Claiming Thai Citizenship by Descent

[patyh]

Seeing that some TV members are looking for a detailed guide to claiming Thai citizenship by descent, I've decided to post here the steps and documents required to solve some issue. Hopefully someone will get this pinned up so that this thread can go on to help many more.

Eligibility:

In accordance to Thai Citizenship Law, anyone born to Thai Parent (Male/Female) is eligible to claim Thai Citizenship by descent irregardless of the country that they were born in.

Options Available to claim Thai Citizenship by Descent:

i) Apply to claim Thai Citizenship by descent in one's birth country (Duration: 5 working days)

ii) Apply to claim Thai Citizenship by descent in Thailand at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chaeng Wattana (Duration: 2-3 months or even more)

Using Option i.

Documents needed:

1. Birth Certificate issued by your own country

2. Thai Parent's ID Card (Or passport at the officer's discretion)

3. Foreign Parent's ID Card (Or Passport at the officer's discretion)

4. Parent's marriage certificate (Or Divorced certificate)

Steps:

1. Get your birth certificate Notarized first. (If not in English, you must get it translated to English)

2. Proceed to the Thai Embassy in your country and inform them of your decision to register your Birth.

3. Say hi to the embassy staff and hand in all the document. He/she will inform you of any discrepancies and any other document needed should there be any.

4. Wait. the waiting time is about 5 working days. At the same time, you may apply to get your Thai Passport done.

Using Option ii.

To be updated.

[Mario2008]

A small point, you are not eleigable and don't make a claim if at least one of your parents is Thai (at the moment of your birth). You are already a Thai from the moment of your birth.

What you do need to do is make the Thai government aware of your birth, otherwise they don't have a record of your existence.

The document you will need is the birth certificate of the country where you were born, that is not necesarrily the country of your (other) nationality.

Question: didn't you need a birth certificate of the foreign parent?

[patyh]

A small point, you are not eleigable and don't make a claim if at least one of your parents is Thai (at the moment of your birth). You are already a Thai from the moment of your birth.

What you do need to do is make the Thai government aware of your birth, otherwise they don't have a record of your existence.

The document you will need is the birth certificate of the country where you were born, that is not necesarrily the country of your (other) nationality.

Question: didn't you need a birth certificate of the foreign parent?

Hmm. In practice, It depends. A call to the Thai Embassy in Singapore says yes, MFA at CW says it's okay.. I will add that in later..

[asiaexpat]

While this process may be true for those born in some countries, it is not for the USA. First, one must have the US State Department attest to the US birth certificate (can take up to 90 days), then that package can be submitted with an application for to register birth. Some persons are required to submit an investigation form and even get DNA tests done.

Of my four children, all except the one born in Thailand took at least 6 months of paper shuffling to get a Thai birth certificate. One required a DNA test (why the others did not I have no idea.)

Getting passport is another story.

[Gumballl]

While this process may be true for those born in some countries, it is not for the USA. First, one must have the US State Department attest to the US birth certificate (can take up to 90 days), then that package can be submitted with an application for to register birth. Some persons are required to submit an investigation form and even get DNA tests done.

Of my four children, all except the one born in Thailand took at least 6 months of paper shuffling to get a Thai birth certificate. One required a DNA test (why the others did not I have no idea.)

Getting passport is another story.

Either this is a new policy, or a very old one. When my TW and I registered our US-born daughter at the Thai Embassy in Washington DC, we did not have to do any of this. Perhaps it was because we had an official birth certificate issued by the State of Washington? As the OP indicated, we also had to provide wife's ID card, passports of each parent, marriage certificate, and passport photos of my daughter.

The process was incredibly easy, and we merely had to wait for the application and copies of the documents we provided to be sent to the Thai MoFA for acceptance, and then for my daughter to be issued a Thai passport (again, by MoFA). I cannot recall exactly how long it took (it was not a real concern of mine), but it probably took about 5 weeks.

P.S. We registered our daughter about 4 1/2 years ago.

[FiftyTwo]

If your mum is Thai, all you need is your birth certificate.

[patyh]

While this process may be true for those born in some countries, it is not for the USA. First, one must have the US State Department attest to the US birth certificate (can take up to 90 days), then that package can be submitted with an application for to register birth. Some persons are required to submit an investigation form and even get DNA tests done.

