Would You Like An Official Immigration Id Card?

[Crossy]

I'd go for it, had one in Malaysia, even worked at incoming immigration (rarely got asked for the passport as well).

[PhilHarries]

In Malaysia you get a cc size I/D card that is not only good for day to day identification but allows you to use the Malaysian lines at immigration and they only stamp your passport if you ask them to.

But that's called making people feel welcome, not a Thai trait it seems these days.

[zzaa09]

Yes there is a need for a card for foreigners in Thailand that can be used for ID purposes.

You should not have to carry your passport with you at all times...[sic]

　

I've never found it necessary to carry any sort of ID when I'm round and about everyday in the province. And have never been approach to show ID by any make-believe authority. I've lived here off-and-on forever....this paranoia farcical myth that foreign residents are continuously encroached to their status here. I know that experiences and situations vary from resident locale, but chances are you'll never be asked to produce an 'ID' in everyday comings and goings. Naturally, we'll have all the ID and official paperwork when securing our regular business end. If you're always conscious about being an outsider and fearful of the idea that one has to have ID on his possession at all times......you've already missed it.

[Jingthing]

Oy vey, it had to come. The argument that those of us wanting a decent ID card showing our legal residence here have some kind of psychological sickness. That's why my OP proposed this to be OPTIONAL.

Edited July 29, 2010 by Jingthing

[leemo]

To repeat, driver's licenses are ID indeed but they do NOT show you are legal to be in the country. Your passport does show your immigration status, but most people understandably do NOT carry around their passport with them. Another flaw I see with the immigration card idea is that if they set up the infrastructure to issue these, and they decided on a fee that had a profit built into it, what's to stop them from making the card a REQUIREMENT? Answer -- nothing. While this wouldn't bother me as I really want such a card, I realize not everyone would feel the need for the card and wouldn't be happy about any extra expense.

As you noted, an Immigration ID card confirming date of visa/permission to stay may often be wrong or outdated, and therefore unreliable. Nothing wrong with a driving license, or failing that a photocopy of the relevant passport pages, though these also come with no guarantee of integrity from the viewpoint of an official.

Still, there seem to be farang benefits to a system on the lines you have outlined, though it may be that Immigration is not eager to suffer the inconvenience of learning, supervising and enforcing a new system.

[Jingthing]

Again, I am not saying there are no options now. Just saying there could be a better option. As far as people on annual extensions losing their permission to stay, I reckon the percentage of people who actually do that who want to return to Thailand to be very small. So scrap the whole idea because of a small flaw? That seems silly to me. A driver's license tells you NOTHING about your legality of stay, with an immigration ID it certainly tells you a lot, with a small chance the info may be inaccurate. Big difference.

As far as immigration's interest in doing this, that is their decision of course if it actually makes it to the decision stage. This I think is largely a service to us and that isn't their priority. That's why I mentioned FEES, surely more income to the Thai government can't be a bad thing. If they wanted to try, they could possibly try it on a test phase in the larger offices first and see how it goes.

Edited July 29, 2010 by Jingthing

[tombkk]

Well then, if anyone or anyone's friend/wife is connected, why not officially ask for or petition a special 'Alien' ID card? How could we go about this?

Word is some people from immigration read this site. We don't have the power to LOBBY here.

Here is something we CAN do, right here on thaivisa. If this thread is kept going with generally supportive comments, such as, Yes immigration people I see the benefits of having this card, that may increase the chances the idea will potentially receive consideration.

\When Iived in Taiwan, I had a wallet-sized Alien Residence Certificate (ARC), which showed exactly what you suggest. It was valid as long as my visa and work permit. When the work permit (and temporary residence status) expired and had to be renewed, the renewal was stamped onto the ARC.

On the other hand, I have never had a problem in Thailand showing my driver's licence. This seems to be accepted without any question about the work permit or residency status, even by the domestic airlines. While convenient for me, I understand that immigration might be in favour of an ARC.

