Story Of My Thai Citizenship Application

[saakura]

4 hours ago, DrJoy said:

Yes its the MOI interview.

 

They are inviting 2020 applicants now, so you maybe called as stated by your SB Officer.

 

The usual wait time from NIA to MOI interview is 18 months but it varies considerably for many applicants.

 

Standard wait times include 18 - 30 months

 

 

Getting worried in case the documents go missing somewhere. It will be too much of a pain to start all over again -

 

Thats not the case, all the documents are handled responsibly by the SB Police, NIA, MOI.

 

I have never heard that the Ministry lost documents of a particular applicant, So dont worry in this regard.

 

 

Thank you @Dr. Joy, this is really comforting!

[DrJoy]

8 minutes ago, moochai87 said:

Oh on second thoughts I think he meant that he would just submit my docs in the next month or two

After NIA interview , it takes 18 -30 months to be invited for a MOI interview

[DrJoy]

For Bangkok Candidates -

 

1. Submit Documents

2. Special Police Interview - within a month of submitting documents

3. NIA Interview - within 3 -5 months

4.M.O.I Interview - usual time frame 18- 24 months after NIA + approval from the big committee

5. Minister of Interior signs off your application + counter signed by His Majesty

6. Oath

7. Name published in the Royal Gazette

8. Get Citizenship Certificate from Special Police + 3 certified copies of RG (Not applicable to Women Candidates)

9. Name entered in the Blue Tabien Baan (Non PRs) + THAI ID card issuance at the District Office

10. Thai Passport issuance at any Passport Office

 

 

Posting it again for future applicants.

 

@moochai87  @saakura

[THAIJAMES]

9 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

For Bangkok Candidates -

 

1. Submit Documents

2. Special Police Interview - within a month of submitting documents

3. NIA Interview - within 3 -5 months

4.M.O.I Interview - usual time frame 18- 24 months after NIA + approval from the big committee

5. Minister of Interior signs off your application + counter signed by His Majesty

6. Oath

7. Name published in the Royal Gazette

8. Get Citizenship Certificate from Special Police + 3 certified copies of RG (Not applicable to Women Candidates)

9. Name entered in the Blue Tabien Baan (Non PRs) + THAI ID card issuance at the District Office

10. Thai Passport issuance at any Passport Office

 

 

Posting it again for future applicants.

 

@moochai87  @saakura

For people in the provinces how would this differ.  For example I passed the moi interview last year in May (Chiang Mai) and it was forwarded to the interior ministry what happens next?

Would it be waiting for the big committee to approve the application before being passed on to the interior minister?  I was told last year that there are no further interviews and I'm just waiting for approval from Bangkok but I'm not sure if that's the big committee or the interior minister.

[BKKBike09]

54 minutes ago, moochai87 said:

Oh on second thoughts I think he meant that he would just submit my docs in the next month or two. Although not certain. Can anyone decipher exactly what he means here: เดือนหน้าผมสรุปเสนอสัมภาษณ์ น่าจะ พ.ค.66 ครับ อยู่จังหวัดจะกำกนดแจ้งมาครับ

That's not very clear (at least to me). I'd say it basically says:

 

"Next month I will summarise and submit for the interview. [That] should be May 2023. Up to the province to fix the date and notify"

 

But not really clear whether he means province will fix the date for interview, or date for submission of the documents. I don't understand though why the police would wait to be asked to submit the documents? I did everything in Bangkok so no experience of a provincial application.

 

Good luck!

[onthemoon]

10 hours ago, moochai87 said:

Oh on second thoughts I think he meant that he would just submit my docs in the next month or two. Although not certain. Can anyone decipher exactly what he means here: เดือนหน้าผมสรุปเสนอสัมภาษณ์ น่าจะ พ.ค.66 ครับ อยู่จังหวัดจะกำกนดแจ้งมาครับ

The question is who wrote this. If that was your case officer at SB, he will just send your file to MOI next month.

I am celebrating my 2-year anniversary of my file being at MOI this month.

[moochai87]

3 hours ago, onthemoon said:

The question is who wrote this. If that was your case officer at SB, he will just send your file to MOI next month.

I am celebrating my 2-year anniversary of my file being at MOI this month.

Yes, it was my case officer. Awesome.... 

