Thai Citizenship - Possible?

Thanh-BKK · October 28, 2004

Hello

I would like to know if it is possible for a foreigner (german) to become a thai citizen, and how to do it?

Longer time ago i read on some website that there is a possibility of getting it by becoming a monk in a thai buddhist temple for at least six months. Thai language knowledge would be required, of course. Is this true?

Is there any other possibility?

My passport shows clearly that i am living here since almost 4 years, first on a tourist visa, then a double-entry tourist visa, then two consecutive one-year non-B visas and since then (over a year now) monthly Cambodia-runs. I did not commit to any crime during that period, i.e. i am "clean".

In my country germany the required time of stay is five years. How about in Thailand?

Btw i am willing to give up the german citizenship if that is required.

Any advise?

Regards

Thanh

p_brownstone · October 28, 2004

Sorry to say, but you have absolutely no chance of qualifying for Thai citizenship on the basis of what you record here.

Thanh-BKK · October 28, 2004

Sorry to say, but you have absolutely no chance of qualifying for Thai citizenship on the basis of what you record here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello

Well, what do i need to do then to qualify? Or is it just about money, like almost everything else? There must be a way to get thai citizenship, i heared of a "quota" for citizens of each country to be allowed per year, or something like that....... where can i get some info on that? Googling brings a lot of confuding stuff.

Regards....

Thanh

george · October 28, 2004

“To qualify to apply for Thai citizenship, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

- He or she must be 18 years old or older and also have reached legal majority in his or her country of origin.

- He or she must be of good behavior and background. The following will be checked: criminal record; political background; involvement with illegal drugs and, in the case of Vietnamese applicants, personal behavior.

- If working in Thailand, he or she must have an income of at least 80,000 baht a month or have paid taxes in the year the citizenship application is made of 100,000 baht or more.

- If living in Thailand for “reasons of humanity” such as being marriage with a Thai people or having a Thai-born child or having graduated from a university in Thailand, he or she must have an income of at least 30,000 baht a month and be able to prove that he or she has paid taxes in Thailand for at least three years.

- He or she must have lived in Thailand contunously for at least five years before applying.

- The applicant must know the Thai language, including speaking, listening and understand, be able to sing the National Anthem and Sanserm Phra Baramee and pass an interview in Thai with government officers.

- Points are awarded to applicants on the following basis: Age and education, 25 points; Occupation, 35 points; Length of residence in Thailand, 10 points; Relationship with Thai people and Thailand, 10 points; Thai language knowledge, 10 points; Personality, 10 points.

- Applicants must score a total of at least 50 points in order to qualify for consideration. They must also have two guarantors of their behavior and assets. These guarantors must not be relatives.

Documents applicants must supply are;

- Five copies of passport

- Five copies of documents verifiying address in Thailand

- Five copies of work permit

- Five copies of house registration

- Five copies of marriage registration (translated into Thai)

- Two copies each of ID cards and house registrations of two people who guarantee the applicant’s behavior and assets.

- Copy of birth certification, ID card or passport of a wife or husband and children, if any. If the applicant has changed names or surnames, documents relating to these must also be provided.

- Documents showing income tax paid over the past three years.

- In the case of applicant being a director or partner in a limited liability company or partnership, documents verifying that company taxes have been paid for three years.

- Two copies each of company or partnership registration, licenses, lists of shareholders, value-added taxes and other related documents of the organization the applicant works at.

- Two documents verifying occupation from the organization where he or she works. Salary and position of the applicant must be stated, and the documents must be signed by an authorized person in that organization.

- Two documents verifying the applicant’s educational background and those of his or her children, if any.

- A document verifying bank accounts, and showing they contain a minimum of 80,000 baht.

- A document verifying donations to charity. These should total not less than 5,000 baht and the money must have been donated a long time ago – not just a time to support the citizenship application.

- A dozen photographs, 2.5x2.5 inches in size, showing the applicant dressed politely.

- A document verifying that the applicant has reaches majority according to the laws in his or her country of origin.

- Applicants must present all original documents in person, along with an application fee of 5,000 baht fee. Bangkok-resident applicants should go to the Nationalization Office, Special Branch, Royal Thai Police, the 5th building, Phraram 1 Rd, Kwang Bangmai, Pathumwan Bangkok.

