Thai and OZ passports - which one to show ......

[Thai Chi]

Daughter is a dual passport holder, Thai and Australian. Both current. She is in Brisbane and would like to visit her (very ill) Grandmother in Thailand.

 

Her expected stay in Thailand would probably be about 3 weeks. Her itinerary will be BNE - SIN - BKK  and BKK - SIN - BNE.

 

Which passport should she be presenting at each immigration checkpoint?

 

TIA ????

 

 

 

[Crossy]

Aus when leaving and entering Oz.

 

Thai when entering and leaving Thailand.

 

As a general rule dual passport holders should never show both PPs to any official, dual nationality tends to make their brains explode.

 

Occasionally you may get asked by check-in staff if the PP you show them isn't the one on the booking but that's rarely an issue.

[Thai Chi]

5 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Thai when entering and leaving Thailand.

Any chance on the way back that her Thai passport would be checked for an Australian entry visa?

[DrJack54]

Can't see why she would even bother with her Thai pp.

With Oz pp she will receive 30 (or 45 after Oct 1) visa exempt stamp. 

[Crossy]

Just now, Thai Chi said:

Any chance on the way back that her Thai passport would be checked for an Australian entry visa?

 

Not by Thai immigration, they only care about ins and outs from Thailand.

 

Check-in might ask how she has permission to enter Aus, in which case she can safely show them her Oz PP.

 

Millions of people around the world do this every day, it's totally normal and nothing to worry about ???? 

[ozfarang]

My wife is a dual passport holder and has been travelling in and out of Thailand many years.

In and out of Australia, Australian passport and when making the booking use Australian passport details.

In and out of Thailand, Thai passport.

Thai check in nearly always ask about visa for Australia and she just shows her Australian passport. Immigration, never a problem

 

[Thai Chi]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Can't see why she would even bother with her Thai pp.

With Oz pp she will receive 30 (or 45 after Oct 1) visa exempt stamp. 

Valid and good point Dr Jack. Thanks.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, Thai Chi said:

Valid and good point Dr Jack. Thanks.

The dual passports can be useful for extended stay in Thailand as with Thai pp entry the normal requirements for tourists would not apply.

However in your daughters case it's a quick visit and the visa exempt using Oz pp has her covered. 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2022 by DrJack54

[Crossy]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Can't see why she would even bother with her Thai pp.

With Oz pp she will receive 30 (or 45 after Oct 1) visa exempt stamp. 

 

Definitely a valid and legal entry method.

 

BUT

 

There have been reports of Thai immigration officers getting the hump and insisting that one enters on the Thai passport, personally I'd just avoid that possibility, it's not like it's costing $$$.

 

[ozfarang]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Definitely a valid and legal entry method.

 

BUT

 

There have been reports of Thai immigration officers getting the hump and insisting that one enters on the Thai passport, personally I'd just avoid that possibility, it's not like it's costing $$$.

 

Definitely a possibility.

You have to always remember,

TIT

[Old Croc]

35 minutes ago, Thai Chi said:

Any chance on the way back that her Thai passport would be checked for an Australian entry visa?

As an Australian citizen it is legislatively impossible to get a visa for Australia. 

If leaving Thailand with a Thai passport It's possible the airline check-in staff may ask to see proof that she can enter Australia. She would then have to show them her Australian passport. 

As others have said, if just a short trip into Thailand, it would be simpler to use the Australian Passport for the entire travel.

[skatewash]

50 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Can't see why she would even bother with her Thai pp.

With Oz pp she will receive 30 (or 45 after Oct 1) visa exempt stamp. 

The best way to enter any country in the world is with the passport from that country.  It doesn't get any simpler than that.  There's no good reason not to do that.

Plans change.  People get sick.  People get injured.  Why in the world would you want to have any limitation imposed on your stay in a country if it could be easily avoided?  It takes no extra effort to hand over one's Thai passport to Thai immigration than it does one's non-Thai passport.

Also, in addition to the sufficient reason just given, don't Thais get to use automated entry gates with their Thai passport when they enter or leave Thailand?

Some countries (not Thailand) make it illegal to enter the country on a passport from another country if you in fact have a passport from that country (e.g., USA).  I can't imagine why anyone would even consider doing this other than not understanding which passport they should show to immigration/check-in officials.

Edited September 16, 2022 by skatewash

[Old Croc]

7 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

If leaving Thailand with a Thai passport It's possible the airline check-in staff may ask to see proof that she can enter Australia. She would then have to show them her Australian passport. 

Further to my post:

The airline may then decide to board the pax as an Australian citizen which could cause complications with Thai Immigration at departure.

[AsianAtHeart]

31 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

As an Australian citizen it is legislatively impossible to get a visa for Australia. 

