Thai/uk Passport Holders

[enquirer]

When I left Bangkok after a visit in 2007, I handed my UK passport over to any official who demanded it and did not pay attention to anything except getting it back.

When I re-entered Bangkok the following year, I was taken aside and questioned for 30 minutes. It turned out that no-one had bothered to stamp me out in 2007. In the end, one of the ?police wrote something in Thai where the stamp should have been, and let me go.

So make sure your passport does get stamped.

[BAZZAT]

As I understood it: A person with Dual Nationality has to use the passport specific to domain.

i.e. In Thailand, Thai is the primary nationality and it is Law that he uses that Passport and vice versa for the UK. In any country other than those of dual nationality any passport at preference may be used.

There's no such law. I have Thai friends with both UK and Thai citizenship. They use whichever passport gives them the most benefits in any given situation.

The Main benifit Thai over English is unlimited stay my Child has used her thai and uk passports for 8 years never had a problem never been asked she has no uk stamp in her thai passport what so ever only time we get ask for here UK passport is at the airport checking in to go back to the uk

[BAZZAT]

Just curious, but I don't recall seeing anyone getting a passport stamped going out thru security and searches at Heathrow.

The only stamps I have in my uk passport are from other countries.

Obviously coming in, using a foreign passport, would entail getting a stamp, but do these people get stamped out from the U.K.?

reason for edit: to correct grammar

This is actually why, when it was asked in Parliament, the Home Secretary had to say that they have no idea how many people are in the UK overstaying their visa, because they don't keep track of people leaving.

Since then, there is now a visa check (but no stamping) on exit at Terminal 3, although it seems to not always be manned, and I don't remember seeing similar checks at Terminal 4. I assume they're simply looking to add the "black mark" at the back of the passport if someone's been found to overstay (like when a visa is refused.) - But I don't know for sure...

Welcome to the real world our Immigration Secretary just doe's not smell the coffee or get it every overstayer in the world coming to the UK knows when your in your in for life be a good boy or girl, next stage steal someones identity

[lounger]

I always thought that if you arrived in your own country with a valid passport all that was required was that it was indeed valid and the photo was of the person handing it over. In UK when I go through immigration they just look at my face and photo and hand it back, they don't look to see if I have an exit stamp from Thailand.

I think you will find that the UK immigration are rather more high tech than a benevolent Dixon of Dock Green manner.

At Newcastle airport they, without ostentation, slide the passport across a scanner. A bit like building societies checking your signature, without fuss but effective. It does not go beeeep like in Tescos but nevertheless has pegged you.

[hatbrox]

That happens to us 5 years ago with my wife. They let us through but it was complicated. Since she only use her European passport.

technically it makes sense, you cannot travel between 2 countries with 2 passports, you must use one and have visa for the other. This allows for efficient tracking of travelers.

[samran]

That happens to us 5 years ago with my wife. They let us through but it was complicated. Since she only use her European passport.

technically it makes sense, you cannot travel between 2 countries with 2 passports, you must use one and have visa for the other. This allows for efficient tracking of travelers.

I travel between two countries using my Thai and Australian passports all the time. Works just as effficently. Ensures I don't need a visa to live in Thailand either!

[Maestro]

I think it’s possible that the immigration officer got confused when the OP’s wife did not answer his question. She said that the child also has a UK passport, but the correct answer would have been that he was born in the UK and received his passport from the Thai embassy in London.

I know of a dual Swiss/Thai national who had his third Thai passport issued in Switzerland when the old one expired and when he arrived in Thailand the immigration officer asked to see the other passport, not meaning the Swiss passport but the old Thai passport with the Thai exit stamp in it.

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Maestro

[JimGant]

As discussed about this subject a few years back -- when entering Thailand, never have your non-Thai passport where it can be seen. This will prevent the incompetent immigration officer from asking to see it, then stamping you in on it. Once that happens, things get rather more complicated, at least if you had intended to long-stay.