Residents outside Bangkok should apply to the Provincial Police.

Documents will be sent to the relevant authorities for checking. The officers will present those documents to higher ranking officers.

The Interior Minister is the final authority for the decision. There is no exact timetable for consideration – it depends on the length of the checking process.

Last year 48 people applied for Thai nationality. Ten received approval from the Minister of Interior. ”

Source: Pol Lt Col Somdej Khanthawong, Special Branch, Royal Thai Police, Bangkok

--Phuket Gazette 2004-10-28

mussen · October 28, 2004

There is a farang who lives a couple of villages away from where I used to live, who was so in love with his Thai wife that he became a Thai citizen.

He then found out his Thai wife had been ####ing another bloke (Thai), then she left him. Now he cuts sugar cane with the locals for a living.

He could probably find another more rewarding career, but he likes the village life and chooses to stay there.

Just food for thought though, and a true story....

sas_cars · October 28, 2004

Great Info George.But It doesn't mention that a person need to be a Permanent Resident before he could apply for citizenship or not ! It is still unclear.

mussen · October 28, 2004

Hello
I would like to know if it is possible for a foreigner (german) to become a thai citizen, and how to do it?

Longer time ago i read on some website that there is a possibility of getting it by becoming a monk in a thai buddhist temple for at least six months. Thai language knowledge would be required, of course. Is this true?

Is there any other possibility?

My passport shows clearly that i am living here since almost 4 years, first on a tourist visa, then a double-entry tourist visa, then two consecutive one-year non-B visas and since then (over a year now) monthly Cambodia-runs. I did not commit to any crime during that period, i.e. i am "clean".

In my country germany the required time of stay is five years. How about in Thailand?

Btw i am willing to give up the german citizenship if that is required.

Any advise?

Regards

Thanh

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanh, why don't you just keep you German passport and obtain Thai permanent residency?

4 years is not a long time in Thailand and things can change.

sriracha john · October 29, 2004

Wouldn't becoming a Thai citizen also make you eligible to be conscripted into the the Thai Army? That might be a real concern if it meant the possibility of being sent to Yala.

*** yes, yes, I know, BUT he didn't quote his age in the posts. ***

dr_Pat_Pong · October 29, 2004

Great Info George.But It doesn't mention that a person need to be a Permanent Resident before he could apply for citizenship or not ! It is still unclear.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quo

The applicant has to first become a permanent resident and that takes a minimum of 3 years and they must be on one year extended visa's and continuing and unbroken for the whole time. The visa's he has had count for nothing, and 30 day permits won't hold him in good staid.

dutch · October 29, 2004

Thanks George and DrPP for the good information.

I will follow these rules and in 4-5 years be one of the 20% who will be succesful.

Enough time to prepare and make it work.

One of the reasons why I gonna pay the thai tax.

Dutch law (since april 2003) allows to keep the dutch passport.

Only if married to a Thai citizen.

Make up your mind, plan well ahead, fulfill the requirements and NO problem.

One year ago I put my first question on the forum.Got my answers and to obtain the 1 year O-A multiple was only a matter of a few days.

dr_Pat_Pong · October 29, 2004

Thanks George and DrPP for the good information.
I will follow these rules and in 4-5 years be one of the 20% who will be succesful.

Enough time to prepare and make it work.

One of the reasons why I gonna pay the thai tax.

Dutch law (since april 2003) allows to keep the dutch passport.

Only if married to a Thai citizen.

Make up your mind, plan well ahead, fulfill the requirements and NO problem.

One year ago I put my first question on the forum.Got my answers and to obtain the 1 year O-A multiple was only a matter of a few days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Go for it Dutch, and good luck. It will be an asset to you ... property etc. In fairness, when you were helped here you were a fast learner.

dr_Pat_Pong · October 29, 2004

Thanks George and DrPP for the good information.
I will follow these rules and in 4-5 years be one of the 20% who will be succesful.

Enough time to prepare and make it work.

One of the reasons why I gonna pay the thai tax.