If leaving Thailand with a Thai passport It's possible the airline check-in staff may ask to see proof that she can enter Australia. She would then have to show them her Australian passport. 

As others have said, if just a short trip into Thailand, it would be simpler to use the Australian Passport for the entire travel.

This is not recommended.  Australia would, of course, have no problems.  But Thailand could present some problems.  First off, Thai officials always want to see the Thai documents for its own citizens.  It is possible to get into a mess of trouble if/when they figure out that you're trying to pass off on them that you're a citizen of another country when you hold Thai citizenship.  I've been called into the back office where the "interrogation/berating" occurred for this very infraction at one of Thailand's land borders. 

 

Apart from the legalities, there is also the possible issue of conserving space in your passport.  No need to get a visa stamp in your foreign passport when you have a Thai passport.

 

There is also the fact that, if entering on a foreign passport, you can get a fine for overstay if for any reason you decide to extend your stay in Thailand--as has been reported here by one person regarding a woman with Thai citizenship that had entered on her foreign passport.  She assumed she would not be charged anything for overstaying because she could prove she was a Thai.  Wrong!

 

 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, AsianAtHeart said:

There is also the fact that, if entering on a foreign passport, you can get a fine for overstay if for any reason you decide to extend your stay in Thailand--as

Read the OP.

The daughter is making a 3 week trip. 

[AsianAtHeart]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Read the OP.

The daughter is making a 3 week trip. 

I read that.  Read my post: "if for any reason...".  I think we can both safely assume the daughter is not privy to knowledge of the future; nor are we.  Things happen.  I remember when the Nongkhai border suddenly closed and there were Thai and Lao citizens stranded on both sides.  Both got to pay heavy fees to extend their stays as guests in the country when they didn't even wish to remain there!  Come in as Aussie, get to pay Aussie fees if traveling privileges should suddenly be revoked again.  Come in as Thai, no worries.

[Old Croc]

20 minutes ago, AsianAtHeart said:

This is not recommended.  Australia would, of course, have no problems.  But Thailand could present some problems.  First off, Thai officials always want to see the Thai documents for its own citizens.  It is possible to get into a mess of trouble if/when they figure out that you're trying to pass off on them that you're a citizen of another country when you hold Thai citizenship.  I've been called into the back office where the "interrogation/berating" occurred for this very infraction at one of Thailand's land borders. 

 

Apart from the legalities, there is also the possible issue of conserving space in your passport.  No need to get a visa stamp in your foreign passport when you have a Thai passport.

 

There is also the fact that, if entering on a foreign passport, you can get a fine for overstay if for any reason you decide to extend your stay in Thailand--as has been reported here by one person regarding a woman with Thai citizenship that had entered on her foreign passport.  She assumed she would not be charged anything for overstaying because she could prove she was a Thai.  Wrong!

Very argumentative.

She is Australian entering for 3 weeks. (Father is Australian) She would not be "passing off" anything!

Absolutely no reason to be monstered by Thai officials at a major airport that handles millions of arrivals every year. More likely your problems were related to your own behavior.

Before coming here to live, I entered and departed Thailand over 20 times without overstaying, or the sky falling in. If the worst happens such as illness or accident preventing a scheduled return, extensions are easily available. Many have been living here for years on Covid extensions because of border closures.

Visa exempt entry stamp takes up virtually no space in a passport - silly point!

 

Edited September 16, 2022 by Old Croc

[Stevemercer]

My wife is dual passport holder (Thai and Australian). She always enters/leaves Thailand on her Thai passport and enters/leaves Australia on her Australian passport.

 

If you have the benefit of a dual passport, always use it when entering/leaving that country. Your daughter is a citizen of Thailand and should enjoy any privileges when she is in Thailand. Why should she travel as a tourist (even if only for a few weeks)?

[DrJoy]

9 hours ago, Thai Chi said:

Valid and good point Dr Jack. Thanks.

In addition - Her name has to match on both PPs

[LukKrueng]

I really don't understand there long ping pong discussion here. It's so simple to use 2 passports and you get all citizen's rights in both countries. Why would you want to enter Thailand with a non Thai passport when you actually have 1? Go to the foreign passport line both when coming in and going instead of the that line. If for some reason she would like to travel to Laos, Burma, Cambodia - much easier on a Thai passport. There are far more advantages to be in Thailand as a Thai than as a non Thai.

[srowndedbyh2o]

12 hours ago, Thai Chi said:

visit her (very ill) Grandmother in Thailand.

