Thailand grants citizenship to half a million people – but not farangs

[Enquiry123]

Have people applied ? Is it a hassle ?Do I need to have a Thai friend to certify the application ?

[steve187]

different areas different rules, you would be better posting where you would be applying

mine was easy, but the lady that does them in our amphur lives a few doors away

[Crossy]

Yeah ^^^. 

 

It ranges between "piece of cake", through "absolute nightmare", to "totally impossible".

 

Best bet is to trot over to your local ampur office, you will need a Thai speaker, to find out exactly what they need.

[UWEB]

7 minutes ago, Enquiry123 said:

Have people applied ? Is it a hassle ?Do I need to have a Thai friend to certify the application ?

You need a yellow Housebook to get the pink ID Card. Do you have one?

[ballpoint]

You need to get your yellow "tabian bahn" (house registration) book first, a process which, as Steve187 says above, seems to differ in ease according to where you are.  The starting point will be your local amphur/district office.  Once you have the book the ID card is just a formality.

[soi3eddie]

Here we go again. How many times has this PinkID/Yellow book topic been discussed?

 

• Not easy to do anywhere. 
• Some district offices will do it, some won't.
• Some offices require marriage and/or property (condo) ownership, some don't.
• Just go to your local office and ask what they require. 

 

Please post back here and let us know what they told you.

 

Ps. I did mine in Phaya Thai, Bangkok. They didn't really want to do it. Gave me the run around regarding paperwork etc. Took 3 visits over 2 months. You will almost certainly need a Thai speaker to assist you, Thai witnesses for signatures, a one year visa/extension of stay, certified copies of passport and birth certificate.

 

Edited January 22 by soi3eddie

[grain]

I went with my TGF to our local amphur a few months ago, was told to go get legally married then come back and ask again. So I've given up on ever having one.

[brianthainess]

20 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

certified copies of passport and birth certificate.

I needed neither. so not always true.

[Wobblybob]

My wife did my pink ID Card, I just tagged along acting like an ornament, the village headman acted as a witness. The man from the district office came out to go through some paperwork at our house on one occasion (a few baht changed hands) and finally down to the district office for finger printing and for the photo taken. 

Had it about 4 years now, don't think I have ever used it, infact it's just like a bidet, nobody knows what it is used for, but it looks very impressive anyway. 🥴

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Yeah ^^^. 

 

It ranges between "piece of cake", through "absolute nightmare", to "totally impossible".

 

Best bet is to trot over to your local ampur office, you will need a Thai speaker, to find out exactly what they need.

 

And take all your visa documents, passport, reporting proof, house tabien baan book, everything.

 

The pink card is available with some visa types but not with all.

 

Is available to permanent residents

 

Go to your amphur office and check.

 

 

 

[Hokeus]

Note that item #3 of the standard terms on the back of pink cards state that the cardholder is not permitted to leave the area. What it says exactly is this:

 

๓. ห้ามผู้มีชื่อในบัตรออกนอกพื้นที่ออกบัตร เว้นแต่ผู้ซึ่งมีใบสำคัญประจำตัวคนต่างด้าวหรือ ผู้ที่ได้รับอนุญาตเป็นลายลักษณ์อักษร

 

The reason for this is because the majority of pink card holders are migrant workers from neighboring countries who aren't permitted to travel outside of the district that they reside in Thailand without having permission. 
 

The impact of this, for example, is if you intend to use the pink card for proof of residence address when applying for a driving license in Thailand is that they will only be able to issue you a driving license that only allows you to drive within the province where the driving license is issued. 
 

In general, the pink card has fairly limited use and value and in many cases isn't worth the effort if you don't have a yellow book already and/or if the district office will make it difficult for you to meet their guidelines to get one. 

[Hokeus]

32 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

And take all your visa documents, passport, reporting proof, house tabien baan book, everything.

 

The pink card is available with some visa types but not with all.

 

Is available to permanent residents

 

Go to your amphur office and check.

 

 

 

It's not only available to permanent residents. Anyone on a long term "O" category visa can apply too. Also, people on a work permit with a one year visa are also eligible. 

[Hokeus]

1 hour ago, grain said:

I went with my TGF to our local amphur a few months ago, was told to go get legally married then come back and ask again. So I've given up on ever having one.

