Story Of My Thai Citizenship Application

[Neeranam]

On 11/5/2024 at 12:52 PM, GarryP said:

Earlier this year when returning from the UK, my Thai passport would not work with the e-gates, despite trying several times. As a result I had to go to an immigration kiosk, where I showed my Thai passport. The officer asked whether I bought my tickets with another passport. When I replied that I did, she asked to see it. She then initialled that one (UK) and gave me back both passports. No trouble, but in future I will buy my tickets based on my Thai passport. 

Good information, thanks.

 

[ecline]

On 11/2/2024 at 2:18 PM, DrJoy said:

Which year did you submit?

Oops. Just saw this. I submitted in June of 2021.

[DrJoy]

6 hours ago, ecline said:

Oops. Just saw this. I submitted in June of 2021.

No issues.

 

You are the 1st in Que

[Collins]

Hi guys,

 

I have been following this thread for a long time. Thanks a lot for valuable advice. I am getting a bit frustrated with my case.

 

I first visited Special Branch on Rama 1 in late 2018. After the initial interviews my application based on marriage to Thai wife was formally submitted to Ministry of Interior end of March 2019. Was told from the beginning that my case would surely pass.  It is still pending since then and received no updates unless I actively enquired.

 

Contacted to DOPA numerous times during the last years, including a personal visit to Lam Lukka well over year ago speaking to an officer in my case and provided updated tax filings and visa documents for additional five years that passed on that occasion. 

 

For about three years now I have always been told the same: My case has no problems, it is already approved by the lower level officer but waiting for the final interview to which I will be scheduled on next occasion - but currently no interviews are scheduled.

 

Following the last two interview rounds I read about in this Forum where I was again not invited - I contacted them again and have been told that these were only make-up interview for candidates from previous years who were invited earlier but couldn’t attend due to urgent circumstances.

 

Anybody else have similar experience? Any advise?

 

Br/Collins

 

 

 

[DrJoy]

12 hours ago, Collins said:

Hi guys,

 

I have been following this thread for a long time. Thanks a lot for valuable advice. I am getting a bit frustrated with my case.

 

I first visited Special Branch on Rama 1 in late 2018. After the initial interviews my application based on marriage to Thai wife was formally submitted to Ministry of Interior end of March 2019. Was told from the beginning that my case would surely pass.  It is still pending since then and received no updates unless I actively enquired.

 

Contacted to DOPA numerous times during the last years, including a personal visit to Lam Lukka well over year ago speaking to an officer in my case and provided updated tax filings and visa documents for additional five years that passed on that occasion. 

 

For about three years now I have always been told the same: My case has no problems, it is already approved by the lower level officer but waiting for the final interview to which I will be scheduled on next occasion - but currently no interviews are scheduled.

 

Following the last two interview rounds I read about in this Forum where I was again not invited - I contacted them again and have been told that these were only make-up interview for candidates from previous years who were invited earlier but couldn’t attend due to urgent circumstances.

 

Anybody else have similar experience? Any advise?

 

Br/Collins

 

 

 

What they told you is pure bluff. Right now, they are finalizing 2021 files

 

Advise - Visit lamlukka again with your wife asap and sort it out.

[ecline]

On 1/6/2025 at 6:58 PM, DrJoy said:

No issues.

 

You are the 1st in Que

Really? Can I ask how you know that? If there is any possibility that my name might be called this year, I will axe any international travel plans.

[THAIJAMES]

Drjoy do you have any insight regarding people that have already been interviewed by the ministry of interior in Chiang Mai and are now  waiting for final approval from the big committee in Bangkok? supposedly I'm finished with the process just waiting for signatures.

 

My moi interview was in 2022.

 

Also it seems like the minister of interior is not approving any new applications.  Are the ones that have received citizenship recently been approved by the previous minister?

 

Thank you in advance

[DrJoy]

2 hours ago, ecline said:

Really? Can I ask how you know that? If there is any possibility that my name might be called this year, I will axe any international travel plans.

