Obtaining A Thai Passport

[ThaiAmerican823]

Hi..I am new to this forum and has a lot of question that many of you might be able to help me with. I am Thai but was raised in the states all my life. My parent's came to the U.S as a refugee 26 years ago. First off, I am traveling to Thailand in two weeks and do not have my reentry permit yet because the USCIS are taking longer than I thought. I don't have any other travel documents. I just have my military i.d, ss card, driver's license, and permanent resident card. What other options do I have? The Thai consulate said that I can travel with either a Thai or U.S passport. I have exhausted all of my options and is thinking that a Thai passport would be my next best bet. What are the requirements for a Thai passport? I do not have any documents from Thailand to prove that I was born there. I remember contacting the hospital in Ubon Ratchathani for my birth records and they couldn't locate my information. All of my parent's personal information such as their marriage certificate and birth certificate was destroyed because of the war. I have no kind of documentation from Thailand. I don't want to miss my trip and my reentry permit is holding me back from all of this. Can someone please advise me on what steps I should take next? Should I wait for my reentry permit and risk on missing out on the trip or try to obtain my Thai passport? If so, where and what would be the quickest way? Any help would be great. Thanks.

[lopburi3]

What makes you believe you are Thai? If your parents were refugees it does not seem likely that they were Thai and you don't become Thai by being born here. I believe refugees would have been from Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos; but not from Thailand. Do not believe you have any chance of obtaining a Thai passport quickly.

[lukamar]

I do not have any documents from Thailand to prove that I was born there. I remember contacting the hospital in Ubon Ratchathani for my birth records and they couldn't locate my information. All of my parent's personal information such as their marriage certificate and birth certificate was destroyed because of the war.

My wife was born in UR, over 30 years ago, as well and her birth cert is an old handwritten piece of paper from the hospital so I would think that any record that way is long gone or at least very hard to get hold of.

You may be able to get some information from the US Immigration as I'm sure they would have all the paperwork submitted to them on microfiche somewhere. That may be your best bet.

I may be thick but what war and why refugees?

[mouse]

I suspect that his parents were of another nationality and he was born in a Thai refugee camp. That I suspect would make his chances less.

ThaiAmerican823 tell us the whole story, but, yes Immigration Naturalization in the U.S. is your best hope.

As far as travel. I once traveled into Thailand with an ID Card and leave papers only. Mind you that was at the time of the Last Supper, but, you may want to ask. Call JustMagThai in Bangkok at Tel +6622871036 and ask them if there is a SOFA in effect with Thailand and if that is allowed.

I also see mention of a "permanent resident card" which is something only a foreigner has, thus making him inelgible for a U.S. Passport.

Something is missing here!!

Edited November 1, 2006 by mouse

[lukamar]

What makes you believe you are Thai?

This is a Link to the Thai Consulate in Vancouver but the info is the same anywhere..

Thai criteria for Citizenship

[crocodilexp]

You don't seem to be in an enviable position, but here are a few things you could try.

First -- your green card states your country of birth / nationality (mine does). It might be possible to call and explain your situation to the Thai consulate, and try obtaining your Thai passport based on this proof. It would help if you had additional documents, i.e. the ones that you used to obtain your green card.

What travel documents do your parents have?

- If they have U.S. passports (or Refugee Travel Documents or any passports at all), those would state place of birth, possibly in Thailand.

- If they have a green card, it would state their original nationality.

USCIS is awful -- my family has been repeatedly stuck in their web for years (eventually, things clear up, a year or two after all reasonable deadlines). You cannot rely on any timetables at all when dealing with USCIS. It's particularly a shame that they're doing this to military people like you who are putting their life on the line for the USA.

Edited November 1, 2006 by crocodilexp

[lopburi3]

What makes you believe you are Thai?

This is a Link to the Thai Consulate in Vancouver but the info is the same anywhere..

Thai criteria for Citizenship

He has not presented any evidence to support his Thai citizenship. The law above is from "Thai Nationality Act (2535 B.E.)." so unlikely to even be the law he was born under. I still don't believe his parents were Thai citizens if they were accepted into the US as refugees.

[lukamar]

He has not presented any evidence to support his Thai citizenship. The law above is from "Thai Nationality Act (2535 B.E.)." so unlikely to even be the law he was born under. I still don't believe his parents were Thai citizens if they were accepted into the US as refugees.

I realize that and the info is newer but he can look at it. Thailand is one country that does not give citizenship just because you happen to be born in Thailand and has a set criteria if one parent is Thai or if no parents are Thai and also related to the type of alien they may have been. It's just easier to look at a table than for us to try and explain all the possible combinations. If his parents were from Vietnam and were in a holding facility for instance he would not be eligible for citizenship in Thailand but may be eligible for Vietnamese citizenship.

