Story Of My Thai Citizenship Application

[GarryP]

10 hours ago, khongaeng said:

I started my application in the beginning of 2017. Once I get my ID card, I plan to give a detailed account of my experience.  All in all my application process will be well over 3.5 years.  I'm glad to see that for some of you, it has been about a year shorter than that.  

I applied on 7 June 2012 and finally got my ID card on 2 March 2016. My application was considered quite fast at the time, but certainly not straightforward nor as fast as they currently seem to be. Very recently I looked through some correspondence regarding my application and it brought back memories of how stressful it was. At one stage I was ready to give up. Glad I didn't but it showed me that I had deliberately buried my memories of the whole thing.   

[Neeranam]

3 hours ago, GarryP said:

I applied on 7 June 2012 and finally got my ID card on 2 March 2016. My application was considered quite fast at the time, but certainly not straightforward nor as fast as they currently seem to be. Very recently I looked through some correspondence regarding my application and it brought back memories of how stressful it was. At one stage I was ready to give up. Glad I didn't but it showed me that I had deliberately buried my memories of the whole thing.   

 I made inquiries in 2012, but my salary was not enough. Therefore, I had to ask for a raise and wait four years. This meant I was stuck in a job that didn't pay much and I hated it. Although I could have moved jobs, It was difficult and risky. I also applied initially out of Bangkok, which wasted a year and took a LOT of running around for nothing. I nearly gave up multiple times!  

[khongaeng]

8 hours ago, Neeranam said:

 I made inquiries in 2012, but my salary was not enough. Therefore, I had to ask for a raise and wait four years. This meant I was stuck in a job that didn't pay much and I hated it. Although I could have moved jobs, It was difficult and risky. I also applied initially out of Bangkok, which wasted a year and took a LOT of running around for nothing. I nearly gave up multiple times!  

what a journey! It makes the posting of your name in the RG an even sweeter accomplishment.  

 

I still remember stumbling on this thread back in 2009 (page 19), thinking how cool it would be if one day I was eligible to apply.  At the time I was married to a Thai, but living in Europe.  After moving to Thailand a few years later (around page 70 of the thread), I read through the whole forum again gleaning gems of knowledge from old-timers like @dbrenn, @Arkady, @GarryP, @ubonjoe, to name a few, but at the time I was on a marriage visa without a work permit, being employed overseas.  Then a few years later, it happened that I met the requirements to apply having held a work permit and paid taxes at the required levels and with the required points to apply.  The past 3.5 years has been a series of ups and downs not knowing if the day would ever come, and finally it did!  

 

I know that I have personally read every word posted on this thread, most of it very useful, and some of it sparking the right level of determination to press on.  I sincerely appreciate the dedication of many old-timers who regularly check-in and give us all words of guidance and hope.  With only a few hundred of us every year, we are truly part of an elite club, that most on the outside can't and don't understand.  Even my wife didn't really give much care about the process (though now she is excited that we can go to all the national parks without my having to pay the farang rate that always seems to put me in a bad mood for at least 30 minutes of the day ???? )

 

It has been a great ride the past few years, and it's been nice to not go it alone with all you friends.  

 

For those of you who are somewhere in the process keep at it, you will make it.  For those who are wondering whether or not to apply, just make sure to check all the boxes as soon as you can so you can get your application in.  I'm confident it will be worth the wait (2-4 years) in the end.  

[saakura]

Thank you @khonkeng, i have also been reading all the helpful posts on this thread regularly. I have been on a work permit and paying sufficient taxes here for over 25 years and married to a Thai citizen for 20yrs, got a PR too, but only this year after reading some recent posts on this thread, i decided to apply. Now waiting for the MOI interview but i am not in a hurry. 

[david143]

@Neeranam
Brother Hows your process going.

[Neeranam]

4 hours ago, david143 said:

@Neeranam
Brother Hows your process going.

Nothing new here. 

[GabbaGabbaHey]

On 11/27/2020 at 4:20 PM, Neeranam said:

Nothing new here. 

All's quiet on the eastern front.

[khongaeng]

5 hours ago, GabbaGabbaHey said:

All's quiet on the eastern front.

