Citizenship for daughter born in Australia

[ellathai]

My thai wife and l have been married for 25 years and have 2 daughters, one of my daughters who is now 22 wishes to have Dual citizenship. l like this idea as my wife and l are planning on retiring to Yang Talat in the near future and this would make it easier for our children to take over the land etc when we leave this earth. As l said she is 22 years old and was born and lives in Australia. She had a Thai passport when she was 1 year old which l still have,but don't remember much about when we got it. First question l suppose is, can she obtain Thai citizenship and the second would be how we go about it ?

Thanks to all

Bruce

[Surin13]

If she had a Thai passport she must already have Thai citizenship unless she renounced it , all she would need to do is get a new passport from the Thai Embassy in Canberra. Call them for details on what ID they will need.

About owning land etc once in Thailand she would need to be registered on Tabien Baan and get an ID card at the local Amphur, but I don't know how easy this will be or what the Amphur will require, best to ask them as it may via depending on the Amphur.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Surin13

[sezzo]

My wife asked a similar question about the grandkids when she was at the Thai embassy last month. Apparently it is not a difficult thing to do, mind we were enquiring about 1 and 2 year old. Google Thai embassy Canberra and their website has all the phone numbers. The info on the website is in both thai and English. I have had a few dealings with this embassy and always have been treated well.

[moojar]

Just a note on the ID card - my daughter got hers on her last trip to Thailand, she was 20 or 21 at the time. She has had both Oz and Thai passports all her life, but the first office my wife took her to (Lard Prao I think it was) told her she cannot have an ID card as she doesn't speak Thai. The wife made some inquiries, found a less xenophobic officer at another office, and all was fine. Like all things Thailand public service, there's the law and then there's the officer's own opinion.

My daughter quickly learned not to use the 'Thai citizen' line at airport immigration btw - those officers usually don't speak any English, and would shoo her over to the non-Thai queue anyway.

[ellathai]

Thanks all for your replys.

Moojar do you remember the name of the department we have to go to?

[moojar]

Hi,

No, I don't know the name of the department that handles Thai ID cards, sorry. District office / Amphur I'd assume.

I'm sure plenty on here know for sure, but if you haven't had a reply by the time my wife gets home I'll ask her.

Cheers.

[CharlieH]

This may be better suited in the Visa forum for better advice.

MOVED

[ubonjoe]

She has Thai citizenship from birth.

If she has a Thai birth certificate issued by the Thai embassy in Australia she can go to the registrars office at an Amphoe to be entered in a house book and get an ID card, Then she can then get a passport here.

[Mario2008]

Both your duathers already have Thai nationality, as their mother is a Thai national. Bth Thailand and Australia do not have any problems with this.

Your 22 year old already had a Thai passport, so already has a Thai birth certificate and can apply for a new paspsort. See Thai embassy webiste.

With the Thai birth certificate the Thai goverment is aware of the fact that a Thai citizen is born. So if the other child desn't have a Thai birth certificate yet, she needs to get one. That means contacting the Thai embassy and getting one issued. Details on their webiste. (If she was born in Thailand she already has a Thai birth certificate)

[oneday]

If she had a Thai passport she must already have Thai citizenship unless she renounced it , all she would need to do is get a new passport from the Thai Embassy in Canberra. Call them for details on what ID they will need.

About owning land etc once in Thailand she would need to be registered on Tabien Baan and get an ID card at the local Amphur, but I don't know how easy this will be or what the Amphur will require, best to ask them as it may via depending on the Amphur.

From everything I have read the advice above is pretty good. However, I will add this. Thailand DOES NOT allow duel citizenship, but they are very lax on enforcing it as long as it's not shoved in their face. If you tell them she is already a citizen of Australia they will not allow her to renew her passport or maintain any citizenship she may have had.

AFAIK, you can't have a passport from any given country if you are not already a citizen of that country. Also, as Surin13 says she must be on SOMEBODIES house book. So once you get her on a house book then she SHOULD be able to get a Thai ID and her passport renewed. Hopefully no one asks you/her how she got into the country, which of course, would have been on her Australian passport.

