Can I switch passports flying into Thailand?

[The Deerhunter]

On 08/03/2018 at 10:19 AM, Mattd said:

You were arrested entering the UK using a valid UK passport?

I have entered the UK loads of times and never once been even asked about a departure stamp from another country, a lot of countries, including the UK do not stamp the passport on departure.

Correct. Many countries now do electronic passports with no exit arrival stamps.  Obviously what he said happened must have but it does make one ask if there were other circumstances.  My wife goes to and from my country to here on two passports. 

[journey123]

So if I had a British passport and an Irish passport then I could effectively eliminate the problem of having to many back to back single entry tourist visas into Thailand?

 

get single entry TV in British passport in the UK and enter Thailand on British passport

Leave Thailand on British passport and fly to Malaysia

Enter Malaysia on Irish passport and get single entry TV in Irish passport

Leave Malaysia on Irish passport and fly to Thailand 

Enter Thailand on Irish passport

leave Thailand on Irish passport and fly to Malaysia

Enter Malaysia on British passport and get single entry TV on British passport

leave Malaysia on British passport and fly to Thailand

Enter Thailand on British passport.

 

Could this cause any problems do you think? 

 

[maprao]

So if I had a British passport and an Irish passport then I could effectively eliminate the problem of having to many back to back single entry tourist visas into Thailand?
 
get single entry TV in British passport in the UK and enter Thailand on British passport
Leave Thailand on British passport and fly to Malaysia
Enter Malaysia on Irish passport and get single entry TV in Irish passport
Leave Malaysia on Irish passport and fly to Thailand 
Enter Thailand on Irish passport
leave Thailand on Irish passport and fly to Malaysia
Enter Malaysia on British passport and get single entry TV on British passport
leave Malaysia on British passport and fly to Thailand
Enter Thailand on British passport.
 
Could this cause any problems do you think? 
 

No
You will be fine

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[stevenl]

22 minutes ago, maprao said:

No
You will be fine

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

No, he will not be fine.

[journey123]

Thanks for replies, There seems to be mixed views on this question everywhere you look for an answer

[elviajero]

6 hours ago, journey123 said:

So if I had a British passport and an Irish passport then I could effectively eliminate the problem of having to many back to back single entry tourist visas into Thailand?

 

get single entry TV in British passport in the UK and enter Thailand on British passport

Leave Thailand on British passport and fly to Malaysia

Enter Malaysia on Irish passport and get single entry TV in Irish passport

Leave Malaysia on Irish passport and fly to Thailand 

Enter Thailand on Irish passport

leave Thailand on Irish passport and fly to Malaysia

Enter Malaysia on British passport and get single entry TV on British passport

leave Malaysia on British passport and fly to Thailand

Enter Thailand on British passport.

 

Could this cause any problems do you think? 

 

Alternating/using two passports would get you more visas because the embassies/consulates usually count the previous visas in the passport you apply with.

 

However, at some point the two passports would get linked by immigration and the IO’s would see your record of entries using both passports.

[gdaf123]

On 3/9/2018 at 4:20 AM, Megasin1 said:

nope...she checks in with her UK passport (the flight out is booked with her UK passport details) and they do not even look for a visa, at the Thai immigration she presents her Thai passport to exit and on landing in UK she goes through the face scanner using her British passport, immigration in any country are only interested that you have a right to enter or exit their country, not in where you have been. From Heathrow it doesn't really matter, as they don't exit check you any more, however we apply the reverse process unless she is going for a short stay (to Thailand) when she just goes as a British tourist. This saves worrying about issues surrounding travelling with permission documents from her mother. The important thing I was told is that your flight booking matches your passport and issues can arise if it doesn't.

How does this work for a round trip ticket?  We booked round trip tickets from the USA to Thailand.  My daughter has dual citizenship.  I'm unsure of which passport to check in with at the Airline counter.  I'm thinking we should check her in w/ her US passport because I'm concerned about not using the same passport when she checks in for the return flight back to the States.  We did this before last year, but for the life of me I can't remember which passport I showed the airline agent.