Of my four children, all except the one born in Thailand took at least 6 months of paper shuffling to get a Thai birth certificate. One required a DNA test (why the others did not I have no idea.)

Getting passport is another story.

Either this is a new policy, or a very old one. When my TW and I registered our US-born daughter at the Thai Embassy in Washington DC, we did not have to do any of this. Perhaps it was because we had an official birth certificate issued by the State of Washington? As the OP indicated, we also had to provide wife's ID card, passports of each parent, marriage certificate, and passport photos of my daughter.

The process was incredibly easy, and we merely had to wait for the application and copies of the documents we provided to be sent to the Thai MoFA for acceptance, and then for my daughter to be issued a Thai passport (again, by MoFA). I cannot recall exactly how long it took (it was not a real concern of mine), but it probably took about 5 weeks.

P.S. We registered our daughter about 4 1/2 years ago.

That's strange. I had mine done in CW and it took less than 60 days. It would take much less time in the country that you or your child was born in. Say 5 working days typically.

If your mum is Thai, all you need is your birth certificate.

I'm afraid that's a big misconception. As with everything in Thailand, there are rules and guidelines. Simply presenting that alone will have the staff throw you out with a list to get all the documents required.

With that said. I am having trouble editing my original post. Any help?

[asiaexpat]

The time it takes may well depend on the individual. Age at time of registration is one factor as new borns seem to be easier than if the child is older. Last year the consul at Washington DC (embassy) required a state certified birth certificate to be US State department attested (in a package with a seal and ribbon) for two kids along with a form called "Investigation Request" that had a lot of details about the father and mother. Also one child over 20 years old had to submit a DNA test to verify he is our child which took several weeks to get the results from an approved lab.The State Department took just under 90 days to send the birth certificate back and the whole process from initial request for a Thai birth certificate until we had them in hand took about 6 months. We did not use CW/MFA as the kids were all in USA at the time but that seems to be a good way to go. The oldest had a Thai birth certificate since he was born in Thailand, but the others all were born in USA but we did not apply for Thai birth certificates until they were all over 20 years old. Your mileage may vary.

[asiaexpat]

FYI from the official Embassy instructions:

1. Register a Birth (Thai Birth Certificate)

To register for a Thai birth certificate, the child has to have been born in the United States and have a original United States Birth Certificate.

Remarks: If the child was born before 1st March, 1992 (B.E.2535)

To register a birth an appointment is not required. The child, father and mother are required in person at Consular Office, Royal Thai Embassy, washington, DC.

To register a birth by mail. All documents, parent/gardiens passports, married certified, etc., have been notary by notarized signature officer.

Mailling Address:

Royal Thai Embassy

Consular Office

2300 Kalorama Road N.W.

Washington DC 20008

The U.S. Birth Certificate have to completed authentication certificate from the U.S. Department of State, Authentication Office, have been signing and issuing certificates under the Seal.

Step 1 Certified the ducument from the government of the U.S. state where your document(s) originate is sufficient. Submit an original document; to the clerk of court of the county county in which the notary is commissioned; to the state Secretary of State or equivalent in which the document is executed. the Districts Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications.

Find Office of the Secretary หรือ State Authentication Authorities:

http://www.nass.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=262&Itemid=484

Step 2 Certified an authentication certificate from the State Department. (see exemple)

Authentications Certficates from The Department of State, Authentications Office services to signing and issuing certificates under the Seal of the U.S. Department of State (22 CFR, Part 131).. source http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/

Department of State

Office of Authentications

600 19th Street, NW,

Washington, D.C.

Tel. 1-800-688-9889 # 6, (202) 647-5002

http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/

2. Submit Application

A fully-completed Birth Certificate form (download)

Legalization Form (download)

If applying for a passport for your child on the same day as registering the birth, additional forms below are required;

Form1 Request for a new e-passport (download)

Form2 Investigation (download)

Additional documents; see passport for child

All documents proof theirs parent/gardiens; passports, married certified, ID card

Photo; color size 2x2 inch

Money order $15.00 USD pay to Royal Thai Embassy