Child on overstay despite having Thai passport?

[Brigante7]

Yes, both times we've taken them to Thailand and attempted to enter using their Thai passports. The las time they even refused to allow my Thai wife to enter on her Thai passport, I wasn't happy to put it mildly but I knew it was something my wife had to take care of and not me.

[Brigante7]

I'm sure I've posted my experience on here before.

[naboo]

Yes, both times we've taken them to Thailand and attempted to enter using their Thai passports. The las time they even refused to allow my Thai wife to enter on her Thai passport, I wasn't happy to put it mildly but I knew it was something my wife had to take care of and not me.

See my edit above.

[Brigante7]

Everything I've read on here about this has always said, "Exit uk on uk passport then enter and exit Thailand on Thai passport and re-enter uk on uk passport.

[nzexpat]

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It doesn't really matter what passport your parents used, your son wouldn't be allowed to enter Thailand using his Thai passport if he has a UK passport so don't worry about it.

I never cease to be amazed by those who are willing to display ignorance in Public !

[paz]

This is a violation of Thailand's treaty obligations which does observe dual nationality.

Which treaty? Thailand has not signed any on the matter.

[paz]

LOL, then somebody needs to tell the immigration officers who refused to let my wife enter Thailand with our 18 month old son in June 2009 on his Thai passport, insisting that she used his UK passport and again in October 2013 when they refused to allow my wife and 2 kids to enter Thailand on their Thai passports again insisting that they use their UK passports, my wife included who is Thai. When I asked how they knew my wife and kids had a UK passport we were told that they checked-in with UK passports, so don't sit there telling me not to comment on stuff I don't know about.

They can't deny them to entry with a Thai passport. They can hassle and try, but as soon challenged to a senior officer, they have to fold.

Edited April 11, 2015 by paz

[Brigante7]

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It doesn't really matter what passport your parents used, your son wouldn't be allowed to enter Thailand using his Thai passport if he has a UK passport so don't worry about it.

I never cease to be amazed by those who are willing to display ignorance in Public !

I know, especially by people who weren't there.

[Brigante7]

LOL, then somebody needs to tell the immigration officers who refused to let my wife enter Thailand with our 18 month old son in June 2009 on his Thai passport, insisting that she used his UK passport and again in October 2013 when they refused to allow my wife and 2 kids to enter Thailand on their Thai passports again insisting that they use their UK passports, my wife included who is Thai. When I asked how they knew my wife and kids had a UK passport we were told that they checked-in with UK passports, so don't sit there telling me not to comment on stuff I don't know about.

They can't deny them to entry with a Thai passport. They can hassle and try, but as soon challenged to a senior officer, they have to fold.

My thoughts exactly but 2 immigration officers refused to allow them in and like I said I wanted to allow my wife to handle it because I would have lost the plot which is the last thing that was needed.

[paz]

My thoughts exactly but 2 immigration officers refused to allow them in and like I said I wanted to allow my wife to handle it because I would have lost the plot which is the last thing that was needed.

They were low rank officers, in these cases you must escalate it. I understand the feeling of frustration when you are abused while being in the right, the only thing that you can do is to repeat to yourself and others, that you are in the right, and not move a step. By the way your wife and children can use the automatic gates and never speak to any officer.

[maprao]

General rule for dual nationals is always if you have passport of the country you are travelling to then use it to enter and leave. For US dual nationals it is the law.

Kids under 15 Do not overstay. My wife did the same thing he left after a 6 month overstay on his uk passport no issues. (In fact immigration told her about this first after she did 2 border runs!)

Edited April 11, 2015 by maprao

[paz]

My wife did the same thing he left after a 6 month overstay on his uk oassport no issues

Good to know, that is the first report that says that, normally is heard that they were made to pay up.

[Brigante7]

Good to know, we're going back in December so I'll send my wife & kids through the automatic gates.

[godden]

Children under 15 years old do not pay overstay.

If you like you can go to immigrations and get one year extension based on being Thai for 1.900 baht.

correct, had the same problem last year, step daughter was given 1 year, wish it was that easy for me.