 

Note, also last year when we left Thailand something flagged on the Immigration officer's screen because it took him a long time to clear her through.  He called over another officer and even asked my wife if our daughter had another passport (my wife denied that she did).  She had entered on her Thai passport.  My guess is that it was because she entered w/out a prior exit stamp (she was entered on her US passport the first two times she visited and obtained her Thai passport during her 2nd trip, so she had to exit on the US passport that trip).  I don't know - any insight on this?  I would like to avoid future confusion and delays.

[elviajero]

42 minutes ago, gdaf123 said:

How does this work for a round trip ticket?  We booked round trip tickets from the USA to Thailand.  My daughter has dual citizenship.  I'm unsure of which passport to check in with at the Airline counter.  I'm thinking we should check her in w/ her US passport because I'm concerned about not using the same passport when she checks in for the return flight back to the States.  We did this before last year, but for the life of me I can't remember which passport I showed the airline agent.

 

Note, also last year when we left Thailand something flagged on the Immigration officer's screen because it took him a long time to clear her through.  He called over another officer and even asked my wife if our daughter had another passport (my wife denied that she did).  She had entered on her Thai passport.  My guess is that it was because she entered w/out a prior exit stamp (she was entered on her US passport the first two times she visited and obtained her Thai passport during her 2nd trip, so she had to exit on the US passport that trip).  I don't know - any insight on this?  I would like to avoid future confusion and delays.

If your daughter lives in the US, and is only visiting Thailand for a short holiday, why are you bothering with the Thai passport? She can travel both ways and enter Thailand using her US passport.

 

If you want to mess around swapping passports she should check in to the flight to Thailand as a Thai and the return to the US as an American.

Edited March 13, 2018 by elviajero

[gdaf123]

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

If your daughter lives in the US, and is only visiting Thailand for a short holiday, why are you bothering with the Thai passport? She can travel both ways and enter Thailand using her US passport.

 

If you want to mess around swapping passports she should check in to the flight to Thailand as a Thai and the return to the US as an American.

She stays 3 months at a time.  I know while she is young she can overstay, but why bother with that when she has a Thai passport and citizenship.

 

Yes, that's what I am asking about.  If she checks in with her Thai passport on the Thailand bound flight will there be any issue checking in on the return leg with a different passport?  It's a round trip ticket.

[HooHaa]

On 07/03/2018 at 4:43 PM, Nong Khai Man said:

But He Wouldn't have A Vietnam Exit stamp in his Chilean Passport, Would He ??

Doesnt matter. Why would it?

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, gdaf123 said:

She stays 3 months at a time.  I know while she is young she can overstay, but why bother with that when she has a Thai passport and citizenship.

 

Yes, that's what I am asking about.  If she checks in with her Thai passport on the Thailand bound flight will there be any issue checking in on the return leg with a different passport?  It's a round trip ticket.

I agree with you she should use her Thai passport. Absolutely no problem to use both passports.

Show both passports at check in for the flights to prove she does not need a visa fot her destination country. Enter and leave here on her Thai passport.

 

[Megasin1]

8 hours ago, gdaf123 said:

She stays 3 months at a time.  I know while she is young she can overstay, but why bother with that when she has a Thai passport and citizenship.

 

Yes, that's what I am asking about.  If she checks in with her Thai passport on the Thailand bound flight will there be any issue checking in on the return leg with a different passport?  It's a round trip ticket.

