Story Of My Thai Citizenship Application

[SWW]

How long after submitting the application documents is the first interview? And then what is the next step? I just submitted my documents this week

What about reading the posts in this thread?

I could have answered that to all the questions that I have recently been answering, but did not because it takes just as long to provide a constructive answer. There are 58 pages to this thread, and over 1,400 posts. It did not seem unreasonable to ask one simple question, knowing that there are people who could answer off the top of their heads. So thank you for your input - it added nothing.

[aidenai]

There's no unequivocal answer to your question. Applicants experienced different timeframes. To learn about their experiences, you should read previous posts.

[Big Guns]

To SWW I applied in August 2014 had an interview with special branch after about a month and an interview with the NIA a couple of months after that. I'm still waiting for the interview with the ministry of the interior.. Hope this helps.

[Arkady]

To SWW I applied in August 2014 had an interview with special branch after about a month and an interview with the NIA a couple of months after that. I'm still waiting for the interview with the ministry of the interior.. Hope this helps.

Completing the vetting by various depts including the NIA (which involves an interview), the narcotics people and the criminal records dept etc using takes 3-4 months after SB has accepted your application. The interview with the MOI historically has taken anything from 6 months (in the OP's case) to 8 years or more. There is no set time frame but the current government has put pressure on the bureaucrats to speed things up and be more transparent. So as long as they remain in power, you should have a good chance to get to the interview stage within 3 years. In the last few years before the coup 5 years to interview had become quite normal as the bureaucrats had become lazy and cut down on the frequency and length of interview sessions. Since 15 people of appropriate rank from the designated depts are needed for the interviews

it is easy to cancel a session when someone is not available, unless a big effort is made to go ahead at all costs.

[SWW]

To SWW I applied in August 2014 had an interview with special branch after about a month and an interview with the NIA a couple of months after that. I'm still waiting for the interview with the ministry of the interior.. Hope this helps.

Completing the vetting by various depts including the NIA (which involves an interview), the narcotics people and the criminal records dept etc using takes 3-4 months after SB has accepted your application. The interview with the MOI historically has taken anything from 6 months (in the OP's case) to 8 years or more. There is no set time frame but the current government has put pressure on the bureaucrats to speed things up and be more transparent. So as long as they remain in power, you should have a good chance to get to the interview stage within 3 years. In the last few years before the coup 5 years to interview had become quite normal as the bureaucrats had become lazy and cut down on the frequency and length of interview sessions. Since 15 people of appropriate rank from the designated depts are needed for the interviews

it is easy to cancel a session when someone is not available, unless a big effort is made to go ahead at all costs.

Thanks guys, for this information. Needless to say, this is a nerve-wracking time! I look forward to the interviews, and hope it is on the quicker side

[GarryP]

I suppose it is too soon for a status update on the applications of who took the oath in October. I was hoping for a Christmas miracle. I understand that the police returned the list to the MOI for announcement in the Royal Gazette. Was hoping it was not going to take as long as the June/July lot whose names were announced in early December.

[jamesthailand]

I picked up my nationality change certificate from Special Branch today, which makes 4 weeks from the announcement in the Royal Gazette.

[GarryP]

I picked up my nationality change certificate from Special Branch today, which makes 4 weeks from the announcement in the Royal Gazette.

Not bad in the scheme of things. Let us know how things go at the District Office.

Congratulations again. This year really seems to have been a great year for applicants, calls to interviews being fast tracked, reviews of applications not being delayed, and actual announcements being published, etc. Hope things stay this way.

[GarryP]

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing fellow applicant's a wonderful, successful and prosperous New Year. May all your wishes and dreams come true and Thai citizenship become a reality.

[aidenai]

I picked up my nationality change certificate from Special Branch today, which makes 4 weeks from the announcement in the Royal Gazette.

Congratulations.

[aidenai]

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing fellow applicant's a wonderful, successful and prosperous New Year. May all your wishes and dreams come true and Thai citizenship become a reality.

