How to Get Thailand Citizenship
Key facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 5 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- New citizens only
- Civic test
- Required, no test specified
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Partly accepted: for new citizens onlyNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Authorities can withdraw citizenship from citizens who naturalise abroad.
- Available routes
- Region
- Asia
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024GLOBALCIT baseline, plus 1 later in-force change applied where the data records a new value.
- Last checked
- 5 November 2026
What changed since 2024
- In force
New rules allow Thai citizenship for people born in Thailand to stateless parents with verified records; cabinet policy (Oct 2024) to grant status to about 483,000 long-term migrants and minorities.
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. 1 later in-force change in the timeline above takes precedence where it differs.
Naturalisation (residence)
This route covers foreign residents who seek citizenship after living in Thailand, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
- Residence
- 5 years
An applicant has had a domicile in Thailand for a consecutive period of not less than five years until the date of filing the naturalisation application. This timeframe is not required for persons who: render distinguished service to Thailand, are the child, wife, or a naturalised or restored Thai citizen, used to have Thai nationality, are the husband of a Thai citizen.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Ability to speak and listen the Thai language. There is no certification requirement. (Note: in practice a person must be able to sing the Thai Royal Anthem).
- Civic knowledge
- Required, no test specified
A person who has had a domicile in Thailand for a consecutive period of not less than five years holds the permanent resident permit and is proficient in speaking and listening to the Thai language.
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Good morals, clean criminal record, no activities hostile to Thailand
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Having a well found occupation with reference and the ability to make a living in Thailand
Marriage or civil partnership
This route covers people married to a citizen of Thailand, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is a foreign woman who legally married a Thai man.
Descent (citizen parent)
Descent from a citizen parent is the basis of this route in Thailand. Thailand grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Thailand to a Thai citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a Thai citizen.
Birth in the country
For people born in Thailand, the rules below show when birth there leads to citizenship.
In force, 30 June 2025: New rules allow Thai citizenship for people born in Thailand to stateless parents with verified records; cabinet policy (Oct 2024) to grant status to about 483,000 long-term migrants and minorities.
Birth in country
A person is born in Thailand to both foreign parents holding a permanent resident permit in Thailand and not enjoying diplomatic immunity nor representing another country. Note: A person born in Thailand to foreign parents with temporary immigration status or illegal immigrants falls is subject to additional regulations set by the Cabinet, for which the Minister of Interior will approve Thai nationality for each particular person. That additional regulation usually depends on Thailand's policy at a particular time (e.g. the policy to solve statelessness and to assimilate the children born to former forced migrants, refugees and migrant workers).
Birth in country (acquisition after birth)
A person born in Thailand who does not have Thai nationality as a result of the impact of Revolutionary Party Regulation No. 337 (Por Wor 337) since 13 December 1972, including his or her child born in Thailand in a second generation, shall live continuously in Thailand, as evidenced by being registered in the Civil Registration of Thailand, and have good behavior, or prove his/her dedicating a distinguishing service for Thailand. Note: a person born in Thailand to foreign parents with temporary immigration status or illegal immigrants qualifies for the additional regulations set by the Cabinet, which usually depend on Thailand's policy at a particular time.
Child of a new citizen
For children whose parent becomes a citizen of Thailand, the rules below set out what applies.
Person is a child of a naturalised or restored Thai citizen. No five-year consecutive domicile in Thailand, knowledge of the Thai language, good behavior, or occupation required. Other requirements: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Person is a descendant of those who have been recognised as the Displaced Thai.
Adoption
Adoption by a citizen of Thailand is the basis of this route. Where the legal conditions are met, an application leads to a mandatory grant of citizenship.
Person is an underage child adopted by a Thai citizen for not less than five years, person is an incompetent person being cared for by a Thai guardian under the Court order, or person is a minor under the care of the foster home for not less than ten years. The first two groups shall have evidence demonstrating their birth in Thailand.