[ubonjoe]

It doesn't really matter what passport your parents used, your son wouldn't be allowed to enter Thailand using his Thai passport if he has a UK passport so don't worry about it.

Don't comment on stuff you know nothing about.

LOL, then somebody needs to tell the immigration officers who refused to let my wife enter Thailand with our 18 month old son in June 2009 on his Thai passport, insisting that she used his UK passport and again in October 2013 when they refused to allow my wife and 2 kids to enter Thailand on their Thai passports again insisting that they use their UK passports, my wife included who is Thai. When I asked how they knew my wife and kids had a UK passport we were told that they checked-in with UK passports, so don't sit there telling me not to comment on stuff I don't know about.

How did immigration know that they had UK passports?

The biggest mistake people make is showing both passports. Just show the Thai passport and keep the other one well hidden.

[Brigante7]

It doesn't really matter what passport your parents used, your son wouldn't be allowed to enter Thailand using his Thai passport if he has a UK passport so don't worry about it.

Don't comment on stuff you know nothing about.

LOL, then somebody needs to tell the immigration officers who refused to let my wife enter Thailand with our 18 month old son in June 2009 on his Thai passport, insisting that she used his UK passport and again in October 2013 when they refused to allow my wife and 2 kids to enter Thailand on their Thai passports again insisting that they use their UK passports, my wife included who is Thai. When I asked how they knew my wife and kids had a UK passport we were told that they checked-in with UK passports, so don't sit there telling me not to comment on stuff I don't know about.

How did immigration know that they had UK passports?

The biggest mistake people make is showing both passports. Just show the Thai passport and keep the other one well hidden.

We never mentioned uk passports but when it became very clear that they weren't going to allow my wife and kids into Thailand on their Thai passports we had no choice, I have no idea how they knew they all had uk passports although they asked us our names and where we came from so it wouldn't have taken a genious to work it out. Edited April 12, 2015 by Brigante7

[skatewash]

It doesn't really matter what passport your parents used, your son wouldn't be allowed to enter Thailand using his Thai passport if he has a UK passport so don't worry about it.

This is not true. However, after reading your subsequent posts in this thread it is understandable why you believe this to be the case.

There is a way for a dual-national to travel that will result in no problems and not even involve any discussion with immigration officers.

http://www.stylehiclub.com/cruising-flying/step-step-guide-to-traveling-with-two-passports/

Had your wife and child checked-in using their Thai passports in the UK, they would have arrived in Thailand having traveled as Thai citizens (in other words, they would be identified in the airplane's manifest as Thai nationals). When they went through Thai immigration they would have shown their Thai passports (and ONLY their Thai passports) and they would have had no problem. There would not even have been any discussion since as far as the Thai immigration officers know they are dealing with Thai citizens (which of course they are) who traveled from the UK having boarded in the UK as Thai citizens. Your wife and child would be no different from any Thai national returning to Thailand and would have been treated accordingly.

By checking-in in the UK using their UK passports they were entered on the airplane's manifest as UK citizens, then when they arrived at Thai immigration the officers there could see via their computer systems that they had traveled as UK citizens. The fact that they were now presenting Thai passports indicated to the officer that the person was a dual national who had traveled as a UK citizen and he was within his rights to make them enter the country on the same document as they traveled on. The way around this situation is merely to always travel (that is, check-in) with the same passport you intend to use at your destination.

Again, the process is explained quite clearly in the link above. In your case, your wife and child should have:

1) checked-in to their flight to Thailand using their Thai passports

2) exited UK immigration using their UK passports (which where the same passports used to enter the UK)

3) entered Thai immigration using their Thai passports.

At no point do they need to disclose to anyone that they are dual nationals. If they do not so disclose and show the proper passport at the proper time to the proper officials they can and will be processed with no problems and no discussion.

Going back to the UK, they should

1) check-in to their flight to the UK using their UK passports

2) exit Thai immigration using their Thai passports (which were the same passports used to enter Thailand)

3) enter UK immigration using their UK passports (which will match with the passports they used to check-in for the flight, that is, they will have traveled to the UK as UK citizens

Hope this helps.

