Travelling With 2 Passports

[CrankyCarrot]

I'm a dual Australian/British citizen and have two passports. I've been travelling around SE Asia using only my Australian passport and about 75% of it is filled up with various stamps and stickers. My British passport meanwhile, is empty, so it seems like it might be a good idea to use it for a while so I don't max out my Aussie passport while abroad.

Does anyone know what the deal is with doing this?

I need to do a visa run to Penang in a few days, so I'm wondering what the response from immigration would be if I requested a new Thai tourist visa in the empty British passport.

I'm thinking I would leave Thailand (via land at the Sadao border) presenting my Aus passport and exit leaflet, then present my Brit passport when entering Malaysia to get the 90 day entry stamp, and use it again at the Thai embassy.

Anyone here have any experience juggling passports in this manner? Is it possible or do you have to keep using the same passport when travelling that you did when leaving your country of origin?

[Mario2008]

You can only change passports when you travel by air. At land borders with neighbouring counties they often check the entry-exit stamp of the country you are coming from. if you don't have it, you might have a problem.

Best is to travel by air to Penang/Kula Lumphur, enter on the UK passport, apply for the visa and travel to Thailand on the UK passport.

[tom21]

should make no difference. if they want to see your exit stamp show them the australian passport. the key is to use the same passport to exit a country that you entered with.

[cyrilmadrid]

Actually I was about to post the same question : I have 2 passports, 2 nationalities, and the name is slightly different (one has 2 family names, father and mother's, the other one only one). I was wondering if you think Thai Border would figure this is the same person just based on date of birth ?

Do you think they have a way of computing total time spent of the country if you split it on 2 passports ?

[Eff1n2ret]

The OP is not doing anything illegal. Unfortunately some Immigration Officers anywhere in the world seem to struggle with the concept of dual nationality - a friend who is a dual Thai/Brit national had a problem when she arrived at BKK for the first time for many years and presented both her Brit passport and the new Thai passport which had been issued in London. The IO refused to admit her as a Thai citizen and insisted on stamping her Brit passport as a visitor.

If he presents a pristine Brit passport at the Malaysian border the question uppermost in the IO's mind should be whether it is genuine and whether he is the rightful holder thereof, so he can expect to be held up for a bit and will probably also have to produce his Aussie passport by way of explanation. Thereafter it would be up to the MYS IO which document he chooses to endorse.

He might as well have a go. The cost of a new Oz passport is probably less than the airfare to Penang/KL.

[Mario2008]

There is no reason for Thai immigration to calculate your total time in Thailand, there is no official limit.

Might they pick it up? Yes, and I would not be surprised if they have photo recognition software.

[CrankyCarrot]

Thanks guys,

So it sounds like it shouldn't be a problem, but I might have some explaining to do at the Malay border? If I'm going by land, there'll be a bunch of people in the same minivan waiting for me to get back in so we can carry on to Penang though... that would not be ideal.

Mario - you say you can only change passports when travelling by air. What's your source on that? Personal experience, or have you heard about other people doing it or read about it somewhere?

Eff1n2ret - "The cost of a new Oz passport is probably less than the airfare to Penang/KL." --- maybe if you fly first class. My Aussie passport set me back $300 from memory..*

*Ok, on the gov't website it's $233 for a regular passport, or $103 to replace the first one that's "lost or stolen" within a 5 year period.

[diggerdo]

Actually I was about to post the same question : I have 2 passports, 2 nationalities, and the name is slightly different (one has 2 family names, father and mother's, the other one only one). I was wondering if you think Thai Border would figure this is the same person just based on date of birth ?

Do you think they have a way of computing total time spent of the country if you split it on 2 passports ?

I would advise against showing a second passport at Immigration, although it is legal to have two, the grief caused by trying to explain why you are carrying two passports is not worth the hassle, espically in your case with slightly different family names. There is a requirement to get the exit stamp on the same passport where you get your entry visa.

For Cranky Carrot I would be careful as no matter which passport you use to come back into Thailand you do not want to overstay your allotted legal allowance, or come back in too soon (as a tourist ) although it is easy enough done with a second passport, Immigration people dont take kindly to people trying to pull the wool over their eyes if they were to pick up on it.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

I left Thailand on my US passport and entered Australia and New Zealand on my UK passport, departed with UK passport. Then back into Thailand on my US passport. No problems no questions. Just enter and leave on the same passport and change going into a country if you wish. Perfectly legal as both US and UK allow dual citizenship. Only done it flying don't know about by land.

