Visa Run For Double-nationals

[bluesnake]

Sawasdee Krap,

I am 33, male, double-national, Swiss+French. I am in bangkok as a tourist, no job, visa on arrival.

I want to know if it is possible to circumvent the new visa run rules.

Is it possible for double-nationals to present the first passport for the first 90days, and then switch and show the second passport.

That way, could it be possible to stay in thailand forever doing the visa run every months ?

In other words, do they have our identity in their computer or do they only check the details in the passport ?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[visarunner]

Sawasdee Krap,

I am 33, male, double-national, Swiss+French. I am in bangkok as a tourist, no job, visa on arrival.

I want to know if it is possible to circumvent the new visa run rules.

Is it possible for double-nationals to present the first passport for the first 90days, and then switch and show the second passport.

That way, could it be possible to stay in thailand forever doing the visa run every months ?

In other words, do they have our identity in their computer or do they only check the details in the passport ?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

very risky , your name is in the Immigration computer.

[farangsay]

Sawasdee Krap,

I am 33, male, double-national, Swiss+French. I am in bangkok as a tourist, no job, visa on arrival.

I want to know if it is possible to circumvent the new visa run rules.

Is it possible for double-nationals to present the first passport for the first 90days, and then switch and show the second passport.

That way, could it be possible to stay in thailand forever doing the visa run every months ?

In other words, do they have our identity in their computer or do they only check the details in the passport ?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Apart from the dubious legality all neighbouring countries give entry and exit stamps and inconsistencies due to switching passports would be obvious so simple border hops would get you caught out pretty quickly..

[visarunner]

Switching Passport would only be possible for entries via Airport.

Land crossings require to see entry/exit stamp from the other side.

As already said very risky but there are always ways to stay long term .

[Jimjim]

Possible, but coming from the rich EU, why don't you just buy tourist visas?

[bluesnake]

Switching Passport would only be possible for entries via Airport.

Land crossings require to see entry/exit stamp from the other side.

As already said very risky but there are always ways to stay long term .

Thank you all for your answers.

So if I fly out and back to thailand every 90days and present my other passport each time, then I could stay forever in thailand ? Someone said our name is in their computer, so I guess not possible... Anyone tried that ?

What are the other ways to stay long term ?

[TheChiefJustice]

What are the other ways to stay long term ?

Employment and Marriage are two avenues one might use to remain legally in Thailand for an extended period.

[Big A]

^^^^^

Employment and Marriage are two avenues one might use to remain legally in Thailand for an extended period.

Straight and to the point. Like it!!

[bluesnake]

Hi again,

Yesterday i went to Trat-Koh Kong border for my 3rd visa in a row, it seems they are much more cool than in Aranyapratet. They spend around 10min in order to calculate the number of days i spent in thailand, and they did not ask me for my plane ticket. I asked the officer if next time i could switch my passport, and after showing a strange face for a while, he said yes, i can leave thailand showing my swiss passport, and enter cambodia showing my french passport, and reenter thailand with my french passport. Then i asked him if he was sure because i dont want any trouble and if that means that i can stay in thailand forever without visa, and he seemed embarrassed and finally said yes. But I am not very sure they know what they are talking about over there... I guess it will depend on the mood of the officer at the time.

But i would really like to know if someone tried that already. And what happens if they refuse? Do they still allow us to enter for a few days in order to fly out of thailand, or do they really forbid us to reenter ?

Any advice appreciated.

[visarunner]

Hi again,

Yesterday i went to Trat-Koh Kong border for my 3rd visa in a row, it seems they are much more cool than in Aranyapratet. They spend around 10min in order to calculate the number of days i spent in thailand, and they did not ask me for my plane ticket. I asked the officer if next time i could switch my passport, and after showing a strange face for a while, he said yes, i can leave thailand showing my swiss passport, and enter cambodia showing my french passport, and reenter thailand with my french passport. Then i asked him if he was sure because i dont want any trouble and if that means that i can stay in thailand forever without visa, and he seemed embarrassed and finally said yes. But I am not very sure they know what they are talking about over there... I guess it will depend on the mood of the officer at the time.

But i would really like to know if someone tried that already. And what happens if they refuse? Do they still allow us to enter for a few days in order to fly out of thailand, or do they really forbid us to reenter ?

Any advice appreciated.

You have this statement in writing?

Wish you good luck.

[lopburi3]

I suspect Cambodia will not allow you to enter without a Thai exit stamp in your passport and if you try to enter Thailand without a Cambodian visa/exit stamp you will be in the same boat. If you are stamped out of Thailand and not allowed to enter Cambodia you will be in a world of trouble. Don't even try it.

From uncool Aranyapratet:

Foreigners crossing into Thailand from Cambodia must have valid a exit stamp from the Cambodian immigration authorities in their passport.

- Foreigners entering Thailand without having their travel documents checked will be considered illegal immigrants and are subject to prosecution according to Thai immigration laws.