You can book a round trip ticket where both legs are on different passport details, ie book her outward bound on her Thai passport and her return leg on her US Passport. It can be easier to do this through an agent, rather than online. If you have already booked the flight then you can amend her return details once she is in Thailand. My ex inadvertently booked both my daughters flights on the same passport and changing the return leg with the airline wasn't a problem. There is a very good guide on how to use 2 passports online, if you run a search it will pop up. Flaunting that you have 2 passports is not such a good idea as a lot of countries are now trying to restrict people to only having one origin passport, so we always ensure we only present the right passport at the right time. Good luck

[Megasin1]

Here is the process. Book the flight journey of the destination, using the passport that belongs to the destination country. For example if flying from UK to Thailand then book the outward flight using the Thai passport. Check in with the Thai passport. Go through departure immigration with the UK passport. Present the Thai passport at Thai immigration when entering Thailand. Book the return flight using the UK passport details. Check in the return flight with the British passport. Pass through Thai immigration (outward) and present the Thai passport. Upon arrival in UK present the British passport....Job Done. For short trips just fly as a tourist using the British Passport and leave the Thai one at home. You will encounter difficulties with online air ticket bookings because of the limitations of the booking systems, making it difficult or impossible to book a round trip under 2 different passports, so you can use an agent to book your ticket, or contact the airline directly by phone. Try to get it right first time to avoid booking change charges and don't flaunt that you have 2 passports, especially to the Western immigrations, whom are trying to stop people having dual nationality passports. The Immigration in any country doesn't care where you are from, or where you are going, only that you have a right to enter or leave their country unhindered.

[Megasin1]

12 hours ago, gdaf123 said:

How does this work for a round trip ticket?  We booked round trip tickets from the USA to Thailand.  My daughter has dual citizenship.  I'm unsure of which passport to check in with at the Airline counter.  I'm thinking we should check her in w/ her US passport because I'm concerned about not using the same passport when she checks in for the return flight back to the States.  We did this before last year, but for the life of me I can't remember which passport I showed the airline agent.

 

Note, also last year when we left Thailand something flagged on the Immigration officer's screen because it took him a long time to clear her through.  He called over another officer and even asked my wife if our daughter had another passport (my wife denied that she did).  She had entered on her Thai passport.  My guess is that it was because she entered w/out a prior exit stamp (she was entered on her US passport the first two times she visited and obtained her Thai passport during her 2nd trip, so she had to exit on the US passport that trip).  I don't know - any insight on this?  I would like to avoid future confusion and delays.

I have posted the process in the previous post. Issues arise when people change their passports to that which they have checked in with. I may be in error but I believe that when the airline forwards their passenger lists to the airport they will be flying to it includes the passport number. There have never been any issues following the process I have posted because you are always at landing immigration showing the passport they expect to see.

[Arkady]

On 3/14/2018 at 4:29 AM, gdaf123 said:

How does this work for a round trip ticket?  We booked round trip tickets from the USA to Thailand.  My daughter has dual citizenship.  I'm unsure of which passport to check in with at the Airline counter.  I'm thinking we should check her in w/ her US passport because I'm concerned about not using the same passport when she checks in for the return flight back to the States.  We did this before last year, but for the life of me I can't remember which passport I showed the airline agent.

 

Note, also last year when we left Thailand something flagged on the Immigration officer's screen because it took him a long time to clear her through.  He called over another officer and even asked my wife if our daughter had another passport (my wife denied that she did).  She had entered on her Thai passport.  My guess is that it was because she entered w/out a prior exit stamp (she was entered on her US passport the first two times she visited and obtained her Thai passport during her 2nd trip, so she had to exit on the US passport that trip).  I don't know - any insight on this?  I would like to avoid future confusion and delays.

 

No need for your wife to deny she has a second passport.  She is Thai by birth and there is no provision in the Nationality Act to revoke nationality from Thais who are Thai from birth. Furthermore, this is reinforced in the current constitution that says specifically that Thai  nationality may not be involuntarily revoked from those who are Thai from birth. 

[Megasin1]

7 hours ago, Arkady said:

 

No need for your wife to deny she has a second passport.  She is Thai by birth and there is no provision in the Nationality Act to revoke nationality from Thais who are Thai from birth. Furthermore, this is reinforced in the current constitution that says specifically that Thai  nationality may not be involuntarily revoked from those who are Thai from birth. 

Yes, however when I went to renew my daughters UK passport, it had become more difficult and as part of the witness part, the witness had to now declare that my daughter was living in the UK. Maybe, not Thailand, but certainly some countries do not want people to have 2 passports of different nationality. Maybe its a security thing, maybe it's just big brother but it is certainly becoming more difficult to obtain a Western passport. I don't know about denial, if asked, but its certainly something I wouldn't flaunt.