It's easier to be a citizen of Thailand, go abroad and become a citizen of another country and just never tell Thailand you are also a citizen of another country. You then maintain your Thai ID card and Passport through your local embassy in that other country. If you had continued to renew her passport through the Thai embassy in Australia all should have been OK. Heck, you might even try to go to your local embassy now and see if you can get it renewed...at least see what they say.

[samran]

If she had a Thai passport she must already have Thai citizenship unless she renounced it , all she would need to do is get a new passport from the Thai Embassy in Canberra. Call them for details on what ID they will need.

About owning land etc once in Thailand she would need to be registered on Tabien Baan and get an ID card at the local Amphur, but I don't know how easy this will be or what the Amphur will require, best to ask them as it may via depending on the Amphur.

From everything I have read the advice above is pretty good. However, I will add this. Thailand DOES NOT allow duel citizenship, but they are very lax on enforcing it as long as it's not shoved in their face. If you tell them she is already a citizen of Australia they will not allow her to renew her passport or maintain any citizenship she may have had.

AFAIK, you can't have a passport from any given country if you are not already a citizen of that country. Also, as Surin13 says she must be on SOMEBODIES house book. So once you get her on a house book then she SHOULD be able to get a Thai ID and her passport renewed. Hopefully no one asks you/her how she got into the country, which of course, would have been on her Australian passport.

It's easier to be a citizen of Thailand, go abroad and become a citizen of another country and just never tell Thailand you are also a citizen of another country. You then maintain your Thai ID card and Passport through your local embassy in that other country. If you had continued to renew her passport through the Thai embassy in Australia all should have been OK. Heck, you might even try to go to your local embassy now and see if you can get it renewed...at least see what they say.

Thailand doens't have an issue with dual citizenship. It hasn't since the third version of the Nationality Act of March 1992. Suggest you read it.

[ubonjoe]

From everything I have read the advice above is pretty good. However, I will add this. Thailand DOES NOT allow duel citizenship, but they are very lax on enforcing it as long as it's not shoved in their face. If you tell them she is already a citizen of Australia they will not allow her to renew her passport or maintain any citizenship she may have had.

Thailand has no law that prohibits holding dual nationalities.

She can have two passports without a problem many have them already.

[Ohng]

Unfortunately, Thailand DOES NOT allow Thais people to hold dual citizenship by LAW but there are many people who have dual citizenship and are okay in the practical one.

[nzexpat]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Unfortunately, Thailand DOES NOT allow Thais people to hold dual citizenship by LAW but there are many people who have dual citizenship and are okay in the practical one.

Which LAW ?

My wife enjoys dual citizenship and there has never been an issue raised by the Thai authorities !

[ubonjoe]

Unfortunately, Thailand DOES NOT allow Thais people to hold dual citizenship by LAW but there are many people who have dual citizenship and are okay in the practical one.

Please post a link to to that law,

There is no such law.

[paz]

Unfortunately, Thailand DOES NOT allow Thais people to hold dual citizenship by LAW but there are many people who have dual citizenship and are okay in the practical one.

Please stop posting nonsense. It is irritating that people with no knowledge feels the urge to jump into threads about something that has been answered hundreds of time already, with 100% authority.

[rocketmankabin1]

If your daughter has a Thai passport, she is a Thai Citizen....sort of. She can stay in Thailand forever but can not own property, vote, or legally work until she acquires her I.D. Card but she needs a house registration before that.

I am a dual national American/Thai. Yes. dual citizenship is legal.

I was born in Thailand in 67 to an American father. Went to America at age

3 on Thai passport. Aquired US citizenship. Renewed my Thai passport in Chicago 23 years later. Went back to Thailand, found my Tabien Baan in Chainart where I was born and moved it into my grandmothers house in Prachinburi. Went to get my Thai ID card but Phralad Aomphur wouldn't give it to me because I couldn't speak Thai. Phralad Aomphur is under the Nay Aomphur. My mother wasn't present to help me because she was still in the US. She told me the Phralad Aomphur was just wanting some money and to take our Puu Yhai Baan with me and let him vouch for me. My mother had the Puu Yhai Baan give him 1000 baht and I gave Puu Yai Baan an equal gift. Small price to pay to get what was already rightfully mine.