Legal marriage to a Thai is not one of legal requirements. The main requirements are a valid yellow book, a valid long term visa, and a Thai translator/witness to accompany you during the process to verify that you understand what's stated in the documents that you will be required to fill out and sign for the card. 

[Hokeus]

57 minutes ago, Wobblybob said:

My wife did my pink ID Card, I just tagged along acting like an ornament, the village headman acted as a witness. The man from the district office came out to go through some paperwork at our house on one occasion (a few baht changed hands) and finally down to the district office for finger printing and for the photo taken. 

Had it about 4 years now, don't think I have ever used it, infact it's just like a bidet, nobody knows what it is used for, but it looks very impressive anyway. 🥴

You can use it in many situations in Thailand in lieu of your passport where you might be required to show a photo ID. But if you don't have one, and you also don't want to carry your passport at all times, then in some instances a photo of your passport presented on your phone screen will suffice. 

[scubascuba3]

Why do you want a pink ID card? really don't need one

[flexomike]

5 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Why do you want a pink ID card? really don't need one

A lot of things in life you don't need, but some things make life a little easier. I have used mine at banks, hotels, post office, entering some National Parks.

 

[ezzra]

I'm waiting for the purple one doted with rhinestones to come out...

[The Fugitive]

1 hour ago, grain said:

I went with my TGF to our local amphur a few months ago, was told to go get legally married then come back and ask again. So I've given up on ever having one.

Initially, my amphur (supervisor) told us there were only two requirements; 1) Living in the amphoe for over 12 months and, 2) Be legally married. When both of those requirements applied we returned to be told they required a translated and certified copy of my passport plus full form birth certificate. I pointed out that we had not long since supplied a copy of my passport for marriage registration so they will either have it in paper form and/or scanned image. They said 'no good, we need another.' My birth certificate is a 'short form' (no parents details) so that wouldn't be acceptable either. Same as you, gave up at that point.

[Hokeus]

4 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Initially, my amphur (supervisor) told us there were only two requirements; 1) Living in the amphoe for over 12 months and, 2) Be legally married. When both of those requirements applied we returned to be told they required a translated and certified copy of my passport plus full form birth certificate. I pointed out that we had not long since supplied a copy of my passport for marriage registration so they will either have it in paper form and/or scanned image. They said 'no good, we need another.' My birth certificate is a 'short form' (no parents details) so that wouldn't be acceptable either. Same as you, gave up at that point.

The certified translation of your passport is a standard requirement for obtaining the yellow book and will need to be done by a Thai government office. If you're in Bangkok I think that it can be done at one of the government offices in the complex out in CW. Fee is around 1,000 Baht I recall, plus a small extra processing fee if you want to have it done for you while you wait. 
 

Birth certificate don't know about. Never heard of that as a requirement for anything in Thailand. Passport already certifies your date and place of birth. 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Hokeus said:

Note that item #3 of the standard terms on the back of pink cards state that the cardholder is not permitted to leave the area. What it says exactly is this:

 

๓. ห้ามผู้มีชื่อในบัตรออกนอกพื้นที่ออกบัตร เว้นแต่ผู้ซึ่งมีใบสำคัญประจำตัวคนต่างด้าวหรือ ผู้ที่ได้รับอนุญาตเป็นลายลักษณ์อักษร

 

The reason for this is because the majority of pink card holders are migrant workers from neighboring countries who aren't permitted to travel outside of the district that they reside in Thailand without having permission. 
 

The impact of this, for example, is if you intend to use the pink card for proof of residence address when applying for a driving license in Thailand is that they will only be able to issue you a driving license that only allows you to drive within the province where the driving license is issued. 

 

Not quite true and has been heavily debated in the past with a selective interpretation of the wording. 

 

As we have 'passports' that ID takes precedence over the Pink ID which as you mention is 'restricted to area' - that doesn't mean 'we are restricted to that area if we hold the Pink ID as we have our passport which supersedes this'....   

... on the back of the card there is a statement "The holder of this card is prohibited from leaving the issuing area except for those who have an alien identification"... (in this context the alien identification is a Passport)

 

While our DL is obtained through our Pink ID, it is registered to us (the person) with Name, DOB and photo, thus remains valid outside of the 'are stated on the Pink ID'.... 

 

On the back of the Thai DL there is also a comment that states... "Restrictions on use / Restrictions in the case of driving outside the area, us it together with a permission letter to leave the area"... 