[Mattd]

9 minutes ago, Megasin1 said:

Yes, however when I went to renew my daughters UK passport, it had become more difficult and as part of the witness part, the witness had to now declare that my daughter was living in the UK

If this happened, then the only possible reason for this would be that you were applying in the UK and they suspected your daughter was not there.

The witness part as you describe is normally somebody who countersigns the application and the back of a photo to say that is a true likeness of blah blah.

There are absolutely zero restrictions on applying for a UK passport for a person with dual nationality.

The only thing they are insisting on now is that both passports have the same name in them.

The UK have no issues with dual nationality, in fact one of the documents that is needed for the application is a full colour copy of the other passport.

[Arkady]

5 hours ago, Megasin1 said:

Yes, however when I went to renew my daughters UK passport, it had become more difficult and as part of the witness part, the witness had to now declare that my daughter was living in the UK. Maybe, not Thailand, but certainly some countries do not want people to have 2 passports of different nationality. Maybe its a security thing, maybe it's just big brother but it is certainly becoming more difficult to obtain a Western passport. I don't know about denial, if asked, but its certainly something I wouldn't flaunt.

Many Thai government officials don't like the idea of other Thais having more than one nationality and some try to pretend it is  illegal but it is clearly not illegal in the case of someone born Thai. The UK government could not care less how many nationalities or passports its citizens have.   The right to dual or multiple nationality is actually acknowledged in the UK Nationality Act which entitles citizens to renounce UK nationality in order to obtain or retain another nationality and then reclaim it again immediately (at a price).  Checks that HMPO might impose on passport applicants to ensure they are entitled to a passport are another matter and may be stricter in these days of "homeland security" than in the past.  But they should not be misinterpreted as the British government being against dual or multiple nationality, the right to which is enshrined in UK law. 

[Megasin1]

23 hours ago, Mattd said:

If this happened, then the only possible reason for this would be that you were applying in the UK and they suspected your daughter was not there.

The witness part as you describe is normally somebody who countersigns the application and the back of a photo to say that is a true likeness of blah blah.

There are absolutely zero restrictions on applying for a UK passport for a person with dual nationality.

The only thing they are insisting on now is that both passports have the same name in them.

The UK have no issues with dual nationality, in fact one of the documents that is needed for the application is a full colour copy of the other passport.

There was nothing special about the request, I was in the UK, however its now a part of the standard renewal application, I wasn't singled out.

[Mattd]

On 3/16/2018 at 5:16 PM, Megasin1 said:

There was nothing special about the request, I was in the UK, however its now a part of the standard renewal application, I wasn't singled out.

Fair enough, although I do not see where it asks this question of a witness on the application form for overseas applicants, so is it within the online application?

This is maybe just to confirm that the applicant is present in the UK and eligible to apply using the online application process?

[Arkady]

6 hours ago, Mattd said:

Fair enough, although I do not see where it asks this question of a witness on the application form for overseas applicants, so is it within the online application?

This is maybe just to confirm that the applicant is present in the UK and eligible to apply using the online application process?

A countersignatory (or witness) for the photograph is required for all first applications and kiddie photographs.  If you are renewing a passport and your likeness has not changed since the last one, no countersignatory is required.  They have strict rules about the applicant being in the country where the application is made.  So, having the countersignatory affirm that the applicant is in the country they are claimed to be in, is not unreasonable.

[Mattd]

58 minutes ago, Arkady said:

A countersignatory (or witness) for the photograph is required for all first applications and kiddie photographs.  If you are renewing a passport and your likeness has not changed since the last one, no countersignatory is required.  They have strict rules about the applicant being in the country where the application is made.  So, having the countersignatory affirm that the applicant is in the country they are claimed to be in, is not unreasonable.

Yes, this is pretty much what I am saying, the countersignature part has been such for a long time now and when applying in Thailand you are asked to provide proof of residence, visa info etc.

