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What are the best visa options for my husband, a Thai national without a Thai ID card, to obtain during the ID card application process?

Thai ID CardThai PassportNON-O VisaVisa OptionsMilitary ServiceVisa ExemptionsExpat in Thailand
Mar 12, 2024
9 months ago
Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
My husband is a Thai national BUT never had a Thai ID card issued, so we plan to go to Thailand to get his Thai ID card, then renew his Thai passport.

I’m keen to hear people’s thoughts on the best visas for us to get, given that the process of getting his Thai ID could take several months.

Any insights welcome! 🙏
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The inquiry concerns the best visa options for a Thai national who has never had a Thai ID card, as he and his spouse plan to travel to Thailand to obtain the ID and renew his passport. Community responses suggest that he can use his Thai passport for entry and apply for a NON-O visa based on their marriage. Other comments address potential military service obligations and the documents required during the ID application process, as well as recommendations to consult an immigration specialist for accurate guidance.
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Dee ***********
Very good post and very informative
9 months ago
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Roger **********
Beth, get advice from an immigration specialist. The process varies from Amphur to Amphur.
9 months ago
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Michael ***********
My wife had a similar situation. We both went visa exempt. She brought her expired visa, expired ID, marriage license, school transcript and birth certificate.

Took about five days. Very hair pulling experience.
9 months ago
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Lee ***********
You posted this a week or so ago and got all the replies!
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Lee **********
 it wasn’t quite the same question, and I still can’t make sense of which visa to get! I’ve found things out from this post today which I didn’t know previously, so it’s been worth asking
9 months ago
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Lee ***********
@Beth ********
 maybe best to put that in your post and share what you have found for all to know 👍
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Lee **********
 just checked my previous post and I asked a completely different question (relating to document legalisation and income requirements). What I’m asking here is the best visa option to enter Thailand
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
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John ********
If he's over thirty doesn't qualify for military service.
9 months ago
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Andy **********
Have you seen the native farang on YouTube?? he has lived in the UK for 20 years, and has recently moved back to Thailand, his girlfriend is a British woman, I think he had to get a visa until everything was sorted out, he would probably give you advice if you made contact.
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Andy *********
 yes, we’re in contact already! Thank you ☺️❤️🙏
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
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Robert *********
Does he understand about having to do his military 2 years ?
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert ********
 I keep being told that military doesn’t apply to over 30’s
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
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Alistair **********
Idk about entering on an expired passport, but IF he can get his ID card then he can just overstay on his foreign passport and they will waive the fine.

I'll let others speak as to the non o and documentation requirements, though possibly the 60 day family extension may be available. Though it might require Thai ID, I'm not sure.

You should join Thai Citizenship Group, if you're after info on him obtaining his first Thai ID card.
9 months ago
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Robert *********
Will he have To do his military service ?
9 months ago
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Arisara *********
@Robert ********
 as long as he does not register his name on the registration for service( mandatory for every Thai 17 year old - man ), no officer would report him. However, if anyone wants to have an ID at his age, the officer( Sasadee amphur) responsible for it will notice it and give very important advice. To be safe no one should advise anyone to do anything that is not legal on FB because breaching Thai law in this matter is very serious if you get caught.

There are few exemptions that you can find out from the government website who can be exempted from it and how to get an exemption verification.
9 months ago
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Robert *********
@Arisara ********
i completely agrees,never advises anything illegal ,or for that. Matter do Anything illegally.
9 months ago
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Robert *********
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Alistair **********
@Robert ********
 this is a good point, if he's under 30 avoiding having his name on a house book is beneficial to avoid military service.
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Alistair *********
 thanks so much, I thought that was the case!
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Alistair *********
 he is over 30
9 months ago
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Alistair **********
@Beth ********
 that's good, so all he'll have to do is talk to military department at District office, they'll make him pay a small fine (couple hundred baht), then discharge him to the inactive reserve unit as he's over 30.
9 months ago
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Alistair **********
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Vernon *********
The process for his Thai ID card should not take too long.

