Luuk Krung Baby Travelling With Two Passports

[RusT]

I've a fairly straight forward question which I am sure those of you in the know or who have been through the experience will easily be able to answer.

My wife and I are taking our 5 month old luuk krung baby to visit Australia and to do this I am told we need to obtain both Australian citizenship by descent and an Australian passport. This part I am fine with.

I have also been led to believe that we will need to obtain a Thai passport for him also. Apparantly we should show our baby's Thai passport to Thai immigration upon departure and show Australian immigration his Aussie passport on arrival. Same thing on the way back. The idea is to avoid having to get a visa for the bub in either country.

Does this sound right? Is this SOP for this kind of travel or is there and easier way? Will it create any problems or confusion at immigration ports in either country?

Finally, thinking ahead, will the fact that the child has Australian citizenship by descent in any way effect his status in Thailand?

[Mahout Angrit]

To avoid having to get visas to visit both Oz and Thailand you will need to get the littl'un a Thai passport and an Oz passport.

Once you have both passports you correctly state that you use the Thai passport to enter and leave Thailand and the Oz passport to enter and leave all other countries.

No confusion, it is the recommended way. You may have to show both the Thai and the Oz passport at airline check in to prove littl'un has permission to enter the destination country (by being a citizen as he has no visa).

Both Oz and Thailand accept this arrangement so no sweat with his status in either country.

[RusT]

Thanks MA. That's just the answer I was hoping for. We've got our hands full at the moment arranging for visa for the missus, two passports for the little one and his citizenship of descent - all from outside of Bangkok - so this is one less thing to worry about.

[Mahout Angrit]

Thanks MA. That's just the answer I was hoping for. We've got our hands full at the moment arranging for visa for the missus, two passports for the little one and his citizenship of descent - all from outside of Bangkok - so this is one less thing to worry about.

If it helps a little you can apply for the Thai passport at any Passport office in Thailand . Both you and your wife should take your littl'un to the office together with the required documents . The passport can be returned to you by courier.

Edited April 23, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[samran]

The answers are spot on. We took our little one down to OZ recently in the same manner, not problemo's.

Finally, thinking ahead, will the fact that the child has Australian citizenship by descent in any way effect his status in Thailand?

If you want to think waaaaaaay ahead, be aware that Australian law as it stands will only allow an Australian Citizen by decent to pass on their citizenship if

1) their children are born in Australia or

2) if their children are born outside of OZ, then your little one must have spend a cumulative 2 years of their life in Australia prior to that point. To that effect, we are are keeping every scrap of evidence to prove that fact. And, although Australia doesn't stamp in or out their citizens anymore, we are asking for a stamp for our baby in her passport.

Thai citizenship law as it stands, means so long as one parent is Thai, their children will be eligble for Thai nationality as well, regarless of where they are born.

[RusT]

Cheers for that. Works out well for the child.