Two passports when leaving Thailand?

[Nicolertr]

I got a Swedish passport and a Thai one. I entered Thailand in Sep -14 on my Thai one, and I'm now going back to Sweden in June. As I need to leave Thailand on my Thai passport (no entry stamps in Swedish one), the check-in staff will obviously ask me about a visa. Though I don't need one as I'm a Swedish citizen. Can I just show my Swedish passport as well or will two passports mess things up? What to do?

[ubonjoe]

When you check in for your flight you will show both passports. The Thai one to show you are still legally in the country and the Swedish one to prove you can enter Sweden without a visa.

You will only show your Thai passport to immigration.

[Nicolertr]

Ah okey! Thank's for your reply!

[4u2mad]

Or maybe show the Swedish one for check in and Thai one at immigration?

[IMA_FARANG]

When you check in for your flight you will show both passports. The Thai one to show you are still legally in the country and the Swedish one to prove you can enter Sweden without a visa.

You will only show your Thai passport to immigration.

----------------------

Yes.

If you are a dual national, and you entered the country on your Thai passport you exit Thailand as a Thai.

You then enter Sweden as a Swedish national on your Swedish passport.

That way you don't need a visa for either country.....coming in or leaving.

For dual nationals with legal passports that is almost always the best choice, and will cause no problems.

The standard rule is use the passport of the country you are entering or exiting from for that place and time.

However, if you entered Thailand using your Swedish passport you must exit Thailand on your Swedish passport...... so the entry and exit records "balance out".

Sounds silly, but it is the way they want it to be.

To the immigration officials you are a passport, not a person.

Edited May 11, 2015 by IMA_FARANG

[jimmysjo]

As you got both a Thai and a Swedish passport I assume you do have dual citizenship. Why can't I get that? Unfair.

Back to the topic.

Leave Sweden with your Swedish passport. No stamp. Enter and leave Thailand on your Thai passport. If the Thai immigration ask for a departure stamp just tell them that you are coming from Sweden, and that they don't stamp the passports there. But they won't ask for that. Not in my experience. When a Thai friend of mine came here for a holiday she did just as I describe.

Enter Sweden with your Swedish passport. Go through the line for EU countries, No stamp and no questions.

Easy.

[skatewash]

1) Check in at the Thai airport with your Swedish passport. (This is to enter you into the airline manifest system as a Swedish traveler going to Sweden.)

2) Exit Thai immigration using your Thai passport. (This is correct as you entered Thailand on your Thai passport. Always exit a country on the same passport on which you entered it.)

3) Enter Swedish immigration using your Swedish passport. (This will match with the airline manifest of a Swedish traveler traveling on a Swedish passport.)

You essentially reverse the process when coming back to Thailand.

4) Check-in at the Swedish airport using your Thai passport. (This is to enter you on the airline's manifest as a Thai citizen traveling on a Thai passport back to Thailand.)

5) Exit Swedish immigration using your Swedish passport. (This is correct as you entered Sweden on your Swedish passport. Again, always exit on same passport you enter on.)

6) Enter Thai immigration with your Thai passport.

If you do it this way, there is never any reason to show anyone two passports. Showing one passport is always better than showing two passports. Less confusion that way. Less thinking required of the immigration officers. Simple.

[Mario2008]

Above post fails to take into accut that you must present the passport on which you bought the ticket.

Airline staff is familiar with people having dual nationality.

[ubonjoe]

At immigration only one passport.

But for flight check you often will need both. Here you need to show the passport you entered the country on. The airline is concerned that you are still legally here before checking you in. It can make problems for them if you are on an overstay and don't have the money to pay the fine for example.

[shaurene]

Or maybe show the Swedish one for check in and Thai one at immigration?

Yes, show the Swedish passport at checkin and the Thao one at immergration.

[shaurene]

At immigration only one passport.

But for flight check you often will need both. Here you need to show the passport you entered the country on. The airline is concerned that you are still legally here before checking you in. It can make problems for them if you are on an overstay and don't have the money to pay the fine for example.