Your husband can enter Thailand with his Thai passport and you can get the NON O visa based on marriage.
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Vernon ********
 thanks! Doesn’t he need his Thai ID first in order for me to get the non O visa based on marriage?
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Ah, good point! Thank you. I will consider all options 🙂
9 months ago
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Graham ******
@Beth ********
 You said he has a Thai passport not dual nationality so I was answering based on what you said
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham *****
 sorry, yes, he has both passports!
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Not without a Thai ID card. The embassy told him he needs to go to Thailand for this.
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
@Beth ********
 My son renewed his Thai passport in London without a Thai ID card.
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yes, perfect, this is what I thought. Thank you 🙏
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Is it? It was a passport officer at the Thai embassy in London
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 if your husbands Thai Passport still has a validity of minimum 6 months, the can use it to enter Thailand visa-free. And I am even not sure if the 6-month rule which applies to foreign passports, applies to a Thai passport . . you need to check on this. However if his Thai passport is expired, he cannot enter on it. Can't he apply for a new Thai passport on the Thai Embassy in London ?
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nongnuch *******
 no, he can’t renew his expired Thai passport at the Thai embassy in London without a Thai ID card. He needs to go to Thailand for his first Thai ID card
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 Can't he renew or get a new passport with his Thai birth certificate?
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nongnuch *******
 we might have to enter with stamp on arrival, then get his Thai ID before applying for marriage visa (if we stay longer than 30 days)
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 why I suggest your husband first gets his ducks in a row, before you enter visa-exempt and apply for the 90-days marriage visa (and the subsequent 1-year extension 60 days later) . . . . . because of the time window you will need for this application. There won't be a window of time left for you, if you enter together and he has to get his Thai ID card first
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 I suspect you might get caught in a CATCH 22 situation. Read the requirements for a "change" from visa-exempt to a "married to a Thai spouse visa" (as he does not yet hold a Thai idendity proof when you apply!) Check your status and requirements here and try to sort. Maybe it will be better if your husband travels to Thailand a month or two before you, gets his Thai ID card and passport sorted, before you enter visa-exempt and can apply for the change to the 90-days Non-Imm-O marriage visa immediately. Check this Immigration website. Your case would be listed under no.6 . . . .
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9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 it's a very short window of time. If you apply for the "change of visa type" from a 30-days visa exempt to a 90-days Non-Imm-O marriage visa, you need 15 working days left on your stay permit stamp. You might be successful if you add the 30 days extension to the initial 30 days visa-exempt. Good Luck!
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 oh, I see. Then the Officer at the London embassy was right. Can't he renew or get a new passport with his Thai birth certificate?
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 only so much to this topic: . . . Embassies and Consulates are a part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Immigration is a part of the Ministry of Interior and Police

Actually embassy employees have absolutely no idea about the rules and regulations of the Thai Immigration. They only know their own area of responsibility

Immigration and Embassies are two different Thai authorities, who go by different rules, who have little to zero communication with each other.

Therefore, never trust an embassy official what he claims to know about immigration rules,

and vice versa, never trust what an immigration officer says on matters regarding the embassies
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 for the application to the "90-days Non-Imm-O married to a Thai husband visa" in the Thai E-visa online system, you will need to upload your original marriage certificates. These can be U.S. marriage certs or Thai marriage certs. In Thailand, for the application to the 1-year extension of stay based on marriage with a Thai husband, to be accepted by Immigration, you will need the Thai Kor Ror 22 - the certification of a marriage registered in Thailand. Your Thai husband can enter Thailand on his Thai passport. The issueing of a Thai ID card will take only one day, if he can prove his residence in Thailand with a blue housebook! If he has no blue housebook, yet, then this process might take a bit longer, but not "months" (NOTE to self: it helps to grease the wheels of bureaucracy a bit 😉)
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nongnuch *******
 thank you so much, this is really helpful! 🙏 The Thai embassy told my husband (they just him this afternoon) that he should enter Thailand on his British passport.

His uncle or father will register him on their blue house book. I know some people who’ve recently gone to Thailand for their first Thai ID and it tools a few months (they were already registered on a blue house book). I don’t know why it took this long. One of them had to wait for the application to be approved by the ministry of foreign interiors which apparently caused a delay.
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 when you wrote about the legalization by the Thai MfA, this seems to probably be related to the situation when a married couple does not have Thai registered marriage documents (if they married abroad only). In this case, they need to have their original marriage documents translated and legalized by the U.K. Embassy in Bangkok, and in the next step, these document needs to get "co-legalized" by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok (near the Wat Benchamapobit).
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 . . and once he is registered in a blue housebook by either a family member or himself, the route is open for the application to a Thai ID card on the Amphoe office that serves your location. It shouldn't take a long time - a small envelope might speeden it
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Beth ********
 "The Thai embassy told my husband (they just him this afternoon) that he should enter Thailand on his British passport" . . . That's a VERY BAD advice!
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
@Nongnuch *******
 Thai government insists that dual nationals enter Thailand on their Thai passport.
9 months ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Vernon ********
 but what if his Thai passport has expired? You said he can enter Thailand on an expired passport. I remember I have read this info before. Is there a way to confirm? Will the airline allow it?
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
@Nongnuch *******
 He will check in at Heathrow London using his British passport and when he arrives in Bangkok he will use his expired Thai passport.
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yes, the Thai passport expired. So, you’re saying we can use that to get me a non O visa based on marriage? Does this also mean that he would not need a visa?
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
@Beth ********
Correct, he is a Thai citizen, no visa required.
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Vernon ********
 ok, thanks. I thought that because he has never had a Thai ID card, he would need a visa (and I wouldn’t be able to get a non O visa). I’ll check this out with embassy 🙂
9 months ago
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Graham ******
@Beth ********
 How can he get a Visa if his passport is Thai?
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham *****
 he is a British citizen also so has a valid British passport
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
@Beth ********
 My son arrived on Thai passport with no Thai ID card.
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
So your husband will depart UK with his British passport and when he arrives at Bangkok airport just show his Thai passport. You can queue up with him at the Thai passport lane as you are his wife.
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
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Vernon *********
@Beth ********
 He has a Thai passport, that is proof enough. Even if the Thai passport has expired he can use it to enter Thailand.
9 months ago
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Vernon *********
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Jacob ********
@Vernon ********
 Like one day.
9 months ago
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Bethan ***************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jacob *******
 I know of people who took a couple of months to get theirs. Maybe it varies from district to district
9 months ago
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John *****
@Beth ********
 everything in Thailand can be hurried up for a few baht
9 months ago
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John *****
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