Thai Wife Waiting For Uk Passport - Can I Book Tickets Yet?

[KruJoe]

After waiting what feels like a lifetime, my Thai wife has had the letter saying she'll be granted UK citzenship (yay!). Now she's waiting for the ceremony (two weeks away), then she can apply for a UK passport (another six weeks plus).

We'd like to travel fly to Thailand, then on to Australia (and back) this winter, and ticket prices are rising by the week.

Can I book all the tickets now on her Thai passport number, even though she'll be using her UK passport for entry into Austalia, or must we wait until her UK pp comes back to book with that passport number?

Hopefully I've put this in the right section...

Many thanks in advance!

[meatboy]

my wf was granted british citzenship 7dec.2000 and recieved her brit.passport dated 4th jan 2001.i expect that is after the swearing in ceremony.but i would wait till she has the passport before i would but tkts.if you had to change the dates that will cost you more.mind you you never really know how long it takes.

[KruJoe]

Thanks for the reply Meatboy,

My wife will be carrying two valid passports, her Thai one which she already has, and the UK one we're waiting for.

I want to book tickets now, but I don't want to be changing the passport number on the tickets.

My question is this:

Will the airport staff allow her to fly on a ticket issued to her Thai passport number, when the entry to Australia will be with her new UK passport?

(The flights to Thailand will be no problem - she'll use the Thai passport.)

[meatboy]

Thanks for the reply Meatboy,

My wife will be carrying two valid passports, her Thai one which she already has, and the UK one we're waiting for.

I want to book tickets now, but I don't want to be changing the passport number on the tickets.

My question is this:

Will the airport staff allow her to fly on a ticket issued to her Thai passport number, when the entry to Australia will be with her new UK passport?

(The flights to Thailand will be no problem - she'll use the Thai passport.)

has she recieved her citizen certificate yet?as far as i know her flight tkt.does not have the passport no.on it we have not flown since oct.2009.when she gets her british passport she can leave the uk on that passport and enter thailand on her thai one,then when she leaves thailand leave on her thai passport.then she can enter australia on her british.but like i said i have never known the tkt to have her passpotr no on it,only you have to make sure that the name is the same as in her passport.the only time immigration asks to see you flt.tkt is to make sure you have a date on it to leave,in her case they wont ask to see it in thailand.but once again dont book until she has her brt.passp.in case it doesnt arive on time then she will need a visa to enter astrlia where in thailand will you be staying.

[7by7]

Honest answer is, I don't know.

Have you asked the agent you will be booking the tickets through?

[beano2274]

Am sure that you do not need to give a passport number to buy tickets, I usually have to give a passport number when using my "Miles and more" card.

Why not leave it blank and say TBC.

[UbonOz]

If you are confident you will have the passport prior to your planned travel dates there would be no problem making flight reservations now and adding the passport details later.

You will also need a visa for Australia if travelling on a British passport which can be done by an agent or airline.

Link, visa info. http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/visitors.htm

[ripstanley]

I just did a dummy booking with Qantas and they did not ask for a passport number. If the airline does ask, give them her Thai passport number. When her UK passport does arrive you can update the details then or when you book in.

[meatboy]

with regard to booking your flights you will have to find out if you can purchase the tkt.to australia as the visa is electronically linked to your passport,so without the british passport it will have to be done useing her thai one.

[UbonOz]

It is your decision to purchase an airline ticket with or without a passport/visa. You do not need a passport or visa to purchase a ticket.

You will need to provide the airline with relevant details prior to travel.

It is your responsibility to provide a valid passport/visa at check-in.

[ripstanley]

You can apply for her electronic visa once you have received the new UK passport. An ETA is usually quickly approved so you will have plenty of time.

http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/eta.htm

[samran]

It should be fine. I very often use my Thai passport number when it is asked for in the system, but that has never stopped me flicking out my Australian passport when I need to use it.

Most of the time those online resquests are non-compulsory, so there is no big deal if you don't have it there.

The only time you need the correct passports are at check in.

[KruJoe]

Thank you for the input, folks. Very encouraging.

As I said:

my Thai wife has had the letter saying she'll be granted UK citizenship (yay!). Now she's waiting for the ceremony (two weeks away), then she can apply for a UK passport (another six weeks

So two months from now (end of Nov), I'm confident she'll have her UK pp back. We plan to leave for Thailand in December, then go to Oz for three weeks in January. So I'll go ahead and book the tickets online, if I'm asked for her pp number, I'll input her Thai one, as I'm pretty sure they'd only need it for identification purposes, and she'll be carrying both.

Re: visas, once she has her UK pp, it looks like we can apply online easy enough (eVisitor). We could even do that from Thailand.

Thanks again!

Joe