[ThaiAmerican823]

My dad is from Ubon Ratchathanni and my mom is from Laos. My father was in the Thai military and he had once work for the UK during the war. Documents to prove my father's citizenship is in Ubon with my grandmother.

Edited November 1, 2006 by ThaiAmerican823

[lopburi3]

Sorry but you are not Thai without proof. And that seems to be your current problem. If your father had military service and lived in Ubon does he still have family there? Does he have military records/friends? You are probably going to have to obtain home register documents listing him if other documents are not available. In any case there is no way I can see that you are going to obtain a Thai passport in two weeks.

[lopburi3]

You have edited your post to indicate that documents are available - you need those documents to make your case.

//edit: I would talk with Consulate to find out exactly what documents will be required and let them know what you can obtain.//

[lukamar]

I am Thai. My dad is from Ubon Ratchathanni and my mom is from Laos. My father was in the Thai military and he had once work for the UK during the war.

Your answer begs the question - Was your father a Thai citizen? Why I ask is that my wife's father was stationed there in that time period. The Thai Military did hire people to work with them that were not Thai citizens. If he was in the Thai military then they would have the pertinent information on your family, they have good records. Your father would also know his military number, you do not forget something like that.

You keep saying is "the War" - which one? There were conflicts in Lao, Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam as well as a Thai coup during the time period you mention.

You also say you were refugee's (a person who flees for refuge or safety, esp. to a foreign country) why were you all refugees?

I'm not trying to be flip or uncaring. These are they types of questions you will get from the authorities. I get the feeling you are intentionally leaving parts out for some reasons and not giving the whole story or possibly you have not been told the whole story.

[ThaiAmerican823]

I am Thai. My dad is from Ubon Ratchathanni and my mom is from Laos. My father was in the Thai military and he had once work for the UK during the war.

Your answer begs the question - Was your father a Thai citizen? Why I ask is that my wife's father was stationed there in that time period. The Thai Military did hire people to work with them that were not Thai citizens. If he was in the Thai military then they would have the pertinent information on your family, they have good records. Your father would also know his military number, you do not forget something like that.

You keep saying is "the War" - which one? There were conflicts in Lao, Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam as well as a Thai coup during the time period you mention.

You also say you were refugee's (a person who flees for refuge or safety, esp. to a foreign country) why were you all refugees?

I'm not trying to be flip or uncaring. These are they types of questions you will get from the authorities. I get the feeling you are intentionally leaving parts out for some reasons and not giving the whole story or possibly you have not been told the whole story.

I am talking about the Vietnam war. My father's duty was to work in the refugee camp (that was how he met my mom). My father is not a refugee. My mother is a refugee because she fled from Laos. My father can prove his citizenship by obtaining the documents from his mother. When I am able to go back to Thailand, I am going to keep all of his documents because my grandmother is getting old and she is forgetting a lot of things.

Edited November 1, 2006 by ThaiAmerican823

[lukamar]

My father can prove his citizenship by obtaining the documents from his mother. When I am able to go back to Thailand, I am going to keep all of his documents because my grandmother is getting old and she is forgetting a lot of things.

Thanks for clearing up that.

[BKK90210]

In order to get a thai pp - you need to have - a thai i.d card,

in order to have a thai i.d card - you have to have – your name on a “thai tabiean baan” (house registration book),

in order to have a tabiean baan – you have to have – prove that you’re a thai (either father or mother is a thai national w/ their thai birth cert, tabien baan, or old thai i.d)

So forgetting about obtaining a thai pp for now – which takes only about 3 days to get. Your real problem is in obtaining a thai tabiean baan with your name on it.

Note: I have never heard/met any thai national in US who came here w/ the refugee status.

Edited November 1, 2006 by BKK90210

[samran]

In order to get a thai pp - you need to have - a thai i.d card,

in order to have a thai i.d card - you have to have – your name on a “thai tabiean baan” (house registration book),

in order to have a tabiean baan – you have to have – prove that you’re a thai (either father or mother is a thai national w/ their thai birth cert, tabien baan, or old thai i.d)

So forgetting about obtaining a thai pp for now – which takes only about 3 days to get. Your real problem is in obtaining a thai tabiean baan with your name on it.

Note: I have never heard/met any thai national in US who came here w/ the refugee status.

No you don't. I got my first Thai PP outside of Thailand on the strenght of a Thai birth certificate issued by the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra. I didn't get on the tabien Baan or get an ID card until my 30's.

Thai passports can be issued outside of Thailand easily without these things in my experience. The OP will need to prove to the Thai embassy in the US that he is indeed a Thai national, so they can issue the passport. If he can prove the link to his father then that is a good start.

He'll then either need to get a US passport (if he is eligible for one) to exit and re-enter the US, otherwise have his greencard stamped into his Thai PP.