[Maestro]

...Mario - you say you can only change passports when travelling by air. What's your source on that? Personal experience, or have you heard about other people doing it or read about it somewhere? ...

I'll answer this while Mario is offline for the night. The information is based on posts made by ThaiVisa members, mostly with reference to the border with Cambodia and Laos; don't know if there have been any about the border with Malaysia.

Put yourself into the position of the Malaysian immigration officer. A tourist comes across the land border from Thailand and presents a pristine British passport to you. No exit stamp from Thailand. Is there any reason why you should not get suspicious that this passport might be fake? It was probably part of your training as an immigration officer to look out for such irregularities.

At the very least you would have some explaining to do, as you said yourself, and this could take quite some time and your minivan might not want to wait for you. If you do try it, please report your experience here after your return.

[daxbr]

...Mario - you say you can only change passports when travelling by air. What's your source on that? Personal experience, or have you heard about other people doing it or read about it somewhere? ...

I'll answer this while Mario is offline for the night. The information is based on posts made by ThaiVisa members, mostly with reference to the border with Cambodia and Laos; don't know if there have been any about the border with Malaysia.

Put yourself into the position of the Malaysian immigration officer. A tourist comes across the land border from Thailand and presents a pristine British passport to you. No exit stamp from Thailand. Is there any reason why you should not get suspicious that this passport might be fake? It was probably part of your training as an immigration officer to look out for such irregularities.

At the very least you would have some explaining to do, as you said yourself, and this could take quite some time and your minivan might not want to wait for you. If you do try it, please report your experience here after your return.

this matches with my experiernce. Tried once to leave Thailand in Nongkhai with passport A and enter Laos with passport B, as Lao visa for passport A is more expensive.

After submitting visa application with passport B, I was called back and questioned about lack of Thai exit stamp. Long story short, I had to fill out another visa application, submit passport A and pay more money.

[CrankyCarrot]

@diggerdo - I know they do ask you to write about if/when you were most recently in Thailand on the entry form, so unless I lie it will be there in writing regardless of which passport I use.

@Beentheredonethat - thanks for that. Sounds like there's no issues changing passports when flying as long as you enter/exit on the same one. Though accomplishing this by land seems like it will be much more of a hassle.

@Maestro - thanks for answering for Mario. If I end up going by land to Malaysia and trying to pull the ol' switcheroo, I'll write back here what happens.

I know in the past I've sat around in the van waiting for other travellers to sort out their overstay fines, so I guess the drivers are probably used to holdups.

As a side note - does anyone know if the Malaysian Harvest Festival (I see by Googling Malay public hols) on May 30/31 will mean the Penang embassy will be closed this Wed/Thurs?

[CrankyCarrot]

@Daxbr - dam_n, that sucks.

[UbonOz]

I have two passports, have done it many times by land and air.

Use the same passport to enter and depart a country, change only when you enter.

At land borders I have shown both passports if changing passport when entering.

[CrankyCarrot]

@UbonOz - hey cheers, that's great news.

[Maestro]

Interesting to know that it works some times, unfortunately not at other times, much like a lottery, it seems.

[UbonOz]

It is your choice which passport you use when entering a country, there is nothing illegal in your action.

[CrankyCarrot]

I explained what I wanted to do to a Thai travel agent when I was booking my minivan ride last night and he didn't seem to think it would be a problem. He also called a couple of people, I think those who handle visa runs specifically, and they confirmed that it was fine as long as you use the same passport when entering and exiting a specific country.

I'll see what happens tomorrow.

[Mario2008]

Good luck, but increase your changes by showing both passprots to start with. Might make them less suspicious and more willing.

[CrankyCarrot]

What Happened:

After exiting through the Thai border at Sadao using my Aus passport (which I'd entered the Kingdom with), I presented my empty British passport at the Malaysian border. They asked where the exit stamp from Thailand was and I showed it to them in my Aus passport and explained I was a dual citizen wishing to enter/exit Malaysia as a Brit citizen.

The woman at the counter said I couldn't do that and I said I'd checked with the travel agent and another source (albeit this internet forum), and was informed it was all legitimate as long as I used the same passport to enter and exit a particular country.