Other family members of citizens
For certain relatives of citizens, former citizens or new citizens of Thailand, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is the wife of a naturalised or restored Thai citizen. Five-year consecutive domicile in Thailand and knowledge of the Thai language not required. Other requirements: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation
Former citizens (reacquisition)
For former citizens of Thailand, the rules below show when citizenship can be reacquired.
Person is a former Thai man or woman who marries a foreigner and renounces his or her Thai nationality, but the marriage is terminated and a former Thai who, while being an underage child, had lost his or her Thai nationality together with his father or mother.
Person is a former Thai born in Thailand, whose Thai citizenship has been revoked as a result of Revolutionary Party Regulation No. 337 (Por Wor 337) since 13 December 1972, must live continuously in Thailand, as evidenced by being registered in the Civil Registration of Thailand, and have good behavior, or demonstrate a distinguished service to Thailand.
Ethnic or cultural affinity
For people with ethnic or cultural ties to Thailand, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is recognised as the Displaced Thai which is contingent upon the verification of the fact that his/her ethnic Thai ancestors were made subjects of another state because of the territorial succession of Thailand in the past, together with other conditions that such a person does not have the nationality of another country, immigrates to and resides for a period of time in Thailand, observes the Thai ways of life, as well as being verified and registered in Thailand's civil registration.
Stateless persons
This route covers stateless people and children who would otherwise be stateless, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Foundlings
Person has evidence showing the possibility of birth in Thailand (no explicit provisions, governmental interpretation of Art. 7 of the Nationality Act B.E.2508 (1965)). The situation of unknown parents could not mean his/her parents are not permanent residents.
Stateless persons
Person who is stateless and recognised as the Displaced Thai under the conditions of the rules for cultural affinity.
Special achievements
Special achievements, or a national interest in granting citizenship, are the basis of this route in Thailand. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Applicant for naturalisation to become a Thai has rendered distinguished service to Thailand or has done acts to the benefit of official service. There are no requirements for having a five-year consecutive domicile in Thailand and knowledge of the Thai language.
Not available in Thailand: Citizens of specific countries, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Public or military service, Investment. This follows the GLOBALCIT coding, with in-force changes applied.
Dual citizenship
The two directions differ in Thailand: new citizens are treated differently from citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Authorities can withdraw citizenship from citizens who naturalise abroad
Person naturalises in another country (loss becomes effective upon publication in the gazette)
Compare with neighbours
Across South-eastern Asia, 3 of 10 countries ask for 5 years or fewer, and Thailand is one of them.
Check where Thailand sits in the full residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cambodia | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Indonesia | 5 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
 Laos | 10 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Malaysia | 10 years | Required, no test | New citizens only |
 Philippines | 10 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Vietnam | 5 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Nationality Act B.E.2508 (1965) 10, 12, 5, Ministerial Regulation B.E.2510 (1967) issued under the Nationality Act 1965, Ministerial Regulation on Forms, Modes, and Fees to Apply for Acquiring Thai Nationality, Naturalising to Become a Thai, and Restoring Thai Nationality in the Case of an Ethnic Minority B.E.2545 (2002) or Ministerial Regulation for an Ethnic Minority'.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (2026, November 5). How to Get Thailand Citizenship. https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/thailand/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/thailand/">How to Get Thailand Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, last checked 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Thai citizen?
Ordinary naturalisation in Thailand requires 5 years of residence, plus the other conditions in the law.
Does Thailand allow dual citizenship?
Partly. Thailand accepts it for new citizens, but not generally for citizens who naturalise abroad.
Do I need a language test for Thai citizenship?
Knowledge of the language is required, yet no formal test is defined.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Thai citizenship?
Demonstrating civic knowledge is necessary for Thai citizenship, yet no test format is specified.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Thai citizenship?
Your current citizenship does not need to be given up to get Thai citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Thailand citizenship by marriage?
Yes. Marriage to a citizen is a route to citizenship in Thailand. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Thailand citizenship by descent?
Yes, Thailand has a descent route. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get Thailand citizenship by investment?
No. The data codes no citizenship-by-investment route for Thailand.
Related pages
Also see: Thailand passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.