Rubbish, I have done it many times the checkin wants to check passport name covers the booking and visa for the country you are going to so the Swedish one covers this, only the Thai passport for immigration.

[sometimewoodworker]

Or maybe show the Swedish one for check in and Thai one at immigration?

As ubonjoe has said in your case you need both passports at check in.

The Thai passport that you entered the country on, to show your status in Thailand and that you will leave legally, and will show to Thai immigration.

The Swedish one to show that your entry to Sweden will be OK, and that you will show only to Swedish to immigration in Sweden.

You change the passport you use after clearing immigration.

Immigration officers in airports, in most cases, do not bother to look for departure stamps from other countries.

However Immigration officers on land crossings usually do check for departure stamps from the country you just excited, so you can't swap passports on land crossings.

[jimmysjo]

At immigration only one passport.

But for flight check you often will need both. Here you need to show the passport you entered the country on. The airline is concerned that you are still legally here before checking you in. It can make problems for them if you are on an overstay and don't have the money to pay the fine for example.

Rubbish, I have done it many times the checkin wants to check passport name covers the booking and visa for the country you are going to so the Swedish one covers this, only the Thai passport for immigration.

Right. The last entry I mean. Edited May 11, 2015 by jimmysjo

[Kyri]

I have asked this question before but now not clear on this. I want to go to Savannakhet i have to fly out with my South African passport but want to enter Laos with my Cypriot padsport as i want to give up my S. A passport , but what happens if the customs in Laos asks for my exit stamp which i wont have in my Cypriot passport?

[thaimlord]

Hi all

This brings to my mind, something that has always confused me.

If I were to have 2 passports (and using this example), were to leave Thailand on the passport with which I entered (the Thai passport) and go back to Sweden and enter using my Swedish passport, would not the Swedish authorities wonder what on earth I'm up to, because I have apparently not actually gone anywhere according to their passport records. To them I'd have left last time on my Swedish passport, then NOTHING, until I re-enter.

Can someone please explain how a person can have dual nationality and NOT present all passports at all ports of call?

Thanks in advance for some clarification.

TL

[jimmysjo]

Hi all

This brings to my mind, something that has always confused me.

If I were to have 2 passports (and using this example), were to leave Thailand on the passport with which I entered (the Thai passport) and go back to Sweden and enter using my Swedish passport, would not the Swedish authorities wonder what on earth I'm up to, because I have apparently not actually gone anywhere according to their passport records. To them I'd have left last time on my Swedish passport, then NOTHING, until I re-enter.

Can someone please explain how a person can have dual nationality and NOT present all passports at all ports of call?

TL

No problems as they don't stamp the passports in Europe. As long as you have an EU passport.

If you are from outside the EU it might be a different matter. Depends of what passport you do have.

Therefore, entering Sweden with a Swedish passport is no problems. They don't care where you've been.

No stamps. No nothing. No stamp when leaving and no stamp when you are coming back.

Edited May 11, 2015 by jimmysjo

[thaimlord]

Hi all

This brings to my mind, something that has always confused me.

If I were to have 2 passports (and using this example), were to leave Thailand on the passport with which I entered (the Thai passport) and go back to Sweden and enter using my Swedish passport, would not the Swedish authorities wonder what on earth I'm up to, because I have apparently not actually gone anywhere according to their passport records. To them I'd have left last time on my Swedish passport, then NOTHING, until I re-enter.

Can someone please explain how a person can have dual nationality and NOT present all passports at all ports of call?

TL

No problems as they don't stamp the passports in Europe. As long as you have an EU passport.

If you are from outside the EU it might be a different matter. Depends of what passport you do have.

Therefore, entering Sweden with a Swedish passport is no problems. They don't care where you've been.

No stamps. No nothing.

