Dual Citizenship Passport For U K Resident Child

[macduff]

I have a thai/uk child born in the uk in 2007. I've already got a uk passport for him three months after he was born. My wife who is thai wants a thai passport for him which i believe you can get the required application forms from the thai embassy in London and go through the process whilst in england. My wife wants to spend time in thailand visiting her family for a few months.My question is would it be cheaper to apply in bangkok for the thai passport whilst she and my son are there and quicker,or would you think i'm better off dealing with the application here in the UK?

[Boo]

It costs 25 pounds for a thai passport in Uk including the birth certificate & took 2 weeks to be processed via Bangkok & posted back to us in London. IMO get it now in UK, it takes around 1-3 hours to do all the forms, photos & fingerprints if you make a 9.30am appointment.

Actually I'm not even sure without the thai birth certificate which you have to get from Thai embassy in Uk anyway that you could apply for the thai passport in Thailand. Someone with more knowledge of this will be able to clarify.

[macduff]

It costs 25 pounds for a thai passport in Uk including the birth certificate & took 2 weeks to be processed via Bangkok & posted back to us in London. IMO get it now in UK, it takes around 1-3 hours to do all the forms, photos & fingerprints if you make a 9.30am appointment.

Actually I'm not even sure without the thai birth certificate which you have to get from Thai embassy in UK anyway that you could apply for the Thai passport in Thailand. Someone with more knowledge of this will be able to clarify.

Thanks boo. With living in Manchester it's a pain going down London and back the same day and can work out quite expensive and would be very tiring for us all.especially for our 18 month son. So i'm just weighing up the pro's and con's of applying here in the UK or in Bangkok.

[torrenova]

Presumably in Bangkok you'd have to do the reverse of what we did (baby born in Thailand applying for UK passport) and get the UK birth certificate translated at an approved place (they can do it instantly as they have it all set up on computer and just put the name and numbers in) and then get that authorised at the Ministry place near Don Muang which is the same place as you get the Thai passports from. That takes 3 days and I think they will EMS it to you. Mama and Papa both have to go with the baby (take your passport).

You could do it in London sure and Manchester is not that far from London and 2 hours on the train for £50 each (just checked - can be as low as £30 each return). Is that much different from a day in Bangkok including hotel and messing around ? You have much more time in the UK I presume than Thailand.

If training it, get the ticket with the inclusive tube card.

[Boo]

Hav you thought about calling one of the consulates http://www.thailand-uk.com/thaiemb.html on this link, they may be able to process the application for you?

Georgraphy isn't my strong point but is Birmingham or Hull closer for you?

Not sure if they do do it but worth checking.

[macduff]

Thanks boo that's a good point, but i think we have to go for an interview at the main embassy which is in London,to which i'm trying to avoid if possible. I will give them a call to see if they can all the same.

[ArranP]

I just went through this process in December 2008.

To my knowledge a Thai birth certificate is needed to get a thai passport, when the child has been born in the UK this must be obtained by taking the english birth certificate along to the Thai embassy in London.

Its an easy process, call the embassy to make a check list of things required, print-off and complete the forms, make the photo-copies as required, you'll need some passport photos (preferably with eyes open), make the appointment and turn up the morning. They say you need both parents to attend, but I think I read somewhere if for example one parent is working, then he/she can write a letter to allow the other parent only to attend.

My wife had not seen London so decided to make a weekend of it and drove down saturday morning, stayed in a hotel called the President in Russel Square for £95 per night, has parking, good value for money, went on the london eye, london bus tour, took lots of pictures, etc, etc..

Then drove to attend the Thai embassy on the monday morning, there is a carpark at the university/college just across the way.

[Mario2008]

Normaly it is easier to apply at the embassy instead of in Thailand, as your wife isn't registered at any amphur. In that case people have reported problems getting a Thai passport in Thailand itself. So if you can, apply in the UK.

This will make it easier when traveling to Thailand as well as there would no need for a visa. (Note that there is no overstay fine for children).

[macduff]

Thanks everybody for your reply's. I think I'm sold on the idea of taking a trip down to London. My wife has never been so I'll probably make a weekend of it like arron p.I reckon going down the Bangkok route is going to be to time consuming . We both seem to have spent enough time going through the visa process to last us a lifetime for my wife to get to the UK. And i forgot to mention to stay in the UK.

[Brigante7]

It costs 25 pounds for a thai passport in Uk including the birth certificate & took 2 weeks to be processed via Bangkok & posted back to us in London. IMO get it now in UK, it takes around 1-3 hours to do all the forms, photos & fingerprints if you make a 9.30am appointment.

Actually I'm not even sure without the thai birth certificate which you have to get from Thai embassy in UK anyway that you could apply for the Thai passport in Thailand. Someone with more knowledge of this will be able to clarify.

Thanks boo. With living in Manchester it's a pain going down London and back the same day and can work out quite expensive and would be very tiring for us all.especially for our 18 month son. So i'm just weighing up the pro's and con's of applying here in the UK or in Bangkok.

From what I'm led to believe, you have to apply for the birth certificate at the Thai Embassy in the country that the child was born which would be London, pain in the ass I know, we did it last July, what a nightmare.

One bit of advice, don't bother making an appointment, even if you have one, it's first come first served as we found out, better to arrive at around 11:30 as it is almost empty, it closes at 12:30.

[Boo]

One bit of advice, don't bother making an appointment, even if you have one, it's first come first served

We had the first app of the day & was seen first. I had to make them aware we were there though by the people behind the glass screens, who checked over our documents & were processed first once the passport officer came out. In all, took about 1.5 hrs.