Dual Nationality

[beswick]

Dear Forum,

I hope you all enjoyed Christmas. I have a question which seems to cause a lot of confusion when I speak to various people. So, if anyone can answer this CLEARLY, it will be greatly appreciated:

Can Thai Nationals have dual nationality i.e. a Thai and British passport?

Best wishes

Beswick.

[Eff1n2ret]

Yes they can, and many do.

When the memsahib and I travel to Thailand, she shows her British passport at UK checkin, because that's the name on the ticket. In Bangkok she produces her Thai passport to Immigration (which carries her maiden name). On leaving Bangkok she again shows her Brit passport at checkin, and the Thai passport to Immigration. On arrival in London she shows Brit passport (or we dodge the queue and go through the IRIS barrier).

For those who have changed their Thai passport to the married name, the only real difference would be that it wouldn't matter which passport you show to check in in London. Once a person obtains British citizenship and a British passport, they no longer qualify for an ILR stamp when they have to get a new Thai passport, so they would have to show the Brit passport at Bangkok checkin to prove their right to enter the UK.

[DC1066]

Yes they can, and many do.

When the memsahib and I travel to Thailand, she shows her British passport at UK checkin, because that's the name on the ticket. In Bangkok she produces her Thai passport to Immigration (which carries her maiden name). On leaving Bangkok she again shows her Brit passport at checkin, and the Thai passport to Immigration. On arrival in London she shows Brit passport (or we dodge the queue and go through the IRIS barrier).

For those who have changed their Thai passport to the married name, the only real difference would be that it wouldn't matter which passport you show to check in in London. Once a person obtains British citizenship and a British passport, they no longer qualify for an ILR stamp when they have to get a new Thai passport, so they would have to show the Brit passport at Bangkok checkin to prove their right to enter the UK.

Off topic - so you have my apologies, but what is the IRIS barrier? We're going to Heathrow soon and could do with any ideas for dodgin that queue.

Back on topic, I echo the previous answers, i.e. there are no problems with Thai's holding dual nationality. I think though that most people with dual nationality enter and leave UK on British passport, enter and leave Thailand on the Thai passport.

[7by7]

Iris recognition immigration system (IRIS)

[DC1066]

Iris recognition immigration system (IRIS)

Thanks, that's useful. I'll pop in next time I'm at the airport.

[beswick]

Yes they can, and many do.

When the memsahib and I travel to Thailand, she shows her British passport at UK checkin, because that's the name on the ticket. In Bangkok she produces her Thai passport to Immigration (which carries her maiden name). On leaving Bangkok she again shows her Brit passport at checkin, and the Thai passport to Immigration. On arrival in London she shows Brit passport (or we dodge the queue and go through the IRIS barrier).

For those who have changed their Thai passport to the married name, the only real difference would be that it wouldn't matter which passport you show to check in in London. Once a person obtains British citizenship and a British passport, they no longer qualify for an ILR stamp when they have to get a new Thai passport, so they would have to show the Brit passport at Bangkok checkin to prove their right to enter the UK.

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies'. I understand you points about using different passports; however I am conscious of something. For example, if my wife used her British passport to leave the UK (i.e. holiday to Thailand for 2 weeks), and it was stamped as departure from London, what about when we arrive in BKK and produce the Thai passport with no departure sticker etc from the UK? And then do the same but showing the British passport to depart from BKK, end up at London, and they say: 'Where is your departure stamp?,' if they were ever to check. Surely this would put you in a mess.

Why can't we just use the British passports to London and Bangkok? And then if we choose to buy property / stay in Thailand ( this only applies to wife as I have a work permit etc), then just show the Thai passport for evidence she is still a Thai National. I am confused on all this and sorry to be thick.

Many thanks.

[timi2546]

and happy new year u all !

well...thought to

ask first does anyone

know, can i get to our

newcomer dual citizenship,

i am finn , and wife thai.

if u know, appreciate info a lot.

thanks and cheers.

[TerryLH]

If she uses her British passport to enter Thailand she would only be given 30 days to stay without obtaining a visa.

Why would anyone want to go to the trouble and expense to get a visa when one isn't needed?

As stated above.

British passport = In and out of Britian (and other places where a British passport would be an advantage).

Thai passport = In and out of Thailand (and perhaps other ASEAN countries).

If an airlines questions the lack of a visa, show them both passports.

Immigration will only need to see one passport.

[ubonjoe]

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies'. I understand you points about using different passports; however I am conscious of something. For example, if my wife used her British passport to leave the UK (i.e. holiday to Thailand for 2 weeks), and it was stamped as departure from London, what about when we arrive in BKK and produce the Thai passport with no departure sticker etc from the UK? And then do the same but showing the British passport to depart from BKK, end up at London, and they say: 'Where is your departure stamp?,' if they were ever to check. Surely this would put you in a mess.