Hi there, and thanks for responding. That helps a little, however let's simply turn the question 180 degrees, because they DO stamp passports in Thailand (or they've always stamped mine) what happens on the return? According to my Thai passport I've left the country a while back, but gone nowhere, and now I'm back. Doesn't this cause problems?

Thanks again

TL

[jimmysjo]

Hi all

This brings to my mind, something that has always confused me.

If I were to have 2 passports (and using this example), were to leave Thailand on the passport with which I entered (the Thai passport) and go back to Sweden and enter using my Swedish passport, would not the Swedish authorities wonder what on earth I'm up to, because I have apparently not actually gone anywhere according to their passport records. To them I'd have left last time on my Swedish passport, then NOTHING, until I re-enter.

Can someone please explain how a person can have dual nationality and NOT present all passports at all ports of call?

TL

No problems as they don't stamp the passports in Europe. As long as you have an EU passport.

If you are from outside the EU it might be a different matter. Depends of what passport you do have.

Therefore, entering Sweden with a Swedish passport is no problems. They don't care where you've been.

No stamps. No nothing.

Hi there, and thanks for responding. That helps a little, however let's simply turn the question 180 degrees, because they DO stamp passports in Thailand (or they've always stamped mine) what happens on the return? According to my Thai passport I've left the country a while back, but gone nowhere, and now I'm back. Doesn't this cause problems?

Thanks again

TL

You are entering Thailand with a Thai passport, and leaving Thailand with the same. Then you have both an entry stamp and an exit stamp.

That's all you need. With a dual citicenship you leave and return your other country with your other passport, from whatever country that may be.

If they are questening where you've been, just say Europe, as they don't stamp the passports there. At least not in any country in Europe I've been to, and that is almost all of them.

Well, in former East Germany they did, but that's history now.

Edited May 11, 2015 by jimmysjo

[skatewash]

Above post fails to take into accut that you must present the passport on which you bought the ticket.

Airline staff is familiar with people having dual nationality.

Yes, Mario is correct. The full process, including booking tickets, should be:

1) Book ticket to Sweden with your Thai passport.

2) Check in at Thai airport with your Swedish passport.

3) Exit Thai immigration with your Thai passport.

4) Clear Swedish immigration with your Swedish passport.

Returning to Thailand

5) Book ticket to Thailand with your Thai passport.

6) Check in at Swedish airport with your Thai passport.

7) Exit Swedish immigration with your Swedish passport.

8) Clear Thai immigration with your Thai passport.

A couple notes (caveats):

At step 2 and 6, if the airline check-in staff requests that you show how you are in the current country legally, then as Ubonjoe has pointed out, you must show them your other passport.

The above instructions assume you will be purchasing two one-way airplane tickets. If that's not the case and instead you purchase a round-trip ticket, then you may at step 2 or 6 need to show check-in staff your other passport so that they can verify that you are the person who booked the tickets.

About showing two passports:

Immigration officers will always be satisfied with seeing one passport. At entry they will want to see the one with which you checked-in; at exit they will want to see the one with which you entered the country. If for some reason that isn't working and the immigration officer is unsatisfied, then by all means show your other passport as well.

Under some circumstances airline check-in staff will want to see your other passport. For example, if they are concerned about you being in the country legally and they question you about that, then showing your other passport should resolve that problem. For another example, if you booked your ticket with one passport but are trying to check-in with another passport, then showing your other passport may help resolve the problem.

In my opinion, you should initially only show anyone one passport (the right one, at the right place and time, as outlined above). However, if the person is unsatisfied and asks questions that showing your other passport would help resolve, then by all means do so.

What I would avoid, as it leads to unnecessary confusion and perhaps unnecessary delay, is approaching someone and handing them your two passports with the attitude that they should figure it out for you. That is begging for your transaction to take longer than it needs to take. You should know which passport they need to see (and it helps to understand why they need to see that passport). You should initially give them only that passport. In many (most) cases that will be sufficient and you will satisfy them and be on your way without delay, without ever introducing the subject of dual-nationality. In cases where that is not true, then showing them your other passport may answer a question that they have. Making their job easier often makes your job easier.