She said no, but that I could go and ask her manager in another building. I hot-footed it over to see the manager, who also looked puzzled, then said no. When I questioned her and another guy there on it they started talking about just refusing me entry or sending me back to the Thai border to get the exit stamp cancelled in my Aus passport and re-issued in the Brit one (which a) I'm 100% sure the Thai wouldn't do, and b)would involve me convincing everyone in my minivan troupe to backtrack, which also wouldn't happen).

to be cont'd (van to catch)

[samran]

What Happened:

After exiting through the Thai border at Sadao using my Aus passport (which I'd entered the Kingdom with), I presented my empty British passport at the Malaysian border. They asked where the exit stamp from Thailand was and I showed it to them in my Aus passport and explained I was a dual citizen wishing to enter/exit Malaysia as a Brit citizen.

The woman at the counter said I couldn't do that and I said I'd checked with the travel agent and another source (albeit this internet forum), and was informed it was all legitimate as long as I used the same passport to enter and exit a particular country.

She said no, but that I could go and ask her manager in another building. I hot-footed it over to see the manager, who also looked puzzled, then said no. When I questioned her and another guy there on it they started talking about just refusing me entry or sending me back to the Thai border to get the exit stamp cancelled in my Aus passport and re-issued in the Brit one (which a) I'm 100% sure the Thai wouldn't do, and b)would involve me convincing everyone in my minivan troupe to backtrack, which also wouldn't happen).

to be cont'd (van to catch)

I wish I had replied to this thread sooner and told you not to bother trying.

Malaysia doesn't even recognise the concept of dual nationality, let alone endorse it for their citizens.

[UbonOz]

I find this very strange.

Last December we did a cruise from Bangkok to Singapore with stops in Malaysia.

We handed our passports in when we embarked on the cruise and I told them I wanted to depart Thailand on my Australian passport which has all the relevant Thai visa details, and then enter Malaysia on my British passport.

We did not see immigration staff at all on the entire trip, it was all handled by the cruise ship staff.

After we had departed Thai borders I asked the reception staff if I could have my Australian passport, I wanted to make sure they had stamped my passport correctly so I would not have any problems when I returned to Thailand.

My AU passport was returned and all was in order. I kept the passport and did not use it again until I returned to Thailand.

I only use my AU passport to enter and exit Thailand as it gets full very quickly with all the stamps from Thai immigration.

My British passport is used for all other travel, except when visiting Australia.

My British passport was then stamped when we arrived in Malaysia, they did not see my AU passport and no questions were asked, all done by the cruise ship staff.

Enttry and exit in Singapore was on my British passport and arrived back in Thailand on my AU passport.

So, why did the Malaysian immigration not question why I did not have a departure stamp from Thailand in my British passport.

Anyway, I think it is the luck of the draw who you get on the day and which side of the bed they got out of.

I have done the same thing at a land crossing to Cambodia when I changed passports, they just wanted to see a passport with a departure stamp from Thailand.

[Mario2008]

I understand you came by boat and not by land transport, and that can make all the difference.

[Eff1n2ret]

So, why did the Malaysian immigration not question why I did not have a departure stamp from Thailand in my British passport.

Anyway, I think it is the luck of the draw who you get on the day .................

Exactly. I'm afraid the OP is dealing with Immigration Officers who probably have little imagination or intelligence or experience or training, or a combination of any of these.

[samran]

So, why did the Malaysian immigration not question why I did not have a departure stamp from Thailand in my British passport.

Anyway, I think it is the luck of the draw who you get on the day .................

Exactly. I'm afraid the OP is dealing with Immigration Officers who probably have little imagination or intelligence or experience or training, or a combination of any of these.

no, just they don't generally let passport swaps happen at land borders. Plenty of reports here on TV attest to that fact, including my own personal experience. A few do get through though.

Air, and as we have seen, by sea, there is no problem.

[UbonOz]

I understand you came by boat and not by land transport, and that can make all the difference.

The visa runs should change their vans to look like boats!!!!!!!!

[Maestro]

After exiting through the Thai border at Sadao using my Aus passport (which I'd entered the Kingdom with), I presented my empty British passport at the Malaysian border. They asked where the exit stamp from Thailand was and I showed it to them in my Aus passport and explained I was a dual citizen wishing to enter/exit Malaysia as a Brit citizen.

The woman at the counter said I couldn't do that...

...to be cont'd (van to catch)

So now you've got the Malaysian entry stamp in your Australian passport, is that right? With what passport do you now plan to apply for the tourist visa at the Thai consulate?

[CrankyCarrot]

What Happened part 2:

Hey guys,

The long and the short of it -

Short version: Entered Malaysia with Aus passport and also received new Thai tourist visa in the Aus PP.

Long version: Seeing as how I'd hit a brick wall with the Malay border control staff, I had no choice but to back down and politely request they stamp me in on the Australian passport instead (while swearing profusely under my breath on the way out of the building).

