Children with Thai Passports to UK

[KannikaP]

A friend wants to take his wife & two children to UK for 2 month's vacation later this year. VFS have already granted Visitor Visa for his Mrs, but say his children, 6 & 11, who have Thai passports must have UK Passports. I told him this is a load of Bo11ox, but they insist. Is this correct?

He is in the process of applying for UK Passports for them, but that will take a long time.

If they have UK Passports, can they then enter UK with UK Passport, and re-enter Thailand with Thai Passports? Cheers.

[chickenslegs]

The children need either UK visitor visas or UK passports.

 

Present waiting time for 1st time UK passport is about 13 weeks. I guess that a UK visitor visa will take a lot less time - but it will cost a bit more.

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, chickenslegs said:

The children need either UK visitor visas or UK passports.

 

Present waiting time for 1st time UK passport is about 13 weeks. I guess that a UK visitor visa will take a lot less time - but it will cost a bit more.

So please tell me, they cannot enter UK with a Visitor Visa in their Thai Passport, same as their mother .

[chickenslegs]

Just now, KannikaP said:

So please tell me, they cannot enter UK with a Visitor Visa in their Thai Passport, same as their mother .

As I said. They will each need a UK visitor visa OR a UK passport.

[nikmar]

 

21 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

If they have UK Passports, can they then enter UK with UK Passport, and re-enter Thailand with Thai Passports?

The way i understand it is if a child has 2 passports then he can use both - leave on Thai passport, enter and leave UK on British passport, enter Thailand on return with Thai passport.

 

I got my sons UK passport around new year and it took 4 / 5 weeks. Maybe i got really lucky so i dont know if it will take such a short time with anyone else.

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

As I said. They will each need a UK visitor visa OR a UK passport.

VFS has refused them Visitor Visa, and say only UK Passport will do.

[Upnotover]

Gov.uk says the following, which seems to apply;

 

RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UNITED KINDOM – NOTE FOR BRITISH CITIZENS

 

All British Citizens have the right of abode in the United Kingdom. If, as a British Citizen, you wish to travel on a non-British passport it must be endorsed to show that you have the right of abode. Otherwise, you might experience difficulty proving your right to be re-admitted to the United Kingdom.

 

Certificates of entitlement to the right of abode are issued by the Home Office to applicants to the United Kingdom and by the appropriate British representative to applicants abroad. A fee is payable in both cases. Certificates can only be issued to someone who does not have a British passport or identity card describing them as a British citizen or British subject with right of abode. A certificate will cease to be valid once the passport it is attached to expires and cannot be transferred from one passport to another.

[foreverlomsak]

51 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

If they have UK Passports, can they then enter UK with UK Passport, and re-enter Thailand with Thai Passports?

Worked with my son, left UK using UK passport, entered and left Thailand with Thai passport, re-entered UK with UK passport, not even a raised eyebrow, was 19 years ago and he was only 5/6 months old, but have not heard of any changes.

[josephbloggs]

As chickenslegs said VFS are absolutely right: UK visa or UK Passport. The passport office is extremely backlogged right now. I just submitted a passport renewal for my son on Monday and they say to allow 11 weeks (it took a week to get the appointment, so 12 weeks). Also all the passport offices in England are going on a five week strike starting early April - I don't know if that is factored into the 11 weeks or not.

 

I plan to visit the UK in the summer with my son but am considering doing a visa on his Thai passport just in case.

 

Quote

If they have UK Passports, can they then enter UK with UK Passport, and re-enter Thailand with Thai Passports? Cheers.

Yes. Enter and leave UK on UK passport, enter and leave Thailand on Thai passport.

[KannikaP]

31 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

As chickenslegs said VFS are absolutely right: UK visa or UK Passport. The passport office is extremely backlogged right now. I just submitted a passport renewal for my son on Monday and they say to allow 11 weeks (it took a week to get the appointment, so 12 weeks). Also all the passport offices in England are going on a five week strike starting early April - I don't know if that is factored into the 11 weeks or not.

 

I plan to visit the UK in the summer with my son but am considering doing a visa on his Thai passport just in case.

 

Yes. Enter and leave UK on UK passport, enter and leave Thailand on Thai passport.

Yes I understand that. But why will VFS Vnot accept an application for a UK Visitors Visa on the children's Thai Passports?

[patman30]

21 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Yes I understand that. But why will VFS Vnot accept an application for a UK Visitors Visa on the children's Thai Passports?

maybe, it is because the children automaticaly have dual citizenship
they don't need a visa to enter the UK
but they do need a passport to pass through the port
Thai PP would obviously require a visa
but they do not qualify for a visa as they are british citizens

[chickenslegs]

3 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

The children need either UK visitor visas or UK passports.

 

Present waiting time for 1st time UK passport is about 13 weeks. I guess that a UK visitor visa will take a lot less time - but it will cost a bit more.

Quoting myself: To say that I just received notice from VFS to say that my daughter's 1st passport is ready for collection. We attended Trendy house on 7 March to make the application.

So, just over 2 weeks!

[chickenslegs]

1 hour ago, patman30 said:

maybe, it is because the children automaticaly have dual citizenship
they don't need a visa to enter the UK
but they do need a passport to pass through the port
Thai PP would obviously require a visa
but they do not qualify for a visa as they are british citizens

I think you may have hit the nail on the head there. If they have been registered as UK citizens they may not be eligible for a visitor visa.

