Thai Born Children Moving To Uk

[Martin_F]

I was wondering how our children (born in Thailand of UK(M)/TH(F) parents) can go to the UK with their parents for settlement.

I know the requirments for my wife, but the children are a little more difficult.

They already have Thai passports.

We can also get them UK passports here, as their births in Thailand have already been registered at the British Embassy.

But how do you get them through passport control in Thailand.

And by the way, back in to Thailand if we want to return?

Thanks.

[jhj2000]

If they are your children you will not have a problem with the embassy. If you have not already applied for entry clearance for your wife you will have to sit tight and wait a while. If you can think of an urgent reason to go to the UK procedures can be bypassed.

[p_brownstone]

Get British Passports for your children at the Embassy here in Bangkok before you leave Thailand - if they have been registered there as British Citizens by birth the process is simple.

When you leave Thailand, show the childrens' Thai Passports at Immigration here - you will also need to show the British passports at the airline Check-in Counter to prove to the airline staff that the children have the right to enter UK, however do NOT show the British passports at Immigration leaving Thailand, there is nothing illegal about having 2 passports but some Immigration officials may not be (or pretend not to be) aware of that and make a fuss.

When you enter UK, just show their UK Passports.

When / if they return to Thailand, again just show the Thai Passports at entry.

[Martin_F]

Thanks P. Brownstone.

That was the way I was thinking but I was just worried about the visas in the Thai passports and plane tickets.

[the scouser]

Hi Martin,

You can also apply at the British embassy for a right of abode sticker which confirms your children as being British but is placed in their Thai passports.

Scouse.

[Martin_F]

Hi Martin,

You can also apply at the British embassy for a right of abode sticker which confirms your children as being British but is placed in their Thai passports.

Scouse.

The certificate of entitlement for the right of abode (found it now) appears to be THB8,000 whereas a five year passport is THB2,920 and the passport is obtained from the Consular section and not the Visa Section.

The passport appears to be a better deal, or am I missing something.

I can see that maybe there is a concern on multiple passports and the actually legality.

Anyway, I think I will try the passport approach.

THanks.

[samran]

I can see that maybe there is a concern on multiple passports and the actually legality.

no problems with the legality at all. All totally legit and above board to have 2 PP's.

My Thai PP is filled exclusively with Thailand entry and exit stamps. My Aussie PP is hardly stamped at all. Thai immigration at Don Muang don't care about stamp trails, other than you are stamped in/out on the same PP.

The only thing you need to do is show both PP's at check-in to prove that your child has the right to enter the UK. Proceed to immigration, hand over the Thai PP, get stamped out. Get to Heathrow, flash UK passport, and you are done.

[Martin_F]

We are going to use the passport approach.

You get it from the consular section and not from the visa section (ie can walk in at 7:30) and it is more useful for travel than a Thai passport.

Thanks for all your help.

[Alfie Noakes]

My son was born in Thailand. My wife (Thai), my son and I moved back to settle in the UK last year. We had so much hassle with Thai immigration when we left Thailand for the first time. The airline check-in desk was no problem. Just showed my son's two passports. My wife had a UK settlement visa in hers.

Then we got to the immigration desk. We showed my son's Thai passport and the guy said that my son couldn't pass cos he didn't have right of entry into the UK. So, I was forced to tell him that my son had a UK passport. The guy looked disgusted. For a moment he wasn't going to let us pass. There we were holding a three-month baby screaming his head off.

In the end, the guy had a word with his superior. Talk about good cop, bad cop. The older guy just told him to write in my son's Thai passport that he was travelling with his English father. That's how we got out.

We're going back to Thailand for a two-month visit next July. I'm not looking forward to immigration. I might just get my son a tourist visa for his UK passport and have done with it.

[Martin_F]

Alfie:

Well you got past in the end.

Thanks for the comments.

I know the UK gives an indefinite entry stamp in your passport.

You can see if the Thai embassy does the same in the UK for your son.

[the scouser]

Hi Martin,

UK immigration officers no longer endorse indefinite leave to enter in passports. If you wish such an endorsement to be placed in your children's Thai passports then you would have to either obtain a certificate of the confirmation of right of abode from the embassy or apply to the Home Office once in the UK. Unfortunately both avenues cost money.

Scouse.

[p_brownstone]

My son was born in Thailand. My wife (Thai), my son and I moved back to settle in the UK last year. We had so much hassle with Thai immigration when we left Thailand for the first time. The airline check-in desk was no problem. Just showed my son's two passports. My wife had a UK settlement visa in hers.

Then we got to the immigration desk. We showed my son's Thai passport and the guy said that my son couldn't pass cos he didn't have right of entry into the UK. So, I was forced to tell him that my son had a UK passport. The guy looked disgusted. For a moment he wasn't going to let us pass. There we were holding a three-month baby screaming his head off.

In the end, the guy had a word with his superior. Talk about good cop, bad cop. The older guy just told him to write in my son's Thai passport that he was travelling with his English father. That's how we got out.

We're going back to Thailand for a two-month visit next July. I'm not looking forward to immigration. I might just get my son a tourist visa for his UK passport and have done with it.

The Immigration chap was undoubtedly confused on being presented - at the same time - with 2 Thai Passports, one with a UK Settlement Visa, the other without.

Both my Wife and Daughter have British and Thai Passports and have never had any questions raised at Immigration in Thailand. Literally hundreds of Thais do this same "Passport Shuffle" every month.

[samran]

Alfie, very strange to hear that. I've never had a problem with doing the Passport shuffle, and I have traveled between Thailand and the UK many times swapping between Thai and Australian Passports.

I think you may have got a grouchy officer on a bad day.