I am a 30 year old Thai-American, both parents are Thai but I was born in the States. I have a US passport and I have recently arrived in Thailand on a 30 day exemption. I have family here who I am staying with. I am looking to stay here for roughly a year or so. I plan to work but do not know what I am going to do just yet. In regards to a visa, what is my best course of action? Do I try to get a Non-O visa and then try to get a WP through my employer? Looking through the forums all the information seems to be geared towards older folks who are either retiring or are married to a Thai citizen so I am a bit confused as to what I should do. Any help will be greatly appreciated, cheers.

Edited November 8, 201312 yr by gdb

You are Thai by birth. Do you have any proof such as your birth certificate showing your parents are Thai nationals. Or any documents proving your parents are Thai. You should pursue getting it established. You would not need a work permit and would have no restriction on type of workyou can do. Also no visas or extensions. If you can get some basic proof you could get a 1 year extension of stay at immigration to give you more time here.This from police order 777/2551

2.23 In the case of a person who used to have Thai nationality or whose parent is or was of Thai nationality visiting relatives or returning to his or her original homeland: Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year. (1) There must be evidence that the applicant used to have Thai nationality or that his/her parent is or was of Thai nationality

Edited November 8, 201312 yr by ubonjoe

Thank you for your reply, will look into getting it sorted through this method.

Try to get a Thai Passport & ID card you should be able to be dual nationality...

Ask your parents if they registered your birth with the Thailand Embassy and got a Thai birth certificate. If they did not, they can still do it. Since you are 30 years old it will take some time and effort to get the birth certificate, but once you have that you can be placed on a House Register (Tabien Baan) and then get a Thai ID and passport. Since both your parents are Thai it may not take as much paperwork, but my sons (all over 30 years old) had to get their US birth certificates certified by the US State Department, complete and investigation form and application for birth certificate (signed by their mother) along with copies of parents Tabien Baan and ID cards. The process took several months due mainly to the US State Department certification. Once you have an ID card, Thailand is your oyster.

I don't really know the answer to this, but if this chap got a Thai passport and ID card, ( so would be a Thai citizen) would he have to do National service as he would not have done when he was 18.

Also, and this has come up elsewhere, it seems that a Thai male with dual nationality might have to make a choice at 21 over when country he wants to be a citizen of. I will try to dig out the piece of legislation but at the time I never got a satisfactory answer. I have a 7 year old with dual nationality and just wondered what the future held for him !

Has a anyone else heard of this ?

Stephen

I don't really know the answer to this, but if this chap got a Thai passport and ID card, ( so would be a Thai citizen) would he have to do National service as he would not have done when he was 18.

Also, and this has come up elsewhere, it seems that a Thai male with dual nationality might have to make a choice at 21 over when country he wants to be a citizen of. I will try to dig out the piece of legislation but at the time I never got a satisfactory answer. I have a 7 year old with dual nationality and just wondered what the future held for him !

Has a anyone else heard of this ?

Stephen

There is no requirement to choose a nationality at age 20. At that age a person can make the decision themselves before 20 it is the parents decision. The way the nationality act is written often leads to confusion about this.

At the age of 30 the eligibility for the draft ends.

A Thai male must register for the draft at 18 then at 21 will be called for a draw for the draft. There are many ways to avoid conscription at the moment.

It will be a long time before your son has to worry about it and things can change by then. Hopefully there will be no need for the draft by then.

I don't really know the answer to this, but if this chap got a Thai passport and ID card, ( so would be a Thai citizen) would he have to do National service as he would not have done when he was 18.

Also, and this has come up elsewhere, it seems that a Thai male with dual nationality might have to make a choice at 21 over when country he wants to be a citizen of. I will try to dig out the piece of legislation but at the time I never got a satisfactory answer. I have a 7 year old with dual nationality and just wondered what the future held for him !

Has a anyone else heard of this ?

Stephen

There is no requirement to choose a nationality at age 20. At that age a person can make the decision themselves before 20 it is the parents decision. The way the nationality act is written often leads to confusion about this.

At the age of 30 the eligibility for the draft ends.

A Thai male must register for the draft at 18 then at 21 will be called for a draw for the draft. There are many ways to avoid conscription at the moment.

It will be a long time before your son has to worry about it and things can change by then. Hopefully there will be no need for the draft by then.

I would add that it is much easier to get both passports at the age of 7 than after 20.

I would say birth registration more so than passport.

If child is born here it would be at the parent's home country embassy.

If born in another country then at a Thai embassy or consulate.