The person who checks and approves the files is my good friend in MOI. 

 

He told me that they are now finalzing 2021 files

 

Recently they are giving only a days' notice to attend the interview, so you will have to be on standby mode.

[DrJoy]

1 hour ago, THAIJAMES said:

Drjoy do you have any insight regarding people that have already been interviewed by the ministry of interior in Chiang Mai and are now  waiting for final approval from the big committee in Bangkok? supposedly I'm finished with the process just waiting for signatures.

 

My moi interview was in 2022.

 

Also it seems like the minister of interior is not approving any new applications.  Are the ones that have received citizenship recently been approved by the previous minister?

 

Thank you in advance

No, Anutin has approved female candidates pretty recently, which was published in the RG.

 

So, in short, the wheels are moving.

 

I have no idea about Chiang Mai and how they operate.

 

Have you finished the oath?

[ecline]

14 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

The person who checks and approves the files is my good friend in MOI. 

 

He told me that they are now finalzing 2021 files

 

Recently they are giving only a days' notice to attend the interview, so you will have to be on standby mode.

Thanks for that. I will definitely stay close to home this year!

[THAIJAMES]

1 hour ago, DrJoy said:

Have you finished the oath?

As a PR I sang the national and royal anthems.  Application was approved by the ministry of interior in Chiang Mai and sent to Bangkok for final approval. But nothing since about 3 years.

 

From what I understand it still has to be approved by the big committee.

[DrJoy]

5 hours ago, THAIJAMES said:

As a PR I sang the national and royal anthems.  Application was approved by the ministry of interior in Chiang Mai and sent to Bangkok for final approval. But nothing since about 3 years.

 

From what I understand it still has to be approved by the big committee.

 

 

This is Citizenship request status checker, try it out

Enter your PINK card number -

 

 

https://stat.bora.dopa.go.th/statusNTH/#/

 

 

[onthemoon]

11 hours ago, DrJoy said:

 

 

This is Citizenship request status checker, try it out

Enter your PINK card number -

 

 

https://stat.bora.dopa.go.th/statusNTH/#/

 

 

 Thanks for this website! 

 

Unfortunately:

 

 

I already have the MOI interview, so my data should be in the system...

[THAIJAMES]

19 hours ago, DrJoy said:

 

 

This is Citizenship request status checker, try it out

Enter your PINK card number -

 

 

https://stat.bora.dopa.go.th/statusNTH/#/

 

 

Thank you very much.

 

I don't have a pink ID but I entered my

8-5098-00001-xx-x from my driver's license no luck.  แจ้งเตือน
ไม่พบข้อมูล.  I have also had my MOI interview.

 

Would be interesting to know if it actually works for anyone so that we could check the status ourselves.  That would be very useful.

[sas_cars]

Doesn't work for me either. Still waiting for the MOI interview

[DrJoy]

12 hours ago, onthemoon said:

 Thanks for this website! 

 

Unfortunately:

 

 

I already have the MOI interview, so my data should be in the system...

Hmm.

 

Probably Defunct

[DrJoy]

5 minutes ago, sas_cars said:

Doesn't work for me either. Still waiting for the MOI interview

You are 2021 batch?

[sas_cars]

19 hours ago, DrJoy said:

You are 2021 batch?

2022 Batch

[Arun Mai]

On 1/8/2025 at 6:39 PM, DrJoy said:

 

 

This is Citizenship request status checker, try it out

Enter your PINK card number -

 

 

https://stat.bora.dopa.go.th/statusNTH/#/

 

 

 

Original application submitted in 2021 and awaiting main interview.

[DrJoy]

9 hours ago, sas_cars said:

2022 Batch

My friend also applied in 2022, timeline here-

 

Application submitted to SB - Early March 2022

NIA interview - Early Sep 2022

Application sent to MOI - 31 Oct 2022

 

Will inform you , if he is called up

[Neeranam]

On 1/6/2025 at 6:58 PM, DrJoy said:

No issues.