My daughter has a 10 year visitor visa in her Thai passport since 2015, but she was only registered as a UK citizen last year.

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, patman30 said:

maybe, it is because the children automaticaly have dual citizenship
they don't need a visa to enter the UK
but they do need a passport to pass through the port
Thai PP would obviously require a visa
but they do not qualify for a visa as they are British citizens

josephblogg said a little earlier, that he is also going to get a UK Visa on his son's passport. Now it gets confusing. 

 

[howerde]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

josephblogg said a little earlier, that he is also going to get a UK Visa on his son's passport. Now it gets confusing. 

 

patman30 has it right  

 

https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor/apply-standard-visitor-visa      on this link see the following statement

 

Your application will not be accepted and you will not get a refund if you have the right of abode in the UK (for example you’re a British citizen). You need to apply for a certificate of entitlement instead.

 

I do not remember seeing this before, perhaps they are enforcing the rules more vigorously  as his children have a right of abode it seems 2 choices either wait for British passport or apply for certificate of entitlement

https://www.gov.uk/right-of-abode

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, KannikaP said:

If they have UK Passports, can they then enter UK with UK Passport, and re-enter Thailand with Thai Passports?

They could also leave the UK with Thai PP.

[KannikaP]

18 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

They could also leave the UK with Thai PP.

But cannot get INTO UK without a Visa in their Thai Passport or this Right to Abode thing.

[Upnotover]

21 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

They could also leave the UK with Thai PP.

That part is easy, they are not checked.

[brianthainess]

6 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

That part is easy, they are not checked.

They are at check in.

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, brianthainess said:

They are at check in.

Of course, and they would want to show their Thai passports then as that is what they will use to enter the country, avoiding silly questions about onward tickets, visas, etc.

[brianthainess]

23 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

But cannot get INTO UK without a Visa in their Thai Passport or this Right to Abode thing.

If you read my post it was about IF THEY HAVE A UK PP.

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, brianthainess said:

If you read my post it was about IF THEY HAVE A UK PP.

And read my opening post which says that the DO NOT have UK passports.

[brianthainess]

4 hours ago, KannikaP said:

If they have UK Passports, can they then enter UK with UK Passport, and re-enter Thailand with Thai Passports? Cheers.

This was from your opening post and was referring to that part where YOU said "If they have UK PP" 

[brewsterbudgen]

5 hours ago, KannikaP said:

VFS has refused them Visitor Visa, and say only UK Passport will do.

Quite correctly too.  People entitled to British citizenship cannot get UK visas!

[Ginkas]

A UK Visa limits the passport holder's right to enter and/or remain in the UK.

As they are your sons they are entitled to UK Citizenship (unless your citizenship was by descent).

As British citizens they cannot have their rights of entry and abode restricted by a visa and therefore are not eligible for a visa and it's associated restrictions.

They therefore have to have a UK Passport or the certificate for right of abode.

 

(If you can show they are not your children and do not have the right to British Citizenship  then they can have a visa.)

[theoldgit]

11 hours ago, KannikaP said:

VFS has refused them Visitor Visa, and say only UK Passport will do.

VFS haven’t refused anything as they have no say who will be granted a visa or not, decisions are made by UKVI staff, who in this case have made the right decision.

As a number of posters have pointed out, the children are British Citizens and as such are not subject to Immigration control and cannot, or at least shouldn’t, be issued with a UK Visa.

[josephbloggs]

18 hours ago, KannikaP said:

josephblogg said a little earlier, that he is also going to get a UK Visa on his son's passport. Now it gets confusing. 

 

I was wrong. I said I was considering doing a UK visa on their Thai passport if their UK passport renewal took too long but I have learned in this thread that that is not possible, so ignore what I said.

[KannikaP]

11 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

I was wrong. I said I was considering doing a UK visa on their Thai passport if their UK passport renewal took too long but I have learned in this thread that that is not possible, so ignore what I said.

So you reckon it is true that if a child has different nationality parents, Brit & Thai, they will not be granted a UK Visa on their Thai passport because they are Brits as well, and so have the right to abide in UK. Seems a bit iffy to me. And does it work Vise Versa?

[josephbloggs]

19 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Quoting myself: To say that I just received notice from VFS to say that my daughter's 1st passport is ready for collection. We attended Trendy house on 7 March to make the application.

So, just over 2 weeks!

That's good to hear, thanks. I'll report back on my application when it is returned - I applied on Monday.

This doesn't bode well though:  https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/17/passport-office-workers-across-uk-to-strike-for-five-weeks-over-pay

[josephbloggs]

36 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So you reckon it is true that if a child has different nationality parents, Brit & Thai, they will not be granted a UK Visa on their Thai passport because they are Brits as well, and so have the right to abide in UK. Seems a bit iffy to me. And does it work Vise Versa?

I was surprised to hear it as I just assumed it would be fine as it is essentially a Thai national applying so not sure why they would even check, although as I am a Brit supporting the application and we have the same surname and I am his father I guess it would pretty obviously jump out and they would check.

As a few people here expressly stated it is not possible and VFS themselves said it is not possible (as someone posted) I am inclined to believe that and can understand the logic behind it.

As for vice versa honestly I have no idea.