Same to you, GarryP. 2016 will be a very interesting year.

[NewlyMintedThai]

Excellent news. Congratulations to all, and welcome to the club!

[Arkady]

The discrimination is not completely over once you have your ID card. I was in SCB yesterday trying to update my account details, so I can use my ID card to get a new book etc, instead of my foreign passport. I brought along the original of my naturalisation certificate because on a previous visit I was told a copy was not good enough. They had to make their own copy (requiring an A3 size copier to get it all in.). The person I saw this time told me, after conferring with someone from HQ, told me that the original naturalisation certificate issued by the police was not introvertible proof of a genuine naturalisation and was not needed at all. I would have to go to the district office and get a certificate of naturalisation from them because they are the ones who issued the ID card (based, of course, on the evidence of the certificate of naturalisation). My wife has taken the trouble to call the district office which said they are unable to issue certificates of naturalisation and SCB's head office which admitted they haven't a clue what documents are required and suggested I should ask in my branch which already gave me the ridiculous information.

Since SCB says they have no problem opening a new account for me using only my ID card and tabian baan, I think I now have no option but to open a new account and close down the offending farang account. I would shut down everything with SCB but I want to keep my Kingpower SCB credit card for duty free discounts on Mrs Arkady's purchases of cosmetics at Swampy and pay it off by direct debit from an SCB account for convenience.

With Bangkok Bank I had another slightly torturous experience. They insisted I brought original naturalisation certificate to copy themselves but then failed to update the information in the computer, so that other branches are still demanding to see my foreign passport, despite having asked them to update it 3 or 4 times already.

KBANK has been the best, as they accept my ID card for everything in every branch without question, even though I haven't given them any documents or even informed them of my change of nationality.

Sometimes idiotic Thai bureaucrats can be infuriating when they just make up their own rules because they are too stupid or lazy to look up the real ones and want to cause the maximum inconvenience possible to foreigners or former former foreigners, and it's not confined to government officers. It's hard to imagine that anyone clever enough to forge their own ID card, tabian baan and naturalisation certificate would not be able to forge a simple letter from a district office and their is no particular reason why one would want to pretend to be Thai to the bank when one already has an account. Has anyone else had this type of problem with banks or other accounts?

[GarryP]

No direct experience. However, I have been doing all my banking at the same branch of Bangkok Bank for the past 12 years and they know me well. When I have asked them what I need to do to change my details upon getting citizenship, I was told that all I need is my ID card. We will find out soon if that holds out to be true.

For my credit card (Krungsri), I was told I will need to provide a signed copy of my ID card. Again no mention of any other documents.

[NewlyMintedThai]

Much easier to open new accounts, as banks are not used to account holders changing nationality. As it is so rare, they don't have a procedure. New account opening with nothing but ID card in 10 minutes flat, just for any other Thai. So I wouldn't exactly call it discrimination.

[Mr Moo]

DBrenn,

Congratulations, I'm sure the officials would have made things difficult for you just to test your determination to become Thai.

I really think your story is one that a lot of people would like to hear in much more detail, do you think you could write a detailed article covering all the ins and outs of your journey?

[niclasthai]

So I have a few questions, seeing as i'm married with a Thai and have a child that is half thai half Swedish, (so far we just married in Sweden but i will registrate it soon in Bangkok), This would grant me permission to apply for citizenship after 1 year. However, Seeing as im just 23 I just get 2 points from the age part and I can only get up to about 35 points, Unless I get a wellpaid work, which brings me to another problem, showing tax income for 3 years, Lets say I would have 10.000.000baht in my bankaccount, would I still need to have a work to qualify? Or is there any other way around this problem?

How come I can apply after 1 year if have thai wife and child but need to show tax/income for 3 years before?

