3 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

I cannot see any link!

How do I access it?

Click on link in first post from OP.

Just checked. No problem.

Even better... Ignore this guesswork thread

7 hours ago, Celsius said:

Criminals don't do extensions

Criminals in other countries definitely

As noted now on the Thailand News topic, the whole to do is only the procedures that now have to be followed IF Immigration asks you for a criminal background check and provides you with the proper letter to request such check from the records bureau.

9 hours ago, gargamon said:

What exactly are they testing them against? I'm pretty sure that they don't have access to fingerprints of all the world's criminals.

They, ie immigration, might check your fingerprints against the data recorded on the chip in your passport, if you have that type of passport.

23 minutes ago, JerryM said:

As noted now on the Thailand News topic, the whole to do is only the procedures that now have to be followed IF Immigration asks you for a criminal background check and provides you with the proper letter to request such check from the records bureau.

And as we all know, Immigration officers have discretion so, if they tell you need a criminal background check, then you need a criminal background check.

Maybe more easy to check when they enter the country , like in Bangkok at the airport ? ? ? All the information they need should be on their screens already.

23 minutes ago, Maestro said:

They, ie immigration, might check your fingerprints against the data recorded on the chip in your passport, if you have that type of passport.

I think those chips are mandatory now. I don't recall giving them my fingerprints when I applied for mine. But if you're correct, they're only doing a verification that the person attempting to enter is the same person that the passport represents. Still no criminal background check because i'm sure that isn't recorded in the chip.

All part of Thailand's latest Dog & Pony show. against foreigners.

While doing nothing about it's own internal problems.

Carry on Thailand, yawn,

2 minutes ago, rocketboy2 said:

All part of Thailand's latest Dog & Pony show. against foreigners.

While doing nothing about it's own internal problems.

Carry on Thailand, yawn,

There is nothing in this announcement to suggest that Immigration WILL start asking for criminal background checks -- only IF they choose to do so, these are the new procedures that must be followed.

Edited July 20Jul 20 by JerryM

12 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Haven't seen this reported elsewhere on the forum yet.

Thailand updates criminal record check rules for foreign applicants

This requirement applies to nine specific categories of applications, including key immigration procedures such as permanent residence and extensions of stay.

Has anyone else heard about this? Sounds pretty intrusive.

Unfortunately, it is a necessary intrusion. Thailand already has foreigners fingerprints and biometric data on file if the foreigners have passed through an airport. It is SOP procedure for most countries. Foreigners can't enter the EU or the USA without giving fingerprints and biometric data. Same for China, Japan, South korea,

11 hours ago, ukrules said:

They don't allow Thailand access to that information, ever. Nobody does.

Canada and the USA share information in real time. Australia, New Zealand, UK can access the information through an input matching process.

We're required to provide fingerprints upon returning to Thailand from our foreign travels in any event, so there would be no big deal here as far as I was concerned. However, where I would draw the line is if, instead of fingerprints, the Immigration Bureau were to inflict on us at annual extension of stay time the facial recognition nonsense which banks here are hell-bent on inflicting on us through their lousy apps!

Duplicate post.

Edited July 21Jul 21 by OJAS

18 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

The wording on that post is pretty vague. If they actually mean for every extension through immigration, that's going to be hundreds/thousands of background checks per week for tourists. I don't think that department could handle that.

If your vision is limited to hundreds of immigration staff in dusty offices all over the country doing point-and-click searches on the internet, I agree.

However, if you consider AI-enabled screening of the very low percentage of foreigners on extensions, it will probably be easy to implement.

19 hours ago, gargamon said:

What exactly are they testing them against? I'm pretty sure that they don't have access to fingerprints of all the world's criminals.

I'm pretty sure that nobody on this forum knows exactly what personal data is shared between governments, criminal or otherwise.

22 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Haven't seen this reported elsewhere on the forum yet.

Thailand updates criminal record check rules for foreign applicants

This requirement applies to nine specific categories of applications, including key immigration procedures such as permanent residence and extensions of stay.

nationthailand

Thailand updates criminal record check rules for foreign...

Thailand requires fingerprint-based criminal record checks for nine procedures, including permanent residence, stay extensions and nationality applications.

Has anyone else heard about this? Sounds pretty intrusive.

22 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Haven't seen this reported elsewhere on the forum yet.

Thailand updates criminal record check rules for foreign applicants

This requirement applies to nine specific categories of applications, including key immigration procedures such as permanent residence and extensions of stay.

nationthailand

Thailand updates criminal record check rules for foreign...

Thailand requires fingerprint-based criminal record checks for nine procedures, including permanent residence, stay extensions and nationality applications.

Has anyone else heard about this? Sounds pretty intrusive.

