Dual Citizenship

[oifarang]

We are planning to relocate fro the UK to Thailand. I am British and My wife although Thai has a British passport.My wife has renewed her Thai I.D. card and plans to change the name on the card to her married surname.In her old expired Thai passport the Thai consulate in the UK have registered that she has married and changed her surname (this is written in the inside cover of the old passport).

I would appreciate any help on how to procceed.When entering Thailand with her UK passport she gets a stamp the same as me and has to fill in an immigration card,when she gets her Thai passport renewed would she then have to go to the UK home office and get a "leave to remain Indefinately" stamp in it.

I am confused on how to procceed.I hope this question makes sense as I am a bit jet lagged at the moment.

Thanks.

[GuestHouse]

Your wife should get her Thai Passport renewed at the Thai embassy/consulate in the UK (Usually an extensionof validity)

When she enters Thailand she should enter on her Thai passport. SHE SHOULD NOT ENTER THAILAND ON A UK PASSPORT!

As she already has a UK passport she does not need any confirmation of Indefinate Leave to Remain in her Thai Passport.

Going into/out of Thailand - Use her Thai Passport

Going into/out of the UK - Use her UK passport.

Simple.

[johna]

Going into/out of Thailand - Use her Thai Passport

Going into/out of the UK - Use her UK passport.

Do both passports show the same name ? air tickets must match the passport, if she buys a return air ticket in the UK she will have to use the passport that matches the ticket. and on her return to the UK she will not have a UK visa in her thai passport or a thai immigration stamp in her UK passport

could be a problem

[GuestHouse]

Do both passports show the same name ? air tickets must match the passport, if she buys a return air ticket in the UK she will have to use the passport that matches the ticket. and on her return to the UK she will not have a UK visa in her thai passport or a thai immigration stamp in her UK passport

could be a problem

I'm a dual national, while my name is the same in both passports, it does not matter which passport I produce to prove ID at the check in desk/aircraft.

So for example when travelling to one of the countries of which I am a citizen I will usually show that country's passport at check in to demonstrate I don't need a visa to travel to my destination; despite being in the country I am departing from on my other passport.

[Old Man River]

Going into/out of Thailand - Use her Thai Passport

Going into/out of the UK - Use her UK passport.

Do both passports show the same name ? air tickets must match the passport, if she buys a return air ticket in the UK she will have to use the passport that matches the ticket. and on her return to the UK she will not have a UK visa in her thai passport or a thai immigration stamp in her UK passport

could be a problem

I know it sounds like it could be a problem, but too date many on TV spell their names differently on each passport (or use married names outside of Thailand) and the Thai immigration authorities appear to be used to this. It is always best to have the tickets match the name on the foreign passport, rather than the other way around.

[johna]

OK to the above points on leaving the UK and entering Thailand.

but on the return leg of the journey at the immigration desk if you show the Thai passport you do not have a UK visa and on the UK passport you do not have a Thai entry stamp.

Will Thai immigration will stop you at this point.

[oldoldgit!!]

She will show both old and new Thai passports to immigration. then no problems, also do a visa run to get exit stamp on British passport and enter Thailand on her renewed Thai passport.

Edited May 15, 2007 by oldoldgit!!

[GuestHouse]

Will Thai immigration will stop you at this point.

I've been asked a couple of times if I have another passport. Immigration officers are used to this, dual nationality is very common.

[samran]

OK to the above points on leaving the UK and entering Thailand.

but on the return leg of the journey at the immigration desk if you show the Thai passport you do not have a UK visa and on the UK passport you do not have a Thai entry stamp.

If you've entered Thailand on a UK passport, you leave Thailand on a UK passport. However, be aware that entering Thailand on a foreign passport the wife will be subject to Thai immigration rules, and will be liable for overstay etc etc.

If she enters (and I recommend this) on her Thai passport, she is here as a Thai (not subject to limits on her stay), and she will leave as a Thai.

She need not have an 'entry' stamp in her Thai passport when she leaves strictly speaking, as most nationals of Thailand entered Thailand by being born here, not an immigration checkpoint!

Will Thai immigration will stop you at this point.

No they wont. Thai immigration don't usually care if you have a visa for your final desitnation....it is the airlines job to do that. An airline won't issue a boarding pass UNLESS you have the right to enter the final deistination (otherwise the airline gets fined and forced to return you).

If you've made it to immigration, boarding pass in hand, it means you are allowed to go where you want to go.

I've never ever been asked about my visa situation, or lack of, when departing Thailand on my Thai passport. And the airline is happy to issue me a boarding pass simply by showing my western passport, which allows me to enter most countries visa free.

As others have said

Enter/Leave Thailand: Thai Passport

Enter/Leave UK: British Passport

ALWAYS show both passports to the airline check in desk.

[johna]

Several times over the last 3 years on arriving in Thailand, I have been asked at the Thai immigration desk for the stub of my boarding pass or air ticket.

I always assumed they were checking my name on the ticket against the name in my passport,

does anyone know for sure what they are looking for.

My wife who is Thai, is entitled to a passport from my country, it would make travel pretty much visa free for most of the world but I have been under the impression that it is illegal (but tolerated) for a Thai national to have duel citizenship. Is this true ?

[samran]

the reason you were asked for your ticket stub was to prove that you arrived on the flight you said you had. Reports on TV have said that people were doing internal visa runs in the airport and asking for the ticket stub was a way to catch people out.

Dual nationality has been legal in Thailand for all intents and purposes since 1992. Though the current legislation is hazily written, a visit to the FAQ web page of Thai embassies abroad (RTE in Washinton DC is a good one) will show that unless a Thai wife chooses to formally renounce her Thai citizenship, she will remain a Thai national even though she has taken up he husbands foreing nationality.

I just sent my mother, a Thai/Australian dual national home back to OZ this past Sunday. She entered and left Thailand with no problems whatsoever.

[Tinkelbell]

Will Thai immigration will stop you at this point.

I've been asked a couple of times if I have another passport. Immigration officers are used to this, dual nationality is very common.

Guesthouse was right. That exactly happened to me on my trip to Thailand in February this year.

After my flight landing in Suv. airport. At the immigration boot, I picked the line for 'Thai passport only'. The imm. officer (a lady) fliped-flopped my Thai passport for a while, I think she tried to figure out how I came and went from TL last time. Finally, she asked if I have another passport. That when I took out my U.S. pp.

Everything went so well.