Thai Passport For My Daughter

[LuckyLucas]

Hello Again All

My gf and daughter are planning to go to Disneyland in Hong Kong in October.

gf is Thai and daughter is 50/50 (obviously)

They are going to get their Thai passports in Bangkok next week. Neither had passports before.

I haven't registered my daughter with the UK embassy yet.

Will my daughter getting a Thai passport affect her getting a UK passport later?

I believe I need to go to BKK to sign the papers their peronally - is this true?

Thanks or looking and many thanks to any member who has any knowledge on this matter

LL

[lopburi3]

No effect on UK passport and both parents have to sign paperwork for Thai passport but there is a form that can be filled out if both can not appear together. But most trying to do in person.

[LuckyLucas]

Thanks lopburi3 - A day off work to go down to BKK won't kill me

[SantiSuk]

Did it a few moths ago for my daughter so here's a few practical tips. I'm assuming your daughter was born in Thailand and thus has a Thai language birth certificate.

1. Get to do it quickly - the application goes from BKK to Hong Kong for processing. When we did it it took about 3 weeks (published guidance at that time was 4 weeks). October is looming - great time to go BTW for Florida weather.

2. You need inter-alia, your British birth certificate - the original (or get a certified copy back in the UK)

3. You will need to allow time for the translation of the child's Thai birth certificate, presumably in Bangkok. Takes 40 minutes ish and that's if there is no queue at your chosen agency (two on the second floor of the shopping centre opposite the Embassy). Schedule your programme in Bangkok carefully by reference to specific opening times at the British Embassy on the day you are there (if you want to fit it into one day. Do not assume that the Embassy is open on any specific day or that it will handle your request outside a fairly tight window of time on a normal working day.

4. Follow the passport photo guidance to the letter - the UK is notorious for rejecting non-conforming photos and Thai photographers think they know best and will ignore your bits of paper with sketches of dimensions on and give you a non-conforming set that perfectly meet Thai requirements (see my rant about this by searching 'Santisuk birth certificate photograph' or some such) - that thread has further thoughts on the process - sorry I'm too lazy to look back for a link.

5. Getting the application and photograph certified by someone in authority can be a headache and needs planning now, unless you have some British national mates over here - see that other thread.

6. You do not need to register your Thaiglish baby at the British Embassy. It seemed an un-necessary expense to me and certainly is not high priority. Others think it useful - search for several threads on that subject.

7. You need really to be downloading the application form, guidance notes and other guiding documents from the relevant Home Office website pretty soon to make sure you have everything planned. These points are hints not a template and I am married so there may be other nuances for a non-wedlock baby (not meant to be pejorative) that I didn't face. I don't recall my wife having to sign any documents for instance - I just needed to take her copy ID and proof that I was married to her.

8. Finally - just to prove how anal I really am, I would recommend phoning up the Embassy and having a final run through of what you are bringing and when (for timing) with them. They are very helpful. I had a list of questions - like do I need to bring a translation of a Thai birth certificate to which the answer was 'of course' to which my muttered inaudible response was 'then why the f%$k doesn't it say so anywhere in the guidance or document lists!!

Good luck - should be a great trip

Edited August 30, 2010 by SantiSuk