Leaving Thailand on a different passport

[Vasilisa]

I got in a very specific situation and I would appreciate if someone can share the experience or suggest something. I’m a Ukrainian citizen currently working in Thailand as a teacher on a Non-B visa. My contract ends soon and I’ve booked the tickets to go back to my home country next week. At the same time I’ve been applying for US work visa (because of covid this process took forever and I had to apply from Thailand). I had my visa interview at American embassy last week and my passport is still there. American embassy has to do additional check (and us visa is a priority for me). I do have have two valid passports. The one that has all my Thai visas and arrival card is currently at the US embassy and I’m not sure i can get it on time before I leave Thailand (my friend can get that passport for me later). I do have the copies from that passport and the number of arrival card with me tho. My question is would it be possible to explain the situation at Savarnabhumi airport and leave Thailand with a valid Ukrainian passport that has no Thai visas and stamps in it or no. I would appreciate any help. Thank you. 

[foreverlomsak]

First reaction would be next to impossible.

How can they append an exit stamp into a passport which has no entry stamp. That's effectively saying you left before you arrived.

If you succeeded then you will have a passport (the one with the US Embassy) saying that you arrived and never left.

I'm not aware of the possible ramifications of this course of action.

[Mark1066]

I agree with foreverlomsak. I left on a different passport before but I had the old one with me, with all the relevant stamps. They still moaned at me for not having them transferred but let me out (immigration had refused to transfer them and told me they could sort it out at the airport). Without your old passport, I don't think it will be possible.

[BritTim]

The immigration officials at the airport would not be able to get clearance to bypass the normal laws on this. Usually, the airport immigration officials can only deal with replacement passports accompanied by a police report to the effect that your original passport was stolen or lost.

 

There can be exceptional circumstances where leaving on a passport from a different passport country from that used for your arrival can be authorised. As an example, if you are a dual national, and your passport and nationality of the country you used to enter is cancelled, there is clearly no way you could be expected stay in immigration detention for life. The Minister has the power to provide a special dispensation allowing you to leave without satisfying the normal immigration requirements.

 

It is unfortunate that you submitted your current passport (that, in principle, you should always carry with you) to the US embassy. Have you asked the US embassy if it is possible to substitute the extra passport for the one they are holding for your visa application?

[Shannoblic]

Vasilisa - I cannot comment on 'leaving' Thailand on a second passport but I do have experience of 'entering' Thailand with one.

 

As a UK citizen I hold 2 UK passports [needed for business travel, visas etc.].  Once, returning into Thailand for just a couple of days I used my second passport at Immigration to try and save visa stamp space in my first one.

 

Within a couple of minutes there were 2 Immigration Police at my side and I was taken to an office.  After explaining exactly what I was doing the officer told me I could not enter Thailand on the second passport and the stamp the Immigration Officer had already put in it was over stamped 'VOID'.

 

Please don't get me wrong - I was treated with courtesy and politeness at all times and taken back to the Immigration Desk where my other passport was stamped with no delay.

 

What I am trying to say is that Immigration knew I had 2 passports [I think because of previous stamps or whatever], and they picked up on it straight away.  I would think that on departure it would definitely be picked up very quickly especially without an entry stamp.  I have seen many people who have lost/misplaced their Landing Card but this seems to be a simple issue and there are simple procedures at departure to correct this.

 

 

[natway09]

Why did they keep the original & just not signed photocopies ?? Most Embassies 

treat the original like a hot potato & give it back.

Is there an extra bit of info you have not told us ? I doubt very much if what you have written can be achieved.

What is your plan of attack for returning or do u not wish to ?

See if can move your departure ticket to a later date, as hardly worth the sffort

 

[AgMech Cowboy]

Honestly @Vasilisa you're probably not going to get a knowledgeable answer here. 'In my opinion' I can't see a problem with your plan. BritTim, may be right, but...

I wish I could recommend where to ask and get a definitive answer.  Maybe immigration at Changwattana...

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Honestly @Vasilisa you're probably not going to get a knowledgeable answer here. 'In my opinion' I can't see a problem with your plan. BritTim, may be right, but...

He is correct.

It is not possible to leave the country with a passport that does not have a entry stamp in it unless you have a police report for a lost passport. With a police report immigration would reinstate the entry stamp to the new one.

[Thomas J]

I also can not comment about leaving Thailand but I can about returning to Thailand.  My fiance is Thai and she is also a Norwegian Citizen.  We have several times when leaving Thailand and going to a country where she does not require a visa on her Norwegian Passport use that to leave the country.  However upon return she is always questioned as to the discrepancy.  She has always had both passports with her, so I can no speak to what would happen if she did not. 

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

He is correct.

It is not possible to leave the country with a passport that does not have a entry stamp in it unless you have a police report for a lost passport. With a police report immigration would reinstate the entry stamp to the new one.

Wonder whether it might be worth him checking with the Ukrainian Embassy if they might be prepared to issue him with an Emergency Travel Document to enable him to exit Thailand? Whether they would be so prepared would, of course, be by no means a given certainty on account of his second passport. But nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

Wonder whether it might be worth him checking with the Ukrainian Embassy if they might be prepared to issue him with an Emergency Travel Document to enable him to exit Thailand? Whether they would be so prepared would, of course, be by no means a given certainty on account of his second passport. But nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.

 

An emergency travel document would not help in any way. To use a different travel document from the one you used for entry, you need a police report to the effect that the original passport was lost or stolen. You could then use a different travel document (regular passport or emergency travel document) to leave. I would not recommend trying to get a bogus police report to make this work.

[brianthainess]

18 hours ago, natway09 said:

Why did they keep the original & just not signed photocopies ?? Most Embassies 

treat the original like a hot potato & give it back.

Is there an extra bit of info you have not told us ? I doubt very much if what you have written can be achieved.

What is your plan of attack for returning or do u not wish to ?

See if can move your departure ticket to a later date, as hardly worth the sffort

 

The US embassy should not keep your passport. Does one not need  in theory have your passport with you in Thailand anymore showing your current visa ?

 I know my embassy gives it back to you when waiting for new passport bcoz of that reason. Did it change? 

[sanmyintmaung]

18 hours ago, natway09 said:

Why did they keep the original & just not signed photocopies ?? Most Embassies 

treat the original like a hot potato & give it back.

Is there an extra bit of info you have not told us ? I doubt very much if what you have written can be achieved.

What is your plan of attack for returning or do u not wish to ?

See if can move your departure ticket to a later date, as hardly worth the sffort

 

  

25 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

The US embassy should not keep your passport. Does one not need  in theory have your passport with you in Thailand anymore showing your current visa ?

 I know my embassy gives it back to you when waiting for new passport bcoz of that reason. Did it change? 

 

US Visa is a big paper sticker that need to be attached on the original passport.

If US embassy does not keep the passport, how does they put the Visa sticker on the passport?

It is not like the eVisa from other countries that can be sent out by email separately. 

Edited April 9, 2021 by sanmyintmaung

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, sanmyintmaung said:

If US embassy does not keep the passport, how does they put the Visa sticker on the passport

I would have thought it to be pretty obvious, return to US embassy and  they can stick it in, once all inquiries have been made, using a copy.

[sanmyintmaung]

6 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I would have thought it to be pretty obvious, return to US embassy and  they can stick it in, once all inquiries have been made, using a copy.

Embassy doesn't want visa applicants making multiple trips. They don't want to do the security screening of each applicants twice, first on the day of interview and then again on the return trip. They allow the visa applicant to enter the embassy one time during the interview. After the interview, applicant has to leave the passport at the embassy. They will send the passport back via post.