some on here will tell you it is easy to obtain or they cant live without it etc but that only applies to where they live.  It seems easy for some to understand that each Imm Office has its own rules but dont seem to understand that many organisations in Thailand also vary depending on location.

3 hours ago, paddyfield7 said:

My Thai wife and I went to our Amphur (Sansai, Chiang Mai) in 2015, just carrying her blue housebook, our wedding certificate and my Swiss passport copy, and I got the yellow book plus the pink Thai ID card in less than 30 minutes. No Embassy certified copies, translations or witnesses whatsoever. Maybe I should add that my wife is a real talent in talking to government people, always showing respect and using the right words, and we therefore never had problems anywhere, also not at Immigration or DLT.

Good stuff. You are lucky you live in one of the easier areas to obtain them.

3 hours ago, Guderian said:

The OP's got a good point, IMHO.

Immigration doesn't require you to provide an officially translated copy of your passport when you apply for an extension, so why does an amphur office need it?

He didn’t have a point, you do. He had a question.

 

A visa extension isn’t a yellow book and pink card.

 

The latter use your name in Thai. It needs to be THE official translation of your name for consistency. So one gotcha for those too lazy to do their research is that if a translation of your name already appears on an official document, notably the chanote, then you should ask your translator who deals with MFA to translate the same way (and submit a copy of the other document).

 

3 hours ago, Guderian said:

There's no doubt that an annual extension of permission to stay is a lot more important than a yellow book, after all. Indeed, some people posting here say that it's useful, while others say that it's pointless.

To be honest, I've lived here for over 16 years and can't say that I've ever found myself saying, "Dang, I really wish I'd applied for a yellow book now!"

So yes, the OP is right in my view, and they are being too strict and asking for some unnecessary things.

Irrelevant. And the OP didn’t say they are being too strict or are asking for unnecessary things, merely asked if others had the same experience. And my answer is: Yes, the same at Pattaya City Hall. But, no sweat. I made it an enjoyable experience.  I find my pink card frequently convenient to use as ID. Registered with it at public hospitals, which may help avoid the farang surcharge. And it's proof of my Thai SS membership at my registered hospital. Looking forward to using the yellow book at the DLT next year. ???? No condo tax, heh. You may rub on as usual, however.

 

3 hours ago, Guderian said:

Will that ever change though? They ask for this stuff because they can and they always have. If you think you can get the Thai bureaucracy to streamline and reduce its paperwork requirements so that they actually make sense, well then good luck with that. 

False assumptions for the sake of an oh-so-typical, obligatory whinge. The paperwork requirements in this case make sense whereas it's actually your conclusion that doesn’t. Note, too, that the gov't is slowly moving towards computer apps, e. g., online 90-day reports. How about they raise your extension fees to help speed up the conversion?

 

51 minutes ago, gamini said:

The banks won't accept it for any transaction.

Wrong. I use my pink ID all the time for over-the-counter withdrawals at my bank and also for making deposits.

 

I wonder why any thread with a question about getting a yellow book gets filled with all these rabid anti-yellow book trolls? Same old cr.a.p, every time. Nobody cares if YOU don't want a yellow book.