Story Of My Thai Citizenship Application

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, Medinitas said:

Hi all,

 

For some time, being able to apply for Thai residence is an objective. The problem is that I cannot fulfill the salary requirement. Also, the company where I am working will not help me with the documents. The only thing I can think of is to open a company in my wife's name and that she hire me with a salary higher than 40,000B. Do you know if it is possible? Could I get a work permit with a Non O Marriage Visa in my wife's company with a job that a foreigner is qualified to work? Do you think this may be a good idea? Do you have a better idea? Could I have problems in the application when they see that I am working in my wife's company?

 

Thank you very much.

Your company doesn't need to help, apart from maybe writing a letter stating your salary.

I would offer your company an incentive to increase your salary, even if it is on paper only. Much easier than starting a company.

[khongaeng]

6 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Your company doesn't need to help, apart from maybe writing a letter stating your salary.

I would offer your company an incentive to increase your salary, even if it is on paper only. Much easier than starting a company.

Make sure you pay taxes based on the new "on paper only salary" because that is what special branch looks at for part of your qualifications.  So let say your "on paper only salary" says you make 60,000 baht per month but your company only actually gives you 40,000 baht per month, then you will need to pay taxes at the 60,000 baht level.  

 

When I left the Thai company I was working at to set up my own business, this gave me a lot of flexibility, but also added significant cost.  I figure it costs me about 5,000 baht a month on average to pay an accountant to do the paperwork, audits, and file the work permit paperwork for me, not to mention the initial 30,000 baht to get everything set up in the beginning.  This can be done cheaper if you do all the paperwork on your own.

 

My Non-Immigrant O visa through marriage to a Thai has nothing to do with my business and I renew them separately.

 

I have successfully applied for Thai citizenship under these circumstances, but I wouldn't recommend doing this unless you are ok with the cost and really committed to working for 3 years at your own company (while paying taxes) and waiting an additional 3 or more years for your application to go all the way through the process (while still paying taxes) all while at a cost of 5,000 baht per month just to have your own business.  

[Medinitas]

18 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Your company doesn't need to help, apart from maybe writing a letter stating your salary.

I would offer your company an incentive to increase your salary, even if it is on paper only. Much easier than starting a company.

My company will not do that for me. I know them. My salary is 30k + extras, total 35k maximum. I prefer to open a company in my wife's name and start from scratch. Anyway I'm not happy there and I'm thinking to finish with them in a few months. Thank you

[Medinitas]

14 hours ago, khongaeng said:

Make sure you pay taxes based on the new "on paper only salary" because that is what special branch looks at for part of your qualifications.  So let say your "on paper only salary" says you make 60,000 baht per month but your company only actually gives you 40,000 baht per month, then you will need to pay taxes at the 60,000 baht level.  

 

When I left the Thai company I was working at to set up my own business, this gave me a lot of flexibility, but also added significant cost.  I figure it costs me about 5,000 baht a month on average to pay an accountant to do the paperwork, audits, and file the work permit paperwork for me, not to mention the initial 30,000 baht to get everything set up in the beginning.  This can be done cheaper if you do all the paperwork on your own.

 

My Non-Immigrant O visa through marriage to a Thai has nothing to do with my business and I renew them separately.

 

I have successfully applied for Thai citizenship under these circumstances, but I wouldn't recommend doing this unless you are ok with the cost and really committed to working for 3 years at your own company (while paying taxes) and waiting an additional 3 or more years for your application to go all the way through the process (while still paying taxes) all while at a cost of 5,000 baht per month just to have your own business.  

Thank you for your answer.

 

And yes, I'm going to hire a lawyer or an accountant to handle everything. I am glad to know that I can apply for Thai citizenship in this way. I think the best way is for my wife to open a company and hire me as an employee. Actually, we are starting a motorcycle rental business. I know that I cannot legally work on this with work permit and I take the opportunity to ask if there is any type of work in this branch where to request one.

 

I am not worried about the paperwork payments, the most important thing for me is to get citizenship, but i'm glad to know how much it can cost me everything.

 

Thank you very much again.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Medinitas

[Tylor]

Hey everyone,

 

Haven't been on here for sometime, just thought id drop an update about my current status,  as i mentioned before i started my process for citizenship in may 2017 , currently at the last stage awaiting my name to be printed in the RG. Hopefully thats soon

 

Any idea how long these RG publications take ? they seemed to post them quite randomly 

 

Cheers

Edited November 21, 2019 by Tylor

[GarryP]

55 minutes ago, Tylor said:

Hey everyone,

 

Haven't been on here for sometime, just thought id drop an update about my current status,  as i mentioned before i started my process for citizenship in may 2017 , currently at the last stage awaiting my name to be printed in the RG. Hopefully thats soon

 

Any idea how long these RG publications take ? they seemed to post them quite randomly 

 

Cheers

That was quick. 

