Chances Of Farang Obtaining Citizenship?

[mccw]

if residence is obtained i read it is posable to obtain citizenship after 10 years, but have never met or heard of any falang actualy becoming a citizen.

My wife is thai and we have 2 kids both dual citizens (I am english). I've been geting non im O visas for a few years now but from hull not exstended. If exstended in thailand how much money is it i need to show? 400k or 800k? either way its alot of money and hassle compare to just a hundred pounds no questions asked. But, to have thai citizen and rights would be nice and being relatively young could concievably happen by the time i was 40 or 50. But if no chance then no point saving and tying up such amounts of money. How long does money need to be in acount?

cheers for any info

also we may not be in thailand permantly for the whole time maybe just a few months a year or more, maybe they'd not like this?

[whiteboy]

When I got residency in 1997 you had to be in Thailand for a minimum of 4 years before you could even apply for that.

When I inquired about citizenship, I was told by several authorities:

A. You need fluent Thai reading, writing, speaking, understanding (I know a few, but not many of those around)

or

B. You need great wealth and super connections, let's say on ministerial/ Royal level (I know 2, but not many of those around)

And even then it would surprise me to see a blond haired 'Thai citizen' cuing up at Swami, standing in line together with all other Thai nationals.

Or a blond 'Thai Citizen' buying a few hundred rai...?

On top of that, many countries don't allow double nationalities, so by becoming Thai you may have to give up your original passport!

Of all the things a foreigner may want to undertake here, becoming a Thai National seems somehow the hardest thing to realize!

Get the picture?

[mccw]

When I got residency in 1997 you had to be in Thailand for a minimum of 4 years before you could even apply for that.

When I inquired about citizenship, I was told by several authorities:

A. You need fluent Thai reading, writing, speaking, understanding (I know a few, but not many of those around)

or

B. You need great wealth and super connections, let's say on ministerial/ Royal level (I know 2, but not many of those around)

And even then it would surprise me to see a blond haired 'Thai citizen' cuing up at Swami, standing in line together with all other Thai nationals.

Or a blond 'Thai Citizen' buying a few hundred rai...?

On top of that, many countries don't allow double nationalities, so by becoming Thai you may have to give up your original passport!

Of all the things a foreigner may want to undertake here, becoming a Thai National seems somehow the hardest thing to realize!

Get the picture?

My son is blond and thai so could do all of those things, but i get your point.

I think its 3 yearly extentions of a non imm to apply for residency these days. I would hope to be fully fluent in thai after 13 years plus, wouldn't want the kids being able to joke about their old man with out my khow jai.

British can have dual citizen no trouble.

I wouldn't want to by vast tracks of rice paddy or anything, just be able to bop up to the thai immigration que all together be nice, plus would be fair to have equal rights just like the missus will have in uk.

think its a mission to start later if i ever had a pile of cash lying around aimlessly, some time never

[Thongkorn]

Never , Even some people born in Thailand do not qualify.

[ubonjoe]

It can be done and has been done,

See this members report. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Story-Thai-C...io-t121353.html

There are others that have done it and otters that are waiting for approval.

You need to have 400K baht in the bank for 2 months (some immigration offices 3) for an extension based upon marriage.

You have to have 3 consecutive years on extensions of stay to get permanent residency. This is the biggest challenge to get citizenship. Some that have done both say that getting citizenship was easier than residency.

[rodcourt49]

It can be done and has been done,

See this members report. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Story-Thai-C...io-t121353.html

There are others that have done it and otters that are waiting for approval.

You need to have 400K baht in the bank for 2 months (some immigration offices 3) for an extension based upon marriage.

You have to have 3 consecutive years on extensions of stay to get permanent residency. This is the biggest challenge to get citizenship. Some that have done both say that getting citizenship was easier than residency.

I recall reading on the large board at Immig CNX the fee was in the area of 103,000 baht plus 73,000 baht for the certificate and you STILL have to check in each 90 days. I can't recall amount in the bank!

[ubonjoe]

It can be done and has been done,

See this members report. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Story-Thai-C...io-t121353.html

There are others that have done it and otters that are waiting for approval.

You need to have 400K baht in the bank for 2 months (some immigration offices 3) for an extension based upon marriage.

You have to have 3 consecutive years on extensions of stay to get permanent residency. This is the biggest challenge to get citizenship. Some that have done both say that getting citizenship was easier than residency.

I recall reading on the large board at Immig CNX the fee was in the area of 103,000 baht plus 73,000 baht for the certificate and you STILL have to check in each 90 days. I can't recall amount in the bank!

If you get permanent residency or citizenship there are no 90 day reports.

The fee for permanent residency is 191,400 baht if not married to a Thai. If married 95,700. For both the application fee is 7,600 baht.

Citizens ship is 8,000 (or 5000) baht if I recall correctly.

There is no money in the bank requirement for either one.

[lopburi3]

I am not sure how you manage to obtain a yearly visa for 100 pounds as they are not issued in Thailand so unless it is a part of normal travel the total cost would be much more - plus cost of border runs. The yearly extension of stay costs 1,900 baht and requires no border runs - only extra expense would be re-entry permit for foreign travel and mail or travel for 90 day reports. And the yearly bank letter.

