Passport Qustions For A Leuk Kreung

[sua yai]

I hope I've posted this in the right place as the questions span two areas.

A friend from the UK has a 16 month old son through his Thai wife. They all live in Thailand. He wants to get both a Thai and UK passport for him.

He understands that the Thai passport needs to be applied for first, otherwise there may be problems for his son in the future as he will have to get Thai visas. Is this the case?

Does anyone have the contact details of the office in BKK where the application for the son's Thai passport needs to be made? Address, telephone number etc. His wife is going up to BKK this weekend and into next, so she would like to prepare herself for the application. What documents are necessary for her to take and an approximation of cost would be useful. My friend is assuming that his wife can do this own her own.

The same applies for the British Embassy - in due course. My friend understands that he will probably have to go in person, but documentation necessary, how long it takes and cost would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[lopburi3]

I don't believe it makes any difference which passport is obtained first. A child will not be fined for overstay so even if a 30 day entry expired it would not be a big deal. But yes, two passports are best. Using Thai for Thailand and UK for all other countries.

Believe the UK Embassy probably has full information for UK passport. For Thai passport the Ministry of Foreign Affairs branch at the below is the place to visit but there website has not been updated, in English, to account for the new type passports. Both parents have to sign for a passport I do know. And believe birth certificate, home register and probably id/passport of parents will be required. Cost should be less than 1,500 baht.

[sua yai]

Thanks for that Lopburi3.

The reason for the question about the Thai passport first was because my friend's understanding is that if a UK passport is obtained first, his son will not get a Thai passport. In years to come, maybe the son will want to travel between the two countries and use his Thai passport to avoid visas and live here.

Good advice about both passports, which the parents want. I'll pass the info on about his presence maybe being necessary at the MFA. I know where that is, having got married last year.

[sua yai]

Sorry to trouble you all again, but is there a deadline from the Thai authorities for the child to apply for a Thai passport?

Ie, maybe after 2 years old he will lose that possibility.

[lopburi3]

No deadline. Most Thai never have a passport.

[vinny]

See both UK Consular Birth Registration and Documents required when applying for a Thai passport.

[Heng]

2nd that on no limit. Didn't get my Thai passport until I was around 21.

[sua yai]

Thanks everyone

[astral]

Depending on where you live there is also a passport office on the

top floor of the Central Complex at Bang Na.

Good to know if you are coming from Pattaya direction.

For the Thai passport the child will need to be present for the application,

as all photos are done on the spot by the passport office, straight into the computer. The same goes for documents. No photocopies needed, they are scanned straight in while you wait. The whole porcedure takes about one hour. Passport available for collection the next week, but they have a desk to arrange registered mail, saving you a second trip.

[vinny]

Office of Passport Division.