I can only assume that the affirmation that the applicant is in the Country by the witness is somewhere in the online application form.

Though if applying for a Child passport, is the child required to be there or only the parent applying?

[Mattd]

As an edit to the above, I do not doubt that @Megasin1 witness had to do as has been said, it just interests me, as it is the first time that I have heard about this.

Looking at the guidance then it is a requirement that for a UK Passport application made in the UK the person countersigning has to hold a valid UK or Irish Passport holder and live in the UK, their address has to be entered and this has to be signed by the witness and is apparently verified by UKPO.

This is where the online application form differs from a UK passport application made overseas, as the witness then has to be a UK / Irish / EU / US (Preference in that order) passport holder, but can live anywhere.

[Megasin1]

4 hours ago, Mattd said:

Yes, this is pretty much what I am saying, the countersignature part has been such for a long time now and when applying in Thailand you are asked to provide proof of residence, visa info etc.

I can only assume that the affirmation that the applicant is in the Country by the witness is somewhere in the online application form.

Though if applying for a Child passport, is the child required to be there or only the parent applying?

From recollection the counter signatory had to sign that the child was in the country. This was new to me and not a part of my child's original passport application. This was a renewal of a child's passport. Fortunately she was in-country at the time. When I originally applied for a British passport for her, there was no such question and she was actually in Thailand. It was an online renewal application made in the UK, but there is never any logic to much they do. When I first applied for a passport for her, I had to abandon the online system as although they had changed the regulations in 2005 that allowed a child to claim British citizenship from only a British mother to either a mother or a father the online system would only work if a mother was applying, even though it was 2008, 3 years after the regulation change.

Other strange behaviour I have encountered, when trying to put the ex wife (who actually has a Thai driving Licence) onto my car insurance in UK, it would be allowed but she would have to obtain a British provisional driving licence, drive with L plates, but with no need to be accompanied by a licenced driver. Then within a year she would have to pass the UK driving test.

And whilst trying to obtain an English birth certificate for my daughter discovering that actually it is not required. In fact no documentation at all is required for British Citizenship. Providing you have a British parent you are in fact British, full stop.

[Arkady]

1 hour ago, Megasin1 said:

When I first applied for a passport for her, I had to abandon the online system as although they had changed the regulations in 2005 that allowed a child to claim British citizenship from only a British mother to either a mother or a father the online system would only work if a mother was applying, even though it was 2008, 3 years after the regulation change.

The amendment you refer to, which took effect in July 2006, was that British citizenship could pass through a father who was not married to the mother.  British citizenship has always been transmissable from a married father and prior to 1983 it is was only transmissable through a married father and not through the mother at all.

[jimster]

On 3/15/2018 at 5:04 PM, Megasin1 said:

Yes, however when I went to renew my daughters UK passport, it had become more difficult and as part of the witness part, the witness had to now declare that my daughter was living in the UK. Maybe, not Thailand, but certainly some countries do not want people to have 2 passports of different nationality. Maybe its a security thing, maybe it's just big brother but it is certainly becoming more difficult to obtain a Western passport. I don't know about denial, if asked, but its certainly something I wouldn't flaunt.

I thought it was the other way around. Globalization and migration is leading more countries to the realization that dual citizenship is fast becoming not just the norm, but increasingly a necessity. In some countries like Australia and Switzerland, a full 25% of all citizens possess more than one nationality.

 

Again, Switzerland and Australia have in the past few decades allowed dual citizenship whereas previously they did not. Prior to 4 Apr 2002, an Australian citizen by birth who became a citizen of another country lost their Australian citizenship, but since that date both Australian born and naturalized Australians can hold multiple passports. Belgium also liberalized their nationality policy and allows dual citizenship whereas a few years ago they did not (except, like Australia naturalized citizens could in some cases retain their previous nationality but natural born citizens could not).

 

Perhaps the UK ruling has more to do with social security and taxes than any efforts on the part of the UK government to make it more difficult to hold dual citizenship.