Becoming Thai Citizen - having a Thai passport

[mortenaa]

Hi, this question goes out to those of you that has already acquired a Thai nationality, without having a Thai parent, born abroad etc. 

 

I just heard today, that a foreign man got his Thai citizenship, Thai ID card, but not a real passport. He just got some temporary passport with a yellow cover. It's problematic to use it when he go abroad. They also told him that no one, unless born by one Thai parent, would ever get a proper Thai passport. This sounds to me very strange, and very unfair to those who has gained citizenship.

 

Can anyone comment on this?

[ubonjoe]

He may not of gotten full citizenship. It sounds like he got a "TRAVEL DOCUMENT FOR ALIENS" shown here: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4909/15376-ISSUANCE-OF-TRAVEL-DOCUMENT-FOR-ALIENS-(TD).html

Those that go through the process of applying for and getting approved for Thai nationality get regular Thai passports.

[mortenaa]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

He may not of gotten full citizenship. It sounds like he got a "TRAVEL DOCUMENT FOR ALIENS" shown here: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4909/15376-ISSUANCE-OF-TRAVEL-DOCUMENT-FOR-ALIENS-(TD).html

Those that go through the process of applying for and getting approved for Thai nationality get regular Thai passports.

 

No, he got the full citizenship. He is from Pakistan. He has a normal ID card, which is verified by my friend, who has a close working relationship with the man. Applied for PR first. Was approved after 5 years. Then another 5 years for citizenship. My friend has accompanied him on the whole process from beginning to end.   

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, mortenaa said:

 

No, he got the full citizenship. He is from Pakistan. He has a normal ID card, which is verified by my friend, who has a close working relationship with the man. Applied for PR first. Was approved after 5 years. Then another 5 years for citizenship. My friend has accompanied him on the whole process from beginning to end.   

Something is wrong with his documentation or he would be getting a passport.

You can find posts in this topic where people got regular passports.

 

 

[Maestro]

...I just heard today...

Until you post a copy of at least the front cover of the "passport" in question this story will remain unsubstantiated hearsay. Sorry.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[mortenaa]

Thank you, I will do some more checking.

 

This might just be blatant racism from the government...  

[scorecard]

14 hours ago, mortenaa said:

Thank you, I will do some more checking.

 

This might just be blatant racism from the government...  

 

Does he align to the category (as in the posting from UbonJoe) of a person who cannot get certain documents or perhaps cannot return to his birth country?

 

As others have said, and I have followed this carefully for 30+ years and currently in the process, folks who are approved for Thai citizenship very quickly get a standard Thai passport.

 

As already mentioned It would be interesting to see a real copy of the 'travel document' and learn what other specific details / specific complications are involved in this specific case. 

[Grubster]

15 hours ago, mortenaa said:

Thank you, I will do some more checking.

 

This might just be blatant racism from the government...  

Why would requiring being born at least half Thai be racism?  Protecting your country from unwanted full citizens is not racism unless they are selective based on race. The way I see it they rarely allow anybody full citizenship.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Grubster said:

The way I see it they rarely allow anybody full citizenship.

It is often done not rarely. There have been a lot of people who have gotten it this year. Have a look at the topic I posted a link to earlier.

[GarryP]

I have a standard Thai passport. Both my parents were British.

[Grubster]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is often done not rarely. There have been a lot of people who have gotten it this year. Have a look at the topic I posted a link to earlier.

Sorry Joe, but what I see there is a yearly travel document for a permanent resident, not a citizenship.

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, Grubster said:

Sorry Joe, but what I see there is a yearly travel document for a permanent resident, not a citizenship.

That was link to a page on the MFA website. This is the topic I posted a link to earlier.

 

[mortenaa]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Does he align to the category (as in the posting from UbonJoe) of a person who cannot get certain documents or perhaps cannot return to his birth country?

 

As others have said, and I have followed this carefully for 30+ years and currently in the process, folks who are approved for Thai citizenship very quickly get a standard Thai passport.

 

As already mentioned It would be interesting to see a real copy of the 'travel document' and learn what other specific details / specific complications are involved in this specific case. 

 

I don't have all the details about the person in question. He is not in the country, and is not able to elaborate on his situation with his country of birth.

 

The person who told me this is not a member on this forum either. But he has been living and working in Thailand for a few decades, and know his way around pretty well. As I understand, he has a close working relationship with the Pakistani fellow for 10 years or more.

 

It started out as a discussion about PR and Citizenship, as I have recently applied for PR myself.

 

My friend claimed that foreigners that applied for Thai citizenship, with no Thai-born parents, would never get a proper Thai passport.

I didn't believe that to be correct, so then he told me this story. I was baffled to hear this story, hence my post here.

 

He was also told he would never get any a "normal" passport. 

 

I will try to bring a copy of the passport to this thread asap.

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2016 by mortenaa

[mortenaa]

36 minutes ago, GarryP said:

I have a standard Thai passport. Both my parents were British.

 

Ok, thats good to hear. Did you apply for passport right away after becoming a Thai citizen? 

[elgordo38]

16 hours ago, mortenaa said:

Thank you, I will do some more checking.