Further explanation of the full process can be found here: http://www.stylehiclub.com/cruising-flying/step-step-guide-to-traveling-with-two-passports/

Edited May 11, 2015 by skatewash

[thaimlord]

Hi all

This brings to my mind, something that has always confused me.

If I were to have 2 passports (and using this example), were to leave Thailand on the passport with which I entered (the Thai passport) and go back to Sweden and enter using my Swedish passport, would not the Swedish authorities wonder what on earth I'm up to, because I have apparently not actually gone anywhere according to their passport records. To them I'd have left last time on my Swedish passport, then NOTHING, until I re-enter.

Can someone please explain how a person can have dual nationality and NOT present all passports at all ports of call?

TL

No problems as they don't stamp the passports in Europe. As long as you have an EU passport.

If you are from outside the EU it might be a different matter. Depends of what passport you do have.

Therefore, entering Sweden with a Swedish passport is no problems. They don't care where you've been.

No stamps. No nothing.

Hi there, and thanks for responding. That helps a little, however let's simply turn the question 180 degrees, because they DO stamp passports in Thailand (or they've always stamped mine) what happens on the return? According to my Thai passport I've left the country a while back, but gone nowhere, and now I'm back. Doesn't this cause problems?

Thanks again

TL

You are entering Thailand with a Thai passport, and leaving Thailand with the same. Then you have both an entry stamp and an exit stamp.

That's all you need. With a dual citicenship you leave and return your other country with your other passport, from whatever country that may be.

If they are questening where you've been, just say Europe, as they don't stamp the passports there. At least not in any country in Europe I've been to, and that is almost all of them.

Well, in former East Germany they did, but that's history now.

Hi again

Ok then. So if my second country DOES stamp passports I have to either start misleading the authorities that I've been instead to Europe (and hope they don't feel inclined to check my previous outgoing flight) or I have to present both passports at all ports to be safe?

Does that sum it up?

Thanks

TL

Edited May 11, 2015 by thaimlord

[jimmysjo]

So. What coutry do your other passport come from?

It's more easy to reply to your question if one knew.

Edited May 11, 2015 by jimmysjo

[chilli42]

There is no problem with dual nationality. It's coon enough in Thailand. Just show the Swedish passport as proof of your ability to enter Sweden.

[skatewash]

Hi there, and thanks for responding. That helps a little, however let's simply turn the question 180 degrees, because they DO stamp passports in Thailand (or they've always stamped mine) what happens on the return? According to my Thai passport I've left the country a while back, but gone nowhere, and now I'm back. Doesn't this cause problems?

Thanks again

TL

You are entering Thailand with a Thai passport, and leaving Thailand with the same. Then you have both an entry stamp and an exit stamp.

That's all you need. With a dual citicenship you leave and return your other country with your other passport, from whatever country that may be.

If they are questening where you've been, just say Europe, as they don't stamp the passports there. At least not in any country in Europe I've been to, and that is almost all of them.

Well, in former East Germany they did, but that's history now.

Hi again

Ok then. So if my second country DOES stamp passports I have to either start misleading the authorities that I've been instead to Europe (and hope they don't feel inclined to check my previous outgoing flight) or I have to present both passports at all ports to be safe?

Does that sum it up?

Thanks

TL

I can't think of any circumstance in which it is advisable to lie to an immigration officer.

I think the scenario you outline is not a problem at airports. I have heard that it can be a problem at border crossings.

In any case, the problem can be resolved when (and if) it arises, by doing as you suggest, by showing your other passport.

The point I was trying to make earlier is that initially showing both passports can be a source of confusion and lead to delay in your being processed. Show the correct passport to the person and in many cases you can be processes quickly and without discussion or questions (that is, you can be treated the same as someone with just one passport). If showing one passport is not working and there are questions being raised that could be resolved by showing the other passport, then show the other passport.