With the non-Thai passport out of sight (and, if necessary, told it is not available), the worst that can happen is, confused immigration officer won't stamp the Thai passport, and has to call over a supervisor. Then, hopefully, the chain of incompetence will be broken.

Edited July 19, 2009 by JimGant

[peterjay]

Hi all, wanted to share this info with everybody, some quick background info, I'm a UK national married to a Thai lady and we live in the Uk and we have a small boy who was born in the UK and who has both Thai and UK passports. My wife arrived in BKK on the 24th July for a 4 week holiday with our son and I told my wife to use his UK passport to leave the UK and his Thai passport to enter Thailand. She's due back this Tuesday (21st July) and has only just told me about what happened on her arrival at BKK.

It seems that after trying to use our son's Thai passport to enter Thailand, my wife was asked why our son's Thai passport didn't have an entry and exit stamp to the UK like her passport has and my wife explained that he was born in the UK and has a UK passport also and she was told that our son had to enter Thailand on his UK passport and not his Thai passport.

A worrying change or just an over enthusiastic immigration officer?

Brigante7.

14 years ago I wanted to go to Singapore.Divorced with my Thai born six months old son included on my UK passport.I was unable to leave Thailand without him.-On returning with him I was refused re entry until I had a Visa for him---to keep his UK passport active he has a yearly non immigrant visa-with 90 days reporting.--just one more expense

[Brigante7]

To the OP:

In case it was not already obvious: make sure she gets out with the UK passport, not with the Thai one just to get a departure card or a nice stamp (which would certainly avoid problems next time).

If they don't get an exit stamp on the UK pp, they are going to overstay their visa as long as they stay in the UK!

Thanks, yeah I had told my wife to use my son's Thai passport when leaving Thailand but after she had to use our son's UK passport to enter Thailand she'll have to use that now to leave.

Brigante7.

[Paagai]

To the OP:

In case it was not already obvious: make sure she gets out with the UK passport, not with the Thai one just to get a departure card or a nice stamp (which would certainly avoid problems next time).

If they don't get an exit stamp on the UK pp, they are going to overstay their visa as long as they stay in the UK!

Thanks, yeah I had told my wife to use my son's Thai passport when leaving Thailand but after she had to use our son's UK passport to enter Thailand she'll have to use that now to leave.

Brigante7.

Hypothetical question, what would happen if the OP's son did leave on the Thai Passport? The overstay on the UK passport is an obvious issue and it would clearly cause issues and problems for immigration, but what are they going to do, fine a Thai citizen for staying in Thailand? It would be absurd, but this can be an absurd country

[Honolulu]

I also carry dual passports. A Tourist passport and a Diplomatic passport, however, unlike the OP, they are issued from the same country.

I have learned that it is best to use the same passport for entry and exit from a country when traveling. Simply decide which one to use for entry and exit before you enter. It makes it easier for the authorities to monitor your travel, which is the primary reason for having a passport. Save yourself the problems, and time, of having to explain everything to an immigration officer.

[DickFarang]

When you read the Nationality Act B.E. 2508 (1965) entirely, it becomes clear that dual nationality is contrary to the spirit of that law (with an exception of persons up to 20 years of age).

[hextac]

My son has dual nationality and passports (Thai/UK) - when entering or leaving either country I present both and have never had any problem. In fact, on most occasions I have been thanked for doing so. I have always received the expected stamps, etc., or not, as if I had presented only one.

Have I just been lucky?

[Maestro]

Wrong, DickFarang. For a Thai national acquiring a second nationality through marriage or birth, retaining this dual nationality is the norm and the lawmakers have deliberately written it into the Nationality Act, or are you reading an outdated version, without all the Acts amending the original law and earlier amendments? It cannot be said that dual nationality is against the spirit of the law when the dual national has to become pro-active, make a written declaration or request to a Minister, to ask for permission to renounce his Thai nationality.

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Maestro