Now, if your daughter does not have a house registration, she might not be in the system. Which might be a snag. I am dealing with that now with someone we know and trying to get her into my house registration. Again a different Phralad Aomphur at the same office won't help. He is not asking for monetary help and seems more afraid to do anything not on the up and up. My mother has talked to him to no avail and says we will have dinner with the new Puu Yhai Baan and Nay Aomphur. If you can get connected with someone, that will help. Like one poster said, they went to a different official and got what they needed. Not everything is black and white here which can be good and bad. Learn to use the system/culture to your advantage. Hope this helps.

[paz]

As I said in the practical one, it is all okay but please do not show them or tell them, the immigration, that you have the other citizenship or have the problem with them as well. They, the immigration, have their right to report you to revoke your Thai citizenship.

That truly show that you don't know what are talking about. Report to who?

Thai citizenship by birth cannot be revoked, because it has never been "acquired" in first place. It's a natural right, sanctioned by Thai law.

[Ohng]

As I said in the practical one, it is all okay but please do not show them or tell them, the immigration, that you have the other citizenship or have the problem with them as well. They, the immigration, have their right to report you to revoke your Thai citizenship.

That truly show that you don't know what are talking about. Report to who?

Thai citizenship by birth cannot be revoked, because it has never been "acquired" in first place. It's a natural right, sanctioned by Thai law.

Another like http://www.thaigeneralkonsulat.de/news/info_1_2555_th.pdf

I will post the one who has been revoked in the ราชกิจจานุเบกษา here.

If you have two passports and would like to test whether you are right or not, please tell the immigration that you have your own right to hold more than one passport/citizenship and they can do nothing about it next time you are in Thailand.

[paz]

If you have two passports and would like to test whether you are right or not, please tell the immigration that you have your own right to hold more than one passport/citizenship and they can do nothing about it next time you are in Thailand.

I don't have dual citizenship, do you ?

Again, for the case of Thai citizenship at birth (OP case), you have demonstrated you don't even understand what it is.

For the case of acquired citizenship, you are only scaremongering, and clinging on mirrors to demonstrate your faulty point.

In both cases, posting more and more won't make you right. The correct answers have been given already above by people that have personal experience, or are more knowledgeable than you. These are the one that are relevant and should remain in this thread.

[Mario2008]

Thai law does not prohibit dual nationality and thus allows it, as many Thai nationals can confirm.

The misunderstanding comes form the difference between people who are a Thai national by way of birth (one of their parents has Thai nationality) and people who opt to become a Thai national through naturalization. (They have another nationality at birth and want to become a Thai national). This last group can hold dual nationality, but by law cannot make use of that nationality (which is understood to be in Thailand).

[Ohng]

If you have two passports and would like to test whether you are right or not, please tell the immigration that you have your own right to hold more than one passport/citizenship and they can do nothing about it next time you are in Thailand.

I don't have dual citizenship, do you ?

Again, for the case of Thai citizenship at birth (OP case), you have demonstrated you don't even understand what it is.

For the case of acquired citizenship, you are only scaremongering, and clinging on mirrors to demonstrate your faulty point.

In both cases, posting more and more won't make you right. The correct answers have been given already above by people that have personal experience, or are more knowledgeable than you. These are the one that are relevant and should remain in this thread.

No, I am only a Thai citizen and there are many related topics to this topic that have been discussed many times in Thai forums.

As the OP case, Thai(Mother)+Foreign(Father), the immigration will easily find some reason to revoked his daughter's thai citizenship such as:

http://www.thaigeneralkonsulat.de/th/consular/nationality4.pdf

P.S. Please be polite.

[CharlieH]

Posts containing Thai script have been edited or removed. as per forum rules.

[Ohng]

And again I do not said that the OP case will have the problem but to be caution when dealing with the Thai Officials. Do not have the problem with the them.

The practical one or in the real life, many people do this without any problem.

Thai Law will only enforced to some people as always in Thailand.

[Bcgardener]

My wife has had dual Australian / Thai citizenship and passports for 15 years. We have lived in Thailand for the last 7 years. She owns land houses and is a company director in both Thailand and Australia. We travel back to Oz regularly and she always shows both passports to Thai immigration on the way out as no Oz visa in the Thai passport. None of this is any issue to Immigration, Thai revenue or any other Government department.

