Dual Citizen Dilemma

[samran]

As I mentioned earlier, my mother recently started using her Thai passport for the first time in 30 years and she faced no problems coming in without an exit stamp.

Samran, was your mother asked to produce the other passport like in the case of OP's wife?

The story goes on a trip up from OZ, my mum having no idea which to use, plonked down both her Aussie and virgin Thai passport to the immigration officer and asked which one to use. The officer took the Thai one, stamped her in, and that was that.

Before that experience my mum was a scared about the passport swapping situation as many other Thai's who have gone to live overseas who have aquired another nationality, especially given the rumour mill of what you can and can't do. Now, she has no problems with it.

[JimGant]

Upon further thinking..........

The problem arises when the agent, unfamiliar with the situation, finds out in discussion that, yes, you have a second, foreign passport and that's how you last left Thailand. Of course, you don't have your foreign passport in your hand. But when the agent asks to see it, you've no alternative but to drag it out of your bag (or lie). And the easiest solution for the muddled agent then becomes to stamp you in on your foreign passport, regardless of your protestations.

Now, I'll be travelling with the wife when she next enters Thailand. If she gives me her US passport, she can truthfully tell the agent she no longer has her US passport. Then, the agent has two choices: stamp her in on her Thai passport; or call for a pooyai. Either way, things should resolve in her favor.

Of course, I'll be hanging around the podium to see how all this pans out (so, it's best I go ahead of her thru the immigration podium). And if we get to the pooyai stage -- and showing the US passport becomes necessary for some reason, it can be done without trapping the wife in a lie about not having it. (Lying to pooyais can be counterproductive )

But, if she were travelling alone... I would probably advise her to 'lie' if the agent asked to see it. She could somewhat truthfully say, "I saw no reason to bring it along, since as a Thai citizen my Thai passport is all I need." (At which point the sharp agent would ask 'why, then, no US exit stamp in Thai PP?' But, this whole thing is going on because the agent is NOT sharp.)

Anyway, the agent still has no foreign passport to stamp, so it becomes pooyai time. And the bottom line would seem to be: never ever let the agent see your foreign passport. He/she then has to honor your Thai passport -- or call a pooyai. Win/win (unless the pooyai's a jerk).

[dogrun]

I have similar problem, I have dual citizemship, thai and US.

I tried to use the same procedure as suggested in this forum but at

the airport chckin on the way back to US, the airline requested that I have

a stamp for US visa if I used my thai passport to get out.

if I used my US paddport to get out, they asked where in my entry stamp?

any suggestion?

thanks

[samran]

I have similar problem, I have dual citizemship, thai and US.

I tried to use the same procedure as suggested in this forum but at

the airport chckin on the way back to US, the airline requested that I have

a stamp for US visa if I used my thai passport to get out.

if I used my US paddport to get out, they asked where in my entry stamp?

any suggestion?

thanks

You don't have a problem per se.

When leaving Thailand, at the check in counter, you show the Airline staff both passports. The Thai Passport tells them you need a TM Departure card. The US passport tells them you don't need a visa for the US. Airline staff see this all the time, so you will be fine. On top of that, it is US law that US citizens enter the United States on their US passports. As such there is no way that the US embassy in this case can issue you with a visa to enter the US.

Fill in the departure card, with your Thai PP details on it.

Go to immigration, showing your Thai passport. They will stamp you out.

Get to the US, and they will let you in on your US passport.

On the way back, leave the US on your US passport, and enter Thailand on the Thai passport, filling in the arrivals card that is already stapled into your Thai passport.

In this day and age, immigration officers don't care about 'stamp trails' as there are too many places now which simply don't stamp people on the way out. The US and the UK being prime examples.

[dogrun]

I have similar problem, I have dual citizemship, thai and US.

I tried to use the same procedure as suggested in this forum but at

the airport chckin on the way back to US, the airline requested that I have

a stamp for US visa if I used my thai passport to get out.

if I used my US paddport to get out, they asked where in my entry stamp?

any suggestion?

thanks

You don't have a problem per se.

When leaving Thailand, at the check in counter, you show the Airline staff both passports. The Thai Passport tells them you need a TM Departure card. The US passport tells them you don't need a visa for the US. Airline staff see this all the time, so you will be fine. On top of that, it is US law that US citizens enter the United States on their US passports. As such there is no way that the US embassy in this case can issue you with a visa to enter the US.

Fill in the departure card, with your Thai PP details on it.

Go to immigration, showing your Thai passport. They will stamp you out.

Get to the US, and they will let you in on your US passport.

On the way back, leave the US on your US passport, and enter Thailand on the Thai passport, filling in the arrivals card that is already stapled into your Thai passport.

In this day and age, immigration officers don't care about 'stamp trails' as there are too many places now which simply don't stamp people on the way out. The US and the UK being prime examples.

[dogrun]

thanks, I will try as you suggested when I come home for a visit in August.