Story Of My Thai Citizenship Application

[Arkady]

6 hours ago, carthaivisa said:

Hi..If you got Thai Citizenship..do you need to cancel WP (work permit) or no need..I know that you have to return and cancel PR (permanent residence) document but is it necessary for WP....if you issue Thai ID so do you have to issue Thai passport at same time or you can issue passport any time like at one year later if there is no travel plan...any input will be appreciated..thanks.

 

 

The Labour Ministry will gladly cancel your WP for you but there is really no need to do it. You no longer have to return the WP book and doing nothing doesn't create any hiccup in the system. Your WP simply expires and, it just looks as if you finished the job at that time and didn't need to renew, as far as the ministry is concerned.  

 

There is no need to apply for a Thai passport, if you don't plan to travel and there is no chance you might need to make an emergency trip overseas.  Like any other Thai you can just apply for a passport whenever you need one or not at all, if you don't need to travel.  

[Muggi1968]

Do anybody know where can I check when the windows for applying for Thai citizenship opens.

My attorney tell me to apply next time....
(I do not to pay him to check for application date :-)

 

[samran]

27 minutes ago, Muggi1968 said:

Do anybody know where can I check when the windows for applying for Thai citizenship opens.

My attorney tell me to apply next time....
(I do not to pay him to check for application date :-)

 

You can apply Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm at national police headquarters in Rama 1 Rd Bangkok every working day of the year.

[ubonjoe]

43 minutes ago, Muggi1968 said:

Do anybody know where can I check when the windows for applying for Thai citizenship opens.

My attorney tell me to apply next time....

I think you need to dump your attorney. There is no window to apply for citizenship. That is only to apply for permanent residence and that has not been announced yet for this year.

[Muggi1968]

According to the attorney and immigration there is..

But I will ask immigration again.. Maybe the thought i was asking about 
PM..

Thanx

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, Muggi1968 said:

According to the attorney and immigration there is..
But I will ask immigration again.. Maybe the thought i was asking about 
PM..
Thanx

You apply at the Special Branch Police office for citizenship. Immigration has nothing to do with it.

[carthaivisa]

11 hours ago, Arkady said:

 

The Labour Ministry will gladly cancel your WP for you but there is really no need to do it. You no longer have to return the WP book and doing nothing doesn't create any hiccup in the system. Your WP simply expires and, it just looks as if you finished the job at that time and didn't need to renew, as far as the ministry is concerned.  

 

There is no need to apply for a Thai passport, if you don't plan to travel and there is no chance you might need to make an emergency trip overseas.  Like any other Thai you can just apply for a passport whenever you need one or not at all, if you don't need to travel.  

Thanks Arkady for your reply...

[samran]

3 hours ago, Muggi1968 said:

According to the attorney and immigration there is..

But I will ask immigration again.. Maybe the thought i was asking about 
PM..

Thanx

Sack your lawyer! If he can’t get something so basic right then you have to wonder. 

[Anthony Loh]

On 10/30/2017 at 7:49 AM, Big Guns said:

I've finally finished now and received my Thai ID card and passport last week 

Congratulations to you! I’m still long way............?

[Arkady]

14 hours ago, samran said:

You can apply Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm at national police headquarters in Rama 1 Rd Bangkok every working day of the year.

 

Their hours are 8.30am to 4.30pm actually but by 4.00pm you might find them a little thin on the ground.  Best to get there before 3.00pm.

[red horse]

May I know when the next royal Gazette


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[GabbaGabbaHey]

From what I see, there has been one this month for ladies.

http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2560/D/090/2.PDF

[BaanBKK]

14 minutes ago, GabbaGabbaHey said:

From what I see, there has been one this month for ladies.

http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2560/D/090/2.PDF

Yes, I saw that as well. Does anyone have any idea if these publications are in any way correlated? What I am asking is: is it reasonable (within the inherent reason of the system) to infer that another announcement regarding men will be forthcoming in short order? I think I may know the response to this query will be something akin to "there is no specific rhyme or reason" to such announcements, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. I must say that of all the aspects of this process this phase of waiting between taking the oath and RTG publication is the most disconcerting as there does not appear to be anyone who can explain why things move the way they do, nor anyone who can really explain in detail how the mechanism works after the documentation is sent from SB over the RTG for publication.  I am not complaining, just rather confused.