[bluesnake]

I suspect Cambodia will not allow you to enter without a Thai exit stamp in your passport and if you try to enter Thailand without a Cambodian visa/exit stamp you will be in the same boat. If you are stamped out of Thailand and not allowed to enter Cambodia you will be in a world of trouble. Don't even try it.

From uncool Aranyapratet:

Foreigners crossing into Thailand from Cambodia must have valid a exit stamp from the Cambodian immigration authorities in their passport.

- Foreigners entering Thailand without having their travel documents checked will be considered illegal immigrants and are subject to prosecution according to Thai immigration laws.

I dont have that in writing, but who can we trust if we can't even trust the border officer ? Who can tell for sure ? i guess the only way to know is to try. What i want to know is what happens if it does not work. They really deny entry or allow for few days for us to take the plane out ?

[lopburi3]

They used to outline it - went something like arrest for illegal entry, transport to Bangkok and deportation. But perhaps there is a kinder, gentler system in place now. I would not be fooling around with passport changes at any land border.

[bluesnake]

They used to outline it - went something like arrest for illegal entry, transport to Bangkok and deportation. But perhaps there is a kinder, gentler system in place now. I would not be fooling around with passport changes at any land border.

I am not trying to do anything illegal here, i just wanna know if double-nationals are entitled to double stay or not, because, to my knowledge, the law doesnt say anything about it. So it may be a loophole in their new rules. I can't believe I will be the first one to try that. Maybe i will try it while my visa is still valid, so i can always use my first passport in case someting goes wrong.

[colino]

[quote

I dont have that in writing, but who can we trust if we can't even trust the border officer ?

[Huw]

I dont have that in writing, but who can we trust if we can't even trust the border officer ?

Hahahahahahahahahaha! oh dear, oh dear.

Nice one squirrel.

[Sophon]

I am not trying to do anything illegal here, i just wanna know if double-nationals are entitled to double stay or not, because, to my knowledge, the law doesnt say anything about it. So it may be a loophole in their new rules. I can't believe I will be the first one to try that. Maybe i will try it while my visa is still valid, so i can always use my first passport in case someting goes wrong.

The rule is:

"Foreigners who enter the Kingdom under the Tourist Visa Exemption category may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry"

It seems quite clear to me. You the foreigner (not your passport) are not allowed to stay more than 90 days on visa exemptions within a 6 month period. You might be able to get away with staying 90 days on one passport followed by 90 days on the other, but the fact is that you would have stayed more than 90 days, so how can you possible imagine that would not be breaking the rules? Why would the fact that you have two passports allow you to stay longer than anyone else on visa exemptions?

And if you should get caught trying to enter Thailand after having "circumvented" the rules I wouldn't expect the immigration police to be flexible.

Sophon

[bluesnake]

I am not trying to do anything illegal here, i just wanna know if double-nationals are entitled to double stay or not, because, to my knowledge, the law doesnt say anything about it. So it may be a loophole in their new rules. I can't believe I will be the first one to try that. Maybe i will try it while my visa is still valid, so i can always use my first passport in case someting goes wrong.

The rule is:

"Foreigners who enter the Kingdom under the Tourist Visa Exemption category may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry"

It seems quite clear to me. You the foreigner (not your passport) are not allowed to stay more than 90 days on visa exemptions within a 6 month period. You might be able to get away with staying 90 days on one passport followed by 90 days on the other, but the fact is that you would have stayed more than 90 days, so how can you possible imagine that would not be breaking the rules? Why would the fact that you have two passports allow you to stay longer than anyone else on visa exemptions?

And if you should get caught trying to enter Thailand after having "circumvented" the rules I wouldn't expect the immigration police to be flexible.

Sophon

Ok Sophon, thx for your answer. So i guess the border officers dont even know their job...

For the others who laugh at people, go get a life.

[colino]

Sorry blue snake i didn't mean any harm or offence

[Maestro]

Ok Sophon, thx for your answer. So i guess the border officers dont even know their job...

For the others who laugh at people, go get a life.

I believe the Thai border officials know their job all right, but you should not expect them to know the job of the Cambodian officials equally well. This is the information you were given (highlighting mine):

I suspect Cambodia will not allow you to enter without a Thai exit stamp in your passport and if you try to enter Thailand without a Cambodian visa/exit stamp you will be in the same boat. If you are stamped out of Thailand and not allowed to enter Cambodia you will be in a world of trouble. Don't even try it.

You are being ungrateful when you tell people who give this sound advice to “go get a life”. Please stop arguing here on this forum; just go and do as you please if you think you know everything better.

--

Maestro

[Jimjim]

When you go to Cambodian immigration, you could get stamped in and out of Cambodia on both passports. But I wouldn't suggest doing this at all. Just go get a tourist visa at a Thai consulate or embassy and you could alternate getting the tourist visa in both passports. That would be a much different and less troublesome situation for you to use both passports.