After all this time, even the 3 weeks wait between RG and Naturalization papers still seems like a long time. ใจเย็นๆ (Jai Yen Yen) as we have been told ???? 

[dbrenn]

On 11/21/2020 at 2:03 AM, khongaeng said:

what a journey! It makes the posting of your name in the RG an even sweeter accomplishment.  

 

I still remember stumbling on this thread back in 2009 (page 19), thinking how cool it would be if one day I was eligible to apply.  At the time I was married to a Thai, but living in Europe.  After moving to Thailand a few years later (around page 70 of the thread), I read through the whole forum again gleaning gems of knowledge from old-timers like @dbrenn, @Arkady, @GarryP, @ubonjoe, to name a few, but at the time I was on a marriage visa without a work permit, being employed overseas.  Then a few years later, it happened that I met the requirements to apply having held a work permit and paid taxes at the required levels and with the required points to apply.  The past 3.5 years has been a series of ups and downs not knowing if the day would ever come, and finally it did!  

 

I know that I have personally read every word posted on this thread, most of it very useful, and some of it sparking the right level of determination to press on.  I sincerely appreciate the dedication of many old-timers who regularly check-in and give us all words of guidance and hope.  With only a few hundred of us every year, we are truly part of an elite club, that most on the outside can't and don't understand.  Even my wife didn't really give much care about the process (though now she is excited that we can go to all the national parks without my having to pay the farang rate that always seems to put me in a bad mood for at least 30 minutes of the day ???? )

 

It has been a great ride the past few years, and it's been nice to not go it alone with all you friends.  

 

For those of you who are somewhere in the process keep at it, you will make it.  For those who are wondering whether or not to apply, just make sure to check all the boxes as soon as you can so you can get your application in.  I'm confident it will be worth the wait (2-4 years) in the end.  

The process can feel very onerous, and I thought about giving up a couple of times. I always tried to frame it in my mind as a puzzle to be solved, a hobby even. 'Beating the system' and coming out of the other end with a prize satisfied my rebellious nature, so I stuck at it. 

 

Advice to all here is don't give up. Thai citizenship is a very useful thing to have, and makes living in Thailand so much more pleasant. 

[david143]

@GabbaGabbaHey @Neeranam
Gabba Brother are you done with ID
Neeraman brother whats going on .

[Neeranam]

13 hours ago, khongaeng said:

After all this time, even the 3 weeks wait between RG and Naturalization papers still seems like a long time. ใจเย็นๆ (Jai Yen Yen) as we have been told ???? 

It will be a nice Christmas/NY present ???? 

[Neeranam]

3 hours ago, david143 said:

@GabbaGabbaHey @Neeranam
Gabba Brother are you done with ID
Neeraman brother whats going on .

Waiting for the next step. Should be in a week or 2. 

 

 

[david143]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

Waiting for the next step. Should be in a week or 2. 

 

 

nice

[Neeranam]

6 hours ago, dbrenn said:

The process can feel very onerous, and I thought about giving up a couple of times. I always tried to frame it in my mind as a puzzle to be solved, a hobby even. 'Beating the system' and coming out of the other end with a prize satisfied my rebellious nature, so I stuck at it. 

 

Advice to all here is don't give up. Thai citizenship is a very useful thing to have, and makes living in Thailand so much more pleasant. 

Pretty much the attitude I have had. Never liked Red Tape.

[GabbaGabbaHey]

On 12/3/2020 at 9:05 AM, david143 said:

@GabbaGabbaHey
Gabba Brother are you done with ID

Yes, I got it in September. This has been my timeline:

 

Mar-2017 - Read the forum and decided to apply based on mariage
Apr-2017 - First visit to SB
Sep-2017 - SB interview
Oct-2017 - NIA Interview
Mar-2018 - Application sent to MOI
Jul-2019 - Interview at MOI

Dec-2020 - MOI approval

Apr-2020 - HMK signature
Apr-2020 - Oath of allegiance      
Aug-2020 - Publication to RG
Sep-2020 - Certificate issued
Sep-2020 - Thai ID card issued
 

Total 3.5 years

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by GabbaGabbaHey

[qualtrough]