[Arkady]

2 hours ago, BaanBKK said:

Yes, I saw that as well. Does anyone have any idea if these publications are in any way correlated? What I am asking is: is it reasonable (within the inherent reason of the system) to infer that another announcement regarding men will be forthcoming in short order? I think I may know the response to this query will be something akin to "there is no specific rhyme or reason" to such announcements, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. I must say that of all the aspects of this process this phase of waiting between taking the oath and RTG publication is the most disconcerting as there does not appear to be anyone who can explain why things move the way they do, nor anyone who can really explain in detail how the mechanism works after the documentation is sent from SB over the RTG for publication.  I am not complaining, just rather confused.

 

Your instinct that there is no specific rhyme or reason is correct.  It could be that they are preparing a batch of naturalisations to follow this batch of women adopting hubby's Thai citizenship but that is not necessarily the case.  Historically there were sometimes years when a lot of foreign wives were announced but not naturalisations and vice versa.  The good thing that the process is working relatively smoothly under this government without the 5-11 year waits that were common in the past.  

 

I am not sure why they publish the original nationality of women adopting hubby's Thai nationality but not for naturalistions.  

[BaanBKK]

6 minutes ago, Arkady said:

 

Your instinct that there is no specific rhyme or reason is correct.  It could be that they are preparing a batch of naturalisations to follow this batch of women adopting hubby's Thai citizenship but that is not necessarily the case.  Historically there were sometimes years when a lot of foreign wives were announced but not naturalisations and vice versa.  The good thing that the process is working relatively smoothly under this government without the 5-11 year waits that were common in the past.  

 

I am not sure why they publish the original nationality of women adopting hubby's Thai nationality but not for naturalistions.  

Thanks for the insight Arkady. I figured as much. Maybe I'll be seeing mine soon, fingers crossed.

[Neeranam]

On 07/11/2017 at 11:03 AM, Arkady said:

A big concern for any Brit thinking of applying ought to be getting the embassy to do the declaration of intent. If you are already qualified, I would not delay further in applying.  You don't want to rock up to the embassy only to be told, "Oh, I'm sorry, you were given the wrong information. We don't do that any more."  If the FCO decides it is no longer appropriate, they will not care that that means British people no longer have the option of applying for Thai nationality.  You will just be left writing to your MP in the UK to complain.

At what stage do you qualify for getting this document? Have they ever refused it to anyone? Do you think they'd hold a grudge against me if I made a formal complaint about my recent bad treatment?

I'm hoping to apply for citizenship when I get my birth certificate translated and legalized, hopefully by the end of the year.

 

[Arkady]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

At what stage do you qualify for getting this document? Have they ever refused it to anyone? Do you think they'd hold a grudge against me if I made a formal complaint about my recent bad treatment?

I'm hoping to apply for citizenship when I get my birth certificate translated and legalized, hopefully by the end of the year.

 

I had to submit it with all the other documents prior to finalising the application with SB.  I don't think the embassy will hold it against you, if you complain.  But I would frame it in a constructive way, e.g. you hesitate to complain but would like to suggest the consulate add some processes to avoid making people fly to Bangkok to avail themselves of notarial services that are no longer provided by explaining to the local staff clearly exactly what services are provided and which are not.   Best to address it to the ambassador, Mr Brian Davidson, so it can filter down the pipe.  

[MrPatrickThai]

34 minutes ago, Arkady said:

I had to submit it with all the other documents prior to finalising the application with SB.  I don't think the embassy will hold it against you, if you complain.  But I would frame it in a constructive way, e.g. you hesitate to complain but would like to suggest the consulate add some processes to avoid making people fly to Bangkok to avail themselves of notarial services that are no longer provided by explaining to the local staff clearly exactly what services are provided and which are not.   Best to address it to the ambassador, Mr Brian Davidson, so it can filter down the pipe.  

