returning to Thailand, then leaving again.

[yooper]

When my wife (Thai) gained US citizenship over 30 years ago her Thai passport was voided and now she has only a US passport to enter Thailand, no Thai ID card.  My understanding is that since the early '90's Thai passports are not voided.  We have 1 yr non-immigrant O visas w/mult. entry for our upcoming trip.

 

We are bringing the house registration given to her by her family when we left Thailand in 1974 and her 2 old Thai passports, the Thai consulate in Chicago said she would not have any problem getting a new Thai ID and passport, once she is added to a  family residence registration, or we establish a new residence. I am thinking this can happen in the initial 90 day stay and so no extension will be necessary?   We will return to the US in about 6 months, will she be able to leave Thailand on her Thai passport without regard of her US passport that would indicate an overstay?  Upon re-entry to the US does the US passport suffice without any indication of exit from Thailand?  Just curious on opinions, I will inquire at immigration when we arrive in a couple days.

 

Now that we are both retired, our plan is to spend about 8 months/year in Thailand, will she be able to enter Thailand on her Thai passport and return to the US on her US Passport without an visas?

Edited November 13, 2017 by yooper
added info

[tonboy]

my wife has a dutch and a Thai passport. When she arrives to Thailand, on het Dutch passport, she automatically gets a year visa, single entry. This is based on the fact she is an "old thai". Due to the fact she gets this visa, she will have to report every 90 days with immi. 

[yooper]

52 minutes ago, tonboy said:

my wife has a dutch and a Thai passport. When she arrives to Thailand, on het Dutch passport, she automatically gets a year visa, single entry. This is based on the fact she is an "old thai". Due to the fact she gets this visa, she will have to report every 90 days with immi. 

In our case she will already have a 1 yr multiple entry visa for this trip... I will be applying for the retirement extension, I am hoping that she can get any necessary extension based on her Thai ID.  Her sister will get their house registration updated to include my wife at their residence.  It's not clear to me why my wife would need any visa extension at all in her native country but we will surely find out in time. 

 

 

[theoldgit]

As you're asking about travel into Thailand, I'll move your question to the appropriate forum.

 

You say your wifes passport was voided, does that mean her passport was actually marked as void or simply that it had expired? Thai people can enter Thailand on an expired passport, an epired passport can be used as proof of her citizenship, and thus her right to enter, but she cannot leave on it.

[Mattd]

If your wife enters Thailand on her US passport, then ideally she should also exit on it as well.

She can, as a Thai, get a one year extension of stay in order to do all the business she needs to do in Thailand without any overstay.

Once she has her new Thai passport, then then next time she enters Thailand it can be on this passport.

[steve187]

as the oldgit posted, use the expired passport to enter Thailand, using the US passport to enter will involve leaving on it as well.

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, steve187 said:

as the oldgit posted, use the expired passport to enter Thailand, using the US passport to enter will involve leaving on it as well.

Decades ago there was a law that said that a Thai could only have one nationality. So her passport could of actually been voided.

She will need to enter on her US passport and then get a new Thai passport here. 

As said she can apply for a one year extension at immigration so that she does not need to leave the country when her 90 day entry ends or if she has her new Thai passport depart the country using her US passport and re-enter on her Thai passport.

[yooper]

we have arrived.  thanks for each of the replies.  she did enter on her usa passport inasmuch as we had the $200 visa....   She has both an expired passport and a voided one, I will be optimistic that she will have an easy time with a 1 yr extension of stay.  Today her sister and will take us to start the process of getting her new ID card, then eventually a new passport.  For  my own extension I'll open a bank account as well as get my income verified at the embassy. 

[SpokaneAl]

If your wife enters Thailand on a US passport, she must leave on that same passport. During her time in Thailand she will then be required to follow the same procedures as you - 90 day reporting, etc. - for immigration purposes she is an American. 

 

If she is in overstay status when she attempts to leave, she will be fined at the airport and will be unable to depart until that fine is paid.

 

With future visits she can leave the US on her US passport and enter and depart Thailand on her Thai passport and reenter the US on her US passport.

 

My wife and I learned all this the hard way.

[Mattd]

4 minutes ago, SpokaneAl said:

If your wife enters Thailand on a US passport, she must leave on that same passport. During her time in Thailand she will then be required to follow the same procedures as you - 90 day reporting, etc. - for immigration purposes she is an American. 

I think the OP and his wife understand this, the issue was that she had not got a valid Thai passport and intends on trying to get her Thai ID card and passport whist here, depending on the circumstances, then this actually should not take that long at all.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post.