On 12/5/2020 at 3:53 PM, GabbaGabbaHey said:

Yes, I got it in September. This has been my timeline:

 

Mar-2017 - Read the forum and decided to apply based on mariage
Apr-2017 - First visit to SB
Sep-2017 - SB interview
Oct-2017 - NIA Interview
Mar-2018 - Application sent to MOI
Jul-2019 - Interview at MOI

Dec-2020 - MOI approval

Apr-2020 - HMK signature
Apr-2020 - Oath of allegiance      
Aug-2020 - Publication to RG
Sep-2020 - Certificate issued
Sep-2020 - Thai ID card issued
 

Total 3.5 years

Thank you very myuch

On 12/5/2020 at 3:53 PM, GabbaGabbaHey said:

Thank you very much for that timeline. My times so far roughly match yours. I have finished the MOI interview stage, so if things go well I could be looking at another 14 months or so. Knock on wood!

 

[david143]

Congrag to me i had completed my 1000 days since i applied Thai Nationality.
Spirit is still high.

[saakura]

8 hours ago, david143 said:

Congrag to me i had completed my 1000 days since i applied Thai Nationality.
Spirit is still high.

You have waited patiently for a 1000 days, just a little more and you will surely be through, good luck.

[khongaeng]

Last week I successfully got the Thai price at a national park by showing my pink ID card and a copy of the RG I printed. There was a bit of a discussion, but eventually the guard relented. I knew it before but the Blue ID card is the true indicator of being Thai, even though I am told that as of RG posting we are legally Thai. Interesting also is that after RG you also have to maintain a visa up until the the time you have the Blue ID card in hand. 

[yankee99]

1 minute ago, khongaeng said:

Last week I successfully got the Thai price at a national park by showing my pink ID card and a copy of the RG I printed. There was a bit of a discussion, but eventually the guard relented. I knew it before but the Blue ID card is the true indicator of being Thai, even though I am told that as of RG posting we are legally Thai. Interesting also is that after RG you also have to maintain a visa up until the the time you have the Blue ID card in hand. 

Its been a month since your name was in the rg? 

 

whats the delay in getting your thai id? 

[khongaeng]

I suppose holidays have impacted the normal processing, and when I talked to my officer this week, I was told that the paperwork hasn't yet been sent back from MOI.  It is amazing how many times the paperwork is sent back and forth and back and forth. It's no wonder why people who apply from other provinces have such little success in making it to the end of the process.  I think by the time our applications are approved, each of our paperwork packages must be part of the million-miler club.  

[onthemoon]

2 hours ago, khongaeng said:

Last week I successfully got the Thai price at a national park by showing my pink ID card and a copy of the RG I printed. There was a bit of a discussion, but eventually the guard relented. I knew it before but the Blue ID card is the true indicator of being Thai, even though I am told that as of RG posting we are legally Thai. Interesting also is that after RG you also have to maintain a visa up until the the time you have the Blue ID card in hand. 

Sorry, I'm not getting it.

1.) If you have the blue ID card, why was there any discussion, and why do you have a carry a copy of the RG with you? Do the National Park people have the right to doubt that the Amphur/Khet issued the ID card legally? Did they accuse you of using a fake ID card?

2.) Once your Thai nationality is printed in the RG, you are a Thai citizen. Where does it say you have to maintain a visa in your foreign passport? You are not allowed to even use this passport in Thailand any more, how can you apply for a visa extension without automatically losing your Thai citizenship on the spot?

I'm very confused now.

[yankee99]

1 minute ago, onthemoon said:

Sorry, I'm not getting it.

1.) If you have the blue ID card, why was there any discussion, and why do you have a carry a copy of the RG with you? Do the National Park people have the right to doubt that the Amphur/Khet issued the ID card legally? Did they accuse you of using a fake ID card?

2.) Once your Thai nationality is printed in the RG, you are a Thai citizen. Where does it say you have to maintain a visa in your foreign passport? You are not allowed to even use this passport in Thailand any more, how can you apply for a visa extension without automatically losing your Thai citizenship on the spot?

I'm very confused now.

