My Thai wife wants to go back to her village to retire, thing is she 's been living in australia for 25 years, has aust. Passport, but still retains Thai I'd card, can she just resume village life as a Thai citizen ? 

Thank you for help.

songhklasid.

Yes, but if she enters on her Aus' passport she will get 30 days and then will have to get a new ID/passport in Thailand and quite possibly have to do an out on Aus passport and enter again on Thai passport to get away from 'overstay' problems with the Aus passport.

Or get a new Thai passport in Aus, if possible? before coming back.

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by overherebc

If she has a valid thai ID card, she can enter on 30 day tourist VISA excempt on her australian passport.. Go to her passport-athorities, and let them issue a new thai-passport for her, which takes at most 7 days.

 

glegolo

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by glegolo

She should check with the embassy in Canberra or the consulate in Sydney about getting a new Thai passport. If she cannot get a passport she could get a certificate of identity to enter Thailand. Info for getting a CI is here. http://canberra.thaiembassy.org/Home/cpassport

If she enters on her Australian passport she could get a one year extension at immigration as a returning Thai national. Then after getting her Thai passport she would need to fly out and back to use it for entry.

Do not see any mention of her old Thai passport. If she still has it then she can enter Thailand as a Thai using it.

 

 

15 minutes ago, ThaidDown said:

Do not see any mention of her old Thai passport. If she still has it then she can enter Thailand as a Thai using it.

Yes, even if it is expired.

 

Board the plane using the Aus passport, enter Thailand using the expired Thai passport.

8 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Yes, even if it is expired.

 

Board the plane using the Aus passport, enter Thailand using the expired Thai passport.

Best option for sure.

42 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Yes, even if it is expired.

 

Board the plane using the Aus passport, enter Thailand using the expired Thai passport.

She should book the flight in her Thai name and check in using her Thai passport.

Her Thai details will then be forward using the API system.

Even with an expired passport, I agree she'll be able to enter as a Thai citizen.

A Thai can't overstay, this is reserved for "aliens". Even if she uses a foreign passport she is still Thai.

If she enters Thailand using her foreign passport, gets a new passport here and uses this Thai passport next time she leaves probably nobody will ever ask any questions.

Other than that she could use an expired passport to enter Thailand and probably she could even use just her id card to enter Thailand.

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by jackdd

7 minutes ago, jackdd said:

A Thai can't overstay, this is reserved for "aliens". Even if she uses a foreign passport she is still Thai.

Your still missing the point Jack.

An IO doesn't have a crystal ball. If a Thai enters using a foreign passport, the IO doesn't question it because nationals of some 57 Countries can enter Visa exempt. They entered as an 'alien' .

6 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Your still missing the point Jack.

An IO doesn't have a crystal ball. If a Thai enters using a foreign passport, the IO doesn't question it because nationals of some 57 Countries can enter Visa exempt. They entered as an 'alien' .

Yes, and that's of course expected.

But as soon as a Thai proves he is Thai the IO can't fine him (of course he can try, but a Thai can just refuse to pay it) for things like overstay or missing 90 day reports. You have to be an "alien" to be fined for this (and by entering with a foreign passport a Thai does not suddenly become an alien), it is just not applicable to Thais.

And also as soon as a Thai proves he is Thai he can enter Thailand, doesn't require a valid passport.

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by jackdd

12 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Yes, and that's of course expected.

But as soon as a Thai proves he is Thai the IO can't fine him (of course he can try, but a Thai can just refuse to pay it) for things like overstay or missing 90 day reports. You have to be an "alien" to be fined for this (and by entering with a foreign passport a Thai does not suddenly become an alien), it is just not applicable to Thais.

And also as soon as a Thai proves he is Thai he can enter Thailand, doesn't require a valid passport.

They should prove they are Thai at entry, after entry, showing Thai ID to local Immigration doesn't correct the issue.

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by Tanoshi

Getting a new Thai passport should be easy from Sydney or Canberra.

 

My son born in Oz but registered on tabien barn in Thailand just showed a photo of the tabien barn with his Thai ID number on it plus his Oz drivers licence and Oz passport to obtain his first Thai passport earlier this year. A week later he collected his Thai passport.

 

He originally went to get a Thai ID card in Sydney but they required original documents. Issuing a Thai passport was an easier option.

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by Farma
extra info

Removed some off-topic posts and the replies to them.

 

why doesn't she just speak to the thai immigration department, i'm sure they'll answer her questions

1 hour ago, samsensam said:

 

why doesn't she just speak to the thai immigration department, i'm sure they'll answer her questions

That could end up being a very long and frustrating international phone call, once you have figured out a number to call from overseas.

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

That could end up being a very long and frustrating international phone call, once you have figured out a number to call from overseas.

Particularly as we know from the experience of users of this site, different offices and even individuals apply different rules.

Follow the advice of obtaining the passport in Australia.

On 9/2/2018 at 7:10 AM, songhklasid said:

can she just resume village life as a Thai citizen ? 

Everyone has focused on the mechanics of your wife's re-entry into Thailand.

I'd be curious as to how she's prepared to resume village life given the lifestyle change from a developed democratic country to a developing country (more specifically to a rural area?) and after such a long absence.

I hope when the move is made (will you be retiring with her?) you'll update us on your/her encounters with Thai village life.