 

You are the 1st in Que

 

On 1/8/2025 at 11:24 AM, DrJoy said:

The person who checks and approves the files is my good friend in MOI. 

 

He told me that they are now finalzing 2021 files

 

Recently they are giving only a days' notice to attend the interview, so you will have to be on standby mode.

To be precise, these are the ones the MOI received in 2021, not those applications that were lodged at Special Branch in 2021. 

[saakura]

Hi, I had my MOI committee interview on 30th Aug 2024. Over 6 months have passed without any further news. Has anyone else from this batch been called for the oath which I presume is the next step? Does it take so long?

[onthemoon]

16 hours ago, saakura said:

Hi, I had my MOI committee interview on 30th Aug 2024. Over 6 months have passed without any further news. Has anyone else from this batch been called for the oath which I presume is the next step? Does it take so long?

 

I'm in the same batch. I called my case officer at SB after that, and he said it will take about 9 months. So anytime soon, plus of course a few months' delay. I hope I will be called for the oath within this year.

 

Speaking of which, I want to call to MOI and ask about this too. Can somebody tell me how to say "oath ceremony" in Thai? Please write in Thai, thanks.

[DrJoy]

On 3/16/2025 at 4:30 PM, saakura said:

Hi, I had my MOI committee interview on 30th Aug 2024. Over 6 months have passed without any further news. Has anyone else from this batch been called for the oath which I presume is the next step? Does it take so long?

8-10 months wait is normal, not to worry

[DrJoy]

8 hours ago, onthemoon said:

 

I'm in the same batch. I called my case officer at SB after that, and he said it will take about 9 months. So anytime soon, plus of course a few months' delay. I hope I will be called for the oath within this year.

 

Speaking of which, I want to call to MOI and ask about this too. Can somebody tell me how to say "oath ceremony" in Thai? Please write in Thai, thanks.

 

คําสาบานแห่งความจงรักภักดี

[onthemoon]

14 hours ago, DrJoy said:

 

คําสาบานแห่งความจงรักภักดี

ขอบคุณตรับ

[Jangunnim]

Honestly reading this thread kind of makes me question working here long term as I would like to eventually become a citizen.

 

The requirements itself aren’t that bad and are kind of in line internationally but the insanity is the processing times and allegedly all that time you need to have the work permit etc and you can never know what happens. 
 

Even for the PR which I think I will apply this year, I read can take almost 2 years to process?? The bureaucracy is completely insane, this stuff gets processed in like a month or two in Hong Kong for instance or somewhere like in Taiwan. And the fact while the country is corrupt to the nose, the corruption doesn’t help with this stuff so you cannot pay for the fast lane like you could likely do in Cambodia for instance.

 

I talked to the PR desk and they said I should pass because my income is around 250k per month, BOI company, can speak enough Thai.. but the processing time completely insane. 
 

I understand that they don’t want to naturalize everyone with a pulse which is good and neither grant PR because a big portion of foreigners in this country are knuckledraggers that should be nowhere near any permanent status, but at least have the processing to be somewhat transparent and smooth even if the requirements are high..

[onthemoon]

9 hours ago, Jangunnim said:

Honestly reading this thread kind of makes me question working here long term as I would like to eventually become a citizen.

 

The requirements itself aren’t that bad and are kind of in line internationally but the insanity is the processing times and allegedly all that time you need to have the work permit etc and you can never know what happens. 
 

Even for the PR which I think I will apply this year, I read can take almost 2 years to process?? The bureaucracy is completely insane, this stuff gets processed in like a month or two in Hong Kong for instance or somewhere like in Taiwan. And the fact while the country is corrupt to the nose, the corruption doesn’t help with this stuff so you cannot pay for the fast lane like you could likely do in Cambodia for instance.