He hasn't received the thai id or naturalization documents yet

[onthemoon]

1 hour ago, yankee99 said:

He hasn't received the thai id or naturalization documents yet

I see - I believe this reply is only for the second question.

[khongaeng]

6 hours ago, onthemoon said:

I see - I believe this reply is only for the second question.

I do not yet have the Blue ID card.  Just a pink ID and my name posted in the Royal Gazette.

 

This is the guidance given to me from my SB officer.  You are required to maintain a Visa until you have received the Blue ID card.

 

Someone else (I don't remember who) posted that they allowed their work permit to lapse in the time interval between RG posting and applying for the Blue ID card at the Amphur/Khet.  On the other hand, others have said they were asked for their work permit when applying at the Amphur/Khet.  I suppose the period of time between RG posting and obtaining the Blue ID card is in a grey area.  

 

I will confirm with my officer when I pick up my naturalization certificate (still no word on when that will happen) what exactly you have to maintain after RG and before getting the Blue ID card.  This list I have compiled that I think falls in this grey area of what happens if it expires or changes during this waiting period is:

1. Visa

2. Work Permit

3. Employment Salary (minimum 40k per month, or can you immediately drop to Thai levels of around 10k per month)

4. 90 day reporting

[Neeranam]

8 hours ago, khongaeng said:

I will confirm with my officer when I pick up my naturalization certificate (still no word on when that will happen) what exactly you have to maintain after RG and before getting the Blue ID card.  This list I have compiled that I think falls in this grey area of what happens if it expires or changes during this waiting period is:

1. Visa

2. Work Permit

3. Employment Salary (minimum 40k per month, or can you immediately drop to Thai levels of around 10k per month)

4. 90 day reporting

Hopefully this year.

I am a few days late with my 90 day reporting; I'll maybe do it today. Interesting question, 'could I have a case if they tried to fine me if I showed them the RG with my name on it?'

I've heard differing opinions on when one is officially a Thai citizen; my case officer said I was Thai after the Oath, however said I need to keep my visa and WP until the end(whenever that is). Some say it is when your name is published in the RG or recieve your nat.cert. , others say when you get your name in the blue housebook, and some when you get that blue ID card. It would be good to get a definitive answer. It states that you intend to renounce your original citizenship upon getting Thai citizenship and also that you can't use your original passport after becoming Thai. So if you are Thai after getting the Naturalization certificate, would it be illegal to show your passport to the Khet when getting Thai ID? They obviously need some kind of proof who you are. Maybe the Naturalization cert is enough, as it has a photo on it?

Of course, it's wise to keep everything right until the end. 

 

Edited December 17, 2020 by Neeranam

[Kwarium]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

It would be good to get a definitive answer.

They don’t have those here! <big grin!>

 

I was told I didn’t need to maintan a work permit after the MOI interview, but I was asked for it at SB when I went for my oath. (I still had one!)

 

Once I had my certificate from SB, the only time I used my original passport was to cancel my non-Imm. extension.

 

Thai ID was issued based on the naturalization certificate; they already had a notifcation with my details from MOI.

 

Passport was issued based on Thai ID and official RG copy, which they returned to me.

 

My takeaway after all the dealings with various Thailand offices, keep everything current, have copies, and carry them all when doing any sort of official business!

 

Congrats to the 2020 class, and to those nearly there! My Thai ID is dated Dec. 25th! Merry Christmas indeed! (2018) 

 

 

[Neeranam]

6 minutes ago, Kwarium said:

Once I had my certificate from SB, the only time I used my original passport was to cancel my non-Imm. extension.

 

Thai ID was issued based on the naturalization certificate; they already had a notifcation with my details from MOI.

Did you need your passport to change details in bank accounts etc?

So the ID issuing place are sent stuff from the MOI, intersting. Thanks for sharing this ????

[david143]

While we Wait for Name coming in RG
3 Main Steps / letter are taken by MOI.
1 Send letter to Data Base of Administration ID Data.
2- Send letter to Khet where yellow book OR PR book/Blue book Registered
3- Send Letter to your home address after name appear in RG ,that you have to report SB with this letter which fees is 1000.
 

[david143]

if you remember this .