... some misinterpret this to mean the holder cannot drive outside of the province (if the DL was obtained with a pink ID) - this is incorrect... 'Outside of the area' refers to outside of Thailand... in this case, 'written permission' is an IDP to drive with the Thai License (and IDP) outside of Thailand. 

 

 

--------

 

Back on Topic: 

Two separate points for the OP.

- There is the Yellow House Book (Tabien Baan) - for foreigners. 

- There is the Pink ID.

 

The Pink ID is obtained after obtaining the Yellow House Book. 

Obtaining the Pink ID is very very simple and takes a matter of minutes.

Obtaining the Yellow House Book takes some leg work and often requires a lot of documentation.

 

The Yellow House Book has its uses (i.e. for proof of address - DL / Banking etc), but the hassle of obtaining this may outweigh the usefulness.

The Pink ID (can be handy as ID), but is by no means a necessity.

 

The only true way to know what is required (how much hoop jumping) to obtain the Yellow House Book is to go to the Amphur and ask. 

 

Usually required documents are:

1) MFA Verified Translation of an Embassy Verified Copy of your Passport..

i.e.

(a) - Go to Embassy and Get a Verified Copy of Passport

(b) - Get that officially translated into Thai (i.e. at MFA building).

(c) - Get the Translation verified by MFA. 

 

 

 

[OJAS]

34 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

As we have 'passports' that ID takes precedence over the Pink ID which as you mention is 'restricted to area' - that doesn't mean 'we are restricted to that area if we hold the Pink ID as we have our passport which supersedes this'....   

... on the back of the card there is a statement "The holder of this card is prohibited from leaving the issuing area except for those who have an alien identification"... (in this context the alien identification is a Passport)

 

Until such time as the pink card can be made to act on an equal footing to our passports for ID purposes (presumably through the inclusion of the most important piece of personal information in our case, namely the date when our current permission to stay in Thailand is due to expire) then it strikes me as really not worth bothering about, as @scubascuba3 has said.

Edited January 22 by OJAS

[Tazmo]

Has anyone ever got one in Chiang Mai, Mae Rim district?

visited a few times and got all the paperwork but still heard nothing. Going back tomorrow with Immigration letter. My Thai Partner accompanies me. The house is in her name!

 I will update if any progress.

[Hokeus]

42 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Not quite true and has been heavily debated in the past with a selective interpretation of the wording. 

 

As we have 'passports' that ID takes precedence over the Pink ID which as you mention is 'restricted to area' - that doesn't mean 'we are restricted to that area if we hold the Pink ID as we have our passport which supersedes this'....   

... on the back of the card there is a statement "The holder of this card is prohibited from leaving the issuing area except for those who have an alien identification"... (in this context the alien identification is a Passport)

 

While our DL is obtained through our Pink ID, it is registered to us (the person) with Name, DOB and photo, thus remains valid outside of the 'are stated on the Pink ID'.... 

 

On the back of the Thai DL there is also a comment that states... "Restrictions on use / Restrictions in the case of driving outside the area, us it together with a permission letter to leave the area"... 

... some misinterpret this to mean the holder cannot drive outside of the province (if the DL was obtained with a pink ID) - this is incorrect... 'Outside of the area' refers to outside of Thailand... in this case, 'written permission' is an IDP to drive with the Thai License (and IDP) outside of Thailand. 

 

 

--------

 

Back on Topic: 

Two separate points for the OP.

- There is the Yellow House Book (Tabien Baan) - for foreigners. 

- There is the Pink ID.

 

The Pink ID is obtained after obtaining the Yellow House Book. 

Obtaining the Pink ID is very very simple and takes a matter of minutes.

Obtaining the Yellow House Book takes some leg work and often requires a lot of documentation.

 

The Yellow House Book has its uses (i.e. for proof of address - DL / Banking etc), but the hassle of obtaining this may outweigh the usefulness.

The Pink ID (can be handy as ID), but is by no means a necessity.

 

The only true way to know what is required (how much hoop jumping) to obtain the Yellow House Book is to go to the Amphur and ask. 

 

Usually required documents are:

1) MFA Verified Translation of an Embassy Verified Copy of your Passport..

i.e.

(a) - Go to Embassy and Get a Verified Copy of Passport

(b) - Get that officially translated into Thai (i.e. at MFA building).

(c) - Get the Translation verified by MFA. 

