Thai-US dual citizen enters Thailand on US Passport...

[skatewash]

The person in question resides in the US, and possesses both Thai and US citizenship, along with Thai and US Passports.

He is now visiting Thailand and entered with his US Passport and received a 30 day exempt stamp. He plans to stay more than 30 days. So the question is will he need to visit immigration at the end of the first 30 days and pay 1,900 Baht to get permission to stay in Thailand for another 30 days? That is, because he entered on a US Passport does he need to play by the rules for a US visitor to Thailand or is there something different available to him because he is also Thai citizen?

He has an expired Thai Passport which he left back in the US. Can he apply for a new Thai Passport while in Thailand without showing the old expired Thai Passport?

The purpose of the trip is to complete the purchase of a freehold condo and register ownership in his name at the Land Office. The condo is supposed to be completed soon, but it is possible that due to delays it will take longer than 60 days. What would be the best way for him to extend his stay longer than 60 days (30 day exempt plus 30 day extension) should that prove necessary?

Edited for clarity.

Edited July 26, 2014 by skatewash

[TerryLH]

With proof that he is Thai, he can get a 1 year extension at immigration.

[submaniac]

If he entered on a U.S. passport, then the rules pertaining to U.S. nationals entering the kingdom would apply, which would mean he is subject to the same requirements on extension. I have two passports, U.S. and Thai, and the Thai customs would not let me enter on the Thai passport. I overstayed. Showed Thai passport when I left swampy. They didn't fine me for leaving.

If he is here to buy property, he would need to have his national Thai ID card for property purchase. That is proof of Thai nationality, which would probably get him out of paying any overstee.

[ubonjoe]

He should of used his expired Thai passport to enter Thailand.

As said he can get a one year extension of stay at immigration based upon being a Thai.

If he has a Thai ID card and house book he can apply for a new passport.

[skatewash]

Thanks, everyone for the replies.

It sounds like he should go to immigration to apply for a year extension of stay based on being a Thai. Does anyone know what that costs?

On the Thai passport matter, it sounds like a Thai ID card and house book, if he is traveling with both, will get him a new Thai passport.

He should of used his expired Thai passport to enter Thailand.

As said he can get a one year extension of stay at immigration based upon being a Thai.

If he has a Thai ID card and house book he can apply for a new passport.

I'm not sure this makes a difference or not, but the reason he wished to enter Thailand as a US citizen is that he will be purchasing the condo as a US citizen and not as a Thai. It is a freehold condo purchase for which he will need to obtain a letter from his Thai bank to demonstrate that the funds for the purchase came from the US. To produce that letter the bank usually requires a foreign passport which they seem to check to verify that you are here legally. I believe he wanted to have a legal entry stamp in his US passport for this purpose. Also, I believe he intends on registering the ownership of the condo unit at the Land Office using his US Passport rather than Thai ID card.

It's good to hear confirmation that a Thai citizen can enter Thailand on an expired Thai Passport, which I had heard was possible, but wasn't completely sure.

Edited July 26, 2014 by skatewash

[Mario2008]

What passport he uses doesn't change the fact that he is a Thai national. Only for immigration purposes is he currently considered a US-national, making it harder for himself. He doesn't have any benefits entering on a US-passport.

Extensions cost 1,900 baht.

[skatewash]

Extensions cost 1,900 baht.

Thanks, Mario.

The reason he entered on a US passport was mentioned in #5. It may have not have been required, but that was the explanation for doing so.

Edited July 26, 2014 by skatewash

[mahjongguy]

My guess -

Only 49% of a condo's units may be sold to foreigners. For a popular condo project, that 49% usually sells out before the others. This can make a foreign-owned unit have a higher re-sale value.

[skatewash]

My guess -

Only 49% of a condo's units may be sold to foreigners. For a popular condo project, that 49% usually sells out before the others. This can make a foreign-owned unit have a higher re-sale value.

Yes, I believe that's true. The condo purchased as foreigner freehold can be sold to other foreigners in the future, which should have a positive effect on re-sale value. Units purchased by Thais (not as foreigner freehold) on the other hand could only be sold to other Thais, if the 49% allocation of foreigner freehold units were exhausted at that time.

[noise]

If he entered on a U.S. passport, then the rules pertaining to U.S. nationals entering the kingdom would apply, which would mean he is subject to the same requirements on extension. I have two passports, U.S. and Thai, and the Thai customs would not let me enter on the Thai passport. I overstayed. Showed Thai passport when I left swampy. They didn't fine me for leaving.

If he is here to buy property, he would need to have his national Thai ID card for property purchase. That is proof of Thai nationality, which would probably get him out of paying any overstee.

This is the first time I have heard of this. My wife and all her friends who are U.S. citizens leave and enter Thailand on the Thai passport without encountering any problems in either country. They have done so for years.

Submaniac -- What was the discussion with immigration (vice customs?) that prevented you from using your Thai passport?

