Thai Son Without Current Thai Passport Leaving Thailand

[pete66]

I was planning to take my son (born in Thailand, but with UK passport as well) back to the UK for a month or so but his current Thai passport has mysteriously disappeared. What I have now is:

a) Thai birth certificate

UK passport

c) Expired (2005) 1st Thai passport

So my question is:

1) Can he leave Thailand with this?

2) Can he get back into Thailand with this?

Getting his passport renewed is I think not an option at the moment because I haven't been in contact with his Mum for 3 years now and I have no way of contacting her.

Any help greatly appreciated.

[Mario2008]

He can leave on his UK passport, but not on an expired Thai passport. (Bring the birth certificate with you when traveling, to proof you are the father).

If he re-enters Thailand on his UK-passport, he needs a visa etc. But no overstay is charged for children under 15).

It is not sure if they will accept the old Thai passport for re-entry, as that one has been replaced all ready.

[Lannatyne]

Both of you get to the UK with your British passports first.

Then, if you have time, why not get a new Thai passport from the Thai Embassy in London? He's then okay to leave UK as a Brit, and enter Thailand as a Thai national.

[BlueSmurf]

He can leave on his UK passport, but not on an expired Thai passport. (Bring the birth certificate with you when traveling, to proof you are the father).

If he re-enters Thailand on his UK-passport, he needs a visa etc. But no overstay is charged for children under 15).

It is not sure if they will accept the old Thai passport for re-entry, as that one has been replaced all ready.

Thats interesting Mario..I was led to believe that a child could'nt leave on a British passport alone if the passport did not have a entry stamp...This was to stop children being taken without both parents consent...But there is the old passport I suppose...You must be right ...Good luck to the op.

[samran]

He can leave on his UK passport, but not on an expired Thai passport. (Bring the birth certificate with you when traveling, to proof you are the father).

If he re-enters Thailand on his UK-passport, he needs a visa etc. But no overstay is charged for children under 15).

It is not sure if they will accept the old Thai passport for re-entry, as that one has been replaced all ready.

As you probably know Mario, as a dual citizen myself, I'm a big believer in Thai citizens only entering and exiting Thailand on the Thai passport to save hassles 'later down the track'....which we do see from time to time on TV.

Given this, and that OP is not in contact with the mother, isn't is possible (and relatively simple) for the father to prove to a judge that he now has sole custody....and getting a ruling to enable to be the sole signatory for a Thai passport? I'm sure I've seen you write about this on other threads.

[Mario2008]

Unfortunately, the Thai court granting sole custody is rare. The mother having disappeared might do it, but it will takes months to arrange it. Especially since efforts must be made to locate the mother.

But first it needs to be established that the OP is the legal father of the child. In essence was he married to the mother of his child when the child was born. If not, legally he is not the father and first would have to go to court to establish his fatherhood.

[NanLaew]

Wouldn't be faster/easier for the OP to apply for a replacement passport? They spit out new ones within a working week so imagine a replacement may be quite easy. May go faster if you have a copy of the old one or at least know where it was issued and bring the expired Thai one that the 'lost' one replaced. I assume that you also have the birth certificate...? or a copy....?

[thaihome]

If you haven't seen the Mum in 3 years and old one expired in 2005 that would seem to mean the "lost" current passport probably had much less then 2 years left on it anyway so you are going to have to face the Thai new/replacement passport issue sooner or later.

TH

[samran]

Wouldn't be faster/easier for the OP to apply for a replacement passport? They spit out new ones within a working week so imagine a replacement may be quite easy. May go faster if you have a copy of the old one or at least know where it was issued and bring the expired Thai one that the 'lost' one replaced. I assume that you also have the birth certificate...? or a copy....?

the issue is that you need the signatures of both parents to get a Thai passport issued for a minor.

Having said that, agree with Thaihome, probably best to sort out the Thai passport (and the custody issues related to that) sooner rather than later.

Avoiding doing so means that the child will have to return to thailand as a foreigner (and all the disadvantages that brings) into a country where he techncially has citizenship!