Scoring criteria for Thai naturalisation applications
The breakdown of the Thai citizenship points test for naturalization as a Thai citizen (‘เกณฑ์การให้คะแนน กรณีการขอแปลงสัญชาติเป็นไทย’) is outlined below. This test relates to people who are applying based on being married to a Thai wife, or those who are applying having already held Thai permanent residency for five years.
The Thai citizenship points test does not apply to women who are applying for citizenship through a Thai husband. For those applicants, please read this page).
Summary
The authorities have set a maximum point allocation of 100. The threshold of being able to apply for citizenship via the Thai citizenship points test is to score a minimum 50 of the 100 required points to have your application considered.
- Qualifications of the applicant (maximum 25 points)
1.1 Age (10 points)
1.2 Education (15 points)
- Security of profession (25 points)
- Length of civil registration (20 points)
- Thai language ability (15 points)
- General knowledge about Thailand (10 points).
- Personality, appearance and expression (5 points)
AGE AND EDUCATION
Age
| Age | Points |
| 20 to 30 | 2 points |
| 30 to 40 | 5 points |
| 40 to 50 | 10 points |
| 50 to 60 | 8 points |
| Over 60 | 5 points |
Education qualification
| Level | Points |
| Up to Mor 6 or vocational training | 3 points |
| Diploma | 5 points |
| Bachelors Degree or equivalent | 8 points |
| Masters Degree or equivalent | 10 points |
| Doctorate level | 15 points |
SECURITY OF PROFESSION
This is done via an assessment of income, and can take two forms.
- Assessments based on verifiable income in the year of application; and
- Assessments based on verifiable tax payments from the tax year immediately prior applying
Readers should note that the thresholds for verifiable income in the year of application are more generous, and should aim to apply using that measure.
Verified monthly income in the year of application
a) Income for general applicants who do not have other ties to Thailand (as outlined below)
| Income (baht per month) | Points |
| 80,000 to 90,000 | 15 points |
| 90,001 to 100,000 | 20 points |
| 100,001 and above | 25 points |
b) Income for applicants who are designated ethnic minorities*:
| Income (baht per month) | Points |
| 40,000 to 50,000 | 15 points |
| 50,001 to 60,000 | 20 points |
| 60,001 and above | 25 points |
c) Income for applicants who are designated ethnic minorities* and who have held an Alien ID Card for at least 10 years:
| Income (baht per month) | Points |
| 20,000 to 30,000 | 15 points |
| 30,001 to 40,000 | 20 points |
| 40,001 and above | 25 points |
d) Income for applicants married to a Thai national, or having Thai children, or having graduated from secondary educational institution in Thailand:
| Income (baht per month) | Points |
| 40,000 to 50,000 | 15 points |
| 50,001 to 60,000 | 20 points |
| 60,001 and above | 25 points |
e) Income (monthly) in the case of ethnic minorities* married to a Thai national, or having Thai children, or having graduated from high school in Thailand:
| Income (baht per month) | Points |
| 20,000 to 30,000 | 15 points |
| 30,001 to 40,000 | 20 points |
| Over 40,001 | 25 points |
Alternatively, Special Branch are able to allocate points based on verified taxable income based on the based on tax returns made in the year immediately before the submission of your citizenship applications. These thresholds are higher than those outlined above, which are based on your current income in the year of application.
We’ve put it in here as it is part of the formal information sheet given by Special Branch. The use of these thresholds may suit some people.
f) Income based on previous years tax returns for general applicants who do not have other ties to Thailand
| Income (baht per month) | Points |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 15 points |
| 100,001 to 120,000 | 20 points |
| 120,001 and above | 25 points |
g) Income based on previous years tax returns for applicants who are designated ethnic minorities*:
| Income (baht per month) | Points |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 15 points |
| 60,001 to 80,000 | 20 points |
| 80,001 and above | 25 points |
h) Income based on previous years tax returns for applicants who are designated ethnic minorities* and who have held an Alien ID Card for at least 10 years:
| Income (baht per month) | Points |
| 20,000 to 40,000 | 15 points |
| 40,001 to 60,000 | 20 points |
| 60,001 and above | 25 points |
i) Income based on previous years tax returns in the case of those married to a Thai national, or having Thai children, or having graduated from high school in Thailand:
| Income (baht per month) | Points |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 15 points |
| 60,001 to 80,000 | 20 points |
| 80,001 and above | 25 points |
*Note: Ethnic minorities are outlined in this link from BORA (Thai language only).
RESIDENCE IN THAILAND
| Type and length of residence | Points |
| Has evidence of civil registration (i.e. yellow tabien baan) showing domicile in Thailand for at least 5 years but no Certificate of Residence or Alien Registration Certificate | 5 points |
| Has evidence of civil registration showing domicile in Thailand for at least 5 years and has Certificate of Residence or Alien Registration Certificate for at least 5 years | 10 points |
| Has evidence of civil registration showing domicile in Thailand for at least 5 years and has Certificate of Residence or Alien Registration Certificate for at least 7 years | 15 points |
| Has evidence of civil registration showing domicile in Thailand for at least 5 years and has Certificate of Residence or Alien Registration Certificate for at least 10 years | 20 points |
Note: Certificate of Residence or Alien Registration Certificate are documents issued to permanent residents. As such, the maximum score that can be issued to non-permanent residents is 5 points.
KNOWLEDGE OF THAI LANGUAGE
| Level | Points |
| Able to speak and understand spoken Thai | 8 points |
| Able to speak and understand spoken Thai and sing the National and Royal Anthems | 10 points |
| Able to speak and understand spoken Thai, sing the National and Royal Anthems, and read Thai | 13 points |
| Able to speak and understand spoken Thai, sing the National and Royal Anthems, and read and write Thai | 15 points |
KNOWLEDGE OF THAILAND
This is a multiple choice test which will be administered by Special Branch as part of your formal application. For more details on this test, please click here.
| Level of knowledge of Thailand | Correct answers required | Points |
| Medium | 1 to 5 correct answers | 5 points |
| Good | 6 to 8 correct answers | 8 points |
| Very good | 9 to 10 correct answers | 10 points |
PERSONALITY
Special branch officers will also undertake an assessment based on the personality, physical appearance of the applicant, taking into account attributes such as speech, Thai manners, attitude towards Thailand, its culture and ceremonies. The officer will be allowed to award 5 points for this category.
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