Dual Citizenship Under Thai Nationality Law
By Bloodright (Jus Sanguinis)
Section 7 of the Nationality Act B.E. 2508 (1965) states a person shall be granted Thai citizenship by bloodright.
Granting a citizenship by right of blood is permitted under the following conditions:
- A child is born to a father or mother of Thai nationality.
- By submitting a DNA sample proving the legitimacy of the paternal line.
Under these conditions, the newborn child shall receive Thai citizenship by bloodright, even if the father does not register his marriage with the mother or the child’s birth.
By Birthright of Land (Jus Soli)
For a person to obtain Thai citizenship by birthright of land, Section 7 bis of the Act states these conditions as follows:
- Nationality is inherited by their parents’ citizenship status.
- Have a domicile and reside legally in Thailand.
- Are at least the age of 5.
Therefore, the newborn shall be granted Thai citizenship by birthright of land.
Marriage to a Thai Spouse
Section 9 of the Act grants Thai citizenship to a foreign woman through the following requirements:
- Being married to a Thai husband.
Therefore, the foreign woman shall be granted Thai citizenship without having to renounce her former nationality.
Dual Citizenship Legality
According to the Act, there are no explicit provisions on restricting a Thai national in holding more than 1 citizenship and requiring to renounce a former nationality in the process to solely acquire Thai citizenship. Hence, an individual can possess multiple nationalities.
Citizenship Revocation
The Thai government cannot revoke your Thai citizenship if you have acquired it by bloodright. Should the government exercise such an action on the individual, it would violate the international convention on human rights.
However, the government will have the authority to revoke a person’s Thai citizenship if such an individual imposes a national threat to the public and the society.
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Category: Civil and Commercial Law
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