22 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Haven't seen this reported elsewhere on the forum yet.

Thailand updates criminal record check rules for foreign applicants

This requirement applies to nine specific categories of applications, including key immigration procedures such as permanent residence and extensions of stay.

nationthailand

Thailand updates criminal record check rules for foreign...

Thailand requires fingerprint-based criminal record checks for nine procedures, including permanent residence, stay extensions and nationality applications.

Has anyone else heard about this? Sounds pretty intrusive.

GUessing this will be applied to future applications for extensions and for future PR applications.

Seems doubtful that past PR holds weren't checked for any past convictions.

In my day (29 years ago, I had to provide a checkable clear police record indication no past convictions along with my application documents.

In my day I lodged all my documents and 2 minutes later, all in a rush, a snr police officer (perfect English) appeared asking if I had time right then to have my interview.

I indicated YES and he then conducted a serious thorough inteview checking my past activities in Thailand and before I came to Thailand, he questioned me thoroughly about my ability to provide funding for myself in ultimate retirement and my education.

He shared that he had completed high school and several degrees in Australia (when he was posted to a Thai police liaison team in Australia*. And he had completed a Ph.D. when he returned to Thailand.

(*I rather doubt that he would have been accepted into this team by his Australia counterparts if they had any doubts about his professionalism and past record.)

The interview lasted over 2 hrs and included the officer talking (by phone) to 3 different Thai employees who were under my supervision and he asked each one whether they were aware of any corruption on my part. These interviews were all in English. The Snr. police officer asked each of my subordinated if they could discuss in English. All answered yes because all had spent several years in education abroad.

in retrospect I'm sure the police officer would have picked up any hint of me having any past police record.

The interview timing has of course now changed.

5 hours ago, NanLaew said:

If your vision is limited to hundreds of immigration staff in dusty offices all over the country doing point-and-click searches on the internet, I agree.

However, if you consider AI-enabled screening of the very low percentage of foreigners on extensions, it will probably be easy to implement.

I'm referencing how long it currently takes to get a criminal record done. Since it's the same Criminal Records department that issued this document, I would assume they're the same people that already take multiple days or weeks to process a criminal records check. Add in thousands of new criminal records check every day between people applying for a first time drivers license, and visa extensions, and you have a recipe for disaster and multiple week waiting periods.

2 minutes ago, BrandonJT said:

I'm referencing how long it currently takes to get a criminal record done. Since it's the same Criminal Records department that issued this document, I would assume they're the same people that already take multiple days or weeks to process a criminal records check. Add in thousands of new criminal records check every day between people applying for a first time drivers license, and visa extensions, and you have a recipe for disaster and multiple week waiting periods.

I'm referencing how the implementation of AI can change or replace old and slow procedures.

I'm not arguing as any implementation with regard to visas or extensions is still in the realm of speculation, but I won't be overly surprised if/when it manifests as an "instant-on" reality.

5 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I'm not arguing as any implementation with regard to visas or extensions is still in the realm of speculation, but I won't be overly surprised if/when it manifests as an "instant-on" reality.

What does that even vaguely mean.

By way of example.. Applications for Non O-A require police clearance.

The notion that police clearance from pp country would be required for future extension is fanciful at best

14 hours ago, JerryM said:

There is nothing in this announcement to suggest that Immigration WILL start asking for criminal background checks -- only IF they choose to do so, these are the new procedures that must be followed.

Still scaremongering and extreme nationalism. Doesn't exactly make law-abiding foreigners with long-term residency feel welcome anymore.

Felt

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

What does that even vaguely mean.

By way of example.. Applications for Non O-A require police clearance.

The notion that police clearance from pp country would be required for future extension is fanciful at best

It means what it says.

What has an O-A application got to do with ANYTHING being discussed on this thread which is about the possibility of more extensive personal background checks?

I'm not here to argue, nor am I here to assist with your inability to comprehend what's bleeding obvious.

19 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I'm not here to argue, nor am I here to assist with your inability to comprehend what's bleeding obvious.

What is obvious is that Thai immigration for extensions would not be able to do meaningful background check.

Even fingerprint check upon entry at airports is bit of a joke.

All it would do is confirm match with pp details.

In reality does nothing.

BTW: Try failed fingerprint scan 3 times.. Guess what happens.

It's approved.

29 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

What has an O-A application got to do with ANYTHING being discussed on this thread which is about the possibility of more extensive personal background checks?

The point is a Non O-A application actually requires a police background check.

Read the thread heading...

How on earth would fingerprint check provide any useful check when applying for annual extension.

42 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The point is a Non O-A application actually requires a police background check.

Read the thread heading...

How on earth would fingerprint check provide any useful check when applying for annual extension.

