Can My Son.....

[toddy]

My son was born in Thailand. He has a British Passport but not yet a Thai passport. He obviously has birth certificates for both countries. Can he go to UK for a holiday (ie exit Thailand) with ONLY a UK passport (of course there is no visa in it as he is still under 1 year old and has never left Thailand)?

Cheers in advance.

[the scouser]

I don't see why not, but you would need to present some evidence that he is also Thai as, presumably, his UK passport does not contain any entry stamps and therefore contains no indication of his immigration status in Thailand.

[Chainat1]

My son was born in Thailand. He has a British Passport but not yet a Thai passport. He obviously has birth certificates for both countries. Can he go to UK for a holiday (ie exit Thailand) with ONLY a UK passport (of course there is no visa in it as he is still under 1 year old and has never left Thailand)?

Cheers in advance.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Toddy

I was in the exact same situation just over a year ago. I spoke to a friend at the british Embassy asking her what is best for my son. She said...

Get the britsh passport for him (as you have done) then go and get a Thai passport (1000b) making sure you fill on the form that he has no other passport! (takes a few days)

Once you have both of them take them to the british Embassy. With proof of britsh nationality (uk passport) he can get a 'Right or Abode' visa in his Thai passport (about 6000b).

Then travel between Thailand and UK is very easy on his Thai passport. Travel in Europe and to USA use british passport. In this case he will have the best of both worlds and no travel problems at all. I found it quite expensive and a pain in the a*s at the time but now so worth it.

Hope this helps

C1

[samran]

I am a little different but the principal is the same. I have dual Australian/Thai nationality, though have residency in the UK.

My advice would be to get a Thai passport for him, as I think it is wise to always exit and enter Thailand on the Thai passport. It creates problems later as Thailand the system isn’t designed to track people with multiple citizenships. There have been a couple of people on this board who have had problems getting their Thai born dual national children back into Thailand on their Thai PP, as they did not originally depart the country on that passport.

I personally don’t think the ‘right of abode’ sticker in the Thai passport is needed either, as having a UK passport means exactly the same thing: i.e., that you have right of unrestricted abode in the UK. The sticker is also an unneeded waste of 6000 baht or £90!!

My advice is, check in showing check in person at the airport both passports. They need to be assured that the child has the right to enter the UK. The British passport tells the airline that your son has that right, so he can board.

Fill out a departure card and go through Thai immigration using the Thai passport, he will be stamped out on this.

On arrival in the UK go through the EU channel showing the British Passport.

On the return leg, do the opposite, entering Thailand on the Thai PP. They will put the entry stamp right next to the last exit stamp.

I go between Thailand and the UK often doing this passport swap and it works fine.

[Chainat1]

I am a little different but the principal is the same. I have dual Australian/Thai nationality, though have residency in the UK.

My advice would be to get a Thai passport for him, as I think it is wise to always exit and enter Thailand on the Thai passport. It creates problems later as Thailand the system isn’t designed to track people with multiple citizenships. There have been a couple of people on this board who have had problems getting their Thai born dual national children back into Thailand on their Thai PP, as they did not originally depart the country on that passport.

I personally don’t think the ‘right of abode’ sticker in the Thai passport is needed either, as having a UK passport means exactly the same thing: i.e., that you have right of unrestricted abode in the UK. The sticker is also an unneeded waste of 6000 baht or £90!!

My advice is, check in showing check in person at the airport both passports. They need to be assured that the child has the right to enter the UK. The British passport tells the airline that your son has that right, so he can board.

Fill out a departure card and go through Thai immigration using the Thai passport, he will be stamped out on this.

On arrival in the UK go through the EU channel showing the British Passport.

On the return leg, do the opposite, entering Thailand on the Thai PP. They will put the entry stamp right next to the last exit stamp.

I go between Thailand and the UK often doing this passport swap and it works fine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Im sure Samram's passport swapping does work fine but I prefer to have departure and entry stamps in my sons thai passport. Knowing just how difficult Thai immigration can be and the fact Thailand doesn't allow dual nationality for adults I wanted to keep the passports completly seperate when traveling. Never knowing when things may change I dont think 6000b is a waste when it may help my son in the future. Immigration can see where he traveled to and from on his Thai passport and knowone need know he has a british passport.

[samran]

Knowing just how difficult Thai immigration can be and the fact Thailand doesn't allow dual nationality for adults I wanted to keep the passports completly seperate when traveling.

Dual nationality is perfectly legal under Thai Law. The Thai Nationality Act was amended in 1992 and no longer states that holding 2 passports is illegal. Immigration in Thailand is well aware from this. I’ve been coming and going from Thailand in this way for more than 15 years with no problems. Additionally, my Thai passport only has Thai entry and exit stamps, as I travel to most other countries on my Australian passport.

[the scouser]

Im sure Samram's passport swapping does work fine but I prefer to have departure and entry stamps in my sons thai passport. Knowing just how difficult Thai immigration can be and the fact Thailand doesn't allow dual nationality for adults I wanted to keep the passports completly seperate when traveling. Never knowing when things may change I dont think 6000b is a waste when it may help my son in the future. Immigration can see where he traveled to and from on his Thai passport and knowone need know he has a british passport. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Using your child's Thai passport, containing a right of abode vignette, for travel to the UK will not give a complete travel history, as the UK authorities will not automatically endorse entry stamps in a document with such a sticker. The cerificate identifies the holder as being British and, as such, is not subject to UK immigration control. You can, however, ask the UK immigration officer to date stamp the passport.

Scouse.

[Chainat1]

Im sure Samram's passport swapping does work fine but I prefer to have departure and entry stamps in my sons thai passport. Knowing just how difficult Thai immigration can be and the fact Thailand doesn't allow dual nationality for adults I wanted to keep the passports completly seperate when traveling. Never knowing when things may change I dont think 6000b is a waste when it may help my son in the future. Immigration can see where he traveled to and from on his Thai passport and knowone need know he has a british passport. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Using your child's Thai passport, containing a right of abode vignette, for travel to the UK will not give a complete travel history, as the UK authorities will not automatically endorse entry stamps in a document with such a sticker. The cerificate identifies the holder as being British and, as such, is not subject to UK immigration control. You can, however, ask the UK immigration officer to date stamp the passport.

Scouse.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your right scouse, on the occasions we have departed and returned to the UK I have taken my son through the 'European passports' desk and asked him to stamp my sons Thai passport (Being 18 months old he had to stay with his dad) and iv never had a problem.