[ubonjoe]

LOL, then somebody needs to tell the immigration officers who refused to let my wife enter Thailand with our 18 month old son in June 2009 on his Thai passport, insisting that she used his UK passport and again in October 2013 when they refused to allow my wife and 2 kids to enter Thailand on their Thai passports again insisting that they use their UK passports, my wife included who is Thai. When I asked how they knew my wife and kids had a UK passport we were told that they checked-in with UK passports, so don't sit there telling me not to comment on stuff I don't know about.

How did immigration know that they had UK passports?

The biggest mistake people make is showing both passports. Just show the Thai passport and keep the other one well hidden.

We never mentioned uk passports but when it became very clear that they weren't going to allow my wife and kids into Thailand on their Thai passports we had no choice, I have no idea how they knew they all had uk passports although they asked us our names and where we came from so it wouldn't have taken a genious to work it out.

They would not of been denied entry using their Thai passports. This was a case of giving in to easily. Standing your ground in cases like this is important. Getting a higher ranking officer involved would of solved the problem.

[skatewash]

LOL, then somebody needs to tell the immigration officers who refused to let my wife enter Thailand with our 18 month old son in June 2009 on his Thai passport, insisting that she used his UK passport and again in October 2013 when they refused to allow my wife and 2 kids to enter Thailand on their Thai passports again insisting that they use their UK passports, my wife included who is Thai. When I asked how they knew my wife and kids had a UK passport we were told that they checked-in with UK passports, so don't sit there telling me not to comment on stuff I don't know about.

How did immigration know that they had UK passports?

The biggest mistake people make is showing both passports. Just show the Thai passport and keep the other one well hidden.

We never mentioned uk passports but when it became very clear that they weren't going to allow my wife and kids into Thailand on their Thai passports we had no choice, I have no idea how they knew they all had uk passports although they asked us our names and where we came from so it wouldn't have taken a genious to work it out.

They would not of been denied entry using their Thai passports. This was a case of giving in to easily. Standing your ground in cases like this is important. Getting a higher ranking officer involved would of solved the problem.

Or they could have avoided the situation entirely by checking-in at the UK airport using their Thai passports.

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win." -- Sun Tzu

[singa-traz]

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LOL, then somebody needs to tell the immigration officers who refused to let my wife enter Thailand with our 18 month old son in June 2009 on his Thai passport, insisting that she used his UK passport and again in October 2013 when they refused to allow my wife and 2 kids to enter Thailand on their Thai passports again insisting that they use their UK passports, my wife included who is Thai. When I asked how they knew my wife and kids had a UK passport we were told that they checked-in with UK passports, so don't sit there telling me not to comment on stuff I don't know about.

They can't deny them to entry with a Thai passport. They can hassle and try, but as soon challenged to a senior officer, they have to fold.

My thoughts exactly but 2 immigration officers refused to allow them in and like I said I wanted to allow my wife to handle it because I would have lost the plot which is the last thing that was needed.

I was in a similar situation for my son a couple of years ago.

When we came back to Thailand, we splitted and I took all the non-thai passport with me and passed first immigration to take the luggage.

They went with a different immigration officer and only had the thai passport with them. They got questioned her for 10/15 minutes, as the officers don't like this kind of discrepencies in their computer system.

They were told not to do it again, and no more issues now.

[samran]

Everything I've read on here about this has always said, "Exit uk on uk passport then enter and exit Thailand on Thai passport and re-enter uk on uk passport.

You missed the bit which always says if you encounter a recalcitrant IO escalate the issue to a superior and refuse to be stamped in on anything other than the Thai passport.

I fly in and out of Thailand swapping my australian and Thai passports half a dozen times per year.

[elviajero]

Everything I've read on here about this has always said, "Exit uk on uk passport then enter and exit Thailand on Thai passport and re-enter uk on uk passport.

You missed the bit which always says if you encounter a recalcitrant IO escalate the issue to a superior and refuse to be stamped in on anything other than the Thai passport.

