Everything you should know and do if your child’s mom or dad is Thai
A lot of the time we hear a lot of confusion on the rules and regulations of whether your half-Thai child is eligible for a Thai citizenship. The answer is always YES. Regardless of which country your child may be born in, they are able to get a Thai passport and citizenship as long as one of the child’s parents is Thai. The best part is that as a half-Thai child, you are able to hold more than just 1 passport so long as the other country allows it. In this blog we will talk about how you can apply for a Thai passport for your Luk Khrueng child. Here you will find everything you should know and do if you have a Luk Khrueng child. So let’s jump right in.
First of all, you will want to know what is the Thai term “luk khrueng”? This refers to a person who has parents of different nationalities. The term generally refers to people of mixed Thai and foreign origin. Back in the days it was rare to find a mixed nationality. The term came during both World War II and the Vietnam War. At that time, it caused a bit of stigma, but today, it’s quite normal to see many luk khrueng, or halfies, in Thailand.
Are Children Born in Thailand Automatically Thai Citizens?
A child born to a Thai mother or a Thai father in Thailand is automatically considered a Thai citizen. Thailand uses a nationality doctrine called “jus sanguinis” which roughly translates to the law of the blood. What this means is that Thailand, in general, tends to look at citizenship from the standpoint of the nationality of the parents at the time of the child’s birth. If neither of the parents are a Thai national, then the child is not in fact recognized as a Thai citizen. But this doesn’t mean that they are naturally recognized as a Thai citizen as there are paperwork you WILL NEED to get sorted. Without one your child will not yet be considered a citizen.
1. Get A Birth Certificate For Your Child
The Thai parent of your child may apply for your child’s birth certificate by visiting the local district office. Registration of the birth must take place within 30 days of the birth, and must be registered by the mother and father themselves. The local district office will issue a birth certificate after all paperwork is completed which could take up to thirty days. It isn’t possible to book an appointment for this procedure, so you must wait in the queue at the local district office. All birth certificates will be issued in the Thai language which you can then be professionally translated and certified. Your child’s birth certificate will be NEEDED when getting a passport done.
2. Can A Halfie Get Both A Thai Passport And A Second Or Even A Third Passport?
It is possible for a “halfie” to get both a Thai passport and a passport from the mother or father’s home country as long as the other country allows dual passports. To obtain a Thai passport for the child, you must show the Thai birth certificate with 1 copy and also register the name of the child into the house registration of the parents or relatives. For the second passport, for the mother or father’s home country, please refer to the rules of the Embassy or Consulate of the country.
3. Applying & Getting A Thai Passport For Your Child
To apply for a Thai passport for minors, the following documents are required:
- Thai Birth Certificate – the original or 1 copy
- Current Thai National ID Card – the original or 1 copy
- A copy of Thai House Registration of the minor
- The parents’ current Thai National ID Card – the original or 1 copy
- For a foreign parent, the current passport – the original or 1 copy
Both parents must be present and sign the consent form for the Thai passport for their child.
4. Is it ever too late to get a Thai passport made?
It is never too late to get a Thai passport. In addition to identification and citizenship purposes, a Thai passport is a secure way for you to travel the world with your child. If you hesitated to get a Thai passport for your child, please follow the steps above from our blog to obtain one now.
We hope this blog has been useful for those with children born in Thailand or with a baby on the way. If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. It’s as simple as hitting the chat function in the bottom right corner of our website!
5. Benefits If Your Child Holds A Thai Passport For A Foreign Parent
As a foreign parent, if your child holds a Thai passport you are eligible for a parental dependent visa known as the Thai Child Visa. The Thai Child Visa is essentially a Non-Immigrant O Visa that allows the foreign parent of the child to reside in Thailand long term.
In order to get the Thai Child Visa, there are many requirements. Please see below for a list of all the documents they will need:
- Passport with validity of six months and at least two blank pages
- 3 passport-sized photos
- Photocopies of your passport including the personal information page, your latest entry stamp into Thailand, and your existing visa if you have one, details of visa extensions and your TM6 Departure Card
- No less than 400,000THB in a Thai bank account for a significant period of time
- Your child’s original birth certificate naming you as the legal parent with 1 copy
- A copy of your child’s house registration
- A copy of a letter from your child’s school confirming enrollment
- A clear photograph of the parent and child together at the school with the name of the school clearly visible
- Photographs of the school name and at least photographs of the child and the parent at the school grounds
- A copy of the child’s parent’s house registration if the mother or father is Thai
- A copy of your marriage certificate
- Clear photos of the parent at the family home
- Proof of address whether you are a homeowner or renting a property
Once approved, the initial Thai Child Visa will be for 90 days and then can be extended for a further twelve months.
Since 2012, we have been providing visa services for both Thai nationals who wish to travel abroad and for foreigners wishing to stay in Thailand.
As a foreigner who has a child in thailand with my thai fiance (we are not married) , but I’m living in Dubai , what is the best way to get my child a passport?