[submaniac]

I had a passport issued from Thailand which was expired. I obtained a replacement from Thai consulate in Los Angeles, however the problem was that it was never stamped with an exit from Thailand. When I arrived at swampy I tried to enter on Thai passport. Immigration said no because there was not a departure from Thailand. The immigration supervisor then came over and asked if I also had a us passport, which I said that I did. The immigration supervisor then said I had to surrender the Thai passport because you can't have dual citizenship. I refuses to surrender a passport and they refused to allow me to enter on the Thai passport.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[ubonjoe]

I had a passport issued from Thailand which was expired. I obtained a replacement from Thai consulate in Los Angeles, however the problem was that it was never stamped with an exit from Thailand. When I arrived at swampy I tried to enter on Thai passport. Immigration said no because there was not a departure from Thailand. The immigration supervisor then came over and asked if I also had a us passport, which I said that I did. The immigration supervisor then said I had to surrender the Thai passport because you can't have dual citizenship. I refuses to surrender a passport and they refused to allow me to enter on the Thai passport.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

They were wrong and you should of taken it to a higher level.

Their is certainly no need for a departure stamp.

There is also no law that prohibits dual nationality.

[paz]

I had a passport issued from Thailand which was expired. I obtained a replacement from Thai consulate in Los Angeles, however the problem was that it was never stamped with an exit from Thailand. When I arrived at swampy I tried to enter on Thai passport. Immigration said no because there was not a departure from Thailand. The immigration supervisor then came over and asked if I also had a us passport, which I said that I did. The immigration supervisor then said I had to surrender the Thai passport because you can't have dual citizenship. I refuses to surrender a passport and they refused to allow me to enter on the Thai passport.

Sorry to hear you've been subject to discrimination and injustice. Can you tell us, do you speak Thai? Because I suspect something related to that..

[Maestro]

When a Thai national gets a new Thai passport outside Thailand, ie from a Thai consulate, it is advisable to carry also the old, expired passport with him on his first entry into Thailand with his new passport so as to be able to show, if requested, the last departure stamp from Thailand.

Come to think of it, Suvarnabhumi now has electronic gates for Thais and entry with the new Thai passport should have been possible using one of these gates, ie without any contact with an immigration officer.

Failing that, a Thai national, regardless whether he also has another nationality, could state that he wishes to exercise his right to enter Thailand as a Thai national with his Thai passport and stand his ground, which will always make the immigration officer back down.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BKKSnowBird]

If he is Thai then why only permitted 1 year?

[ubonjoe]

If he is Thai then why only permitted 1 year?

Because he entered on a foreign passport. He would not be limited to one year he could apply for consecutive one year extensions.

If he was to get a new Thai passport he could leave using the foreign passport and re-enter on his Thai.passport.

[tboxcar]

This is all starting to sound fishy, as my wife will gain her US Citizenship early in 2015, we will go back to Thailand then, she will be carrying a NEW Thai Passport (issued in LA) and US Passport, but will use her Thai Passport, from what I can gather dual Citezenship IS ALLOWED, for Thai Citizens, that can't be compromised

[samran]

This is all starting to sound fishy, as my wife will gain her US Citizenship early in 2015, we will go back to Thailand then, she will be carrying a NEW Thai Passport (issued in LA) and US Passport, but will use her Thai Passport, from what I can gather dual Citezenship IS ALLOWED, for Thai Citizens, that can't be compromised

She should carry her old one for the first entry back, and if she lands at an airport where there aren't electronic gates then immigration could potentially ask for the old passport just to see her last Thai exit stamp. They may stamp her in on the old one.

If she lands in Bangkok then she can just use the electronic gates and breeze through. But yes, just in case, bring the old one.

Dual citizenship in your wife's circumstances are fine.

Edited July 28, 2014 by samran

[tboxcar]

^{Thanks, as I would think there would be no issue}

[Berkshire]

The immigration supervisor then said I had to surrender the Thai passport because you can't have dual citizenship.

This is rather odd as I've met several Thais who are also US citizens. They've never had a problem using both passports on travel. I'm also told that there are literally thousands of Thais who are dual citizens, including some who are rather prominent in the Kingdom. Either the immigration folks you dealt with are totally uninformed, or you might have rubbed them the wrong way somehow....

[Mario2008]

The immigration supervisor then said I had to surrender the Thai passport because you can't have dual citizenship.

This is rather odd as I've met several Thais who are also US citizens. They've never had a problem using both passports on travel. I'm also told that there are literally thousands of Thais who are dual citizens, including some who are rather prominent in the Kingdom. Either the immigration folks you dealt with are totally uninformed, or you might have rubbed them the wrong way somehow....

Sometimes there is confusion, as there is a regulation that says that immigration must report persons that have acquired Thai nationality but keep making use of their other nationality. What is often forgotten that this is only for people who apply to become a Thai national true naturalisation. It does not apply to persons who have Thai naitonality by birth right, they can make use of their other nationality within Thailand and enter on their non-Thai passport.