Dual Citizenship, Thai Passport Will Expire

[kriswillems]

My wife has 2 nationalities: Thai and Belgian

Her Belgian passport is valid until 2010.

Her Thai passport is valid for another 6.5 months.

She wants to travel to Thailand for 6 weeks (she stays in Europe now).

We went to the Thai embassy in Brussels but they gave us a very confusing and conradicting answer on our questions.

My questions are:

1. Normally a passport needs to be valid for 6 months after the return data. Her Thai passport is valid for 6 months after the departure data, but only 5 months after the return date. Her european passport will still be valid more than 6 months after the return date. Does she need to get a new Thai passport in Belgium? Or can she get a new Thai passport in Thailand?

2. If possible she would like to get a new Thai passport in Thailand (it's easier). But her entry stamp will be in the old Thai passport because she'll not use the european passport to enter (because she stays longer than 30 days). What if she shows up at Thai immigration with a new Thai passport without entry stamp? Will that be a problem?

[lopburi3]

1. Thailand does not require six month validity for most passports and for sure not your wife traveling on a Thai passport. Not to worry.

2. Her home is Thailand. They will not be expecting to see any entry stamp. When she departs she obtained the arrival/departure card that the rest of us get on the way in so a virgin exit is normal. In other words her entry stamp was the end of the paper trail for her current trip so everything will be as expected by immigration. When she checks in for flight the airline will check her foreign passport to make sure she can travel to the destination of ticket but that will be before immigration.

[kriswillems]

Thanks lopburi3.

[astral]

The passport system in Thailand is computerised now.

When you apply for the new passport it may be a good idea to take all

her documents along, ID card, Tabien Bahn, in case they want to scan them into the new computer system.

From the time of application it takes about 1 week before you receive the new passport.

[BangnaBound]

Do they not extend Thai passports anymore? My wife was in a similar situation in Canada a few years ago and the consulate just extended it. Have they changed the rule recently?

[Maestro]

Do they not extend Thai passports anymore? My wife was in a similar situation in Canada a few years ago and the consulate just extended it. Have they changed the rule recently?

Thailand is changing to biometric passports, which means that the old passport must be replaced with a new passport this time.

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Maestro

[vinny]

Thailand introduced the biometric passports in Aug 2005. Passports are not normally extendable anymore. However, I have heard that some Thai Embassies are still providing extensions to non-biometric passports in some cases.

[thaihome]

1. Thailand does not require six month validity for most passports and for sure not your wife traveling on a Thai passport. Not to worry.

2. Her home is Thailand. They will not be expecting to see any entry stamp. When she departs she obtained the arrival/departure card that the rest of us get on the way in so a virgin exit is normal. In other words her entry stamp was the end of the paper trail for her current trip so everything will be as expected by immigration. When she checks in for flight the airline will check her foreign passport to make sure she can travel to the destination of ticket but that will be before immigration.

Actually, for Thais traveling out of the country, the arrival/departure cards are reversed. Thais have to fill the card out on departure (you will often see them desperately trying to fill it out after being informed they need it before leaving) and the departure section is stapled into the passport and ripped out on arrival back.

I agree, having a new passport will not be a problem when leaving. My wife has arrived on one and departed on another (with different numbers) twice, once with a different surname.

TH