Nationality and travel

[Terry Heard]

I have a 13 year old son in Thailand who holds both Thai and British passports.

  He wishes to travel to the UK to stay with his half brother for a few weeks.

  What passport should he use?

    If he uses his Thai one he will need a Visa.

    If he uses his British one, will he be able to return to Thailand for more than 3 weeks or will he have to get a Non Immigrant Visa?  

     Any thoughts and experiences would be appreciated.

[John]

Terry, assuming both passports are in the same name .... he should use the Thai one to leave/re-enter Thailand ... AND ... the UK one to enter/leave the UK.

[Terry Heard]

I have a 13 year old son in Thailand who holds both Thai and British passports.

  He wishes to travel to the UK to stay with his half brother for a few weeks.

  What passport should he use?

    If he uses his Thai one he will need a Visa.

    If he uses his British one, will he be able to return to Thailand for more than 3 weeks or will he have to get a Non Immigrant Visa?  

     Any thoughts and experiences would be appreciated.

I am just getting the hang of this board, so.....

Thank you John,

       It would seem your suggestion is good but would my son need to get a Visa to leave the country for the UK. Thai immigration might ask for one , so might the airline.

  When he returns Thai Imigration might ask to see the UK notice observing that he cannot work or draw on public funds.

  He has nearly the same name on both passports, Tom Virachon Manwong Heard on his British one and Virachon Manwong Heard on his Thai one, as the Thai authoraties would not allow his name Tom to be included.

  Maybe the easy way out is to get a Visa from the British embassy and use his Thai passport. That would entail however a long queue at Heathrow which could be character building for a 13 year old on his first trip alone!

[Rinrada]

Terry ..I have been discussing with my wife (Thai) interestng subject and she will be in similar position in a year or so.Her breakdown is that the Thai immigration do not care where you go when you leave their beloved country.The airlines want a quiet time so on departure to the UK show the UK /Euro passport.Thai Immigration will check your Thai passport but as I said they do not care where you are travelling to but you DO need the departure card stamped.At Heathrow go through UK nationals lane.On return there is no check at London...why bother when you are leaving? Back in Bangkok show the Thai passport on arrival at the Thai Nationals immigation lane,get stamped back in and hopefully thats it. ::

[Terry Heard]

Terry ..I have been discussing with my wife (Thai) interestng subject and she will be in similar position in a year or so.Her breakdown is that the Thai immigration do not care where you go when you leave their beloved country.The airlines want a quiet time so on departure to the UK show the UK /Euro passport.Thai Immigration will check your Thai passport but as I said they do not care where you are travelling to but you DO need the departure card stamped.At Heathrow go through UK nationals lane.On return there is no check at London...why bother when you are leaving? Back in Bangkok show the Thai passport on arrival at the Thai Nationals immigation lane,get stamped back in and hopefully thats it. ::

Thank you Rinrada for your assesment. From what you say we would not need to get a Visa for England in his passport.

  However my wife tells me that she is regularily asked by Thai immigration when she travels, where she is going and why she is travelling. She travels on a Thai passport with a UK visa. Also I know that airlines are fined heavilly if they transport someone who will be refused entry, so they usually check visa's etc.

  Tom won't be going for a few months so I will check around and report back in due course.         Terry

[george]

At flight checkin in BKK: Show UK Passport - this no need visa for UK - no problems

At Immigration in BKK: Show Thai passport and get departure card stamped. No need show UK passport.

At UK Entry: Show UK Passport - no need visa. If questioned, show Thai passport.

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ON THE WAY BACK:

At checkin in UK: Show UK Passport. If they ask for Thai visa, show Thai Passport.

At Immigration, arrival in BKK: Show Thai passport only.No need visa. No need to show UK passport.

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Hope this helps.

[Terry Heard]

At flight checkin in BKK: Show UK Passport - this no need visa for UK - no problems

At Immigration in BKK: Show Thai passport and get departure card stamped. No need show UK passport.

At UK Entry: Show UK Passport - no need visa. If questioned, show Thai passport.

---

---

ON THE WAY BACK:

At checkin in UK: Show UK Passport. If they ask for Thai visa, show Thai Passport.

At Immigration, arrival in BKK: Show Thai passport only.No need visa. No need to show UK passport.

---

Hope this helps.

Thank you george, that all sounds logical as long as Tom remember it all. Terry

[h5kaf]

When leaving Thailand (ie BKK) if your child (8months) has a UK passport is this OK? What hapens when the child returns with her parent who has a 1 year extenion etc.,? The child was born in Thailand buit does not have a Thai passport only a UK passport.

Can someone outline the problems! if any please.