Edited June 30, 2007 by Jimjim

[Mahout Angrit]

For the others who laugh at people, go get a life.

Is that a French or Swiss sense of humor you have?

[Big A]

^^

I want to know if it is possible to circumvent the new visa run rules.

Tut tut!!

[Maestro]

When you go to Cambodian immigration, you could get stamped in and out of Cambodia on both passports

Have you personally ever done this? Did you personally present two passports to a Cambodian immigration official and get stamped in, and upon departure from Cambodia get stamped out, in both passports?

This is very important. Please let everybody here know.

--

Maestro

[johnlek]

Sawasdee Krap,

I am 33, male, double-national, Swiss+French. I am in bangkok as a tourist, no job, visa on arrival.

I want to know if it is possible to circumvent the new visa run rules.

Is it possible for double-nationals to present the first passport for the first 90days, and then switch and show the second passport.

That way, could it be possible to stay in thailand forever doing the visa run every months ?

In other words, do they have our identity in their computer or do they only check the details in the passport ?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

My guess is that you can. As I understand, they just punch in your name, nationality and passport number. It is not uncommon that there is more than one person in the world with the same name, so I don’t see why that should be a problem.

[Big A]

"It is not uncommon that there is more than one person in the world with the same name, so I don’t see why that should be a problem."

I agree, but think about this.......

*the same first, (middle) and last names

*The same date of birth and age

*The same likeness on the photo

The Thai bureaucracy system isn't the quickest and most intelligent in the world, but they aren't that stupid, or.............

Edited June 30, 2007 by Big A

[astral]

*the same first, (middle) and last names

*The same date of birth and age

*The same likeness on the photo

The immigration computer does not check photos yet.

Some countries do, scanning the whole ID page into the computer.

Vietnam for one.

Same name, same dob, possible..........

That is why my UK driving licence includes a number as well..

Duplicates are quite possible, if you have a common name.

What about multiple passports from the same country of origin??

Quite possible in the UK.

[Mahout Angrit]

The immigration computer does not check photos yet.

They do, they photograph every arrival at immigration desks in Bangkok and Phuket airports, wouldn't know about other places or land borders.

[bkkbaz]

As a dual EU national, this is how I understand it.

You can use either passport to enter SE Asia (or anywhere outside the EU), but can't switch once you get there without causing problems due to your entry stamp being in the "other" passport. Entering eg. Cambodia from Thailand with a passport that has no record of your entering Thailand is likely to cause a lot of awkward questions.

Since an EU passport isn't stamped in EU countries, if you are refusing to get a real visa then the best method is going to be:

1. Fly from EU to Thailand on Passport #1. No exit stamp from EU since you are EU national. Get entry stamp in Thailand.

2. Do your 3x30 days on Passport #1. More entry and exit stamps in Passport #1.

3. Fly back to EU on Passport #1 after 90 days. Final exit stamp from Thailand, no entry stamp in EU since you are EU national.

4. Fly from EU to Thailand on Passport #2. No exit stamp from EU since you are EU national. Get entry stamp in Thailand.

5. Do your 3x30 days on Passport #2. More entry and exit stamps in Passport #2.

6. Fly back to EU on Passport #2 after 90 days. Final exit stamp from Thailand, no entry stamp in EU since you are EU national.

Repeat and rinse.

It's easier and cheaper to get a real visa before you come to Thailand, obviously, but that seems the best way to "exploit the loophole" if you're determined to do so.

Edited July 1, 2007 by bkkbaz

[ericjt]

As a dual EU national, this is how I understand it.

You can use either passport to enter SE Asia (or anywhere outside the EU), but can't switch once you get there without causing problems due to your entry stamp being in the "other" passport. Entering eg. Cambodia from Thailand with a passport that has no record of your entering Thailand is likely to cause a lot of awkward questions.

Since an EU passport isn't stamped in EU countries, if you are refusing to get a real visa then the best method is going to be:

1. Fly from EU to Thailand on Passport #1. No exit stamp from EU since you are EU national. Get entry stamp in Thailand.

2. Do your 3x30 days on Passport #1. More entry and exit stamps in Passport #1.

3. Fly back to EU on Passport #1 after 90 days. Final exit stamp from Thailand, no entry stamp in EU since you are EU national.

4. Fly from EU to Thailand on Passport #2. No exit stamp from EU since you are EU national. Get entry stamp in Thailand.

5. Do your 3x30 days on Passport #2. More entry and exit stamps in Passport #2.

6. Fly back to EU on Passport #2 after 90 days. Final exit stamp from Thailand, no entry stamp in EU since you are EU national.

Repeat and rinse.

It's easier and cheaper to get a real visa before you come to Thailand, obviously, but that seems the best way to "exploit the loophole" if you're determined to do so.

Edited July 1, 2007 by ericjt