wife with both Thai and US passport

[sirineou]

Hi all

I searched the subject and found many answers, but there is one question my wife asks me so if you could all help me I would appreciate it. (This should be a short thread )

My wife just got her US passport and still has her Thai passport,

I understand that when we travel to Thailand, she should:

use her US Passport to exit the US

Use her Thai passport to enter Thailand

Use Thai Passport to exit Thailand

Use US Passport to enter USA

Please confirm

The question she asks me is: How can she leave Thailand for the US with a Thai passport that has no visa to the US allowing her to travel there?

and how does it work with the stamps in the Passport? For instance her US passport would show a departure stamp from the US, and later an arrival stamp to the US but no stamps of her having being anywhere. We were joking about it, and I told her to tell them that she Hung out at the airport for three months

[Jay Sata]

This is a question often asked when people get duel nationality.

You are correct in terms of exits and entries.

The departure from Thailand means the airline wants to see her US passport. That satisfies them to take her to the USA.

She then exits Thailand on her Thai passport.

Please confirm

The question she asks me is: How can she leave Thailand for the US with a Thai passport that has no visa to the US allowing her to travel there?

and how does it work with the stamps in the Passport? For instance her US passport would show a departure stamp from the US, and later an arrival stamp to the US but no stamps of her having being anywhere.

The US immigration just want to see her US passport to allow her to enter the land of the free.

If one of those large overweight immigration officers at JFK or LAX with the bad attitude wants to know where she has been you can be sure they'll ask.

Having two or three passports is quite common especially if you travel to/from Israel/Middle East.

Edited January 30, 2014 by Jay Sata

[sirineou]

Thank you Jay

I am sure many Thais with dual passports do this, so that when they get to Thailand they will not need a visa and visa extensions.And I am sure the officials there and here have seen this many times, but try explaining this to my wife.

I will show your reply to my wife so she can stop bothering me.

[Jay Sata]

I hope you're down south and not up in the rust belt. Looks like it's been a very bad winter in the USA.

best wishes

Jay

[jimbo58]

My wife has a UK and Thai passport. The thing to remember is not to let the Thai immigration officers see she has dual nationality. I have heard of cases where it has caused problems because technically it is not allowed. Although apparently rare for there to be a problem, it's not unusual to find Immigration officers who are having a bad day, so tell her to keep her US passport out of site when in their company.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[theoldgit]

Post insulting Thai Officials removed.

[ubonjoe]

My wife has a UK and Thai passport. The thing to remember is not to let the Thai immigration officers see she has dual nationality. I have heard of cases where it has caused problems because technically it is not allowed. Although apparently rare for there to be a problem, it's not unusual to find Immigration officers who are having a bad day, so tell her to keep her US passport out of site when in their company.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

There is no Thai law that prohibits dual nationality.

But it is good advice not to show both passports when entering or leaving Thailand.

As far as no stamps go that was mentioned before. US immigration will not look for stamps.

It should be the same for Thailand but you might get an immigration officer that will ask questions. On entry it is advisable to use the electronic gates to enter. Just remember that they cannot deny a Thai citizen entry.

[sirineou]

I hope you're down south and not up in the rust belt. Looks like it's been a very bad winter in the USA.

best wishes

Jay

We are in Florida, and I was hoping to winter here, But unfortunately I just got the call from my boss to get my ass up in NY in three weeks as we are braking ground on a 63 floor building hope the weather get's a little better by then. Worst come to worst I will have to put up with it for 3 or 4 weeks, end of March start April it starts getting nice there..But the way things are looking there will be no Thailand for me this spring. Hope to have things running smooth enough to be able to get away by end of summer.

[7by7]

There is no Thai law that prohibits dual nationality.

But it is good advice not to show both passports when entering or leaving Thailand.

As far as no stamps go that was mentioned before. US immigration will not look for stamps.

It should be the same for Thailand but you might get an immigration officer that will ask questions. On entry it is advisable to use the electronic gates to enter. Just remember that they cannot deny a Thai citizen entry.

In the 10 years since they became dual nationals, neither my wife nor step daughter have ever been questioned about 'missing' stamps when entering Thailand.

Ditto when entering the UK.

Immigration are concerned whether or not you can legally enter the country, not where you've come from.

[doontp]

I appreciate this info. I'm a dual citizen. I plan on using my Thai pp for the first time next month.