Grandmothers condition could warrant a longer stay and the Thai passport gives the freedom to do that. Best to enter Thailand on Thai passport. Just in case.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, LukKrueng said:

If for some reason she would like to travel to Laos, Burma, Cambodia - much easier on a Thai passport

And I don't understand why folk extrapolate to visits in other countries when OP stated pay respects ( 3 week visit) 

[kiwiaussie]

Many here are over complicating things. Here’s a good article on how thai dual citizens can travel 

 

https://www.thaicitizenship.com/traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

[Sparktrader]

Local passport lines are quicker. Problem solved. All the rest is nonsense for short stay. Always use common sense.

[sometimewoodworker]

On 9/16/2022 at 8:44 AM, Old Croc said:

Further to my post:

The airline may then decide to board the pax as an Australian citizen which could cause complications with Thai Immigration at departure.

Incorrect scaremongering.
 

The airline has nothing to do with boarding passengers as a specific nationality. They are responsible to ensure that you have the correct documents to allow you to enter your destination country and leave the one you are in.

 

Thousands of people travel with dual nationality.

 

• Show the checkin staff the second passport if asked.
• Show the immigration officers the passport of the country you are in (don’t show the other one to them) 
• Thai passport in Thailand, Australian passport in Australia 

you will have no problem 

Edited September 17, 2022 by sometimewoodworker

[Old Croc]

 

18 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Incorrect scaremongering.
 

The airline has nothing to do with boarding passengers as a specific nationality. They are responsible to ensure that you have the correct documents to allow you to enter your destination country and leave the one you are in.

 

Thousands of people travel with dual nationality.

 

• Show the checkin staff the second passport if asked.
• Show the immigration officers the passport of the country you are in (don’t show the other one to them) 
• Thai passport in Thailand, Australian passport in Australia 

you will have no problem 

Not incorrect. I've seen it happen.

Not scaremongering - information. 

[aussiexpat]

With Australian passport why even bother thinking about Thai passport unless she wants to stay longer than 30 days (45 days visa exempt from 1 Oct)

 

My ex-wife didn't even bother renewing her Thai Passport once she got her Aussie

Edited September 18, 2022 by aussiexpat

[skatewash]

5 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

With Australian passport why even bother thinking about Thai passport unless she wants to stay longer than 30 days (45 days visa exempt from 1 Oct)

 

My ex-wife didn't even bother renewing her Thai Passport once she got her Aussie

Because handing the Thai passport to the Thai Immigration Officer is no more difficult than handing over the Australian one.  And once you do that you have no more worries in Thailand regarding anything related to immigration.

I'm not Thai and so don't know the answer to this, but does the Thai Passport weigh 20kg?  Simply don't understand the aversion to using it when it buys you complete freedom from any possible immigration concern while in Thailand, not to mention if the unthinkable happens and your plans actually change and you do something completely unforeseeable like wanting to stay longer in Thailand than foreigners are allowed and don't want to have any contact with immigration.  Clearly, I'm missing what is so hard about using a Thai passport when you enter or leave Thailand.  Are the lines longer?  Do foreigners get to use special gates?

[aussiexpat]

19 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Because handing the Thai passport to the Thai Immigration Officer is no more difficult than handing over the Australian one.  And once you do that you have no more worries in Thailand regarding anything related to immigration.

I'm not Thai and so don't know the answer to this, but does the Thai Passport weigh 20kg?  Simply don't understand the aversion to using it when it buys you complete freedom from any possible immigration concern while in Thailand, not to mention if the unthinkable happens and your plans actually change and you do something completely unforeseeable like wanting to stay longer in Thailand than foreigners are allowed and don't want to have any contact with immigration.  Clearly, I'm missing what is so hard about using a Thai passport when you enter or leave Thailand.  Are the lines longer?  Do foreigners get to use special gates?

She is staying for only 3 weeks on an Aussie passport so no need to visit immigration (45 days visa exempt fom Oct 1)

 

I understand that anyone leaving Australia on an Australia [Thailand] Passport should stay on that passport 

 

Not rule breaches if not, but general rules

Edited September 18, 2022 by aussiexpat

[richard_smith237]

On 9/16/2022 at 3:50 AM, Thai Chi said:

On 9/16/2022 at 3:45 AM, DrJack54 said:

Can't see why she would even bother with her Thai pp.

With Oz pp she will receive 30 (or 45 after Oct 1) visa exempt stamp. 

Valid and good point Dr Jack. Thanks.

But what if she wants to stay longer ?... she’ll then have ‘visa’ issues to deal with. 

 

Always enter the country on the best passport for that country. 

i.e..... 

Thai / Aus - enter Thailand on a Thai Passport.

Thai / Aus - enter Aus on an Aus Passport.

 

Its a no brainer, there are no complications, hidden clauses, issues or laws.