In my mind, there's a significant difference between (1) initially showing the passport that you know the person needs to see in order to do his or her job, and (2) announcing that you're a dual national and showing both passports initially. If in a large number of interactions you can be processed just like someone who has only one passport (like the vast majority of travelers), why wouldn't you take advantage of that opportunity to simplify things and minimize confusion and delay? If it works, you are ahead of the game. If it doesn't you can always show the other passport if it will help matters.

Edited May 11, 2015 by skatewash

[jimmysjo]

Well. Follow the law, and you are safe. But if you can take a shortcut, without breaking the law, do it.

[thaimlord]

So. What coutry do your other passport come from?

It's more easy to reply to your question if one knew.

Hi Jimmy

I'm speaking hypothetically, trying to understand the process under various situations.

I don't have dual citizenship, just curious about how it all works in practice.

I've just now read the page referred to by @skatewash (thanks for that @skatewash) and that does help to clear things up. In essence it seems there is a definitive and logical procedure to follow, but one should always be ready to present both passports if requested, due to the fact that there might on occasion be anomalies noticed and questions asked, such as an entry following an exit with nothing in between.

Frankly I wouldn't be keen on misleading them.

Thanks to you both for your thoughts.

TL

[Eaglekott]

It feels like many is trying to make this more complicated than it is,

And now I use Sweden as an example:

On Swedish soil use Swedish Passport,

On Thai soil use Thai Passport

If you have different names in different countries Use the Passport with your name on at the air line check in. If you lack visa show your Second passport to flight staff.

Simple as that.

[jimmysjo]

Yes. You are right. It's not more complicated than that. Most of the times. But, TIT.

[alfredthegreat]

I have recently returned from the US with my son. He has a Thai passport and a British passport.

I used my British passport for in and out of both countries, and my son showed his Thai passport

upon leaving Thailand, and used his British passport for entering into the US. Then his British

passport for leaving the US, and his Thai passport for re-entering Thailand. No problems.

The only thing that confused me was that he had to fill in an arrival card which I thought was for non

Thai residents only.

[skatewash]

It feels like many is trying to make this more complicated than it is,

And now I use Sweden as an example:

On Swedish soil use Swedish Passport,

On Thai soil use Thai Passport

If you have different names in different countries Use the Passport with your name on at the air line check in. If you lack visa show your Second passport to flight staff.

Simple as that.

Well, that's certainly simple, but it doesn't tell someone which passport to use when booking the ticket, or which to use when checking in at the airport.

As as example of what can go wrong following this simple advice: consider a US-Thai dual-national traveling from US to Thailand. She uses her US passport while in the US to book a ticket to Thailand and to check in at the US airport for her flight to Thailand. She gets to Thai immigration in Thailand and because she's now in Thailand she tries to use her Thai passport to enter Thailand. The Thai immigration officer insists that she is a US citizen and can only be admitted as a US citizen using her US passport because that's how she chose to travel to Thailand (that's how she checked-in in the US airport). He doesn't care that she has a Thai passport. So, she has two choices, enter Thailand as a US citizen (and be subject to the same restrictions as a US citizen while in Thailand) or argue with the immigration officer and get him to change his mind. I submit to you that even if she ultimately wins that argument (and that's not guaranteed), it will at a minimum be a very unpleasant situation (especially after sitting in a plane for 20+ hours).

The point is not whether the immigration officer was right to do this (pretty clearly he was not), but if you want to avoid the hassle and the argument after a long flight, it might be better to do things as advised earlier and preclude a situation like that from happening in the first place. If the guidelines were followed she would have arrived checked-in as a Thai citizen using her Thai passport and not only would the Thai immigration officer have allowed her to enter as a Thai national with a Thai passport, he would not even have been aware that she was a dual national and had a US passport.

So, up to you. Simple is not always better if it ends up causing unnecessary problems. My preference is to avoid problems, rather than fix problems.

[Mario2008]

Thai citizens also fill in arrival/departure cards.