Which Immigration Line Should I Use

[daveh]

I usually arrive in Thailand on a different flight than my wife, so I always used the foreigner's queue. However, last time my wife and I arrived together and she got into the Thai queue while I waited in the foreigners' queue. After that we were told that I could use the Thai line because we are married. So this time around I went to the Thai queue with her, but the agent seemed to be very irritated. I'm not sure if I was really allowed in that queue or not.

Are spouses allowed to use the Thai queue?

Edited February 6, 2012 by daveh

[Soutpeel]

All depends on the specific immigration officer concerned....

Some immigration officers will let you use the "Thai only line" if you have a WP or are with "she who must be obeyed"...done this many times with varying degree's of success, never had a problem going through with Mrs Soutpeel, but have been turned back once or twice with the WP

There is nothing written down which says specifically the spouse of the Thai national or WP holder can use the line and the sign does say "Thai passports" so would guess "legally" if you dont have a Thai PP, you shouldnt be in the line..

[gregb]

You never split up a family. This rule applies not only in Thailand, but also in every country in the world I've ever been to, including the USA. So if you are with your wife or your children with Thai passports, go through the Thai line. It would be inappropriate to split you.

If you are alone, go through the foreigners line.

[merijn]

You never split up a family. This rule applies not only in Thailand, but also in every country in the world I've ever been to, including the USA. So if you are with your wife or your children with Thai passports, go through the Thai line. It would be inappropriate to split you.

If you are alone, go through the foreigners line.

Or if you don't want to split up the family and they don't like foreigners in the Thai you always could use the foreigners line for the whole family.

[Soutpeel]

You never split up a family. This rule applies not only in Thailand, but also in every country in the world I've ever been to, including the USA. So if you are with your wife or your children with Thai passports, go through the Thai line. It would be inappropriate to split you.

If you are alone, go through the foreigners line.

Please show me the written source of this rule ?....think you are talking out your bottom.....it may be customary to allow this, but done believe this is written down anywhere....even in the US

If you are alone and have a WP sometimes you can get through the Thai passport line,

[PattayaParent]

When I get to immigration with my wife who looks Thai but isn't we are usually directed to the Thai passports queue.

Last time I noticed that there was a family queue on the Thai side also.

[Javabear]

My Thai wife and I came in last month and used the Thai side. We went to the US last fall and used the US side. No problem with either one.

[dantilley]

You never split up a family. This rule applies not only in Thailand, but also in every country in the world I've ever been to, including the USA. So if you are with your wife or your children with Thai passports, go through the Thai line. It would be inappropriate to split you.

If you are alone, go through the foreigners line.

That's a pretty accurate summing up of the situation. Not sure if it's an actual worldwide official ruling or not, but at Suvarnabhumi you can always go through the Thai queue if you're in a mixed Thai/non-Thai family without any problems or hassles; it's the accepted, standard procedure here. Same in the UK too.

[NanLaew]

There is no 'rule' about splitting up a family anywhere. However, there is a 'rule' that the Immigration stamp jockey in any country can play silly buggers. Witness the 'family unit' arriving at Heathrow and the UK passport holder being not only told that his Thai wife and progeny should NOT be in the UK passport line, but also he should be in the foreign passport line with his Thai wife and progeny. I recollect the irate 'officer' wore a turban... not that it matters much.

Regarding arriving in Thailand, make sure your Thai wife PRECEDES you in the line to the desk and that the Thai passport is top of the pile. For some of the more dickless of the Thai Immigration oxygen wasters, having the farang front up with Thai wife in tow and his passport on top will be like a red rag to a bull. The old tosser that made very rude and disgusting comments about where my wife may have worked in the past still got a polite smile and a grovel from me. I hope he got creamed by a sip-lohr on his way home after shift was over.

Rule of thumb; it's like when you are in a long-term relationship or married here; family first, then the dog, then the farang.

All from personal experience and observations.

Edited February 7, 2012 by NanLaew

[easyride]

There is no 'rule' about splitting up a family anywhere. However, there is a 'rule' that the Immigration stamp jockey in any country can play silly buggers. Witness the 'family unit' arriving at Heathrow and the UK passport holder being not only told that his Thai wife and progeny should NOT be in the UK passport line, but also he should be in the foreign passport line with his Thai wife and progeny. I recollect the irate 'officer' wore a turban... not that it matters much.

Regarding arriving in Thailand, make sure your Thai wife PRECEDES you in the line to the desk and that the Thai passport is top of the pile. For some of the more dickless of the Thai Immigration oxygen wasters, having the farang front up with Thai wife in tow and his passport on top will be like a red rag to a bull. The old tosser that made very rude and disgusting comments about where my wife may have worked in the past still got a polite smile and a grovel from me. I hope he got creamed by a sip-lohr on his way home after shift was over.

Rule of thumb; it's like when you are in a long-term relationship or married here; family first, then the dog, then the farang.

All from personal experience and observations.

And why should this Thai wife and progeny be allowed through the UK line if they don't hold a UK passport? Ditto the Thai line at Swampy. I've been directed via the Thai line in the past but that was (presumably) to ease the queue at the 'foreign' lines. And if the turban doesn't matter then why mention it?

[dantilley]

And why should this Thai wife and progeny be allowed through the UK line if they don't hold a UK passport?

Because they're all together as a family.

[easyride]

And why should this Thai wife and progeny be allowed through the UK line if they don't hold a UK passport?

Because they're all together as a family.

So?

[dantilley]

And why should this Thai wife and progeny be allowed through the UK line if they don't hold a UK passport?

Because they're all together as a family.

So?

So that is why they should be allowed to walk through the UK line.