Why can't we just use the British passports to London and Bangkok? And then if we choose to buy property / stay in Thailand ( this only applies to wife as I have a work permit etc), then just show the Thai passport for evidence she is still a Thai National. I am confused on all this and sorry to be thick.

Many thanks.

They don't look for entry and departure stamps when your arrive at the airport. So that is not a problem.

Many people are using both passports on daily basis.

As previous posts have stated she leaves the UK on her Uk passport and if traveling on a one way ticket she would need to show her Thai passport to the airline check-in counter in order to get on the flight.

She then can put away her UK passport. She then enters Thailand on her Thai passport and then stays as long as she wants. When leaving she would need to show her UK passport for check-in to show she can enter the UK. She uses her Thai passport at immigration and then puts away her Thai passport and uses her UK passport to enter the UK.

[ubonjoe]

and happy new year u all !

well...thought to

ask first does anyone

know, can i get to our

newcomer dual citizenship,

i am finn , and wife thai.

if u know, appreciate info a lot.

thanks and cheers.

As far as Thailand is concerned yes your child can have dual citizenship/nationality.

And according to info on the Finland embassy website Finland also allows dual nationality.

See this webpage from the website: http://www.finland.or.th/public/default.as...p;culture=en-US

[mrbojangles]

Thanks for your replies'. I understand you points about using different passports; however I am conscious of something. For example, if my wife used her British passport to leave the UK (i.e. holiday to Thailand for 2 weeks), and it was stamped as departure from London,

They don't stamp a British passport on departure from the UK.

[7by7]

My wife and daughter have used their British passports to enter and leave the UK and their Thai passports to enter and leave Thailand many times without a problem.

Britsh passports are not stamped when entering the UK and as said above, except in exceptional circumstances such as deportation, passports are not stamped when leaving the UK, whatever the holder's nationality.

There may be a problem if leaving Thailand and the entry stamp is missing, so one should use the same passport each time. As already said, if a dual national uses their British passport to enter Thailand then they should use that to leave, and they would be subject to the same entry rules as any other Brit, even though they are also Thai.

[beswick]

There may be a problem if leaving Thailand and the entry stamp is missing, so one should use the same passport each time. As already said, if a dual national uses their British passport to enter Thailand then they should use that to leave, and they would be subject to the same entry rules as any other Brit, even though they are also Thai.

Happy New Year!

This is exactly what I'm worried about. I know the Thais can be extremely difficult sometimes. I need to get this 100 per cent correct to save any hassle in future.

For example, the family and I all have british passports, at the end of next year we all leave due to myself working in Thailand. We stay in Thailand for 5 years until I decide to come back to the UK (not that I plan to, but just to have a bit of insurance to fall back on incase anything goes wrong and having British passports will save us the trouble, but more importantly the stress and expense of visas' again), and upon return to the UK we check in at Thai immigration for departure. We have to produce the Brit passports so the family will be granted access to the UK, they will then say that you've overstayed and have to pay a fortune and even possibly be baned from Thailand. I know that they are keen on overstays etc, etc.

Am I looking at this is the 'right way' or am I looking into things too much?

Best wishes

[7by7]

When leaving Thailand a dual Thai/British citizen will need to show their British passport to the airline when checking in so that the airline knows that they can enter the UK. There is no need to show their British passport to Thai immigration/passport control at all. Their Thai passport is all these guys will need, or want, to see.

UK to Thailand

On checking in with the airline to leave UK show both passports to show you are legally in the UK and can enter Thailand without restriction.

There is no passport control on leaving the UK at present. If at some time in the future there is then show British passport.

On arrival in Thailand show Thai immigration, and get the entry stamp in, Thai passport.

Thailand to UK

On checking in with the airline to leave Thailand show both passports to show you are legally in Thailand and can enter the UK without restriction.

At Thai passport control show, and get exit stamp in, Thai passport.

On arrival in the UK show UK immigration the British passport.

Countless dual nationals do this all the time; without any hassle at all. The only hassle or risk of overstay fines would be if they used their British passport to enter or leave Thailand, so always use the Thai one.

Stop worrying!

Edited January 1, 2009 by 7by7

[Mossfinn]

Can Thai Nationals have dual nationality i.e. a Thai and British passport?

Just to reiterate and confirm what others have said, yes you can have dual nationality of Brit/Thai, but don't go looking for specific criteria stating it categorically.

Do a search under 'Dual Nationality' and incorporating samran as a contributor, he is the most knowledgeable, with due respect to other contributors, in my opinion on this forum including Thai law and there has been considerable dialogue regarding this issue and the consensus overwhelmingly is it OK.

My wife travels without a problem anyway, using both passports, much to my chagrin

Moss

[awill50]

Can Thai Nationals have dual nationality i.e. a Thai and British passport?