[moochai87]

On 4/18/2023 at 10:15 PM, BKKBike09 said:

That's not very clear (at least to me). I'd say it basically says:

 

"Next month I will summarise and submit for the interview. [That] should be May 2023. Up to the province to fix the date and notify"

 

But not really clear whether he means province will fix the date for interview, or date for submission of the documents. I don't understand though why the police would wait to be asked to submit the documents? I did everything in Bangkok so no experience of a provincial application.

 

Good luck!

Ok so I asked for more clarity on what he means. As it is in another province outside of Bangkok I need to attend an interview locally in Nonthaburi City Hall. I am not sure if it's an additional step before MOI in Bangkok, or instead of. I fear it's an additional step, but I am waiting clarification. See attached the letter that they send to Nonthaburi City Hall, with it they attached a list of names for the interview which I will not share.

[david143]

3 minutes ago, moochai87 said:

Ok so I asked for more clarity on what he means. As it is in another province outside of Bangkok I need to attend an interview locally in Nonthaburi City Hall. I am not sure if it's an additional step before MOI in Bangkok, or instead of. I fear it's an additional step, but I am waiting clarification. See attached the letter that they send to Nonthaburi City Hall, with it they attached a list of names for the interview which I will not share.

this letter is for Female Candidates who had thai husbands
and this is actually a test, MOI sent investigation report to Nonthaburi besides BANGKOK , and it is for suburbs of Bangkok Provinces,
to investigate and check behavior of Applicants by testing them in Thai Language , i believe this is not MOI interview, this is investigation letter to check mentioned candidates

 

 

[moochai87]

4 minutes ago, david143 said:

this letter is for Female Candidates who had thai husbands
and this is actually a test, MOI sent investigation report to Nonthaburi besides BANGKOK , and it is for suburbs of Bangkok Provinces,
to investigate and check behavior of Applicants by testing them in Thai Language , i believe this is not MOI interview, this is investigation letter to check mentioned candidates

 

 

Well the attached list definitely has males names on it so I don't think it's exclusively for female candidates, but I'm checking. Yes it would seem likely that this is an extra step. Although annoyingly I already had all the police interviews and the written test, so another Thai language interview before MOI seems redundant, but oh well.

[david143]

1 minute ago, moochai87 said:

Well the attached list definitely has males names on it so I don't think it's exclusively for female candidates, but I'm checking. Yes it would seem likely that this is an extra step. Although annoyingly I already had all the police interviews and the written test, so another Thai language interview before MOI seems redundant, but oh well.

yes i forgot to mentioned, also for those who are applying Thai nationality / Male / Female
but in letter they mentioned Saami thai , which means thai husbands, Ok just relax if you are in this, this is the time to show them we know thai and thai behavior
but i am still not sure is this MOI last interview or not .

[moochai87]

59 minutes ago, david143 said:

yes i forgot to mentioned, also for those who are applying Thai nationality / Male / Female
but in letter they mentioned Saami thai , which means thai husbands, Ok just relax if you are in this, this is the time to show them we know thai and thai behavior
but i am still not sure is this MOI last interview or not .

Ok so I just asked him: อันนี้คือ สัมภาษณ์ที่ศาลากลางนนทบุรีแล้ว ต้องทำอะไรต่ออีกมั้ยครับ and he replied with: ไม่ครับ. So I think he thinks it is the MOI interview. Did I manage to skip the long MOI Bangkok waiting list by applying in Nonthaburi?? ????‍♂️ Time will tell. I will keep you all updated.

[BKKBike09]

2 hours ago, moochai87 said:

Ok so I asked for more clarity on what he means. As it is in another province outside of Bangkok I need to attend an interview locally in Nonthaburi City Hall. I am not sure if it's an additional step before MOI in Bangkok, or instead of. I fear it's an additional step, but I am waiting clarification. See attached the letter that they send to Nonthaburi City Hall, with it they attached a list of names for the interview which I will not share.

This letter (dated 12 April) appears to be inviting the recipient and spouse to attend the interview TOMORROW 21 April at 1400 in the Ngamwongwan Conference Room on 3rd floor of the Nonthaburi Provincial Office.

 

[rsskga]

I'm hoping someone can help me with a question about visas and permission to stay for wives applying through their Thai husbands.

 

The Special Branch application instructions don't seem to mention visas. I've already submitted my application and I do not think my case officer even wanted a copy of my visa.