[rocketmankabin1]

As a dual national using two separate names I have been stopped by immigration officials at the airport. A Jr. asked his boss if it was OK for me to have a Thai name on my Thai Passport and an American name on my American passport. The Sr. Official told the Jr. it was common and wasn't a problem and let me go. I've been traveling in and out for 15 years. Some times as much as twice a year. Have 2 boys with 2 passports as well. NEVER had a problem. Also currently helping a foreigner who was born here between 1972 and 1992 to foreign parents who rates Thai Citizenship. Under Article 23, anyone born in Thailand within that 20 year period with parents legally in country rates Thai Citizenship. An American female friend of mine was the very first foreigner to obtain it.

[samran]

If you have two passports and would like to test whether you are right or not, please tell the immigration that you have your own right to hold more than one passport/citizenship and they can do nothing about it next time you are in Thailand.

I don't have dual citizenship, do you ?

Again, for the case of Thai citizenship at birth (OP case), you have demonstrated you don't even understand what it is.

For the case of acquired citizenship, you are only scaremongering, and clinging on mirrors to demonstrate your faulty point.

In both cases, posting more and more won't make you right. The correct answers have been given already above by people that have personal experience, or are more knowledgeable than you. These are the one that are relevant and should remain in this thread.

No, I am only a Thai citizen and there are many related topics to this topic that have been discussed many times in Thai forums.

As the OP case, Thai(Mother)+Foreign(Father), the immigration will easily find some reason to revoked his daughter's thai citizenship such as:

http://www.thaigeneralkonsulat.de/th/consular/nationality4.pdf

P.S. Please be polite.

I'm in that situation. My citizenship status has been checked by special branch and the ministry of interior as part of my wife's thai citizenship application. No one has come to strip me of my Thai passport.

[samran]

As a dual national using two separate names I have been stopped by immigration officials at the airport. A Jr. asked his boss if it was OK for me to have a Thai name on my Thai Passport and an American name on my American passport. The Sr. Official told the Jr. it was common and wasn't a problem and let me go. I've been traveling in and out for 15 years. Some times as much as twice a year. Have 2 boys with 2 passports as well. NEVER had a problem. Also currently helping a foreigner who was born here between 1972 and 1992 to foreign parents who rates Thai Citizenship. Under Article 23, anyone born in Thailand within that 20 year period with parents legally in country rates Thai Citizenship. An American female friend of mine was the very first foreigner to obtain it.

Yes, miss Fongchan. There was a news story about Her. Unfortunately her american born brother has some difficulties.

[paz]

No, I am only a Thai citizen and there are many related topics to this topic that have been discussed many times in Thai forums.

Exactly because these have been discussed many times, you should refrain from posting wrong information.

So in you case, please understand that if you were to acquire a 2nd nationality:

1) There is no Thai law that prevents you to that.

2) Under no circumstance your Thai citizenship can be revoked, because you're born with it. Exactly like the OP daughters.

[Ohng]

As I said in the practical one there will not be any problem unless if you make yourself to be a problem with the immigration.

For the Thai Citizenship Law, the latest revision one is on 2008 (2551) and it is only in Thai which you can find in the several government websites such as: http://www.thaigeneralkonsulat.de/th/consular/nationality4.pdf

This new revision is for the good of those who[Thai Citizen who has Thai Parents] have foreign husband/wife which they can still hold Thai Citizenship and they do not need to revoke their thai citizenship.

And the very important thing and related to this topic is that if one who has Thai Citizenship but his/her father/mother is a foreign. Then his/her thai citizenship may be revoked if:

1. He/She live in for 5 years in the country of his/her father/mother after 20th year old.

2. He/She intents to be in the other Citizenship and the official has proof. <-- If you use foreign passport, they can make use of this case.

3. Security treat act.

4. Criminal act.

(1) and (2) can be revoked by the Minister

(3) and (4) can be revoked by Court Order

One sample case http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2551/D/091/30.PDF and you can find some more case in this site http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/

By the way, it is the law but there is no punishment either. So many immigration officers they keep their eyes blind and will do nothing about it which they will not get punishment for this anyway.

The best simple way to protect yourself is to use Thai Passport when enter to Thailand.