Just to reiterate and confirm what others have said, yes you can have dual nationality of Brit/Thai, but don't go looking for specific criteria stating it categorically.

Do a search under 'Dual Nationality' and incorporating samran as a contributor, he is the most knowledgeable, with due respect to other contributors, in my opinion on this forum including Thai law and there has been considerable dialogue regarding this issue and the consensus overwhelmingly is it OK.

My wife travels without a problem anyway, using both passports, much to my chagrin

Moss

Does this work the same if you have an american passport? Has anone ever tried this?

[ubonjoe]

Does this work the same if you have an american passport? Has anone ever tried this?

Yes it works exactly the same way.

There have been several topics covering US citizens having dual nationality.

[Marisa]

I too have dual nationality (Thai-British) and never had a problem.

As everyone has said I can confirm:

UK do not generally stamp British passports on exit or entry (so they won't ask about that)

Show the Thai passport on entry and exit to Thailand

Show the UK passport on entry and exit to UK

If anyone (airlines check-in or immigration esp in Thailand) ask, you may have to produce both or explain why you don't have a visa for the UK on you way out from Thailand).

Other than that I have never had any problems with it. I too looked for specific confirmation about whether or not it was allowed, or if anyone would try to confiscate any passports etc. So far I have not had any incidents).

But the only thing is whether or not they will ask why she has one (maiden) surname in one and her (married) surname in one...? I'm not married so don't have any difference.

Happy New Year. Hope that helps/re-assures.

[7by7]

the only thing is whether or not they will ask why she has one (maiden) surname in one and her (married) surname in one...?

I don't know about Thailand, but as far as the UK is concerned there is no requirement for a wife to take her husband's surname on marriage, so it wouldn't be a problem with the UK authorities.

However, as the non-EEA spouse of a British citizen has to be resident in the UK for at least 3 years before they can apply for naturalisation there is plenty of time to change the name in the Thai passport, if they so wish.

Taking her Falang husband's surname name and using it in her Thai passport or on her Thai ID card will not effect a woman's Thai nationality or rights as a Thai citizen.

Edited January 4, 2009 by 7by7

[Arkady]

There are other posts on TV that go into more detail on dual nationality, if you want to do some research. There doesn't seem to be any concern about having dual British and Thai nationality and no reason at all to worry about either country knowing you have another passport, that is at least if you are Thai by birth. The Brits don't care how many other nationalities British nationals have or what passport you use to enter the UK. They only say they cannot give you consular protection while you are in another country that you are a citizen of and that males with other nationalities may be liable to military service in their country of alternative citizenship (apparently the British missions in Bangladesh get clogged with enquiries from dual nationals who get conscripted there on their first ever visit!). The Thai Nationality Act has provisions for stripping the nationalilty only of naturalized Thais, although this is not a simple procedure, not of Thais born. Thus there is possibly a case for naturalized Thais keeping their second passport secret in case attitudes in Thailand ever change. But on the other hand, the Thai authorities would know that most naturalized Thais haven't surrendered their original nationality which is often difficult to do and no cases have ever come up where it was a problem for a naturalized Thai to show a second passport to explain why no visa. There seems to be no law against Thais entering Thailand on another passport but there seems no point for a long stay requiring a visa, unless it is to avoid military service, bad debts, arrest warrant or something. You certainly wouldn't want to have to get a work permit.

[teacherofwoe]

I'll be travelling to Britain in a couple of months with my one year old daughter who has two passports. If I accompany her in the short Thai queue will they stamp my passport at that counter or will I have to queue again for the foreign counter? Has anyone done this? Her Thai mother, my wife, is travelling with us. I just thought I'd try to on!

[aromsia]

As mentioned..many thais have dual nationality. Attitudes aren't likely to change to the negative, since many hi-so thais carry a Western passport as well as the Thai passport. Then again, as we know, the laws are biased in favour of thai men married to foreign women, at the expense of thai women married to foreign men. So there's nothing stopping them from one day saying Thai women can't have dual nationality.

For years Britain refused to recognise children born abroad to a british mother and foreign father as 'british citizens'. However children born abroad to british men married to foreign women were recognised. Apparently the sentiment at the time (end of WW2) was that women would leave the UK by the tens of thousands to US, Canada, Aus, NZ, SA...and their kids might come back one day more affluent - and so 'foreign'! Anyway, they ended the discrimination in the 1970's (interestingly - and tellingly - they didn't make it retroactive! I guess by then the foreign-born 'baby boom danger' had passed!)

[Mossfinn]

I'll be travelling to Britain in a couple of months with my one year old daughter who has two passports. If I accompany her in the short Thai queue will they stamp my passport at that counter or will I have to queue again for the foreign counter? Has anyone done this? Her Thai mother, my wife, is travelling with us. I just thought I'd try to on!

