My friend has a 1 year old baby boy born in Thailand with a British father and Thai mother. He plans to go to the UK with mother and child in July on holiday, at present the baby only has a British Passport and the father is not keen to get a Thai one at present. He has 2 questions:

1. When he turns up at the airport to fly to the UK will there be an issue that his son has no entry stamp?

2. Will his son need to obtain a visa for when they return from their holiday as they live here permanently?

Many thanks in advance.

1. No - but a copy of birth certificate should be available if questions asked.

2. Yes - entry on UK passport will be by UK rules and a visa required. Airline will likely allow boarding for a visa exempt entry but there could be questions so getting a tourist visa would be my advise.

not sure why the father isn't keen on the child getting a thai passport.

If he was born here to a Thai parent then he is already a Thai citizen, and the birth certificate will say as much. Getting the passport for travel to and from Thailand (so he doesn't need a visa) would greatly simplify thing and won't change anything about his status which is already a fact .

I agree.

My son has already been to England twice on his Thai passport (which is quite quick and simple to get), and I am just in the process of getting him his British one, to save the UK visa cost in future.

I agree.

My son has already been to England twice on his Thai passport (which is quite quick and simple to get), and I am just in the process of getting him his British one, to save the UK visa cost in future.

His Dad has this thing about his son leaving Thailand on a Thai passport arriving in UK on his British and is concerned that if he returns to Thailand on a Thai passport he wont have any stamp in it from the UK. He's been told Thailand does not recognise dual nationality and this could cause a problem?

Just re-read that, I hope it makes sense?

Edited February 4, 201016 yr by RabC

I was concerned about that as well, which was why he only had a Thai passport to start with (to avoid any visa type issues in Thailand).

However, to summarise what I have learnt from the various threads on this forum about dual nationality:

(a) Thailand allows it until the child is 18 (or maybe 16, I can't remember exactly).

( On reaching that age the citizen must choose one or the other nationality. However, apparently there is nothing in law anywhere to say what happens if they do nothing (very Thai-style! ).

© Many of the posters are well past 18 (I'm guessing, no offence intended!), and have no problem travelling on two passports. Showing both on check in for the flight, showing the Thai one at passport control in Thailand, the UK one on arrival in Britain.

They then do the reverse on return, showing both at check-in, UK passport at UK passport control, and Thai passport at Thailand immigration.

I am planning on doing exactly that with my 5 year old son in July.

Edited February 4, 201016 yr by stbkk

I was concerned about that as well, which was why he only had a Thai passport to start with (to avoid any visa type issues in Thailand).

However, to summarise what I have learnt from the various threads on this forum about dual nationality:

(a) Thailand allows it until the child is 18 (or maybe 16, I can't remember exactly).

( On reaching that age the citizen must choose one or the other nationality. However, apparently there is nothing in law anywhere to say what happens if they do nothing (very Thai-style! ).

© Many of the posters are well past 18 (I'm guessing, no offence intended!), and have no problem travelling on two passports. Showing both on check in for the flight, showing the Thai one at passport control in Thailand, the UK one on arrival in Britain.

They then do the reverse on return, showing both at check-in, UK passport at UK passport control, and Thai passport at Thailand immigration.

I am planning on doing exactly that with my 5 year old son in July.

not quite, but almost

1) thailand has no problem with those born with two or more nationalities.

2) The law does provide an option (and only an option) for those with dual nationality born to a foriegn parent to renounce Thai nationality between the ages 20 and 21. If the child does not, there is no isse.

3) Many posters, including myself - well into my 30s - travel on both Thai (and in my case) Australian passports regularly without any issues

4) Your friends concerns are missplaced. Arriving by plane, Thai immigration doesn't care if you have or don't have stamps from your last destination. They don't look. Add to that, that many countries these days don't even stamp out people who are leaving, then he shouldn't stress.

All

Many thanks for your information I will pass this on.

I believe this thread can now be closed.

Regards