I fly in and out of Thailand swapping my australian and Thai passports half a dozen times per year.

samran, as a dual national could you please confirm the procedure you follow. I will be travelling with my son soon and don't want to face any problems at immigration.

I plan to check him in to the London flight with his UK passport; exit Thailand with his Thai passport; enter the UK on the UK passport; check in to the Bangkok flight using his Thai passport; exit the UK on the UK passport and finally enter Thailand on his Thai passport. Is that the correct way to do it?

[elviajero]

I would keep the UK passport well out off sight if using the Thai one and the Thai one well out of sight if using the UK one. Immigration forced my ex to use her non-Thai passport when entering Thailand muttering something about "dual nationality not being allowed". She has since been hit up for overstay fines and fees for extending her visa.

Yes I know my ex could fix it but you don't know her and yes I know that dual nationality is allowed but immigration officers love to make up their own rules.

I always thought that dual nationality by birth was ok and that Thailand, by law, can't ever take away the Thai nationality of a child born to a Thai and foreign national. But if a Thai, or dual nationality Thai, takes on a nationality, not entitled by descent, they lose the right to keep Thai nationality. e.g. Thai wife of a Brit takes on British nationality, or a Thai/Brit takes on USA nationality.

If that's right then Immigration were technically correct to make your ex use her UK passport. However, I believe that her Thai nationality has to be formally revoked before it's lost, and if that hasn't happened immigration were technically jumping the gun. Although arguing the second point would be difficult if she is supposed to, by law, give up her Thai nationality.

I was also told a few years ago that Thailand is lax at enforcing revocation of Thai nationalities (Mr TS being a good example), and if a Thai takes on another nationality they are not legally required to inform anyone. If either is correct it makes the law pretty pointless, and leaves people in the hands of inconsistent interpretation by immigration officers.

Can anyone confirm any of this?

[naboo]

Everything I've read on here about this has always said, "Exit uk on uk passport then enter and exit Thailand on Thai passport and re-enter uk on uk passport.

You missed the bit which always says if you encounter a recalcitrant IO escalate the issue to a superior and refuse to be stamped in on anything other than the Thai passport.

I fly in and out of Thailand swapping my australian and Thai passports half a dozen times per year.

samran, as a dual national could you please confirm the procedure you follow. I will be travelling with my son soon and don't want to face any problems at immigration.

I plan to check him in to the London flight with his UK passport; exit Thailand with his Thai passport; enter the UK on the UK passport; check in to the Bangkok flight using his Thai passport; exit the UK on the UK passport and finally enter Thailand on his Thai passport. Is that the correct way to do it?

That is exactly how to do it.

[Brigante7]

Thank you Skatewash, that's what we'll do in December.

[Mario2008]

Everything I've read on here about this has always said, "Exit uk on uk passport then enter and exit Thailand on Thai passport and re-enter uk on uk passport.

You missed the bit which always says if you encounter a recalcitrant IO escalate the issue to a superior and refuse to be stamped in on anything other than the Thai passport.

I fly in and out of Thailand swapping my australian and Thai passports half a dozen times per year.

samran, as a dual national could you please confirm the procedure you follow. I will be travelling with my son soon and don't want to face any problems at immigration.

I plan to check him in to the London flight with his UK passport; exit Thailand with his Thai passport; enter the UK on the UK passport; check in to the Bangkok flight using his Thai passport; exit the UK on the UK passport and finally enter Thailand on his Thai passport. Is that the correct way to do it?

That is exactly how to do it.

Almost right.

At check-in what the airline you give the passport the ticket was booked on. If that is not the passport for the country you are going to, you also show the other passport to confirm you meet the entry requirements for your destination.

At the airline you just show both passports, at immigration only 1.

[samran]

Everything I've read on here about this has always said, "Exit uk on uk passport then enter and exit Thailand on Thai passport and re-enter uk on uk passport.

You missed the bit which always says if you encounter a recalcitrant IO escalate the issue to a superior and refuse to be stamped in on anything other than the Thai passport.

