British/thai Passport

[coldcrush]

Hiya All

my Son has a British Passport from Bangkok and has only got a Thai Birth Cert, no Thai passport. On returning to Thailand will he have to get a visa stamp in his British passport as we are staying over the 31 days?

I was told we could show his Thai Birth Cert at contol on the way out and we would not have to pay overstay etc...

Please advise, thanks all

Edited January 10, 2007 by lopburiguy

[baabaabobo]

Hiya All

my Son has a British Passport from Bangkok and has only got a Thai Birth Cert, no Thai passport. On returning to Thailand will he have to get a visa stamp in his British passport as we are staying over the 31 days?

I was told we could show his Thai Birth Cert at contol on the way out and we would not have to pay overstay etc...

Please advise, thanks all

It is my understanding that unless he has a Thai passport he will be considered British on arrival and given the famous departure card and stamp. Showing his Thai birth certificate when leaving is no guarentee that they won't charge overstay. The way I do it is my son arrives in Thailand on his Thai passport and arrives in UK on his British. You have to show both when leaving Thailand to indicate that no visa is required

(they seem worried about letting Thais leave without a visa). If you got him a Thai passport it could save alot of headaches if you travel here alot. Otherwise just get him a visa like yours...

[Mahout Angrit]

my Son has a British Passport from Bangkok and has only got a Thai Birth Cert, no Thai passport. On returning to Thailand will he have to get a visa stamp in his British passport as we are staying over the 31 days?

If he enters Thailand on a British passport and wishes to stay over the 30 day free stamp he will have to get a Visa in UK before he leaves. Thais who enter on a foreign passport have to obey the immigration rules applicable to the nationality that they choose on entry regardless of whether they hold a Thai ID card etc.

If you still have 6 weeks left in the UK before you leave for Thailand get yourself down to the Thai Embassy and apply for a Thai passport for him then do as the previous poster does.

Edited January 10, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[the scouser]

My wife and I recently returned from Thailand accompanied by our then-9-month-old child who was travelling on his British passport. We had obtained a tourist visa for him, but upon departure, the Thai immigration officer said not to bother in the future as they don't charge overstay for children under 14 years of age.

We have since obtained a Thai passport for him. The application has to be made in person at the Thai embassy in London, and they said it would take 6 weeks for his passport to be issued and forwarded to us. In the event, it arrived in slightly more than 3 weeks.

Scouse.

[coldcrush]

Hi thanks for the replies.

So does that mean he does not need a stamp on entry into Thailand? Also how long would it take to get the Thai passport when in Thailand approx?

Thanks Again

[Mahout Angrit]

Also how long would it take to get the Thai passport when in Thailand approx?

It takes about a week to get a Thai passport in Thailand if you apply in person and have it sent back to you by courier, just days if you collect it yourself.

[samran]

Hi thanks for the replies.

So does that mean he does not need a stamp on entry into Thailand? Also how long would it take to get the Thai passport when in Thailand approx?

Thanks Again

It will take three days if you go the the PP office in Chaeng Wattana Rd and do it yourself. The process is fast and efficent. Add another day if your son isn't already on the house registration, as he'll need to be on that before he can apply for the passport in Thailand (this rule is waived if he applies for the Thai PP overseas).

Remember, if he enters Thailand on the Brit passport, he will have to leave on it. As others have said, if he enters on a foreign passport, he will be treated according to the immigration rules for that nationality. Having said that, overstay fines are generally waived for under 14 year olds, so there won't be any problem there.