Story Of My Thai Citizenship Application

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, Kwarium said:

What do you anticipate needing extra official copies of the RG for? Btw, I have seen that a color photocopy is indistinguishable from the original copy. Not mine of course.

Is it the RG or the Naturalization certificate?

 

I remember some posters saying in the past saying they got some extra copies for something. As said above, maybe buying land/cancelling visa or business transactions. 

Good point about the colour copy.

 

I laminate all my docs, however if the naturalization doc looks nice, it might go up on some wall in my house and non-laminated is better for this.

[Kwarium]

35 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Is it the RG or the Naturalization certificate?

 

I remember some posters saying in the past saying they got some extra copies for something. As said above, maybe buying land/cancelling visa or business transactions. 

Good point about the colour copy.

 

I laminate all my docs, however if the naturalization doc looks nice, it might go up on some wall in my house and non-laminated is better for this.

They give us 3 copies of the multi-page Royal Gazette doc which can also be saved as a pdf from the website when published. The 3 copies are ‘certified’ with a blue ink stamp and a signature.

 

The certificate is oversized (B4?) and in color with our photo. The problem with displaying the original is that uv, even indirectly, will damage it. Wall display would call for a color photocopy, I’d say!

 

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by Kwarium

[khongaeng]

3 hours ago, Kwarium said:

No, Amphur and passport office kept the originals. Wouldn’t want to impact their quota for gathering mountains of paper each month! Lol!

 

What do you anticipate needing extra official copies of the RG for? Btw, I have seen that a color photocopy is indistinguishable from the original copy. Not mine of course.

 

As far as laminating, I was concerned that the plastic would yellow and age before the paper of the original docs. Mine are in plastic sleeves in a dark ‘safe’ place, but not laminated.

I noticed some of my documents starting to have ink bleed through a couple of years ago.  After putting them in plastic sleeves and keeping them in a safe with a moisture absorber, I have not had any degradation since.  I change the moisture absorber every 8 months and everything stays nice and dry.  

 

I would definitely avoid laminating anything personally.  If anything, an "aged" document makes it look more authentic ???? 

 

In the past color copies of some of my simple documents have easily passed as originals, especially when handed over with a pre-signed black and white copy, if you are worried about keeping originals.  

Edited September 23, 2020 by khongaeng

[Arkady]

On 9/23/2020 at 7:00 PM, Neeranam said:

Is it the RG or the Naturalization certificate?

 

I remember some posters saying in the past saying they got some extra copies for something. As said above, maybe buying land/cancelling visa or business transactions. 

Good point about the colour copy.

 

I laminate all my docs, however if the naturalization doc looks nice, it might go up on some wall in my house and non-laminated is better for this.

I bought quite a few pieces of land since become Thai. If you are obviously not Thai from birth, they usually want a copy of your naturalisation certificate certified by you to cover themselves.  Sometimes the officer didn't ask for it. The only time I was asked for the notarised copy of the RG announcement was when I went to get my ID card.

[Arkady]

On 9/23/2020 at 7:29 PM, Kwarium said:

They give us 3 copies of the multi-page Royal Gazette doc which can also be saved as a pdf from the website when published. The 3 copies are ‘certified’ with a blue ink stamp and a signature.

 

The certificate is oversized (B4?) and in color with our photo. The problem with displaying the original is that uv, even indirectly, will damage it. Wall display would call for a color photocopy, I’d say!

 

 

You can take the naturalisation certificate to a photocopy shop that can reduce it to A4 size.  I took a photograph of mine with a camera and printed it out on glossy paper in A4 size myself.  From that I have made multiple A4 colour photocopies to use in land offices and wherever.

[Arkady]

On 9/20/2020 at 2:23 PM, qualtrough said:

Historically the Thai bureaucracy keeps chugging along despite the occasional coup or civil unrest. Having said that, if there is a real upsetting of the current system that could certainly change the situation. Particularly if the person needed to finally sign off on applications is no longer around or too worried about things more important than signing off on new citizenship applications. The latter is a distinct possibility.

My appointment to finalise the application form at SB was during the red shirt occupation of Rajprasong. They were in front of Police National HQ but police could still enter through the side door.  My case officer told me in advance that, as long as they could make it in to the office, they would be working as normally and they did.  Interesting there were no bag or ID checks going into the police HQ complex even under those circumstances.  

[Arkady]

On 9/17/2020 at 7:49 PM, Kwarium said:

Also wore a suit, and recommend it. I am also of the belief the interview is a formality, maybe to weed out obvious nut cases? 

