Thai National on foreign passport - What visa extension options

[expat_4_life]

I know a Thai national who will be visiting their elderly parents. They have been away for almost 3 decades and now have a foreign passport they wish to travel on.  For whatever reason, renewing their Thai passport and ID card is not an option prior to travel - they plan to do it when they return.

 

I know about 30 day extensions to visa exempt and tourist visas.  I've also read threads about Thai family spouse and/or children and the 60 day extension option.  I also know they may get asked for a TM30.

 

I'm thinking the longest they can stay without leaving Thailand is visa exempt or tourist visa (30 or 60 days) + extension (30 days) + some sort of other extension (60 days) - 120 or 150 days total.

 

Checking the immigration website at https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?p=14714
I find two extension options listed that I assume they can qualify for, numbers 4 and 23.
 

In the case of a person who used to have Thai nationality or whose parent is or was of Thai nationality visiting relatives or returning to his or her original homeland.
 

They would qualify under number 4 if entering on a tourist visa and I assume under number 23 if they enter visa exempt. 

 

Three questions:

Can they qualify under number 23 on a visa exempt entry? (No entry condition specified)

Are both of these "Thai Nationality" extension options 60 days?
 

Is this all about right, have I missed anything else out?

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by expat_4_life
clarification

[Sandboxer]

The most important question here is did they renounce their Thai citizenship, or are they still Thai citizens but just haven't renewed passports/IDs in long time? Citizenship only disappears when it is renounced or revoked. A passport is simply a travel document, not citizenship in itself.

 

Once the person is in country and gets Thai pp and ID back, there is basically f-all than can happen to them. Thai nationality (the fact that they don't currently have a pp doesn't matter, they are still registered as being a citizen) trumps everything. Ideally of course get that done within the first 30 days. 

 

 

[DrJack54]

26 minutes ago, expat_4_life said:

I know a Thai national who will be visiting their elderly parents

How long do they wish to visit Thailand.

 

[expat_4_life]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

How long do they wish to visit Thailand.

 

Dare I say, undetermined? Basically until the trip evolves into a requirement to extend their stay that involves international travel or border bounces.

[brewsterbudgen]

What passport do they hold?

 

Easiest option is to enter visa exempt (if their passport allows this) which gives them 30 days (extendable by another 30) to get their Thai passport.  Then they just need to do a border run, leaving on the foreign passport, and re-entering as a Thai citizen.

[expat_4_life]

9 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

What passport do they hold?

 

Easiest option is to enter visa exempt (if their passport allows this) which gives them 30 days (extendable by another 30) to get their Thai passport.  Then they just need to do a border run, leaving on the foreign passport, and re-entering as a Thai citizen.

They are a US passport holder, so visa exempt entry is an option.

 

Are you saying that they can do a passport switch at the border, leave Thailand on their US passport and enter say Cambodia on their Thai passport?

 

I like this option if I understand correctly as no visits to immigration if done in the first 30 days.

Edited June 28, 2023 by expat_4_life

[sirineou]

Have them call the Thai embassy and get an emergency travel document that would allow them to travel with an expired Thai passport. 

My wife did exactly that when we were in the US and she needed to come to Thailand but did not have time to renew her Thai passport. The emergency Document was very easy to get. if I remember correctly it only took a couple of days after we send them I think a copy of the Thai ID card and Passport. She quickly renew her passport  when we got to Thailand. 

Edited June 28, 2023 by sirineou

[brewsterbudgen]

12 minutes ago, expat_4_life said:

They are a US passport holder, so visa exempt entry is an option.

 

Are you saying that they can do a passport switch at the border, leave Thailand on their US passport and enter say Cambodia on their Thai passport?

 

I like this option if I understand correctly as no visits to immigration if done in the first 30 days.

Yes.  They have to (or should) leave Thailand on the passport they entered on.  But they can then enter on their new Thai passport.   Unless I'm missing something!

 

@sirineou's option is worth looking at too.

Edited June 28, 2023 by brewsterbudgen

[sirineou]

12 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Yes.  They have to (or should) leave Thailand on the passport they entered on.  But they can then enter on their new Thai passport.   Unless I'm missing something!

 

@sirineou's option is worth looking at too.

They actually suggest it when we called the embassy to find out how long it took to renew a passport,  and told them that we need it quick because her mother was ill. 

[Pattaya57]

From what I've read on other threads here a Thai can enter Thailand on an expired Thai passport and stay indefinitely so no need to enter on US passport

[DrJoy]

2 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

From what I've read on other threads here a Thai can enter Thailand on an expired Thai passport and stay indefinitely

Absolutely Correct.

That is infact the law, Thai nationals must enter & exit using a Thai PP only, even if expired.