[electau]

The easiest way would be for Thailand is to accept any legitimate photo ID as in Australia.

A passport is actually two documents, the first is your document of ID which proves who you say you are and the second is your current visa or entry stamp which provides evidence that you are in Thailand legitimately.

In most cases only your ID is required not your visa status. Airlines, banks, hotels etc.

And how often to you have to show ID in Thailand? If you are travelling inter province etc you will be carrying your passport with you anyway.

　

[electau]

One would agree with you there

Yes there is a need for a card for foreigners in Thailand that can be used for ID purposes.

You should not have to carry your passport with you at all times...[sic]

　

I've never found it necessary to carry any sort of ID when I'm round and about everyday in the province. And have never been approach to show ID by any make-believe authority. I've lived here off-and-on forever....this paranoia farcical myth that foreign residents are continuously encroached to their status here. I know that experiences and situations vary from resident locale, but chances are you'll never be asked to produce an 'ID' in everyday comings and goings. Naturally, we'll have all the ID and official paperwork when securing our regular business end. If you're always conscious about being an outsider and fearful of the idea that one has to have ID on his possession at all times......you've already missed it.

I would agree with you there, I always carry some form of ID and this is my Australian drivers licence, my wife only normally never carries her ID card with her only when she needs to use it. Never had any problems.

[IMA_FARANG]

I like the idea. Especially for 90 day check-in requirements for retirees. If there were a card with:

1. Name. sex, nationality, passport number, local address, and photo I.D.

2. Type of visa, date granted, date of expiration, and for retirees, last 90 day verification and next verification date due.

3. With a magnetic swipe strip so immigration can read it with just one swipe.

4. Which immigration can change the data on (some data should stay on there permanently)so the dates could be changed when you get a new visa.

5. And an office code that shows where you last visa and/or 90 day check was done for immigration office use.

That way immigration could just read all the current data with one swipe. Think of the time saving for both immigration and foriegners!

I bet they could get could training on how to set this up from Malaysia...where Malays use a similar card to enter the country on return from overseas.

It would be great, but will it ever happen? In Thailand?

Edited July 29, 2010 by IMA_FARANG

[Kron]

The only time I get asked for ID is when withdrawing cash from my bank account.

Well if an ID card could allow me to be treated like a Thai for cash with-drawl (no photocopy of passport which then I sign) I would welcome it. Hate carrying my passport, worried I might lose it.

Otherwise I feel obtaining an ID would just need more paperwork to be filled out, with copies/originals of everything, for little or no benefit.

[PhilHarries]

I've never found it necessary to carry any sort of ID when I'm round and about everyday in the province. And have never been approach to show ID by any make-believe authority. I've lived here off-and-on forever....this paranoia farcical myth that foreign residents are continuously encroached to their status here. I know that experiences and situations vary from resident locale, but chances are you'll never be asked to produce an 'ID' in everyday comings and goings. Naturally, we'll have all the ID and official paperwork when securing our regular business end. If you're always conscious about being an outsider and fearful of the idea that one has to have ID on his possession at all times......you've already missed it.

You are correct in what you say and it has become a bit of an urban myth though it, like many rules, is still there to be enforced if the officials decide they want to shake down a few foreigners. In twelve years in Thailand I was never asked for my I/D and the only cases I ever heard of was people caught up in drugs raids on night clubs.

But it would be useful, and yes I'd forgotten about my Korean alien registration card always useful for withdrawing large amounts in dollars from the bank (for Won there is always the ATM).

[mahtin]

Does Immigration have its own IT department?

Some of the suggestions here would mean implementing new systems...

... which may already be in the pipeline...

Edited July 31, 2010 by mahtin

[sarahsbloke]

The police don't care about your immigration status!

You can pretty much stay here forever as long as you don't cause trouble and get yourself reported to immigration.

It seems to me this thread is more about some foreigners wanting to interfere with and control other foreigners. If immigration want your status at any time, they can use any ID you produce and their phone.