 

This might just be blatant racism from the government...  

Fancy that this thought never even crossed my mind. Imagine that.

[GarryP]

5 minutes ago, mortenaa said:

 

Ok, thats good to hear. Did you apply for passport right away after becoming a Thai citizen? 

Yes. Within a few days of getting my ID card. 

[Grubster]

23 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That was link to a page on the MFA website. This is the topic I posted a link to earlier.

 

Looks like in one year 48 people finished the qualifications and ten were awarded, rare in my book.  I would guess that those excepted had really good Hi-SO connections here.

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, Grubster said:

Looks like in one year 48 people finished the qualifications and ten were awarded, rare in my book.  I would guess that those excepted had really good Hi-SO connections here.

That is bit of an erroneous number if you based it on that topic. You will find links to the Royal Gazette in that topic where many more than that was issued. Last year there were several hundred issued in one batch.

[Grubster]

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is bit of an erroneous number if you based it on that topic. You will find links to the Royal Gazette in that topic where many more than that was issued. Last year there were several hundred issued in one batch.

OK I believe you Joe, you definitely know more on Visa and stuff than most.

[scorecard]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is bit of an erroneous number if you based it on that topic. You will find links to the Royal Gazette in that topic where many more than that was issued. Last year there were several hundred issued in one batch.

 

Just for clarification, are you meaning Thai PR or full Thai citizenship?

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Just for clarification, are you meaning Thai PR or full Thai citizenship?

Citizenship 

[GarryP]

6 minutes ago, Grubster said:

Looks like in one year 48 people finished the qualifications and ten were awarded, rare in my book.  I would guess that those excepted had really good Hi-SO connections here.

I have no hi-so connections here. If you meet the qualifications, you will be able to get citizenship. But it is a lengthy process. 

[Grubster]

3 minutes ago, GarryP said:

I have no hi-so connections here. If you meet the qualifications, you will be able to get citizenship. But it is a lengthy process. 

Thanks Gary, looks like I don't meet the requirements anyway as I am Retired.  I really don't need it either as I am happy here under the rules I follow. If I were a younger man and wanted to work and live here I would go after that hard as I bet you did. Good on ya and I hope your life here is enjoyable, profitable and fulfilling.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, mortenaa said:

 

I don't have all the details about the person in question. He is not in the country, and is not able to elaborate on his situation with his country of birth.

 

The person who told me this is not a member on this forum either. But he has been living and working in Thailand for a few decades, and know his way around pretty well. As I understand, he has a close working relationship with the Pakistani fellow for 10 years or more.

 

It started out as a discussion about PR and Citizenship, as I have recently applied for PR myself.

 

My friend claimed that foreigners that applied for Thai citizenship, with no Thai-born parents, would never get a proper Thai passport.

I didn't believe that to be correct, so then he told me this story. I was baffled to hear this story, hence my post here.

 

He was also told he would never get any a "normal" passport. 

 

I will try to bring a copy of the passport to this thread asap.

 

 

 

 

Never believe anything unless you hear it here on TVF 1st

 

[dbrenn]

19 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Something is wrong with his documentation or he would be getting a passport.

You can find posts in this topic where people got regular passports.

 

 

Ubonjoe is right. As soon as you get a Thai certificate of naturalisation, confirming your Thai citizenship, you can apply for a regular Thai ID card and passport. I did it, and so have others on this forum.

[dbrenn]

2 hours ago, GarryP said:

I have no hi-so connections here. If you meet the qualifications, you will be able to get citizenship. But it is a lengthy process. 

Seconded. I didn't have any hi-so connections either. All you need to do is meet the published requirements and have lots of patience.

[mortenaa]

45 minutes ago, dbrenn said:

Ubonjoe is right. As soon as you get a Thai certificate of naturalisation, confirming your Thai citizenship, you can apply for a regular Thai ID card and passport. I did it, and so have others on this forum.

 

Thanks for confirming this. 

[mike324]

My mother has a yellow thai travel document and white permanent residence book. Yellow Thai Travel document book is very similar to a passport but can't be used as a passport. I'm guessing thats what you might be referring too, this is the book where they stamp your yearly visa, and the book thai immigration stamps when you go in and out of the country, but you still have to show your non-thai passport.

 

I have Thai citizenship and thai passport, both parents are not Thai, I am a naturalized citizen.

[Docno]

22 hours ago, mortenaa said:

Thank you, I will do some more checking.

 

This might just be blatant racism from the government...  

Passports are only needed for travel outside the country... I'm sure many Thais (and Americans for that matter) don't have passports. He seems to have all the documents necessary to identify him as a Thai citizen domestically. So if the authorities were going to be racist, why would they just give him a 'problem' with his passport?

[mortenaa]

1 hour ago, Docno said:

Passports are only needed for travel outside the country... I'm sure many Thais (and Americans for that matter) don't have passports. He seems to have all the documents necessary to identify him as a Thai citizen domestically. So if the authorities were going to be racist, why would they just give him a 'problem' with his passport?

 

Maybe the passport office has a different point of view than the people who gave him the citizenship. I really don't know. Thats why I am asking.