I haven't been asked for this document for the application process.

[GabbaGabbaHey]

10 hours ago, MrPatrickThai said:

I haven't been asked for this document for the application process.

This is probably because you didn't do the interview day yet (at that time, you'll receive letters and two of them are for your embassy).

[Arkady]

1 hour ago, GabbaGabbaHey said:

This is probably because you didn't do the interview day yet (at that time, you'll receive letters and two of them are for your embassy).

 

What does the letter to embassies look like these days?  When I applied I was told to get the declaration of intent without any letter to the embassy and was unsuccessful at my first attempt because the local officer refused to do it.  When I was completing the application process with SB they gave me a copy of a letter they had sent to the embassy.  It was all in Thai and was a very lengthy and tedious piece of offialese which included, among other things, the entire Nationality Act.  Somewhere embedded in the text was a paragraph about the declaration of intent and that they would be hearing from them again to confirm that nationality has been granted. I am sure that a local consular officer glazed over after scanning the first few paras and it was rapidly dropped in the circular filing basket, as, no doubt, was the confirmation letter five years later.   Have they at least managed to translate the letter into English yet?

 

 

[GarryP]

I am so happy all this is behind me now. I don't even recall presenting a letter to the Embassy. I simply went to the Embassy, wrote out my declaration (using standard wording provided by Arkady) and had it endorsed by the British Vice Consul. I then translated the document myself and had a translation office certify the translation (to save costs). It was then certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That was in June 2012.  

 

I did not even have my qualifications certified (not that they were anything to be proud of). I just translated them and had the translations certified by a translator.

 

I don't mean to imply that it was a cake walk for me as it wasn't. However, it  does seem that everything is getting more complex and involves so much more running around to meet certification requirements.    

[MrPatrickThai]

1 hour ago, GarryP said:

I then translated the document myself and had a translation office certify the translation (to save costs).

This is not necessary as a translation office can't certify it. You can just take it to the MoFA. 

[Arkady]

15 minutes ago, MrPatrickThai said:

This is not necessary as a translation office can't certify it. You can just take it to the MoFA. 

The translation office stamps to certify that it is a good translation done by them.  For most applications you need this with the telephone number of the translator on the stamp.  I think MoFA needs this too but I never tried to give them one without it.

[MrPatrickThai]

1 hour ago, Arkady said:

The translation office stamps to certify that it is a good translation done by them.  For most applications you need this with the telephone number of the translator on the stamp.  I think MoFA needs this too but I never tried to give them one without it.

There is no need for a stamp. There is no certifying body for translators in Thailand, i.e anyone could buy their own stamp. This stamp doesn't even mean an accurate translation, and can often be refused as incorrectly translated at the MoFA. Some places, however, will accept the stamp of a well-known translation office, without the need to go to MoFA.

[GabbaGabbaHey]

9 hours ago, Arkady said:

 

What does the letter to embassies look like these days?  When I applied I was told to get the declaration of intent without any letter to the embassy and was unsuccessful at my first attempt because the local officer refused to do it.  When I was completing the application process with SB they gave me a copy of a letter they had sent to the embassy.  It was all in Thai and was a very lengthy and tedious piece of offialese which included, among other things, the entire Nationality Act.  Somewhere embedded in the text was a paragraph about the declaration of intent and that they would be hearing from them again to confirm that nationality has been granted. I am sure that a local consular officer glazed over after scanning the first few paras and it was rapidly dropped in the circular filing basket, as, no doubt, was the confirmation letter five years later.   Have they at least managed to translate the letter into English yet?

 

 

Both letters were in Thai language, one single page for each. There was no extensive information of the nationality act in it, but a couple of paragraphs who specified "according to the citizenship law number...".