I fly in and out of Thailand swapping my australian and Thai passports half a dozen times per year.

samran, as a dual national could you please confirm the procedure you follow. I will be travelling with my son soon and don't want to face any problems at immigration.

I plan to check him in to the London flight with his UK passport; exit Thailand with his Thai passport; enter the UK on the UK passport; check in to the Bangkok flight using his Thai passport; exit the UK on the UK passport and finally enter Thailand on his Thai passport. Is that the correct way to do it?

Exactly the way it needs to be done! When leaving Thailand just let the airline know he'll need a departure card for the thai passport. Edited April 12, 2015 by samran

[skatewash]

I plan to check him in to the London flight with his UK passport; exit Thailand with his Thai passport; enter the UK on the UK passport; check in to the Bangkok flight using his Thai passport; exit the UK on the UK passport and finally enter Thailand on his Thai passport. Is that the correct way to do it?

That is exactly how to do it.

Almost right.

At check-in what the airline you give the passport the ticket was booked on. If that is not the passport for the country you are going to, you also show the other passport to confirm you meet the entry requirements for your destination.

At the airline you just show both passports, at immigration only 1.

If you book your airline ticket using the passport details you will use for the country you are going to, you can avoid the possibility of having to show two passports to the airline during check-in. Doing it this way the passport you show the airline during check-in will match with any passport details you used when booking the ticket. Showing one passport rather than two has got to be simpler and faster.

Probably easier dealing with a concrete example. Imagine a dual UK-Thai national going from the UK to Thailand:

1) Book a ticket to Thailand using your Thai passport details.

2) Check-in at the airport showing your Thai passport. It will match with the information in the airline's system for the ticket you booked in step 1. You will meet the entry requirements for Thailand simply by showing the Thai passport. The airline will be satisfied by seeing just one passport (your Thai passport) since this establishes both that you are the person for whom the ticket was booked and that you have a right of entry into the country you are traveling to (Thailand). The airline doesn't know and doesn't care that you're a UK citizen and have a UK passport.

3) Exit UK immigration by showing your UK passport. This is the passport with which you (should) have entered the UK. UK immigration is satisfied that you have left the country using the same passport with which you entered the country (your UK passport). UK immigration doesn't know and doesn't care you are a Thai citizen and have a Thai passport.

4) Enter Thailand immigration by showing your Thai passport. Showing the Thai passport will match your information on the airplane's manifest since you checked-in in the UK using your Thai Passport. Thai immigration is satisfied because the passport you are showing them matches the airplane's manifest and they let you enter Thailand as a Thai national having a Thai passport. Thai immigration doesn't know and doesn't care you are a UK citizen and have a UK passport.

The point of doing things this way is to make things easier for everyone involved. Easier for you, easier for the airline, easier for immigration, easier for any people standing in line behind you waiting to check-in, easier for any people standing in line behind you waiting to process through immigration.

Doing things this way no one ever has to know you are a dual national. You will never have to wait longer for things to get sorted out. You will never have to "educate" someone that it's OK that you're a dual national. If done this way, they won't know about it at all. It's really none of their business.

The process of going back to the UK from Thailand is the same, but with the obvious inversion of the UK and Thailand.

By the way, this process also works if you are a dual national going to a third country (a country for which you do not have a passport). Sometimes the entry requirements for the third country will be more favorable for one of your passports, so that is the one you would use to book the ticket, check-in, and enter immigration in that country. Again, no reason to show two passports, which will only increase scrutiny, risk confusion, and delay your processing.

[Richard W]

At check-in what the airline you give the passport the ticket was booked on. If that is not the passport for the country you are going to, you also show the other passport to confirm you meet the entry requirements for your destination.

Doesn't this cause a problem with Advanced Passenger Information and the like? You need to request that they record you with the destination country's passport. For example, wouldn't Samran be refused boarding for Australia if he checked in with his Thai passport? This is self-correcting, but if he was checked in to Thailand with his Australian passport, then he could have a bit of hassle when going through immigration in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

Normally you have to show both passports to the airline at check in.

One to prove you are legally in the country you are leaving from and the other to prove you can enter the country you are traveling to.