 

 

 

I did not intend to suggest that the clause on the back of the pink card will limit a pink card holder's movements within Thailand of someone who has a passport and who isn't a migrant worker.
 

However, I was told directly by DLT that if you want to use a pink card for address verification (as opposed to obtaining a letter of residence address verification from the Thai immigration department) that the pink card will be accepted as such but that the DL issued would only permit driving of a vehicle in the province in which the DL was issued. I'm only repeating what I was told directly by the DLT back in 2020. If this is really not the law then that would be good news. 

[Maestro]

3 hours ago, grain said:

I went with my TGF to our local amphur a few months ago, was told to go get legally married then come back and ask again. So I've given up on ever having one.

 

Since different district offices are known to have different requirements, all reports of personal experience are of little or no use to the OP, who failed to indicate on in what district in what province he lives.

 

@Enquiry123  Would you like to add that missing piece of information, in case someone reading it has had experience with the same district office?

[Maestro]

14 minutes ago, Tazmo said:

...My Thai Partner accompanies me. The house is in her name!..

 

Is your Thai partner your lawful wedded wife or a partner of some other kind? In some district offices, this apparently makes a difference when applying for the yellow house registration book and the pink ID Card.

[richard_smith237]

48 minutes ago, Hokeus said:

I did not intend to suggest that the clause on the back of the pink card will limit a pink card holder's movements within Thailand of someone who has a passport and who isn't a migrant worker.

 

Understood - the 'migrant worker' argument is often cited to suggest limited movements of Westerners holding Pink ID - I just wanted to clear that up.

 

48 minutes ago, Hokeus said:

However, I was told directly by DLT that if you want to use a pink card for address verification (as opposed to obtaining a letter of residence address verification from the Thai immigration department) that the pink card will be accepted as such but that the DL issued would only permit driving of a vehicle in the province in which the DL was issued. I'm only repeating what I was told directly by the DLT back in 2020. If this is really not the law then that would be good news. 

 

Who every gave you that information at DLT was incorrect....  The Thai Driving Licence is a national Licence and has no province limitations. 

 

It is often the case in Thailand that someone in an official capacity who should know better lacks the humility to be honest and say they 'don't know'...  this is perhaps such as situation (in fact its often the situation here and 'I don't know is often replaced with cannot' !!)... 

 

 

 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

These pink IDs and yellow books seem to be life changing for some people

[novacova]

3 hours ago, Hokeus said:

In general, the pink card has fairly limited use and value and in many cases isn't worth the effort

I think it’s just a novelty item, worthless 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

These pink IDs and yellow books seem to be life changing for some people

 

After the initial leg work of obtaining the Yellow House Book, the book itself has proven useful and has saved time and money.

 

The Pink ID less so, but the additional time to obtain it makes it worth while... just for the convenience of carrying a form of ID that can be used in the Banks etc (if out and about without a Passport etc).

 

 

Life Changing ?? - no of course not, such a statement is only made with a degree of sarcasm by people such as yourself who seem to project that others place a greater degree of importance on the pink ID than you'd agree with - its called Gaslighting !

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, novacova said:

I think it’s just a novelty item, worthless 

 

Its been useful...  (but most definitely not essential)... 

 

- Popping into the Bank (unplanned) and needing to do something (my bank have not accepted DL in the past).

- Opening another Bank Account (with Yellow Book)

- Travelled with Pink ID when passport is in for visa purposes (DL not accepted in the past when attempting the same)

- Had it on me as proof of ID when I decided to switch from SIM to eSIM (needed to show ID for that - Pink ID accepted, DL not)

- Yellow Book as proof of Address (i.e. Driving Licence) - saving a few 1000 baht (each time) from getting Embassy letter.

- Handy ID during police stops (if stopped and not carrying passport - DL usually accepted in this situation though).

 

How useful the Pink ID and Yellow House Book can be is a purely individual thing...

... To any of the above situations there will be alternatives, such as 'plan and carry your passport'... or 'they accepted my Driving Licence' or 'they accepted a copy of my Passport'.. or..  'can get a proof of address from immigration' (you can't if you haven't done a 90 day report).... 

 

So.. the Pink ID has its uses, though I've hardly used mine, but it wasn't the Pink ID I was bothered about, I wanted the Yellow House Book for proof of address purposes... I was sick of getting ripped off by the British Embassy 2000 baht (or however much it was) each time I needed an Affirmation of Address.