If you don't like the way things are done in Thailand, why not just go home, where I'm sure it's all so much better.

PS

Banks are quite happy with a Thai Driving Licence for ID on large cash withdrawals.

PPS

Is this another one of those threads where stupid people with too much time on their hands, suggest stupid solutions to stupid problems that only exist in their minds?

Edited July 31, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[Jingthing]

Lots of us don't drive and getting a Thai driver license can be a big hassle, depending on where you live. Some of these responses are typical, I've got mine so everyone else can bugger off. I like the idea of incorporating electronic 90 day reporting with the card. Conceivably readers could be at entry points, eliminating the small flaw of people not using reentry permits.

Also if it's such a bonkers idea, why do so many other countries issue some kind of alien ID cards? I'd say Thailand is backwards on this and is also kind of dissing us by not offering us something like this.

Edited July 31, 2010 by Jingthing

[sarahsbloke]

You don't have to drive to get a Thai driving licence.

You can go along and get a motorcycle licence, having never ridden on a motorcycle in your life before, you just jump through the hoops until they give it to you, nobody fails, takes 1/2 a day.

Edited July 31, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[Jingthing]

You don't have to drive to get a Thai driving licence.

You can go along and get a motorcycle licence, having never ridden on a motorcycle in your life before, you just jump through the hoops until they give it to you, nobody fails, takes 1/2 a day.

Thanks. I still want an alien ID card though. Hope that's OK with you.

[Rinrada]

Well then, if anyone or anyone's friend/wife is connected, why not officially ask for or petition a special 'Alien' ID card? How could we go about this?

Word is some people from immigration read this site. We don't have the power to LOBBY here.

Here is something we CAN do, right here on thaivisa. If this thread is kept going with generally supportive comments, such as, Yes immigration people I see the benefits of having this card, that may increase the chances the idea will potentially receive consideration.

"Yes immigration people I see the benefits of having this card"

YES Please..great idea......

Never actually been asked to show any form of ID but use Thai DL when flying on domestic Airlines,booking into hotels and sometimes when going for the 2 price rip off joints.... and no problem.

On occasions in banks ..Gov offices etc I show.. sort of insist the DL and usually get a smile back witha MPR which cant be bad.

Hower back to the subject...NON Thai National ID Card ....YES again. :jap:

[samran]

Well then, if anyone or anyone's friend/wife is connected, why not officially ask for or petition a special 'Alien' ID card? How could we go about this?

Word is some people from immigration read this site. We don't have the power to LOBBY here.

Here is something we CAN do, right here on thaivisa. If this thread is kept going with generally supportive comments, such as, Yes immigration people I see the benefits of having this card, that may increase the chances the idea will potentially receive consideration.

who says you don't have the power to lobby? It is a rather defeatist attitude is it not?

Loads of travelling international interest groups go from government office to office each day speaking, interviewing and dum dum...lobbying for things. It is the only way to raise awareness about a situation.

Relying on Thai Visa (bless) to do this job for you, well, I seriously doubt that given that if an immigration official is going to be surfing a website it is probably going to be pantip, or something where they can actually 100% of what is being written.

[davyboy]

Good post Jingthing, great idea!

[Jingthing]

who says you don't have the power to lobby? It is a rather defeatist attitude is it not?

I wouldn't say defeatist. I would say realistic considering the country we are in. The exceptions as I stated before may be some specific foreign individuals with existing good relations with powerful people in immigration.

[bangkokrick]

who says you don't have the power to lobby? It is a rather defeatist attitude is it not?

I wouldn't say defeatist. I would say realistic considering the country we are in. The exceptions as I stated before may be some specific foreign individuals with existing good relations with powerful people in immigration.

Sounds like a good idea to me and I would welcome any reduction in the time that I have to spend queueing at the immigration office. By the way the produce the driving licences while you wait (credit card type), so why not ID's at Immigration.

