American Citizen born to Thai mother can live in Thailand?
I'm 32 and was born in Singapore to a Thai citizen Mother and American Citizen father. I am American citizen in other words. We have been living in the US for 25 years. My parents now have decided that they will be retiring to Bangkok soon. My question is.. can i live there with them? Even if my mom is Thai citizen and i'm her daughter.... will i be allowed to live there with them? Also i have two small boys 5 and 1 years old, both american citizens as well can they come with me too? I hate to see my parents go so far away.... my father is 66 years old with Parkinson and I want to be close to them. Please help me with this question. Thank you so much, I became american citizen only because my Father is American. We moved back to the States in 85 . My mom remains Thai citizen and is still married to my father. They plan to move to Bangkok next year.
Thailand - 2 Answers
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1 :
By law, a child borne to a Thai mother automatically receives a Thai citizenship. He or she can hold dual, or more, citizenship by any means (like having an American father in your case), but as the child turns 20 years of age, he or she must give up all other citizenship within six months, otherwise he or she loses Thai citizenship automatically. As in your case, you still have a Thai mother. (This is a different case, a Thai woman married to foreign citizen and receives additional citizenship by marriage doesn't lose Thai citizenship). I guess it is easier for you to reapply for a Thai citizenship, should you wish to and stay within Thailand as a Thai. I recommend you get in touch with Thai Embassy, consular section in the US and make enquiry into regain Thai citizen. One thing you should be thinking of is that you may lose US citizenship in the process. %%%%%%%%%%%%% OK, I've not thought of the other aspects of your question as you were not specific. If by you "allowed to be living in Thailand with your parents" means you only want to stay in Thailand (with your kids as well) but not to regain Thai citizenship, I would say yes. As your mother is still holding Thai citizenship (wonder, as she would have lots of visa problem living 25 years in the US), she would hold Thai passport and coming back home, which is easy. Your American father will need to do like all other people here in this forum who's a non-Thai but taking residency in Thailand, that is requesting for Non-immigrant visa type O for three months and contact the immigration department to extend it to a year. I'm not sure whether being married to your Thai mom will give any added advantage to extend visa to cover more than a year or not, or your father would get retirement visa. In any case, you can do something like that too, taking relationship with your mom, given you still wish to hold US citizenship (same applies to your children). I think you can also apply for residency without being a Thai citizen, but there is a renewal of visa periodically. Some Thai, though, do another way. This is partly illegal but many million of Thais in California do this. They somehow get US citizenship (by getting green cards, marrying, or whatever), and continue to renew their Thai passport. Although Thai law require all Thais to surrender all other nationalities in holding Thai citizenship, but without the Consul's knowledge, they will continue to renew the passport and hence the continuation of Thai citizenship. This however risking an act of perjure, which is also a criminal offense, as said, one must not hold other citizenship while holding Thai citizenship with only two exceptions; that is, a child under 20 years of age, and Thai woman who gain citizenship through marriage.
2 :
You could be considered Thai, was your birth registered with the Thai Embassy in Singapore? Contact the Thai Embassy nearest you and ask what you will need to get a Thai passport and citizenship. As for your children, if you are considered Thai then your children will be also. There are four main Thai Embassies in the US http://www.thaiembdc.org/ Washington DC http://www.thaichicago.net/clate/index.htm Chicago http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/index.aspx Los Angeles http://www.thaiconsulnewyork.com/ New York And a few others smaller offices in many states listed here; http://www.angeltravel.com/Misc/royal_thai_consulate.htm#FL
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