I know it does, but since there's no mention of a Non O-A application in the thread heading or in the Nation article the OP has linked to, what's the relevance here? Rhetorical...

Finger printing of annual extension applicants, if it happens, should improve national security by reducing some of the immigration fraud that does exist.

Not everyone on a retirement extension is living a quiet, retired life. Not everyone residing here on a marriage extension may be actually married. They may not even be the person named in the passport.

17 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Finger printing of annual extension applicants, if it happens, should improve national security by reducing some of the immigration fraud that does exist.

How

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

How

Covered in the paragraph you omitted to include in your response.

You don't agree, that's fine. You do you.

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

How

As posted on page 1 this topic:

I doubt agents would be happy with this,

I am surprised by the reactions above. fingerprinting for extensions happens to me already for the last 18 yrs, first in Nan Imm. and last years in Phrae immigration. Wonder why in other parts of Thailand this fingerprinting for extension is not required?

Yes, there is truth to the rumour. Thailand’s Criminal Records Division, under the Royal Thai Police, has officially mandated that criminal record checks for nine official procedures—including extensions of stay and permanent residency—must be conducted using fingerprints.

Previously, basic name-only or partial checks were accepted in some cases, but authorities have phased out this practice to strengthen background screenings. This stricter biometric requirement applies to all foreign nationals seeking to legally extend their stay or verify their background status in the country.

Thailand Immigration's standard protocol is to retain biometrics taken on entry. When you scan your fingers and face at airport immigration, that data is meant to be logged into their permanent database. This allows them to track your entry/exit patterns, verify your identity upon subsequent visits, and catch individuals attempting to bypass bans by changing names or passports.

However, there is an important and ongoing technical asterisk regarding data retention:

• The Database Capacity Issue: The Thai Immigration Bureau revealed that their national biometric system reached its maximum storage capacity.

• The Consequences: Due to this system overload, authorities admitted they completely failed to fully record and store advanced biometric profiles (like complete fingerprint mapping and facial recognition profiles) for roughly 17 million travelers.

• What Actually Happened: If you arrived during that period, border officers were still capturing photos of your face and scanning your fingers, but the system was only saving them as static flat images—similar to a physical photocopy—rather than cross-referencing or permanently archiving them as functional, searchable biometric data.

• The Current Status: The government has budgeted 3 billion baht to fully overhaul the biometric system with unlimited storage infrastructure, a rollout that is heavily underway alongside their newer automated exit systems.
  

Because of these backend storage failures, immigration offices cannot always reliably retrieve an active, high-quality biometric profile from your past airport arrivals. This is a primary reason why they are implementing the new, localized fingerprint checks for visa extensions. They need a fresh, verifiable physical scan to run local criminal background checks independently of the airport database.

This doesn't rule out the use of an agent to expedite renewal but it will rule out "no show" renewals where the agent attends the renewal on behalf of the applicant.

Edited July 22Jul 22 by IsaanT

The new system does close a significant security loophole that "undesirables" have exploited for decades.

What it DOES catch (The "Meaningful" Part)

The primary security value of this check is identity persistence within Thailand, not international discovery.

• The "New Passport" Loophole: Previously, if a foreigner committed a crime or was blacklisted in Thailand, they could potentially return to their home country, legally change their name, get a fresh passport with a new number, and re-enter Thailand as a "new" person. A name-based check would come up clean.

• Biometric Anchoring: By mandating fingerprints, the Royal Thai Police anchor your history to your physical identity. Even if you change your name or passport three times, your fingerprints will link you back to any prior Thai criminal history or blacklist status.

• Interpol & Warrants: The check acts as a gateway to the Foreign Affairs Division database, which screens for active international arrest warrants (Red Notices). While this isn't a full criminal history, it does catch major fugitives hiding in Thailand.

What it likely MISSES

This is not a deep-dive into your domestic history back home.

• No Direct Foreign Access: Thai Immigration does not have a direct pipeline into the FBI's NCIC, the UK's PNC, or other domestic databases for standard visa extensions. They cannot see if you have a drunk driving conviction in Texas or a theft charge in Manchester unless that information has been elevated to an international warrant level (Interpol).

• Thai-Centric Scope: The check is primarily processed by the Thai Criminal Records Division. Its main function is to ensure you haven't broken laws in Thailand, rather than vetting your character based on your life abroad.

On 7/20/2026 at 7:17 PM, msbkk said:

Every time you enter Thailand your fingerprints are recorded anyway. No need to worry about one additional time at immigration.

Quite. The majority of us will have done fingerprints on arrival but doing it with extensions would pick up those that arrived some years ago and have never left.

Back in 2010 when I applied for the yellow book I had to wait 6 weeks for it while they did a police check but never heard of any other office doing that.