 

 

I believe you are largely right but the interview is also the time that the other 6 government agencies represented on the interview panel that are not part of the Interior Ministry, i.e. Labour Ministry, Immigration, Foreign Ministry et al, get to review the files and ask questions of the Naturalisation Section staff as well as the candidates. Very occasionally they will spot an anomaly in an applicant's qualifications and challenge it.

[david143]

Its 3 month now since Female candidates RG was published.
it was 26 Jun 2020.
 

[yankee99]

Its over a month since i did the oath. 

 

It'd be nice if the RG names get all stacked up like the oath interviews. 

[david143]

Just now, yankee99 said:

Its over a month since i did the oath. 

 

It'd be nice if the RG names get all stacked up like the oath interviews. 

There few brothers who already done Oath.
Me, Neeraman Brother, now yankee Brother, and are few more.
neeraman brother done in end of July, i did on 26 AUG.

[khongaeng]

30 minutes ago, david143 said:

Its 3 month now since Female candidates RG was published.
it was 26 Jun 2020.
 

david143 Are you checking the RG every day?  Please let us know as soon as you hear something ????   

[david143]

I Check 3 times a day
sure i will update once new RG upload

Edited September 28, 2020 by david143

[qualtrough]

Quote

 

Had my MOI interview last week. Some random comments/thoughts

 

Every male wore a suit, including me.

 

Got there around 9. 2nd floor. I was asked if we wanted to eat first. I said yes, so we were told to come back at 1pm. I suspect if I had said no we would have been in with the early crowd.

 

Not one farang face in the morning group. NTTIAWWT.

 

Came came back in the afternoon and waited and waited and waited. We chatted with two people from the ME and India/Pak with Thai wives. They had used the services of a broker and paid about 400-500 k baht. There was one other farang that I never ended up introducing myself too. If you are here my apologies! I was frankly surprised to see only the two of us. The bulk of people were Chinese, SE Asian, or from India/Pak/Me.

 

When you get called in to the 3rd floor room there is a room divider in the front blocking the view of the interviewers. I was asked to stand on the left side, the wife on the right.

 

Then we heard that we were being spoken about, e.g. Qualtrough, living in X, making X, with X number of points, etc. On that we were ushered in. The first instruction was to sign our names on a form. The seating arrangement was a bit awkward. I faced across from my wife, and the people interviewing us were in back and in front of us. The man in charge was behind me and to the left, so I had to do a sharp turn over my shoulder to properly look him in the eye.

 

I believe the first and really only question asked of me was how it was I ended up here. I am reasonably proficient in Thai so I started at the beginning and took perhaps 5 minutes or less to bring my history here up to the present time.  There were one or two interjections to ask about my business, but all were related to the original question. Nothing came out of left field. Then the chief interrogator  asked if anyone had any further questions for me.  There were none, which I hope is a good sign. I like to think that was because I pretty much covered all the bases and my answers seemed to be well received judging by audience reaction. Someone asked my wife about our kids and where they went to school, and another asked her about her religion. And that was that. It seemed to have gone well, but of course I am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

I don't know how it works if the person interviewed doesn't speak Thai.

 

Note: The canteen offering in the basement car park area is pretty sparse. On the way out we noticed a restaurant in front on the street. Otherwise there is very little around there.

 

I strongly advise bringing a book along or earphones to while away the time while you wait. Probably a very good idea to shut off your phone during the interview to avoid any possible embarrassment if your phone rings.

 

That's about all I can think of at the moment. Now the nervous wait for the next step.

Edited September 28, 2020 by qualtrough

[GabbaGabbaHey]

2 hours ago, david143 said:

Its 3 month now since Female candidates RG was published.
it was 26 Jun 2020.

Not exactly. The two last RG were 11 Jun (women) and 26 Aug (mixed).

[david143]

Gabba Brother.
any assume for next RG,
you are senior with more experience lets just guess ????
Candidates are excited to see their names in RG 

[GabbaGabbaHey]

1 hour ago, david143 said:

Gabba Brother.
any assume for next RG,
you are senior with more experience lets just guess ????
Candidates are excited to see their names in RG 

Thanks david143. Just my assumption here but I'd expect one RG announcement for Women imminently, and for men one around Oct 15 and the next one around Dec 15.

[david143]

Thank you so much .
Hope for best for everyone.

 

[Neeranam]

21 hours ago, david143 said:

I Check 3 times a day
sure i will update once new RG upload

Jai yen yen pee nong ???? 

[david143]

Dai Pi ????

[qualtrough]

No posts since September 29. Testing 1, 2, 3... Anyone out there?

[david143]

Neeraman brother said Chai yin yin
so i am doing Chai yin yin
 

[putochingon]

I want one, and I will get one one day

I can't imagine how honorable I'd be when I get one

But I wonder since I am not good at speaking any language, would they be nice enough even though I might not be able to speak Thai so smoothly?