I have gone through Thai Immigration with my wife and my wife has in the past has gone through the Euro zone, just ask politely.

Moss

[Arkady]

the only thing is whether or not they will ask why she has one (maiden) surname in one and her (married) surname in one...?

I don't know about Thailand, but as far as the UK is concerned there is no requirement for a wife to take her husband's surname on marriage, so it wouldn't be a problem with the UK authorities.

However, as the non-EEA spouse of a British citizen has to be resident in the UK for at least 3 years before they can apply for naturalisation there is plenty of time to change the name in the Thai passport, if they so wish.

Taking her Falang husband's surname name and using it in her Thai passport or on her Thai ID card will not effect a woman's Thai nationality or rights as a Thai citizen.

The Thai law that required women to take their husbands' surnames was repealed very recently under pressure from Thai women's groups. Now they can choose either but I am not sure if men can take their wive's names, as in some European countries. Women's groups have also in the past asserted that not allowing foreign men the same fast track to Thai nationality as foreign women married to Thai men both discriminates against Thai women and is against the constitution which supposedly guarantees equal rights for all regardless of race, sex or religion. The surname issue was campagned for many years. I wonder how long the nationality issue will take.

[mrbojangles]

I'll be travelling to Britain in a couple of months with my one year old daughter who has two passports. If I accompany her in the short Thai queue will they stamp my passport at that counter or will I have to queue again for the foreign counter? Has anyone done this? Her Thai mother, my wife, is travelling with us. I just thought I'd try to on!

I have gone through Thai Immigration with my wife and my wife has in the past has gone through the Euro zone, just ask politely.

Moss

Same here. Only had a problem once with a "jobs worth" apart from that it's always been fine.

[7by7]

Only had a problem once with a "jobs worth"

Like the one who wouldn't let my daughter in with her Thai passport because she had completed her arrival card in English!

"If you Thai, do this in Thai!" was his attitude.

So she had to complete another one in Thai; in front of him as he wanted to be sure she did it, not her mother!

[Boo]

Then again, as we know, the laws are biased in favour of thai men married to foreign women, at the expense of thai women married to foreign men.

are they? afaics thai women lose nothing by being married to a foreign man.

So there's nothing stopping them from one day saying Thai women can't have dual nationality

Will they? there is nothing in law to suggest this. don't confuse the visa restrictions thailand has placed on foreign men with a thai womens rights to duel nationality.

[Hugh Jarse]

I'll be travelling to Britain in a couple of months with my one year old daughter who has two passports. If I accompany her in the short Thai queue will they stamp my passport at that counter or will I have to queue again for the foreign counter? Has anyone done this? Her Thai mother, my wife, is travelling with us. I just thought I'd try to on!

I hold an EEA passport and when I last exited at S'Phum with my Thai wife and kids there was no problem . Immigration just stamped mine too.

It is also possible for a Thai to have tri-/treble nationality.

[Martian]

This topic seems to come along very often and is an important issue for those inquiring.

Can I suggest that a moderator choose the shortest and most accurate thread addressing this and pin it?

Thank you for your consideration.

Martian

[Roy Jing]

Just a bit of an update on the 2 passport question.

My wife wanted to go on a holiday to visit her family in Nakhon Si Thammarat so I bought her a return ticket from Sydney to Phuket flying direct with Jetstar.

Normally when we go to Thailand for holidays she uses her Australian passport ( she has dual nationality - Thai and Australian) as we are only there for 2 or 3 weeks at a time so the 30 day entry stamp is sufficient for us.

This time however she will be away for 35 days so I told her to use both passports to avoid having to apply for visas.

We noticed that her current Thai passport was about to expire so she applied at the Royal Thai Consulate in Sydney for a new one. When we went back to pick up the new passport my wife asked the Thai staff about using both her Thai and Australian passport for travel. She was told that they could not advise her on that. She mentioned that I had read on forums that it was very common for people to travel on 2 passports but again she was told that they could not advise her and that it was up to her what she chose to do.

My wife flew back to Thailand yesterday. At Sydney airport we showed both passports at check-in and there was no dramas.

I have just rung up my wife this morning to see if she got home alright and she told me that at Phuket Airport they would not let her use her Thai passport as it had no stamp in it saying that she had been in Australia.She explained that she was both a Thai and Aus citizen and that her original passport that had a visa to enter Australia was 20 years ago and had long since expired. She told them that this new passport was issued from the Consulate in Sydney.

She was taken to see one of the head officers at Immigration who happened to come from Nakhon also, and as pleasant as he was, said that she would have to use her Australian passport and she would need to apply for an extension in Nakhon town to cover the extra days.

I will get the more complete version of this story when my wife comes back to Aus but for those of you who think that you can definately use 2 passports maybe you should think again, it may not be the case.

Roy