 

I imagine most people get one-year extensions of stay for their non-immigrant O visas. That was my plan. However, six hours at Chaengwattana yesterday ended in me being instructed to take my request to Phitsanulok immigration despite Chaengwattana knowing that our tabien baans and current residence are in Krung Thep. Not knowing better, I dutifully hopped on the first flight this morning to Phitsanulok and went straight to immigration, where I was promptly told to go back to Chaengwattana. After this, I have lost all appetite for the one-year extension of stay and am quite content to make quick trips out of country every 90 days for the rest of my life if that means I never have to set foot in Chaengwattana again.

 

My question is... will it matter for my citizenship application what type of visa and permission to stay I am on so long as they are legal and valid? Even if we could have gotten the extension today, there is no guarantee that I could get it in the future because my husband is not guaranteed to be in the country during the window of time that the extension applications must be submitted, and since he must be physically present for the application to be accepted... I'm virtually guaranteed to be out of luck at some point no matter how many hoops I am otherwise willing to jump through.

 

This has definitely been the most disheartening aspect of the entire process for me, though it's quite separate from my actual citizenship application.

 

Can I simply continue indefinitely on multi-entry non-immigrant O visas, even if I have to re-apply from scratch every year? The online application process that gets routed through the Thai embassy/consulate in the United States is blissfully pleasant. I've used it once for a tourist visa and again for my non-immigrant o. I'll have to leave the country, but the processing time is only 15 business days so seems like it might be ok.

Edited April 20, 2023 by rsskga
business days not days

[moochai87]

1 hour ago, BKKBike09 said:

This letter (dated 12 April) appears to be inviting the recipient and spouse to attend the interview TOMORROW 21 April at 1400 in the Ngamwongwan Conference Room on 3rd floor of the Nonthaburi Provincial Office.

 

Yes, this was the example he sent me from the previous month, and he claims I am on the next list that he will send.

[lomtalay]

Apologies if this has already been discussed.

 

I have my SB interview next week. Can anyone please advise how to prepare and what to expect? I'm wondering whether to wear a suit or just smart work clothes, what kind of questions will be asked, etc.

 

Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated. TIA!

[moochai87]

1 hour ago, lomtalay said:

Apologies if this has already been discussed.

 

I have my SB interview next week. Can anyone please advise how to prepare and what to expect? I'm wondering whether to wear a suit or just smart work clothes, what kind of questions will be asked, etc.

 

Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated. TIA!

All my interviews were always pretty much the same in terms of the questions and I never wore a suit, just smart casual is ok. There are similar posts if you look through the hundreds of pages or you can try to search.

Questions were usually like:

 

- why do you want to be a Thai citizen

- how long have you been in Thailand why did you come here

- tell me about your education level where you studied

- if you're married still ask about where you met your partner how long you've been together and do you have any children

- what's your job and where do you work etc

- ever helped Thai citizenship: charity etc

- I was asked had I ever been involved in any of the mobs haha

- possibly a question on HM

 

That sort of thing.

[BKKBike09]

4 hours ago, moochai87 said:

Yes, this was the example he sent me from the previous month, and he claims I am on the next list that he will send.

Ah - I thought that was sent to you (meaning your name on the list).

 

They don't give much notice for the interview; in my case, the MOI (actually, DOPA) rang me on a Thursday and said I was to go the following Tuesday. I ended up postponing it twice because of work commitments (me the first time, my wife the second time). So it went from June to September.

[DrJoy]

5 hours ago, moochai87 said:

Yes, this was the example he sent me from the previous month, and he claims I am on the next list that he will send.

Non Bangkok candidates get interviewed by their Provincial Halls. After that the file is sent to Bangkok (MOI) where it waits for the approval of the big committee.

 

Standard wait time for provincial candidates is 40 months from start to finish.

[lomtalay]

12 hours ago, moochai87 said:

All my interviews were always pretty much the same in terms of the questions and I never wore a suit, just smart casual is ok. There are similar posts if you look through the hundreds of pages or you can try to search.

Questions were usually like:

 

- why do you want to be a Thai citizen

- how long have you been in Thailand why did you come here

- tell me about your education level where you studied

- if you're married still ask about where you met your partner how long you've been together and do you have any children

- what's your job and where do you work etc

- ever helped Thai citizenship: charity etc

- I was asked had I ever been involved in any of the mobs haha

- possibly a question on HM

 

That sort of thing.