I know its quite a process but seeing my age is quite low I would consider it my mission to obtain Thai citizenship before i'm 30,

Another problem is that we are currently and probably not gonna move away from this Island we live on (Koh Lanta), as my wife mother has a restaurant here and she loves her mother,

Is there a special branch in Krabi to get in touch with these questions? I spoke abit with Pol sgt, at immigration but he just told me to keep getting marriage visa, and I said I don't like to see myself doing 90day reports and all other paperwork for 50 more years atleast.

And also I see it as a benefit to get a thai citizenship and somehow it makes me feel like one of them.

Thank you for any answer pointing me in the right direction.

[GarryP]

Much easier to open new accounts, as banks are not used to account holders changing nationality. As it is so rare, they don't have a procedure. New account opening with nothing but ID card in 10 minutes flat, just for any other Thai. So I wouldn't exactly call it discrimination.

I also have LTFs, RMF, and various fund accounts with BBL. As such, it is not possible to close existing accounts and open new ones. If I closed the RMF account I would be hit for back taxes covering the past 5 years. I too don't think its discrimination, but rather incompetence on the part of the bank. Thais change their names all the time and it is no big deal to update their accounts so why can't the banks update for nationality too (in the latter case there is much less of a likelihood of the account owner trying to avoid taxes, etc.).

[dbrenn]

The discrimination is not completely over once you have your ID card. I was in SCB yesterday trying to update my account details, so I can use my ID card to get a new book etc, instead of my foreign passport. I brought along the original of my naturalisation certificate because on a previous visit I was told a copy was not good enough. They had to make their own copy (requiring an A3 size copier to get it all in.). The person I saw this time told me, after conferring with someone from HQ, told me that the original naturalisation certificate issued by the police was not introvertible proof of a genuine naturalisation and was not needed at all. I would have to go to the district office and get a certificate of naturalisation from them because they are the ones who issued the ID card (based, of course, on the evidence of the certificate of naturalisation). My wife has taken the trouble to call the district office which said they are unable to issue certificates of naturalisation and SCB's head office which admitted they haven't a clue what documents are required and suggested I should ask in my branch which already gave me the ridiculous information.

Since SCB says they have no problem opening a new account for me using only my ID card and tabian baan, I think I now have no option but to open a new account and close down the offending farang account. I would shut down everything with SCB but I want to keep my Kingpower SCB credit card for duty free discounts on Mrs Arkady's purchases of cosmetics at Swampy and pay it off by direct debit from an SCB account for convenience.

With Bangkok Bank I had another slightly torturous experience. They insisted I brought original naturalisation certificate to copy themselves but then failed to update the information in the computer, so that other branches are still demanding to see my foreign passport, despite having asked them to update it 3 or 4 times already.

KBANK has been the best, as they accept my ID card for everything in every branch without question, even though I haven't given them any documents or even informed them of my change of nationality.

Sometimes idiotic Thai bureaucrats can be infuriating when they just make up their own rules because they are too stupid or lazy to look up the real ones and want to cause the maximum inconvenience possible to foreigners or former former foreigners, and it's not confined to government officers. It's hard to imagine that anyone clever enough to forge their own ID card, tabian baan and naturalisation certificate would not be able to forge a simple letter from a district office and their is no particular reason why one would want to pretend to be Thai to the bank when one already has an account. Has anyone else had this type of problem with banks or other accounts?

Best way is to just open a new account with your Thai ID. Easier for them to understand and I've never had any problems.

[dbrenn]

Much easier to open new accounts, as banks are not used to account holders changing nationality. As it is so rare, they don't have a procedure. New account opening with nothing but ID card in 10 minutes flat, just for any other Thai. So I wouldn't exactly call it discrimination.

I'd also not think of this as discrimination. There is likely no procedure to convert nationality of a bank account, or if there is one it is not understood by the bank branch staff.

[nickcar]

I am a little puzzled why it is necessary to change nationality can anyone explain? I haven't been into my bank for 2'years now, and prior to that i went in about once a year when transferring money overseas or opening a new account. All done by internet banking. If a visit is so rare taking my passport is no bother.