When I got back to the woman at the first desk and admitted her boss had shot down my proposal too, she seemed offended that I'd ever even attempted to use two passports. "Why did you want to do this? When your passport is full, why don't you just get a new one?" I diplomatically explained that it was expensive and cumbersome to replace the Aus one, and seemingly unnecessary considering I was already carrying a valid empty British passport. "Oh, very expensive?" she replied, somewhat sympathetically.

The funny thing was, with all the hoopla of enforcing stringent (and possibly erroneous) passport stamping regulations, they totally forgot about scanning me and my bags when I finally passed through. Just as well I'm not a drug smuggler.

Ran into Jim on Lebuh Chulia, a colourful character who runs a guesthouse and visa renewal service, and he went to the embassy the next morning on my behalf to request a newThai tourist visa in theAus passport. Much to my surprise, itcame back with the new stamp without a hitch. Still, it's getting very full and I would have much preferred to start using the British passport, but things obviously could have been worse.

I was disappointed but not surprised by what happened at the border. After all, there's so many arbitrary rules when it comes to getting a Thai tourist visa that depend merely on which embassy you happen to be using, (eg in Phnom Penh you need bank statements and have to wait 4 biz days vs Penang where you generally don't need any supporting docs and it's done 1), it stands to reason there's a lack of consistency in how you can enter Malaysia depending on which border you use, or if you arrive by boat, van or plane.

It would be nice to have a solid understanding of how I can switch between my Aus and Brit passport when travelling though - from everything others have written here it looks like I could have flown out of Thailand on the Aus PP and landed in Malaysia using the Brit PP and continued using it from there. Alternatively I would presume the next time I leave Australia I can do so on the British PP, or also switch to it if I fly from SE Asia to anywhere in Europe... but until I actually try, who knows?

[Mario2008]

flying out to a neighbouring country, arrive there on the UK passport and return to Thailand on the UK passport. (You can return by land if you want) will do it.

[samran]

What Happened part 2:

Hey guys,

The long and the short of it -

Short version: Entered Malaysia with Aus passport and also received new Thai tourist visa in the Aus PP.

Long version: Seeing as how I'd hit a brick wall with the Malay border control staff, I had no choice but to back down and politely request they stamp me in on the Australian passport instead (while swearing profusely under my breath on the way out of the building).

When I got back to the woman at the first desk and admitted her boss had shot down my proposal too, she seemed offended that I'd ever even attempted to use two passports. "Why did you want to do this? When your passport is full, why don't you just get a new one?" I diplomatically explained that it was expensive and cumbersome to replace the Aus one, and seemingly unnecessary considering I was already carrying a valid empty British passport. "Oh, very expensive?" she replied, somewhat sympathetically.

The funny thing was, with all the hoopla of enforcing stringent (and possibly erroneous) passport stamping regulations, they totally forgot about scanning me and my bags when I finally passed through. Just as well I'm not a drug smuggler.

Ran into Jim on Lebuh Chulia, a colourful character who runs a guesthouse and visa renewal service, and he went to the embassy the next morning on my behalf to request a newThai tourist visa in theAus passport. Much to my surprise, itcame back with the new stamp without a hitch. Still, it's getting very full and I would have much preferred to start using the British passport, but things obviously could have been worse.

I was disappointed but not surprised by what happened at the border. After all, there's so many arbitrary rules when it comes to getting a Thai tourist visa that depend merely on which embassy you happen to be using, (eg in Phnom Penh you need bank statements and have to wait 4 biz days vs Penang where you generally don't need any supporting docs and it's done 1), it stands to reason there's a lack of consistency in how you can enter Malaysia depending on which border you use, or if you arrive by boat, van or plane.

It would be nice to have a solid understanding of how I can switch between my Aus and Brit passport when travelling though - from everything others have written here it looks like I could have flown out of Thailand on the Aus PP and landed in Malaysia using the Brit PP and continued using it from there. Alternatively I would presume the next time I leave Australia I can do so on the British PP, or also switch to it if I fly from SE Asia to anywhere in Europe... but until I actually try, who knows?

You always need to depart a country on the passport that you entered it on. So you'll always have to leave Australia on the Aussie passport. Your next destination however, feel free to start using the Brit passport.

One thing I don't understand is that if you really need to start using the brit passport, why didn't you get a new tourist visa in your Brit passport and then hoof it back to Thailand by Air on an Air Asia flight.Surely that would have been the best solution?