[monty]

Actually the "being well connected" is not important. Might help, but you'd still need to fullfil all other requirements.

Practically, one of the bigger stumbling blocks for most people trying to obtain the first step residency, is the relatively high average income they want to see from you.

The basic reason for giving you residency is that you have to bring something to Thailand, and taxes seem to be one of the more required one...Reasons for applying can be the following: investment, work/business, humanitarian and expert.

Of the 20 documents you have to supply on application, many are about your employment, taxes and your employer!

So in general count on 3 years in Thailand with yearly extensions, all the while holding a work permit and paying taxes on a salary of 80,000 Baht/month or preferably much higher...

Pretty much most people I know who have residency are in relatively high level managerial positions in local companies. I also know a few who have residency, and they are mostly people who own their own companies, employing several hundreds Thai people!

Also, the application is based on points awarded for each requirement you fulfill. So not fulfilling one of the requirements does not automatically disqualify you, the other requirements you do fullfill can still give you enough points to get you approval. The approval is not set in stone!

[SMEEERE]

I know 2 people with this, one is a US doctor, has connections and said it was still a pain, ( hes fluent in thai )..the other has been in thailand 25 years, also fluent, both say they wished they had never bothered,.mainly as the thais still veiw them as "farang " ..in fact when one of goes to vote hes always told " farang cannot " ,then the proving begins,.

[SMEEERE]

Actually the "being well connected" is not important. Might help, but you'd still need to fullfil all other requirements.

Practically, one of the bigger stumbling blocks for most people trying to obtain the first step residency, is the relatively high average income they want to see from you.

The basic reason for giving you residency is that you have to bring something to Thailand, and taxes seem to be one of the more required one...Reasons for applying can be the following: investment, work/business, humanitarian and expert.

Of the 20 documents you have to supply on application, many are about your employment, taxes and your employer!

So in general count on 3 years in Thailand with yearly extensions, all the while holding a work permit and paying taxes on a salary of 80,000 Baht/month or preferably much higher...

Pretty much most people I know who have residency are in relatively high level managerial positions in local companies. I also know a few who have residency, and they are mostly people who own their own companies, employing several hundreds Thai people!

Also, the application is based on points awarded for each requirement you fulfill. So not fulfilling one of the requirements does not automatically disqualify you, the other requirements you do fullfill can still give you enough points to get you approval. The approval is not set in stone!

Can a retiree married to a thai become a citizen ?

[monty]

The people I know are business men. They are extremely happy having citizenship based on practicality!

No work permits, buying land/house/factory/office outright with zero restrictions. Not hampered by the 49/51% limit of foreign share holder ship in a company, no banking restrictions etc...

Still being considered "farang" when going to vote is the very least of their worries!

[monty]

Can a retiree married to a thai become a citizen ?

Nope, he generally can't even get residency. Being married or being retired is not listed as enabling you to apply for residency.

You might be able to fit in under investment, but I reckon (not sure though) they are looking at multi-million dollar investments, not a few million Baht.

[ubonjoe]

Can a retiree married to a thai become a citizen ?

Yes but you have to get permanent residency first. The big problem with getting residency is the lack of information and IMO transparency in the process. Also if you don't live in Bangkok you will be making a lot of trips to get your application into the infamous room 301.

Page 5 of this document says that you can get residency married to a thai and be retired. http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/do...n_notice_en.pdf

[SMEEERE]

Can a retiree married to a thai become a citizen ?

Nope, he generally can't even get residency. Being married or being retired is not listed as enabling you to apply for residency.

You might be able to fit in under investment, but I reckon (not sure though) they are looking at multi-million dollar investments, not a few million Baht.

Nothing to offer, we dont want you !, fair enough ! ill take my pension elsewhere

[monty]

Oops, I stand corrected. If married to a Thai, and/or having children here, you could apply under 'humanitarian" reason...

Can't ever recall anyone gone that way though...

[monty]

Nothing to offer, we dont want you !, fair enough ! ill take my pension elsewhere

Quite correct! although as Ubonjoe pointed out, being married and or having children might get you in on humanitarian reasons!

[Mario2008]

You can also have a look here: http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/do..._sponser_en.pdf

It shows the documents you need to submit for a permanent residency as of Dec. 2008.

Edit: list is for sponsors of Thai national or people being sponsored by a Thai national, in essence a family member of a Thai, so if you have a Thai child you might also qualify without being married.

[samran]

I know 4 people who have naturalised as Thai nationals.

Of these, two were from the US, one from the UK and one from Switzerland.

Three were women. Two obtained it via being married to a Thai, one under her own steam simply by living and working here.

One is a man, lived and worked here since the mid 1990's.

Also know/met a couple of people who are 100% anglo by ethnicity, but having being born on Thai soil prior to the early 1970s are automatically Thai nationals.

As far as the naturalisation process goes. Two 'big' hurdles. One is the need for a history of paying tax. The other is simply the processing time.