[Tylor]

1 hour ago, GarryP said:

That was quick. 

Well hopefully it stays that way ???? but you never know with these things , they're not is the same order or systematic most of the time. Even with the RG its possible it can drag till even next year

[THAIJAMES]

On 11/18/2019 at 11:36 AM, samran said:

It’s a good topic. 
 

I run my own business and as a director I’m not eligible. I’m thinking of putting myself down as an employee of a friends company and get into the SS system that way. 
 

I’ll essentially pay it. His company can invoice mine, and then his company pays me a salary with SS deductions made. Do this for 6 months or a year whatever the minimum time needed is, ‘quit’ the job and then continue to make voluntary contributions.

 

We have good private insurance and always intend to do so, but having the SS as a back up isn’t a bad thing.

I am director of my own company and have been paying for more than 15 years and have used the SS system for free hospital visits a number of times.  Have the rules changed?

[Tylor]

10 hours ago, GarryP said:

That was quick. 

On a more positive note, new RG publication was loaded online in the evening and my name is on it, have a lot of other male applicants on there as well. I guess i am officially Thai from today ????

[echrist]

1 hour ago, Tylor said:

On a more positive note, new RG publication was loaded online in the evening and my name is on it, have a lot of other male applicants on there as well. I guess i am officially Thai from today ????

Congrats!

[khongaeng]

3 hours ago, Tylor said:

On a more positive note, new RG publication was loaded online in the evening and my name is on it, have a lot of other male applicants on there as well. I guess i am officially Thai from today ????

Congratulations! Your application timeline seems to be pleasantly fast, but well within the ranges shared by others here.  May I ask how many months elapsed between your paperwork being sent to MOI and your actual interview, and how many months after your MOI interview until your oath?  I'm still waiting for my MOI interview, but am about a year behind you in the process.  

[david143]

5 hours ago, khongaeng said:

Congratulations! Your application timeline seems to be pleasantly fast, but well within the ranges shared by others here.  May I ask how many months elapsed between your paperwork being sent to MOI and your actual interview, and how many months after your MOI interview until your oath?  I'm still waiting for my MOI interview, but am about a year behind you in the process.  

16 months now for my Application since  documents send to MOI.
add 4 months for SB.
now total 20 Months and still waiting for final interview,
i checked my officer in SB and he said my recall will be MAR - APR - MAY 2020
BTW Echrist CONGRAG Brother.

[GarryP]

12 hours ago, Tylor said:

On a more positive note, new RG publication was loaded online in the evening and my name is on it, have a lot of other male applicants on there as well. I guess i am officially Thai from today ????

Congratulations.

[Tylor]

8 hours ago, khongaeng said:

Congratulations! Your application timeline seems to be pleasantly fast, but well within the ranges shared by others here.  May I ask how many months elapsed between your paperwork being sent to MOI and your actual interview, and how many months after your MOI interview until your oath?  I'm still waiting for my MOI interview, but am about a year behind you in the process.  

Thanks, for my case the initial SB and NIA process was very fast, the MOI took about 1 year to get an interview date, after the MOI interview it took another 10 months to get to the Oath and then it took around 3 months to get published in the RG in total time 2 years and 6 months approximately so far.

Edited November 22, 2019 by Tylor
added more information

[cmsally]

15 hours ago, Tylor said:

On a more positive note, new RG publication was loaded online in the evening and my name is on it, have a lot of other male applicants on there as well. I guess i am officially Thai from today ????

Congrats. ! I am on about the same timeframe so hopefully not long to wait!!

[Neeranam]

16 hours ago, Tylor said:

On a more positive note, new RG publication was loaded online in the evening and my name is on it, have a lot of other male applicants on there as well. I guess i am officially Thai from today ????

Congratulations. Nice to hear it can be reasonably fast.

So now you go to SB to get your letter and then to get your ID?

[Neeranam]

Can Naturalized Thais become members of parliament, or join the armed forces or police ?

[Big Guns]

No its crazy but you can't join the army, police or be an MP. Thai citizens with a foreign parent also can't join the police or armed forces.

[Neeranam]

20 hours ago, Big Guns said:

No its crazy but you can't join the army, police or be an MP. Thai citizens with a foreign parent also can't join the police or armed forces.

 

Well there go my political aspirations ????

 

I've known many Look Kreungs that had to do the Thai military lottery, or pay to get out if it. Is this a new law? 

 

I know there have been politicians who had foreign parents, perhaps Mr. Condom, 

Mechai Viravaidya, who had a Scots mother, being the most famous.

 

[GarryP]

18 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

 

Well there go my political aspirations ????

 

I've known many Look Kreungs that had to do the Thai military lottery, or pay to get out if it. Is this a new law? 