The first letter was asking for 

- Certification that my passport is genuine (SB added a copy of it they had stamped with Thai indications - a format which would be hard to reuse by any embassy I guess, mine could not)
- Certification of no criminal offense in my country
The second letter was asking the embassy to produce a certificate of my intention to renounce my original nationality once I would be granted Thai nationality.

 

The embassy employee just opened the letters, passed it to someone who could read Thai to get a general idea of the subject (probably "naturalization"), and told me they would proceed exactly as they did with the guy preceding me with similar letters: I left with a certified true copy of my passport and a guideline to request my no criminal offense certificate online -as one can do in my country- which document I had translated and legalized later on.

Eventually I was handed back the letters at the embassy since they told me they would do nothing with them.
 

[Arkady]

8 hours ago, MrPatrickThai said:

There is no need for a stamp. There is no certifying body for translators in Thailand, i.e anyone could buy their own stamp. This stamp doesn't even mean an accurate translation, and can often be refused as incorrectly translated at the MoFA. Some places, however, will accept the stamp of a well-known translation office, without the need to go to MoFA.

All translation shops seem to put this stamp on their work automatically.  Definitely it doesn't mean it's a good translation and most of the translation shops use freelance translators with rather poor English which is very evident, if you need a translation from Thai to English. Some of it is close to gibberish but it still gets the shop's stamp of approval and most of it gets through MoFA as well, since the English of the MoFA translation checkers is at about the same level.   

[Arkady]

2 hours ago, GabbaGabbaHey said:

Both letters were in Thai language, one single page for each. There was no extensive information of the nationality act in it, but a couple of paragraphs who specified "according to the citizenship law number...".

The first letter was asking for 

- Certification that my passport is genuine (SB added a copy of it they had stamped with Thai indications - a format which would be hard to reuse by any embassy I guess, mine could not)
- Certification of no criminal offense in my country
The second letter was asking the embassy to produce a certificate of my intention to renounce my original nationality once I would be granted Thai nationality.

 

The embassy employee just opened the letters, passed it to someone who could read Thai to get a general idea of the subject (probably "naturalization"), and told me they would proceed exactly as they did with the guy preceding me with similar letters: I left with a certified true copy of my passport and a guideline to request my no criminal offense certificate online -as one can do in my country- which document I had translated and legalized later on.

Eventually I was handed back the letters at the embassy since they told me they would do nothing with them.
 

Sounds like they have rationalised the letters they produce for embassies.  What you describe makes a lot more sense than just sending a long, boring letter out of the blue about someone applying for citizenship after he has already obtained the necessary documents from the embassy, as in my case.  

[MrPatrickThai]

11 hours ago, GabbaGabbaHey said:

Both letters were in Thai language, one single page for each. There was no extensive information of the nationality act in it, but a couple of paragraphs who specified "according to the citizenship law number...".

The first letter was asking for 

- Certification that my passport is genuine (SB added a copy of it they had stamped with Thai indications - a format which would be hard to reuse by any embassy I guess, mine could not)
- Certification of no criminal offense in my country
The second letter was asking the embassy to produce a certificate of my intention to renounce my original nationality once I would be granted Thai nationality.

 

The embassy employee just opened the letters, passed it to someone who could read Thai to get a general idea of the subject (probably "naturalization"), and told me they would proceed exactly as they did with the guy preceding me with similar letters: I left with a certified true copy of my passport and a guideline to request my no criminal offense certificate online -as one can do in my country- which document I had translated and legalized later on.

Eventually I was handed back the letters at the embassy since they told me they would do nothing with them.
 

Can you confirm - the declaration of intent to renounce British/US etc citizenship is in Thai?

[GabbaGabbaHey]

36 minutes ago, MrPatrickThai said:

Can you confirm - the declaration of intent to renounce British/US etc citizenship is in Thai?

No, but the letter to the embassy asking for it is.

[GarryP]

2 hours ago, MrPatrickThai said:

Can you confirm - the declaration of intent to renounce British/US etc citizenship is in Thai?

I wrote my Declaration in English.