[brewsterbudgen]

Quite why any one would choose to be a citizen of a country with Thailand's politics is beyond me!

[SWW]

I am a little puzzled why it is necessary to change nationality can anyone explain? I haven't been into my bank for 2'years now, and prior to that i went in about once a year when transferring money overseas or opening a new account. All done by internet banking. If a visit is so rare taking my passport is no bother.

Remember that little talk the Special Branch people had with you, about how you could lose Thai citizenship if you are found to be using another citizenship? You're 'supposed' to have given your other citizenship(s) up after being granted citizenship of Thailand, and if you didn't then it's wise to switch everything (in Thailand, at least) to your newly-acquired Thai citizenship. Unless you don't mind running the (however small) risk of losing it.

[SWW]

Quite why any one would choose to be a citizen of a country with Thailand's politics is beyond me!

Frankly, you could say that about almost any country in the world

[dbrenn]

Quite why any one would choose to be a citizen of a country with Thailand's politics is beyond me!

The reasons why are clearly stated throughout this thread. Please read them before adding clutter like the post above.

[nickcar]

I am a little puzzled why it is necessary to change nationality can anyone explain? I haven't been into my bank for 2'years now, and prior to that i went in about once a year when transferring money overseas or opening a new account. All done by internet banking. If a visit is so rare taking my passport is no bother.

Remember that little talk the Special Branch people had with you, about how you could lose Thai citizenship if you are found to be using another citizenship? You're 'supposed' to have given your other citizenship(s) up after being granted citizenship of Thailand, and if you didn't then it's wise to switch everything (in Thailand, at least) to your newly-acquired Thai citizenship. Unless you don't mind running the (however small) risk of losing it.

Thanks for that explanation. No i don't remember that chat although i vagualy remember some contact with the NZ embassy. I may have forgotten of course hahahaha

[brewsterbudgen]

Quite why any one would choose to be a citizen of a country with Thailand's politics is beyond me!

The reasons why are clearly stated throughout this thread. Please read them before adding clutter like the post above.

Sorry, but the thread is 147 pages long!

[aidenai]

I am a little puzzled why it is necessary to change nationality can anyone explain? I haven't been into my bank for 2'years now, and prior to that i went in about once a year when transferring money overseas or opening a new account. All done by internet banking. If a visit is so rare taking my passport is no bother.

Remember that little talk the Special Branch people had with you, about how you could lose Thai citizenship if you are found to be using another citizenship? You're 'supposed' to have given your other citizenship(s) up after being granted citizenship of Thailand, and if you didn't then it's wise to switch everything (in Thailand, at least) to your newly-acquired Thai citizenship. Unless you don't mind running the (however small) risk of losing it.

Thanks for that explanation. No i don't remember that chat although i vagualy remember some contact with the NZ embassy. I may have forgotten of course hahahaha

If this matter is all 'hahahahaha' for you, it might be better for you to read other threads than this one.

[ubonjoe]

Abusive and inflammatory posts have been removed.

[nickcar]

I am a little puzzled why it is necessary to change nationality can anyone explain? I haven't been into my bank for 2'years now, and prior to that i went in about once a year when transferring money overseas or opening a new account. All done by internet banking. If a visit is so rare taking my passport is no bother.

Remember that little talk the Special Branch people had with you, about how you could lose Thai citizenship if you are found to be using another citizenship? You're 'supposed' to have given your other citizenship(s) up after being granted citizenship of Thailand, and if you didn't then it's wise to switch everything (in Thailand, at least) to your newly-acquired Thai citizenship. Unless you don't mind running the (however small) risk of losing it.

Thanks for that explanation. No i don't remember that chat although i vagualy remember some contact with the NZ embassy. I may have forgotten of course hahahaha

If this matter is all 'hahahahaha' for you, it might be better for you to read other threads than this one.

I apologize for enjoying life. I apologize for laughing at myself. If you take life so seriously you will have trouble enjoying it.