Permanent Residency

[NotaNutter]

If you get PR because you are married to a Thai, and then later you get divorced, do you lose the PR?

[sas_cars]

I don't think so.you just can't get a PR because being married to a thai.There are a lot of requirements as well.Being married to a thai just gives u relief in the PR fee and a bit of numbers in the overall process.That's it.

[Richard Hall]

If you get PR because you are married to a Thai, and then later you get divorced, do you lose the PR?

Generally, PR, a visa and even citizenship can always be revoked again although once granted if the holder behaves severely unlawful and/or causes damage to the country and its people.

As sas-cars indicated a PR (permanent residence permit) is never granted just on base of marriage but rather the applicant must qualify (3 years minimum stay on 1 year Non-Immigrant Visa extensions, possibly amount of income and tax payments, knowledge about the language and the country, proper personality etc.). Please make sure you are not mixing up PR with a Non Immigrant O Visa (extended in 1 year intervals) based on marriage (family support) to a Thai national. Latter can indeed become invalid if you divorce or at least the anual extensions will not be granted anymore except a child with Thai nationality has resulted from the marriage and the holder of the visa continues to be the financial supporter of that child.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I don't think so.you just can't get a PR because being married to a thai.There are a lot of requirements as well.Being married to a thai just gives u relief in the PR fee and a bit of numbers in the overall process.That's it.

that info' is absolutely correct

[PvtDick]

You'd have to do something really bad to get PR revoked. Like become engaged in a major criminal entanglement.

As for citizenship, I don't believe that can be revoked -- especially since, presumably, you would not have any other citizenship. You cannot be made stateless; where would they deport you to?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You'd have to do something really bad to get PR revoked. Like become engaged in a major criminal entanglement.

As for citizenship, I don't believe that can be revoked -- especially since, presumably, you would not have any other citizenship. You cannot be made stateless; where would they deport you to?

You would still have your original passport even after you became a citizen of Thailand.

[PvtDick]

Not necessarily. I know several people who have assumed Thai citizenship who no longer have citizenship in any other country.

A naturalized Thai has all the rights of any other Thai citizen. The government cannot strip a Thai citizen of his citizenship.

[Yohan]

Not necessarily. I know several people who have assumed Thai citizenship who no longer have citizenship in any other country.

A naturalized Thai has all the rights of any other Thai citizen. The government cannot strip a Thai citizen of his citizenship.

This is correct. However it is rare to receive permanent residence or citizenship of Thailand, often I think, it does not make very much sense to think about....

It is better you keep your European or US/Canadian/Australian/Japanese or whatever citizenship and accept the visa-procedure....

Just my opinion in my case: I am European citizen (Austria) and Japanese permanent residence status holder. No reason for me to require more than a tourist or retirement visa.

[PvtDick]

For you, perhaps. For others who choose to make Thailand their permanent homes, PR or citizenship makes life a whole lot simpler, stable, and more secure.

[Yohan]

Most countries object dual citizenship, this means, if you are from Japan or Austria, the citizenship will be nullified, because you got Thai nationality.

I have more confidence in Europe and Japan, than in Thailand, openly said, and I like the idea to be out from there, if something goes wrong (not only politically or economically but also with your private life....)

It is difficult then to reclaim the former citizenship again.....

Permanent residence permit is much more interesting, however it is difficult to get it in most countries in Asia, except Philippines, and it is not linked to the fact, that you are married to a local or not.

For Thailand you need over 10 million baht for investments, and I recommend to use this money for something else, instead for a permanent resident permit.... better search for other possibilities, like retirement visa, or make a holiday trip by plane every 3 months....

10 million baht is simply said too much....

[Falcon]

You'd have to do something really bad to get PR revoked.  Like become engaged in a major criminal entanglement.

As for citizenship, I don't believe that can be revoked -- especially since, presumably, you would not have any other citizenship.  You cannot be made stateless; where would they deport you to?

You would still have your original passport even after you became a citizen of Thailand.

Hey Dr PP,

FOr once you are wrong with your info. If you are granted a Thai citizenship and thus the Thai passport you have to hanbd in your old pp before you take receipt of your new Thai PP. Thai law only allows one citizenship and thus the one pp. Doesn't stop you having (keeping) the original nationality though, just need to plan ahead so as to keep two pp's of your original country and hand the first one over to the Thais, who are then "supposed" to send it back to the issuing country with details of the newly aquired citizenship. Whether this actually happens or not is anyones guess.

