Expat aquiring Thai Passport

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Henry 14th
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Expat aquiring Thai Passport

Post by Henry 14th »

There is of course the Elite Visa or whatever they call it.

If I'm not mistaken you don't have to extend the visa for a period of 5 years and are free to stay in the country for that same period.

This is probably as close to becoming a permanent resident (for the permitted period atleast) as possible for regular expats.

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hhinner
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Re: Expat aquiring Thai Passport

Post by hhinner »

StevePIraq wrote:Thailand gives less than 600 permanent residency per year spread across countries which have reciprocal agreement. The chances of getting permanent residence let alone Thai citizenship and are next to zero unless you invest US$ millions in Thailand. The only option is a one year retirement visa which can be revoked at any time.

Thailand does not want foreigners unless you are extremely wealthy.
I have PR and I'm far from wealthy, or even comfortably well off. There are annual quotas, generally 100, for PR for each nationality and as far as UK nationality is concerned they rarely, if ever, get applications for the full quota. Or so I was told when I applied (which was 10 years ago) and could have changed by now. I think only Indian and Chinese applications exceed the quota.
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Re: Expat aquiring Thai Passport

Post by HHTel »

Big Boy wrote: I don't know why people keep bringing this up. It is written quite clearly on the official Thai website that dual nationality is permitted in Thailand. When my son applied for his Thai passport, one of the documents he had to produce was his UK passport.
I understand what you're saying BB and as we're in Thailand, things are confused which explains why different offices interpret the laws differently. The 'official Thai website' is not the law of course. The law is the 'Nationality Act' amended up to 2008. It states quite clearly that if you want to retain your birth nationality then you have to renounce your Thai nationality.

Section 14.18 A person of Thai nationality, who was born of an alien father or mother
and has acquired the nationality of his father or mother according to law on nationality of his
father or mother, or a person who acquires Thai nationality under Section 12 paragraph two
or Section 12/1 (2) and (3) may, if he desires to retain his other nationality, make a
declaration of his intention to renounce his Thai nationality within one year after his attaining
the age of twenty years,
according to such form and in the manner as prescribed in the
Ministerial Regulations.
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Big Boy
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Re: Expat aquiring Thai Passport

Post by Big Boy »

Maybe it's not me that you should be telling, but the authorities.

As part of the UK renewal process 3 weeks ago, the office in Bangkok needed to see my wife's Thai Passport. As part of my son's Thai passport application he had to show his English passport.

My son was over 20 when applied for his Thai passport.

When we arrived in Thailand to live, my son was travelling on a Certificate of Identity, not a passport. At Immigration he was escorted away by 2 burly Immigration officials. As part of the interrogation, they looked at his UK passport, but nothing was entered into it.

After the interrogation was son was allowed to enter on just his Certificate of Identity.

So, there may be an outdated law somewhere, but it isn't enforced. You know as well as I do, TIT - if there was anything untoward, they would have extracted a fee before letting him pass. At the very least, if he was illegal, they would have stamped his UK passport with the 30 days extension etc.

I was in constant communication with the Thai Embassy in the UK for months leading up to our relocation, and did everything by the book - according them, which is why they had no choice but to let him in.

Basically, been there, done it and have the T-shirt. All based on the University of Reality.
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HHTel
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Re: Expat aquiring Thai Passport

Post by HHTel »

Agreed BB. TIT. As previously stated, I did have a problem at the Malay/Thai border with my wife and kids carrying 2 passports. After being detained for a couple of hours, they were allowed to proceed but money changed hands.
As I've said, the authorities will interpret the law differently in different places.

And in the UK:
"Excluding Sundays, it is perfectly legal to shoot a Scotsman with a bow and arrow."

LOL
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