[PattayaParent]

And why should this Thai wife and progeny be allowed through the UK line if they don't hold a UK passport?

Because they're all together as a family.

So?

So that is why they should be allowed to walk through the UK line.

Then why do UK immigration not allow it?

[dantilley]

Then why do UK immigration not allow it?

They do, every time I've been through UK immigration they have anyway.

[easyride]

And why should this Thai wife and progeny be allowed through the UK line if they don't hold a UK passport?

Because they're all together as a family.

So?

So that is why they should be allowed to walk through the UK line.

I'm not going to push the point but what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

WHY should your family take precedence over olther people?

Being part of a family doesn't give you special rights. Get your family UK passports.

[theoldgit]

I'm not going to push the point but what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

WHY should your family take precedence over olther people?

Being part of a family doesn't give you special rights. Get your family UK passports.

They are not giving people special rights, it makes sense if families travel together, in case there are any questions the IO feel they need to ask any of the family members, though they could all go through the non EU channel.

I really don't see why a Thai wife should live in the UK long enough to qualify for a UK Passport just to enter the UK with her family through the EU channel.

I'm not married but I always enter the UK in the EU line when I travel with my Thai girlfriend, not once been turned away. Likewise I usually go through the Thai line in Bangkok when travelling with her, but she always asks first.

[PattayaParent]

Then why do UK immigration not allow it?

They do, every time I've been through UK immigration they have anyway.

They've refused me on the 2 occassions I've tried it with my wife and young child.

[dantilley]

That's wrong then - they should have let you, as that's the normal policy. Did someone specifically tell you you have to go separately after you asked them, or was it more a case of you went separately and no-one told you you needn't have?

[PattayaParent]

That's wrong then - they should have let you, as that's the normal policy. Did someone specifically tell you you have to go separately after you asked them, or was it more a case of you went separately and no-one told you you needn't have?

Specifically told my wife had to go to the non-EEC queue.

[dantilley]

At LHR?

And also when was the last time this happened?

Edited February 10, 2012 by dantilley

[bendix]

I'm struggling to understand why the family should not be seperated - <deleted>, you will regroup while you're waiting for your bags to come through.

It seems pretty straightfoward to me. Thai passports go to Thai passport line (there is a clue in the signs, if you look carefully). Others to the other lines. Same as HK, same as the UK, same as every airport in the world.

Oh, and ABTC cardholders fasttracked through, as it right, proper and appropriate . . . .

[dantilley]

I'm struggling to understand why the family should not be seperated

- Some young children can get upset if separated from one of their parents.

- The non-EU queue takes much longer so one half of the family is left hanging around doing nothing while waiting (the person through first, presumably the EU passport holder, probably wouldn't be happy to go through to the baggage area in case there's a problem or issue with the other person at the immigration desk)

- Less chance for someone to realise that the partner who just left them went off with something that they need if, for example, the family members have one communal bag with their stuff in together.

- Generally speaking it's much more convenient all-round for everyone to go through together.

[PattayaParent]

At LHR?

And also when was the last time this happened?

At LHR 1st time 7 1/2 year ago, 2nd time 6 years ago.

No problem at Manchester one time prior to then.

[dantilley]

At LHR 1st time 7 1/2 year ago, 2nd time 6 years ago.

Must be a recent change in LHR policy then, all my trips have been within the last 3 years.

[bendix]

I'm struggling to understand why the family should not be seperated

- Some young children can get upset if separated from one of their parents.

- The non-EU queue takes much longer so one half of the family is left hanging around doing nothing while waiting (the person through first, presumably the EU passport holder, probably wouldn't be happy to go through to the baggage area in case there's a problem or issue with the other person at the immigration desk)

- Less chance for someone to realise that the partner who just left them went off with something that they need if, for example, the family members have one communal bag with their stuff in together.

- Generally speaking it's much more convenient all-round for everyone to go through together.

Fine. So let them all go through the longer queue.

As someone else has said, why should families have advantages that people travelling alone don't have?

[dantilley]

Fine. So let them all go through the longer queue.

As someone else has said, why should families have advantages that people travelling alone don't have?

OK, you could also say why should they have disadvantages by being sent to the longer queue? And anyway, an all-Thai family still would all go to the longer queue, we're only talking about the very small minority of mixed EU / non-EU families.

I think it's just common decency really, being kind to children and so-on. A family of two 50-somethings and their two early 20's kids would probably be expected to split up and sort themselves out, and they likely wouldn't mind doing so either. But when young children are involved people are a bit more accommodating and sympathetic.

[iian23]

You don't have to be married, when travelling with my Thai girlfriend I always use the Thai lane. The first time I travelled with her we went in seperate lanes and the immigration officer asked her why I did not go in the Thai lane, as we were travelling together its permitted.

[NanLaew]

All of you have missed the only consistent thing with Immigration officers anywhere.... they are INCONSISTENT regarding the family of differing nationality using the queue for only one of the nationalites involved. The tosser with the turban at Heathrow sent us packing to the foreigners line. The old <deleted> at Suvarnabhumi inferred that my wife was bought.

For easyride, who obviously travels alone, another reason for the family unit to use the same channel is the frequent, 'where's your spouse' question for the visitor on a visa which is more quickly answered if the spouse is right there rather than 150m away in another line or already through passport control and waiting on the other side.

[asanee]

it seems to me that NONE of all those wiseguys above has entered Swampy since 1/1/12. And yet they all claim to know best. WHY!

Since that date there is NO MORE Thai/farang que-it is all mixed. So problem solved-pretty easily and all waste of cyberspace again, a thing this site excels in.