Falcon

[Erawan]

Are you 100% on that? Perhaps it's different to those born to a parent of a nationality other than Thai (one Thai, one not). I heard/read/was told that dual nationality is acceptable - but that may just be in cases like these.

[samran]

Thai law only allows one citizenship and thus the one pp.

actually no, the Thai nationality act of 2535 places no obligation on a person to hold only one citizenship.

It is a common misconception that dual citizenship is illegal in Thailand, but this opinion is based on old laws which have been over ridden by the 2535 legislation.

a search of this site will bring up most of the relevant info for those who are interested

[Yohan]

Thai law only allows one citizenship and thus the one pp.

actually no, the Thai nationality act of 2535 places no obligation on a person to hold only one citizenship.

It is a common misconception that dual citizenship is illegal in Thailand, but this opinion is based on old laws which have been over ridden by the 2535 legislation.

a search of this site will bring up most of the relevant info for those who are interested

The question is not only, what the Thai law says....

The question is what says your former country about dual citizenship.

This depends mostly on bi-lateral agreements....

For example, it is possible to hold dual citizenship between Malaysia and Thailand, but it is not possible to hold both Japan and Thai.

Many countries exclude dual citizenship except for minors, who have to make a choice later on.

[john b good]

Thai law only allows one citizenship and thus the one pp.

actually no, the Thai nationality act of 2535 places no obligation on a person to hold only one citizenship.

It is a common misconception that dual citizenship is illegal in Thailand, but this opinion is based on old laws which have been over ridden by the 2535 legislation.

a search of this site will bring up most of the relevant info for those who are interested

The question is not only, what the Thai law says....

The question is what says your former country about dual citizenship.

This depends mostly on bi-lateral agreements....

For example, it is possible to hold dual citizenship between Malaysia and Thailand, but it is not possible to hold both Japan and Thai.

Many countries exclude dual citizenship except for minors, who have to make a choice later on.

Maybe if they closed the door on dual (Thai/Malaysian) citizenship it would go some way to resolving the issues in the south.

Leastaways it would enable a closer watch being kept on persons flitting back and forth across the border, some of whom who are clearly furthering the separatist movement and conflict. (so the hierachy think anyway)

[Richard Hall]

Not necessarily. I know several people who have assumed Thai citizenship who no longer have citizenship in any other country.

A naturalized Thai has all the rights of any other Thai citizen. The government cannot strip a Thai citizen of his citizenship.

I wouldn't absolutely rely on that. Look at the situation of the hilltribe people and in some cases it appears citizenship was granted but then revoked again for various reasons.

Even if someone manages to obtain Thai citizenship by natualization the situation will always be different from a natually born Thai. Other than in most Western countries in Asia the blood line plays an important role. The Thai language therefore although distinguishes between nationality (san chad) and origin by blood (chuea chad). Even in the tabian bahn it is referred to this. I recently just had the one of my landlady in my hands and was amazed to read: Nationality: Thai, Blood origin: Chinese.

Thai nationality will never make you 100% Thai but just a Farang holding Thai citizenship. Also the National anthem refers to the unification of Thai blood and not nationality. Particularly in Asia blood appears to be much much thicker than water.

Yohan correct me if I am wrong: I understand that a person born in Japan in xxgeneration but has still Korean blood in his veins from an ancestor many moons ago will never qualify for Japanese citizenship.

By the way, it is an old trick by countries having some for their citizen on the "wanted list" get in trouble. Just announce their passports to be invalid which makes the holders automatically illegal immigrants abroad and gives a foreign authority the right to arrest and deport them without a trial.

Imagine a naturalized Thai citizen does VERY WRONG in terms of damaging the reputation of the country. Well, you revoke the citizenship and now you either have the choice of deportation (provided that the person has dual nationality) or arrest him/her as an illegal immigrant. No place to send? Never mind just keep that individual behind bars. Who would care and intervene because it is a 100% national affair and well, many embassies appear to not even care much if their own actual cititzens get stuck in a difficult situation abroad. Basically a government can do what it wants to do on its own soil provided that it does not mind a little "barking" possibly coming from abroad.