 

I know there have been politicians who had foreign parents, perhaps Mr. Condom, 

Mechai Viravaidya, who had a Scots mother, being the most famous.

 

Luk Kreungs can still be conscripted. However, it is my understanding that they are barred from officer training school, both police and army so cannot become officers. There is also the matter of national security (a bit of a joke really). 

 

Perhaps it depends on whether your mother or father was Thai as to the possibility of becoming an MP.   

[echrist]

2 hours ago, GarryP said:

Luk Kreungs can still be conscripted. However, it is my understanding that they are barred from officer training school, both police and army so cannot become officers. There is also the matter of national security (a bit of a joke really). 

 

Perhaps it depends on whether your mother or father was Thai as to the possibility of becoming an MP.   

What if the father is a naturalized Thai and the mother Thai by birth? The birth certificate would show both mother and father as being Thai.

[GarryP]

10 hours ago, echrist said:

What if the father is a naturalized Thai and the mother Thai by birth? The birth certificate would show both mother and father as being Thai.

I am not sure on that one. I only know about the luk kreung matter because my son was at one time interested in joining the police and we found out he was barred from officer training college. In fact many moons back there was a thread on this very subject, but I have been unable to find it. Maybe a call to admissions at the Royal Police Cadet Academy in Sam Pran Nakorn Pathom could help answer your questions as far as the police is concerned. But no idea on the part of the military.  

[cmsally]

That is weird, because the son of a friend who lived here many years (half American) went into the Thai army at officer level. Can't double check as I have lost contact with him but pretty sure on that. My son was approached to go into local politics, it's not like they were unaware he was half British! At the moment he is too busy and like his sister, reckons Thailand is too much of a basket case to salvage!

[Tylor]

Well there goes my plan on joining the army or becoming PM one day ???? i guess im just gonna have to stick with being an average citizen , jokes apart though i understand how they might not be ok with letting a naturalized Thai run for office or join the armed forces, but for luk kruengs its extremely odd to hear that they are not allowed to either.

[bkk_bwana]

Here's the list from last week: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2562/E/286/T_0029.PDF

[Tylor]

Wondering if i still have to be on guard about the TM 30 ???? technically i am Thai after my name was printed in the RG, also read some folks before me didn't bother doing their reporting after their names were printed, however just curious that if the Immigration officers decided to pay me a visit this week they would be going back with empty pockets or not lol

[samran]

On 11/25/2019 at 9:48 AM, GarryP said:

I am not sure on that one. I only know about the luk kreung matter because my son was at one time interested in joining the police and we found out he was barred from officer training college. In fact many moons back there was a thread on this very subject, but I have been unable to find it. Maybe a call to admissions at the Royal Police Cadet Academy in Sam Pran Nakorn Pathom could help answer your questions as far as the police is concerned. But no idea on the part of the military.  

yeah, my understanding is that if the father is a foreigner, it rules you out of officer level positions.

 

They tried back in the late 1990s to have different quantification for potential PM's with foreign fathers as well. I think needing a masters degree instead of a bachelors ones one of them. Surprisingly, the constitutional overturned it ruling it to be discriminatory.  As far as I know, any Thai citizen can run for parliament.

[GarryP]

17 minutes ago, samran said:

yeah, my understanding is that if the father is a foreigner, it rules you out of officer level positions.

 

They tried back in the late 1990s to have different quantification for potential PM's with foreign fathers as well. I think needing a masters degree instead of a bachelors ones one of them. Surprisingly, the constitutional overturned it ruling it to be discriminatory.  As far as I know, any Thai citizen can run for parliament.

Having said that, earlier this year my son applied to be an immigration officer and my former citizenship was not an issue.  He did not make the cut for another reason. 

[bkk_bwana]

16 hours ago, Tylor said:

Wondering if i still have to be on guard about the TM 30 ???? technically i am Thai after my name was printed in the RG, also read some folks before me didn't bother doing their reporting after their names were printed, however just curious that if the Immigration officers decided to pay me a visit this week they would be going back with empty pockets or not lol

Did you have PR before citizenship?  If so you are exempt from TM30 filing anyway.  Your name is announced, you are Thai, print out a copy of the announcement if in doubt and hang on to it before you get your certificate and ID card.  A friend of mine in the women's announcement group recently said it took 2 weeks for the police to call her to come in and get the certificate after the announcement in the RG.

 

[onthemoon]

I travel a lot and in some months I am out of the country more than once a week. Mostly one- to three-day trips to neighbouring countries. I understand that once my name is announced in the RG, I am a Thai and can only use Thai ID and passport, but it will take a while until I get those documents. If I use my original passport in the meantime, does that count as a violation of the rules, and the Thai citizenship will be cancelled again?