[BritTim]

Assuming they can show a Thai birth certificate (or Thai id card) they can apply for a one-year extension under Section 2.23 in the police order. Note that this will still mean that they are foreigners as far as their immigration status is concerned (unable to work without work permit and so on).  If planning to stay for an extended period, it would be better to get updated Thai passport and id card, then do a border bounce (must be by air) to switch to being in Thailand as a Thai citizen.

[marin]

3 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

I know a Thai national who will be visiting their elderly parents. They have been away for almost 3 decades and now have a foreign passport they wish to travel on.  For whatever reason, renewing their Thai passport and ID card is not an option prior to travel - they plan to do it when they return.

So why dont they do that the first week back here? To me it seems much easier for they as Thai's to rectify the situation as they speak the language and still should know the culture. I can't figure out why they simply cant do this themselves, as its their country.

[expat_4_life]

29 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Assuming they can show a Thai birth certificate (or Thai id card) they can apply for a one-year extension under Section 2.23 in the police order. Note that this will still mean that they are foreigners as far as their immigration status is concerned (unable to work without work permit and so on).  If planning to stay for an extended period, it would be better to get updated Thai passport and id card, then do a border bounce (must be by air) to switch to being in Thailand as a Thai citizen.

Thanks for that, 2.23 is same as number 23 on the website, right?

Is it available on visa exempt entry?

 

Nice, one year, that should be more than sufficient to see to family matters.

[Liverpool Lou]

They are Thai nationals (regardless of their expired passports) so they do not need to enter their own country visa exempt or with any type of visa, they can enter on their old passports and stay as long as they desire...they are Thais.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

Thanks for that, 2.23 is same as number 23 on the website, right?

Is it available on visa exempt entry?

 

Nice, one year, that should be more than sufficient to see to family matters.

Yes. However, it is always best to go to the relevant police order (327-2557) if possible, to ensure you have the full facts.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

They are Thai nationals (regardless of their expired passports) so they do not need to enter their own country visa exempt or with any type of visa, they can enter on their old passports and stay as long as they desire...they are Thais.

That is true but, in this case, entry was made using a foreign passport. You cannot switch to using your expired Thai passport in the middle of your stay. You probably think that is stupid (and I do not disagree) but that is the reality.

[Pattaya57]

23 minutes ago, BritTim said:

That is true but, in this case, entry was made using a foreign passport. You cannot switch to using your expired Thai passport in the middle of your stay. You probably think that is stupid (and I do not disagree) but that is the reality.

OP says Thai "will" be visiting so it does not say they entered on a foreign passport

[Liverpool Lou]

16 minutes ago, BritTim said:

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

They are Thai nationals (regardless of their expired passports) so they do not need to enter their own country visa exempt or with any type of visa, they can enter on their old passports and stay as long as they desire...they are Thais.

Expand  

That is true but, in this case, entry was made using a foreign passport. You cannot switch to using your expired Thai passport in the middle of your stay. You probably think that is stupid (and I do not disagree) but that is the reality.

The OP did not say that they have already entered.  My point to him was that they can enter on their old Thai passports, stay as long as they want to and, obviously, not need any visas or exemptions.  That is the easiest and most obvious way for a Thai to enter and stay in Thailand.

 

"You cannot switch to using your expired Thai passport in the middle of your stay. You probably think that is stupid (and I do not disagree) but that is the reality".

I did not suggest that switching passports was an option or that i denies its reality so I don't know why you posted that.   I also don't know why you then added what "I probably think" was that "it was stupid"!   How could you ever know what I think?

[CMBob]

29 minutes ago, BritTim said:

That is true but, in this case, entry was made using a foreign passport. You cannot switch to using your expired Thai passport in the middle of your stay. You probably think that is stupid (and I do not disagree) but that is the reality.

Give the original post was 7 hours ago, not likely the person has entered Thailand as yet.  I think the person ought to enter with their expired Thai passport given it appears it's unknown how long the person will stay in Thailand.  And, if for some unforeseen reason the person is rejected because Thai passport has been expired for too long (I doubt if this will be a problem), then can turn around and just use the foreign passport and enter visa exempt for 30 days (presuming visa exempt is available for the person's country).

 

[kiwiaussie]

3 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

Thanks for that, 2.23 is same as number 23 on the website, right?

Is it available on visa exempt entry?

 

Nice, one year, that should be more than sufficient to see to family matters.

Correct - that's the one. They should update their Thai ID when they arrive, and with that, head down to immigration and get an annual extension based on that. This article explains it all a little more:

https://www.thaicitizenship.com/thai-ancestry-visas/

[expat_4_life]

1 hour ago, kiwiaussie said:

Correct - that's the one. They should update their Thai ID when they arrive, and with that, head down to immigration and get an annual extension based on that. This article explains it all a little more:

https://www.thaicitizenship.com/thai-ancestry-visas/

Useful link, thanks.