Dutch law (since april 2003) allows to keep the dutch passport.

Only if married to a Thai citizen.

Make up your mind, plan well ahead, fulfill the requirements and NO problem.

One year ago I put my first question on the forum.Got my answers and to obtain the 1 year O-A multiple was only a matter of a few days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Go for it Dutch, and good luck. It will be an asset to you ... property etc. In

fairness, when you were helped here you were a fast learner.

Learn a bit of parsar Thai duay

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

sas_cars · October 29, 2004

He's a fast learner Doc.Don't challenge his thai language skills.Just give him a time frame and he will be better than native's,or at least better than your thai skills

dutch · October 29, 2004

You should not forget that I already can whistle the National Anthem

Speaking is a little bit more difficult as my wife is very critical about using the correct Thai words!

Something that somebody on the language topics sometimes forget (according to my wife)

PvtDick · October 29, 2004

Anyone have a link to lyrics for the National Anthem and the Royal Anthem? My citizenship application is already in, so I better learn them fairly quickly!

sas_cars · October 29, 2004

Anyone have a link to lyrics for the National Anthem and the Royal Anthem? My citizenship application is already in, so I better learn them fairly quickly!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wish you best of luck in your citizenship application.

dr_Pat_Pong · October 29, 2004

You should not forget that I already can whistle the National Anthem
Speaking is a little bit more difficult as my wife is very critical about using the correct Thai words!

Something that somebody on the language topics sometimes forget (according to my wife)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

david.national-anthems.net/

PvtDick · October 29, 2004

You should not forget that I already can whistle the National Anthem
Speaking is a little bit more difficult as my wife is very critical about using the correct Thai words!

Something that somebody on the language topics sometimes forget (according to my wife)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

david.national-anthems.net/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perfect! Thanks!

dr_Pat_Pong · October 29, 2004

You should not forget that I already can whistle the National Anthem
Speaking is a little bit more difficult as my wife is very critical about using the correct Thai words!

Something that somebody on the language topics sometimes forget (according to my wife)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

david.national-anthems.net/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perfect! Thanks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

GO GO GO and Good luck

Thanh-BKK · October 29, 2004

And vietnamese..?

Hello again. Thanks a lot for all the replies, now at least i know what azawaits me. BUT how about this "monk in thai temple" thing? I had that from a website that dealt with reasons why to get a second, different passport (tax, business, whatever). It listed a number of countries where it was "sort of easy" to acquire the citizenship, apparently some african country even SOLD it for a quite small amount (5.000) of dollars. But i have read this more than a year ago, and there was stated that to get thai citizenship, one could live for six months or more in a thai buddhist temple as a monk, and would after that time (or during?) receive thai citizenship as a honour because of contribution to buddhism, or something like that.

Also, how is the situation for vietnamese? I am asking that because i have a rather difficult background. Wondered about my name? Well, i am born and grown up in germany, both my biological parents are german. I am a farang, almost 2m tall and blond. Yet, at age of 13, i have been adopted by a vietnamese family IN GERMANY due to ongoing trouble in my own family and my own choice of "foster parents". Those people have been in germany legally, not asylum seekers or something, so it was possible.

Yet, they were vietnamese citizens, so beside germany, my adoption has been registered with the vietnamese authorities as well. When i was 16, i.e. only 3 years later, my foster family left germany and went back to Viet Nam because their status of refugee (or what you call that in english???) had expired. Now there was i, at 16 considered too young by the authorities to settle over to Viet Nam, so i made my own life from then on.

But STILL i have the opportunity to simply travel to Nha Trang, file a request of "naturalisation" and will be granted vietnamese citizenship sort of immediately, because of the adoption status which of course is active for the rest of my life! Of course i would lose the german citizenship in the process, because both germany and vietnam don't accept dual citizenship.

Now, i am not planning to make a life in VN, but is the situation (acquiring THAI citizenship) evtl. easier as a vietnamese? One thing i know, it is definitely easier to get a work permit!

By the way i am 29 years of age, and haven't served the german army (again due to my adoptive status), and i am willing to do it for Thailand should it be required. Everything as long as it doesn't require these crazy amounts of money. Because THAT is kind of the only thing i am NOT able to obtain, with nothing at all left in germany, no contact to either original nor foster family and only myself living in Bangkok.

