Retirement Visa

[khomlong1]

I am a British citizen living in Thailand with a retirement visa, which has been extended for a second year.

My wife, who was originally a Thai national, also has the same type of visa in her British passport.

My question is this: When we visit Thai Immigration for further extensions later this year, will this situation still be acceptable or will there be a problem with her retaining British citizenship and passport.

[samran]

Just for the record she is still a Thai national. Taking up a foreign nationality does mean that Thai nationality is revoked. She should renew her Thai passport and next time she enters thailand she should come in on the Thai PP, this will negate the need to ever get a visa for her again.

I do beleive that being married to a Thai national has some advantages in terms of amounts of needing less money to bring in to support yourself.

Edited June 17, 2005 by samran

[khomlong1]

Just for the record she is still a Thai national. Taking up a foreign nationality does mean that Thai nationality is revoked. She should renew her Thai passport and next time she enters thailand she should come in on the Thai PP, this will negate the need to ever get a visa for her again.

I do beleive that being married to a Thai national has some advantages in terms of amounts of needing less money to bring in to support yourself.

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[khomlong1]

Just for the record she is still a Thai national. Taking up a foreign nationality does mean that Thai nationality is revoked. She should renew her Thai passport and next time she enters thailand she should come in on the Thai PP, this will negate the need to ever get a visa for her again.

I do beleive that being married to a Thai national has some advantages in terms of amounts of needing less money to bring in to support yourself.

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samran,

thanks for the reply

Does Thailand allow dual nationality and therefore, 2 passports? One problem is that after living in the UK for about 20 years, my wife’s ID card is that much out of date so can she become a born again Thai citizen while retaining her British passport?

Best regards….khomlong

[samran]

Just for the record she is still a Thai national. Taking up a foreign nationality does mean that Thai nationality is revoked. She should renew her Thai passport and next time she enters thailand she should come in on the Thai PP, this will negate the need to ever get a visa for her again.

I do beleive that being married to a Thai national has some advantages in terms of amounts of needing less money to bring in to support yourself.

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samran,

thanks for the reply

Does Thailand allow dual nationality and therefore, 2 passports? One problem is that after living in the UK for about 20 years, my wife’s ID card is that much out of date so can she become a born again Thai citizen while retaining her British passport?

Best regards….khomlong

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Yes, both Thailand and the UK are fine with dual nationality (as well as many other nations). I for instance have dual Thai/Australian nationality. My mother has lived in Australia since 1970 and has two passports as well.

The best thing to do is for your wife to contact the Thai embassy in London, as they will most likely have come across people in your wifes situation and be best positioned to outline to your wife as to what she needs to do. It will most likely involve re-applying for her Thai passport, as well as re-establishing her Thai House registration and then ID card (in that order). It is most probable that she is still registered at her last place of residence in thailand.

If she can dig up all her old documents that will be a start. The embassy will be able to tell you what is best to do from there.

[lopburi3]

I believe his wife is here in Thailand with him so suspect the district office would be the place to start on update of ID card and home register status.

[khomlong1]

Thanks for the replies gents. While we sort out her Thai papers etc, will it still be ok to extend the (retirement visa) in her British passport.

[lopburi3]

Are you sure she has a retirement visa? You should only need one for a married couple and the spouse would have a normal O visa (same, same but different).

Or did you both qualify with 800k bank deposits?

In any case should not be a problem. Go to immigration and see what they say. Thai are also eligible for a one year stay visa in a foreign passport in any case so they may want to work it different.

Once ID card and Thai passport obtained she can exit on UK and then come back on Thai and not have to worry again about visa for Thailand.

[khomlong1]

Thanks for the replies gents. While we sort out her Thai papers etc, will it still be ok to extend the (retirement visa) in her British passport.

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Lop,

You are correct. She has a type ‘O’ visa (not retirement) still too young anyway?

Thanks and regards….. khomlong.

[Mr Red]

Does Thailand allow dual nationality and therefore, 2 passports? One problem is that after living in the UK for about 20 years, my wife’s ID card is that much out of date so can she become a born again Thai citizen while retaining her British passport?

Best regards….khomlong

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Khomlong --

My wife just got a new Thai passport after not having one for over 30 years. She is a US citizen, but her family maintained her on the house rolls all these years. Last year when she was home, she made a new ID card (got some strange looks what with renewing a 30-year old ID card, but she got it). This year, she contacted the Thai Embassy in Washington and they said they could issue a new passport. She filled out 4-5 forms, sent off copies of her new ID card and the old passport, and, voila, 5 weeks later here it is.

She plans to contact the embassy before she returns to insure all should be OK on entry into Thailand when we go back this fall. I'm with Samran -- enter Thailand on the Thai passport, enter the US (or Britain in your case) on the US passport.

Good luck.