 

I talked to the PR desk and they said I should pass because my income is around 250k per month, BOI company, can speak enough Thai.. but the processing time completely insane. 
 

I understand that they don’t want to naturalize everyone with a pulse which is good and neither grant PR because a big portion of foreigners in this country are knuckledraggers that should be nowhere near any permanent status, but at least have the processing to be somewhat transparent and smooth even if the requirements are high..

 You need to cool down. If you want to apply for citizenship, it means you want to stay here forever. Once you have your PR, what's the urgency? 

 

Before you can apply for PR, you have to be on the same work permit for three years. And once you have the PR, who have to have it for 5 years before you can apply for citizenship. In my case, I am now in year 22 since that initial WP was issued. There is some hope that I will receive citizenship this year. 

[Arkady]

There are reports in the media that Anutin is making a play to consolidate all Immigration matters including PR, work permits and citizenship.  The Post ran with it today but this Thai post in the Standard, whatever that may be, is a bit more detailed. https://www.facebook.com/thestandardth/posts/update-กระทรวงมหาดไทยจ่อตั้งกรมกิจการคนเข้าเมือง-กรมใหม่ดูแลคนเข้าเมืองทั้งระบบว/1028475329411810/ . It seems a big power grab that would take a lot of functions away from the police and the Labour Ministry and probably increase government costs considerably as well as, no doubt, make everything harder for foreigners, if it ever comes to pass, even though consolidation would be rational and ought to simplify things.  Everything might also move out of town to Lam Lukka or somewhere for Bangkok residents.  I am sure the police and Labour Ministry will resist as far as possible. It would be a big wipe out for the police which is directly under the PM's office.  It seems to call for a new Immigration Act which has not been amended since 1979 I think.  Here is a google translate.

 

UPDATE: The Ministry of Interior is preparing to establish the Department of Immigration, a new department to oversee the entire immigration system. Today (April 29), it was reported that Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Immigration Review Committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, in late 2024 to propose the establishment of a subcommittee to establish the Department of Immigration. Because the Ministry of Interior has missions related to security, taking care of the happiness and well-being of the people from birth to death, both Thais and foreigners, as well as missions regarding various rights under other laws resulting from traveling in and out of the Kingdom, such as applying for residence in the Kingdom, applying for work permits, applying for Thai nationality/losing Thai nationality, and applying to have a name in the population register. In addition, an important document from 2017 that was recently disclosed states that the Cabinet had resolved on January 10, 2017 that the Ministry of Interior would be the main host in considering and proposing guidelines for integrating missions related to immigration, with the Office of the Council of State (the committee 😎) being the new legislative body called ‘Immigration Act’ to officially support the establishment of the ‘Department of Immigration’ A letter from the Office of the Secretariat to the Cabinet signed by Thiraphong Wongsiwawilas, Deputy Secretary-General to the Cabinet, stated that this new law is urgently needed because the current immigration management system is scattered among several agencies, including the Ministry of Interior, the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Labor, which results in duplication and lack of unity. The document also lists three important guidelines: 1. Agree in principle to combine immigration-related missions from several agencies under a single agency, with the Ministry of Interior as the center. 2. Have the Ministry of Interior draft a new Immigration Act and coordinate with relevant agencies, including the Council of State, to obtain a comprehensive and systematic law. 3. Agree in principle to establish the Department of Immigration and have the State Enterprise Policy Committee and the Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) jointly consider the format and guidelines for establishing this new department systematically. Although this project began in 2017, there has only been clear progress in the current government. Under the push of Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, it is expected that the Department of Immigration will become an important cog in the government's drive for a comprehensive population management system and may affect structural changes in the Immigration Bureau (IB) and the Department of Employment in the future. .

[GarryP]

Had that been proposed by any other person in the government, I would have thought it a good idea. However, I would not trust Anutin as far as I could throw him and on top of that, there have been a number of instances where he has come across as xenophobic (to put it sort of politely). Not really the person you would want in control of establishing a new PR and citizenship policy.