Kind regards....

Thanh

PvtDick · October 29, 2004

I've never heard about the shortcut to citizenship via monkhood thing. Sounds highly improbable.

lopburi3 · October 29, 2004

I've never heard about the shortcut to citizenship via monkhood thing. Sounds highly improbable.

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Believe he probably was reading THIS pay for information website. From what they provide free would not consider it a very reliable source (to put it mildly).

lingling · October 29, 2004

Hello again. Thanks a lot for all the replies, now at least i know what azawaits me. BUT how about this "monk in thai temple" thing? I had that from a website that dealt with reasons why to get a second, different passport (tax, business, whatever). It listed a number of countries where it was "sort of easy" to acquire the citizenship, apparently some african country even SOLD it for a quite small amount (5.000) of dollars. But i have read this more than a year ago, and there was stated that to get thai citizenship, one could live for six months or more in a thai buddhist temple as a monk, and would after that time (or during?) receive thai citizenship as a honour because of contribution to buddhism, or something like that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you are mixing up countries. I heard that anyone who spends 6 months as a priest in Germany will automatically get German citizenship (along with two pairs of lederhosen).

samran · October 29, 2004

I've never heard about the shortcut to citizenship via monkhood thing. Sounds highly improbable.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Believe he probably was reading THIS pay for information website. From what they provide free would not consider it a very reliable source (to put it mildly).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you are mixing up countries. I heard that anyone who spends 6 months as a priest in Germany will automatically get German citizenship (along with two pairs of lederhosen).

Either that, or you could walk down a Pattaya or Phuket beach wearing extra tight speedo's with your guts hanging out. The Fatherland will welcome you with open arms then.

dr_Pat_Pong · October 29, 2004

Hello again. Thanks a lot for all the replies, now at least i know what azawaits me. BUT how about this "monk in thai temple" thing? I had that from a website that dealt with reasons why to get a second, different passport (tax, business, whatever). It listed a number of countries where it was "sort of easy" to acquire the citizenship, apparently some african country even SOLD it for a quite small amount (5.000) of dollars. But i have read this more than a year ago, and there was stated that to get thai citizenship, one could live for six months or more in a thai buddhist temple as a monk, and would after that time (or during?) receive thai citizenship as a honour because of contribution to buddhism, or something like that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you are mixing up countries. I heard that anyone who spends 6 months as a priest in Germany will automatically get German citizenship (along with two pairs of lederhosen).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Und a large stein off Deutcher bier The monkhood story ist schaisse

lukamar · October 30, 2004

Anyone have a link to lyrics for the National Anthem and the Royal Anthem? My citizenship application is already in, so I better learn them fairly quickly!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://www.learningthai.com/songs/anthem_02.html

Good luck, I hope you sing better than i do..

lukamar · October 30, 2004

Anyone have a link to lyrics for the National Anthem and the Royal Anthem? My citizenship application is already in, so I better learn them fairly quickly!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://david.national-anthems.net/thr-txt.htm

Royal anthem

Later

astral · October 31, 2004

I've never heard about the shortcut to citizenship via monkhood thing. Sounds highly improbable.

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There is a book around that talks bout getting citizenship in many different places.

That talks about a route to Thai residency via the monkhood.

I asked a farang monk, Pra Peter, and he told me it might be true, but you still have

meet the financial requirements. As monks have to give up all money that could

be difficult.

The Sangha is also wary of farangs, having been "used" in the past to get visa for a longer stay.

Largely it is urban myth.

dr_Pat_Pong · October 31, 2004

I've never heard about the shortcut to citizenship via monkhood thing. Sounds highly improbable.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is a book around that talks bout getting citizenship in many different places.

That talks about a route to Thai residency via the monkhood.

I asked a farang monk, Pra Peter, and he told me it might be true, but you still have

meet the financial requirements. As monks have to give up all money that could

be difficult.

The Sangha is also wary of farangs, having been "used" in the past to get visa for a longer stay.

Largely it is urban myth.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Totally a myth or wild misinformation

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