Thanks - that's very useful. Yes, I realise that the same questions must have been answered before but it's such a long thread.

 

Can I also ask whether there will be a Thai language test and a Thai Civics (general knowledge questions about Thailand) test during my SB interview?

[yankee99]

1 hour ago, lomtalay said:

Thanks - that's very useful. Yes, I realise that the same questions must have been answered before but it's such a long thread.

 

Can I also ask whether there will be a Thai language test and a Thai Civics (general knowledge questions about Thailand) test during my SB interview?

Im assuming you're not doing it in bkk?  I my case bkk sb case officer estimated my points before meeting his boss upstairs .   This helped in knowing i didn't need to sing or pass writing tests .

 

SB bkk meeting is the 2nd most difficult because they do not want to send a candidate to fail

[lomtalay]

1 minute ago, yankee99 said:

Im assuming you're not doing it in bkk?  I my case bkk sb case officer estimated my points before meeting his boss upstairs .   This helped in knowing i didn't need to sing or pass writing tests .

 

SB bkk meeting is the 2nd most difficult because they do not want to send a candidate to fail

Yes, it's in Bkk. Thanks for the info.

[yankee99]

2 minutes ago, lomtalay said:

Yes, it's in Bkk. Thanks for the info.

Id suggest getting a better relationship with your case officer. Since im not a people person i let my wife talk with him 99% and it was the best for me.  If the government doesn't change the application structure youll be in contact with him or her for years 

[THAIJAMES]

12 hours ago, DrJoy said:

Non Bangkok candidates get interviewed by their Provincial Halls. After that the file is sent to Bangkok (MOI) where it waits for the approval of the big committee.

 

Standard wait time for provincial candidates is 40 months from start to finish.

Thank you for the clarification much appreciated. 

[moochai87]

12 hours ago, DrJoy said:

Non Bangkok candidates get interviewed by their Provincial Halls. After that the file is sent to Bangkok (MOI) where it waits for the approval of the big committee.

 

Standard wait time for provincial candidates is 40 months from start to finish.

Just the 40 months then, cool. Thanks 

[DrJoy]

On 4/20/2023 at 3:16 PM, rsskga said:

Can I simply continue indefinitely on multi-entry non-immigrant O visas, even if I have to re-apply from scratch every year?

AFAIK multiple entry visas are not accepted by the ministry.

 

It has to be an extension of stay from an Immigration Office but you can call the ministry on the number below and clarify yourself -

 

MOI Pathumthani : 02-791-7329, 02-791-7332

 

Good Luck

 

[lomtalay]

I had my interview and tests at Special Branch and now need to contact the British Embassy Consular Section to get the letter and certify my passport (should be quite straightforward as they provide both services in the same pack & I can post everything off - SB gave me a couple of sealed envelopes ???? to send off too).

 

They also asked me to get my old Thai Language O Level certificate certified. However, from my enquiries it seems that the embassy don't do this. Any ideas where would be a good place to get the certificate certified (I've already got it translated)? 

 

Thanks!

[lomtalay]

22 hours ago, lomtalay said:

I had my interview and tests at Special Branch and now need to contact the British Embassy Consular Section to get the letter and certify my passport (should be quite straightforward as they provide both services in the same pack & I can post everything off - SB gave me a couple of sealed envelopes ???? to send off too).

 

They also asked me to get my old Thai Language O Level certificate certified. However, from my enquiries it seems that the embassy don't do this. Any ideas where would be a good place to get the certificate certified (I've already got it translated)? 

 

Thanks!

I got this sorted btw. I need a letter from the school in Thailand where I sat the exam & then I'll take this, with the certificate + translation, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[moochai87]

This question is not intended to spark a political decision, so please don't.

 

Do you think the recent elections and the current lame duck period, will put everything on hold until the new government is in place - citizenship application wise?

[couchpotato]

57 minutes ago, moochai87 said:

This question is not intended to spark a political decision, so please don't.

 

Do you think the recent elections and the current lame duck period, will put everything on hold until the new government is in place - citizenship application wise?

It has in the past. And as the new Govt will not start to govern for about 3 mths. I'm sure there will be delays for non-priority issues.