[khongaeng]

When I went to renew my work permit today, I told the official that I would be getting Thai Citizenship in the (hopefully) near future and asked whether I would need to do anything special when I become Thai.  The official told me that I need to come in to the office and officially cancel my work permit after I have my ID card, and gave me a packet of papers that need to be filled out to cancel the work permit.

 

In the past I recall many people saying they just let their work permit run its course until it expired on its own.  This was what I was planning to do as well, but now after getting this information from the official, I guess I will need to cancel both my Visa and Work Permit after obtaining citizenship.

 

I checked the RG site this morning...still no post for women or men....the wait continues...

[david143]

its true we need to cancel the Workpermit and Visa.
i already prepared all documents in advance once RG and then ID i will go for cancel,
RG still not update i just checked again.

Neeraman brother what about your visa , as i remembered in October you need to Extend.
 

[david143]

actually there must be some way to check with RG, like we check with BORA , or SBP.
its felt like you are in a dark tunnel walking walking and walking and still hoping for a light will appear ????

[GabbaGabbaHey]

1 hour ago, david143 said:

actually there must be some way to check with RG, like we check with BORA , or SBP.
its felt like you are in a dark tunnel walking walking and walking and still hoping for a light will appear ????

I believe someone who has a good contact at MOI could technically get the information of when the minister has signed the naturalization batch (very final step) then by deduction anticipate RG date which is 3-4 weeks after.

Good luck to all of you waiting! 

[GabbaGabbaHey]

Here's my experience at the end of the tunnel: I got into RG publication on July 26th, picked my naturalization certificate 3 weeks after (30 min at SB), got ID card issued one week after (30 min to make appointment on the same day I got the certificate, full morning spent on the appointment day the week after), did my last ever visit to ChaengWattana to return PR book (30 minutes), a final visit to the police station to return my alien book (30 minutes) and last but not least I got my Thai passport (30 minutes, absolutely zero queue) mailed to me within three days. Since then I feel lighter, proud and relieved. The completion has been a wonderful experience... and amazing feeling that my new life has just started.
I wish to all of you in the pipe the same positive result. Good luck!

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, khongaeng said:

When I went to renew my work permit today, I told the official that I would be getting Thai Citizenship in the (hopefully) near future and asked whether I would need to do anything special when I become Thai.  The official told me that I need to come in to the office and officially cancel my work permit after I have my ID card, and gave me a packet of papers that need to be filled out to cancel the work permit.

 

In the past I recall many people saying they just let their work permit run its course until it expired on its own.  This was what I was planning to do as well, but now after getting this information from the official, I guess I will need to cancel both my Visa and Work Permit after obtaining citizenship.

 

I checked the RG site this morning...still no post for women or men....the wait continues...

If you don't cancel your WP, you'll have to pay a 1500 baht fine when/if you apply for a new one.

[qualtrough]

21 hours ago, GabbaGabbaHey said:

Here's my experience at the end of the tunnel: I got into RG publication on July 26th, picked my naturalization certificate 3 weeks after (30 min at SB), got ID card issued one week after (30 min to make appointment on the same day I got the certificate, full morning spent on the appointment day the week after), did my last ever visit to ChaengWattana to return PR book (30 minutes), a final visit to the police station to return my alien book (30 minutes) and last but not least I got my Thai passport (30 minutes, absolutely zero queue) mailed to me within three days. Since then I feel lighter, proud and relieved. The completion has been a wonderful experience... and amazing feeling that my new life has just started.
I wish to all of you in the pipe the same positive result. Good luck!

Congratulations! That must be a fantastic feeling. And thanks for the helpful timeline.

 

I worry that the current situation may eventually result in a delay in the citizenship granting process if the right people are not around to sign off on things. I understand that the system chugs along, but there is at least one key signature requirement that if lacking could cause a significant delay.

[GabbaGabbaHey]

5 hours ago, qualtrough said:

Congratulations! That must be a fantastic feeling. And thanks for the helpful timeline.

 

I worry that the current situation may eventually result in a delay in the citizenship granting process if the right people are not around to sign off on things. I understand that the system chugs along, but there is at least one key signature requirement that if lacking could cause a significant delay.

Thank you. As for an hypothetical delay in coming naturalizations, maybe you know things that I'm not aware of, but I'd say this has not yet happened in the past 2-3 years so why worry? simply saying: there were oaths taken in April (including myself), in July and August (some in this forum), there will be at least one RG soon and probably even two -or three if there's one specific for women- by the end of the year. If anyone can confirm having taken the oath since September or by end November it would reassure everyone that things are really flowing normally. Conclusion: I personally don't see any reason to panic.

Edited October 15, 2020 by GabbaGabbaHey