Cheers, Rick

[luckyluke]

I am pro Jingthing.

[tombkk]

I like the idea. Especially for 90 day check-in requirements for retirees. If there were a card with:

1. Name. sex, nationality, passport number, local address, and photo I.D.

2. Type of visa, date granted, date of expiration, and for retirees, last 90 day verification and next verification date due.

3. With a magnetic swipe strip so immigration can read it with just one swipe.

4. Which immigration can change the data on (some data should stay on there permanently)so the dates could be changed when you get a new visa.

5. And an office code that shows where you last visa and/or 90 day check was done for immigration office use.

That way immigration could just read all the current data with one swipe. Think of the time saving for both immigration and foriegners!

I bet they could get could training on how to set this up from Malaysia...where Malays use a similar card to enter the country on return from overseas.

It would be great, but will it ever happen? In Thailand?

Sounds good to me. In fact, many other countries use it, not only Malaysia. I am sure the Thai government will consider it in due course.

[bangkokburning]

They should simply have an office at every airport that will scan your pp pages into a small booklet for a small fee. You can carry this in lieu of passport. This would be great for tourists and expats alike and a real money spinner for MFA.

But MFA isn't interested in making things easy for expats or tourists.

[lopburi3]

MFA has nothing to do with Immigration or airport.

[pbeieio]

I never carry my passport. Nor should any visitor to Thailand.

It is a requirement in many countries for nationals to carry their ID cards. This however does not necessarily apply to foreigners visiting the same.

As for La-La land, I suspect that such a requirement may be in breach of the reciprocal agreements with other countries where Thai's are not required to carry their passports whilst visiting.

Again if it is Thai "law" then I can't find it, and what are the penalties for in in breach of said?

Further to this, when are visitors advised of this? A prominently displayed sign at immigration may work, an announcement on the airline or when you check in to your hotel- they could make 2 copies and supply one to the guest as a courtesy.

I think if the Thai's said that it would be "helpful and courteous" for visitors to carry sufficient ID then it wouldn't be difficult to arrange. How hard would it be to supply a copy of your documents on arrival, at immigration. After all they go to all that trouble scanning them in!

Finally, a for us who reside here, not all Thai officialdom are actually entitled to know your immigration status and those that are, cannot and should not accept a photocopy!

As for an Thai issued ID card? I find the prospect of any additional exposure to the "vagaries" of Thai bureaucracy horrific! No thanks

[elliss]

Foreigners must carry some form of ID, so the rules are more relaxed for foreigners already.

The easiest card for everyone to use is ........ Thai driving licence.

i always carry a photocopy of my passport / visa .

only on one occasion , have i been approached by the police ,

while they were doing a routine check in udon , no problem. :jap:

[Carib]

The idea by itself is a good one, but it would also acknowledge the farang`s presence here by handing him/her something official besides a stamped passport. There must be a lot of reasons why that hasn't happened until now...

It may lead to confusion, since non long stay farang will not have something like such an ID., I can hear the voices already saying: "You must have this otherwise you are illegal". This ofcourse by the less informed, and we all know there are a lot of them, including farang.

It woulds also add to the "to be falsified or put to mis-use" type of papers/ID`s, and no government would want to add anything to those. Not all farang are nice guys.

It would also in time show the flows in their own system, and that they will try to avoid too.

Now you have to get in line for a stamp, if an ID will be introduced you will almost for sure have to get into a separate line for that too, and the dates will never be the same ofcourse as in ending the permission to stay already that is difficult now in some situations.

Now you have to pay for the permission to stay, if introduced for sure there will be another fee added to the whole charade.

Since it will be an " official" ID, sanctions will be applied for not having it replaced/renewed/ lost/ whatever.

C

[SoiRider]

Not all Thai drivers license photos are current - mine is 40 years old and some might think I do not look exactly the same.

You can get a replacement card, which is a good idea anyway, where the photo is taken at the Offit!