It seems to me whether or not she has a current Thai passport or enters on her Australian passport, her stay can be straightened-out here because she is Thai. I would be more concerned with her suffering a possible reverse culture-shock. If she has been away for 25 years and has only visited her village, she may not be ready to rejoin the herd. I  have some knowledge of a Thai woman who has become a close friend of my wife. She spent over 20 years in the states and when her American husband died, she sold their house and moved back to Thailand. Her biggest problems were the inconveniences of village life, the expectations of relatives that she should somehow support them, and the indifference of her close family members toward her; as if she was farang. She actively sought farang friends until she met my wife, who is Filipina, but also is a US citizen and spent many years in the states. Thus, I am privy to her tale of reverse culture shock.  I have known many Thai, Filipino, and Vietnamese women who lived in the States for long periods of time. One group seems to have never acclimated to US life--they observe only their ethnic culture, eat only their ethnic foods, have only ethnic friends, enjoy only ethnic entertainment, etc. The other group has acclimated to US life and experience the acculturation, normal foods, friends and entertainment any other American enjoys.  I suggest the first group, those who did not acclimate to foreign living, may have a better chance at simply sliding back into village life. I know my wife loves her family and enjoys her visits there, but she does not want to live in her village. That is one reason we are here.

14 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Everyone has focused on the mechanics of your wife's re-entry into Thailand.

I'd be curious as to how she's prepared to resume village life given the lifestyle change from a developed democratic country to a developing country (more specifically to a rural area?) and after such a long absence.

I hope when the move is made (will you be retiring with her?) you'll update us on your/her encounters with Thai village life.

Returning to your own country after many years away is not that unusual. Had two Aunts in the family who returned to UK in their early 60's after 30+ years, one from New York and the other from Peru/Brazil.

After being here since early 90's I am starting to seriously consider it myself. Maybe not to UK but Europe somewhere.

If she has her old passport she can apply for a new one at the Thai embassy.

 

That easiest way.

2 hours ago, Autonuaq said:

If she has her old passport she can apply for a new one at the Thai embassy.

 

That easiest way.

As others wrote!

Why bother with other options.

And not even an old passport needed to show.

Thai ID card is sufficient.

From her citizen ID the record will be found.

Could take some time/weeks from/to Australia.

 

I would not advice to enter with Australian passport if she intends to stay indefinitely. Don't bother with Thai immigration bureau.

 

As she has an Australian passport/nationality she can decide to return any time in case the village life is not as she remembers from 25 years ago?

(referring to the non technical aspect)

 

And she has nothing to "loose" when staying abroad for more than a certain time? (pension funds or the like?)

(I have zero knowledge about Australian law)

 

Edited September 3, 20187 yr by KhunBENQ

Totally agree with you on the Passport issue Ben.

 

Don't know the age of the OP or his wife, but if they relocate to Thailand permanently under retirement age, then when reaching retirement age the Australian authorities won't pay their pension entitlements, unless they return to Aus for 2 years permanent residency.

 

She, he, or they could have a lot to lose financially.

45 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

As others wrote!

Why bother with other options.

And not even an old passport needed to show.

Thai ID card is sufficient.

From her citizen ID the record will be found.

Could take some time/weeks from/to Australia.

 

I would not advice to enter with Australian passport if she intends to stay indefinitely. Don't bother with Thai immigration bureau.

 

As she has an Australian passport/nationality she can decide to return any time in case the village life is not as she remembers from 25 years ago?

(referring to the non technical aspect)

 

And she has nothing to "loose" when staying abroad for more than a certain time? (pension funds or the like?)

(I have zero knowledge about Australian law)

 

From what I was told a couple of nights ago by an Oz friend it's becoming more and more difficult to get a Gov' pension in Oz. You have to be back there for a certain length of time to get it started and if you have substantial savings you almost have to spend the lot before you are considered for it. His words, not mine. If you leave Oz for more than a few months it will stop or be reduced.

A post not in English has been removed.

The biggest hurdle will be to get rid of her Aussie accent.  The rest is pretty easy

as most commentor have suggested.

Geezer

thanks for all your help guys, the finer point is she wants divorce, I'm pretty sure her I D card has married surname, if we both go register, sign divorce papers, she can regain maiden name , thence Thai passport in maiden name, she can live Thailand, no problem, just travel over the border to exit ( Aus Passport) re-enter on Thai passport, all done, we are both 60 years old. 

would that be right ?

 And I"m free !

regards SS

Edited September 3, 20187 yr by songhklasid
forgot detail.

She will not be able to swap passports at a land border crossing. They check for for departure/entry stamps on both sides of of the border in the passport used for entry.

It would make it much easier if she had a passport to enter the country. Or at least a certificate of identity to use for entry that I mentioned in an earlier post.

Even if her Thai passport has expired you should book the flight and enter Thailand using that name.

After divorce, she can change her name and any ID at her local Amphoe.

Keeping it simple will save a lot of hassle.

 

At 60, I'm guessing she's worked and built up an entitlement to some kind of state pension.

At 65 -67 she won't be able to receive that pension if resident in Thailand.

5 hours ago, songhklasid said:

thanks for all your help guys, the finer point is she wants divorce, I'm pretty sure her I D card has married surname, if we both go register, sign divorce papers, she can regain maiden name , thence Thai passport in maiden name, she can live Thailand, no problem, just travel over the border to exit ( Aus Passport) re-enter on Thai passport, all done, we are both 60 years old. 

would that be right ?

 And I"m free !

regards SS

Sorry to sound Blunt Mate,But if SHE Wants a Divorce Just Leave it to her to do what's got to be done.....End Of !!