Is dual citizenship in Thailand allowed ?

[donmeurett]

Go to Thailand Immigration and find out. No one here knows for sure. Some people on TV.com talk a lot and say nothing that resembles fact. Go to those who know Thailand Immigration.

[sunnyjim5]

Go to Thailand Immigration and find out. No one here knows for sure. Some people on TV.com talk a lot and say nothing that resembles fact. Go to those who know Thailand Immigration.

An answer is unlikely to be obtained from "Thai immigration" !

An inquiry made to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs may produce an answer !

[Stevemercer]

My Thai wife obtained Australian citizenship, and an Australian passport in addition to her Thai citizenship/passport. When we travel between Thailand and Australia she always uses her Australian passport to get into Australia and her Thai passport to get into Thailand. No problems and maybe reduces risks of being pulled up by customs.

She kept her Thai surname when we married in Australia to reduce potential bureaucratic problems with land/property in her Thai name, getting stung for ferang prices and in the event of there being some future nationalistic fervor. In other words, don't make a fuss about having dual nationality and you won't have any problems.

[Arkady]

Go to Thailand Immigration and find out. No one here knows for sure. Some people on TV.com talk a lot and say nothing that resembles fact. Go to those who know Thailand Immigration.

An answer is unlikely to be obtained from "Thai immigration" !

An inquiry made to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs may produce an answer !

Immigration will most likely tell you it is not allowed and there is a thread in Thai on their web board to that effect. However, when challenged in the thread to cite legal sources to support this assertion a police colonel at Immigration could only cite a letter dated 1970 from MoI to MoFA asking Thai embassies abroad to report any cases of Thais abroad they come across with another nationality, so the MoI could initiate proceedings to revoke their Thai nationality. It is clear from researching the Royal Gazette, where all revocations and renunciations must be announced,. that this letter has never been put into practice.

The MoFA will definitely tell you it is neither supported nor prohibited by Thai law, so it dependes on whether the other nationality allows it or not. This is clearly stated on their website in English and Thai.

[Arkady]

My Thai wife obtained Australian citizenship, and an Australian passport in addition to her Thai citizenship/passport. When we travel between Thailand and Australia she always uses her Australian passport to get into Australia and her Thai passport to get into Thailand. No problems and maybe reduces risks of being pulled up by customs.

She kept her Thai surname when we married in Australia to reduce potential bureaucratic problems with land/property in her Thai name, getting stung for ferang prices and in the event of there being some future nationalistic fervor. In other words, don't make a fuss about having dual nationality and you won't have any problems.

If you live in Thailand, there is probably some merit in retaining a Thai surname but changing her name to a farang name wouldn't affect her right to own property. I am a Thai with a foreign name and have bought land without difficulty.

It is a common misapprehension that a married woman keeping a Thai name helps with land ownership, because it actually did before 1999. However, the MoI issued a directive in 1999 that changed the interpretation of the Land Code in this respect and required the signing of a standard declaration by foreign-Thai couples and applied the interpretation equally to both genders (previously women with foreign husbands could not own land but Thai men with foreign wives could). Legally you should both sign the standard declaration of 1999, as a foreign-Thai couple, if your wife buys land. This applies whether she uses a Thai or foreign surname and also applies if a Thai person cohabits with a foreigner without being legally married. If you provided the money to buy the land and didn't sign the declaration, both of you could theoretically be charged under the Land Code with illegal foreign ownership of land and acting as a nominee respectively. Although there are no known cases of this, various politicians and government officials have threatened to do it in the past.

[seabass69]

No dual citizenship in Thailand is not allowed. A child may have dual citizenship if one of the parents is foreign born but at 18 must choose. Check with an immigration lawyer.

"No dual citizenship in Thailand is not allowed". So you're saying everyone has to have dual citizenship?

[wooloomooloo]

There have been a number of posts on this forum in the past by dual Thai and U.S. citizens. holding both countries passports.

My wife's Thai friend brought her daughter to the UK barely a year ago and her daughter (not British by descent) is already a British citizen. Add in the luk kreungs, spouses, civil partners et al and there's more than a number with dual citizenship.

Long may it continue, for some.

[kraftyhl]

I don't think think Thailand allows dual-citizenship, i.e. you cannot have a Thai Passport and another one from another country. Check this: http://nomadcapitalist.com/2014/04/25/countries-allow-dual-citizenship/

[Muggi1968]

Hi

I know Many farangs with 2 passport.
Royal Thai Police in BKK told me that After I get my Thai passport I had go go to

my Embassy and Show it.. Then he smiled

I guess if you do not decline your original citizenship nobody find out.

[ubonjoe]

I don't think think Thailand allows dual-citizenship, i.e. you cannot have a Thai Passport and another one from another country. Check this: http://nomadcapitalist.com/2014/04/25/countries-allow-dual-citizenship/

Incorrect info. There is no wording in any Thai law that prohibits holding more than one nationality. This has been discussed in dozens of other topics.

[mike324]

I use to think dual citizenship is not allowed until I read through all the Thai books/documents regarding to citizenship. There is nothing inside that says you are not allow to have dual citizenship or your have to give up your citizenship before taking on a Thai citizenship. Like the Mods have said here, its just word of mouth and no officials can back up what they say, they are not clear about it themselves.

[Arkady]

There is an interesting thread in Thai in the archives of Pantip.com involving Thais living abroad and naturalised as aliens having problems with immigration officers when trying to enter Thailand on a blank Thai passport issued by a Thai consulate overseas. The IOs often refused to stamp them in in their Thai passports on the basis that they were not allowed two nationalities and insisted they were only foreigners and only wanted to stamp their foreign passports. In all cases escalating the issue to a supervisor resulted in them being stamped in on their Thai passports, since the IOs were doing what Thai officials love to do - inventing their own laws because they were too bone idle to learn the real ones. Posters advocated carrying a copy of the Thai Constitution to point out to ignorant IOs that all Thais had an inalienable right to enter and reside in the Kingdom.

That constitution no longer exists but, without doubt, the same inalienable right to enter the Kingdom will be reinstated in the next. Anyway that particular issue of idiot IOs has to a large extent been resolved by the automatic gates which deny them the opportunity to poke their noses into Thai passports and force them to be more productively employed stamping foreign passports.

[Arkady]

Hi

I know Many farangs with 2 passport.

Royal Thai Police in BKK told me that After I get my Thai passport I had go go to

my Embassy and Show it.. Then he smiled

I guess if you do not decline your original citizenship nobody find out.

As mentioned earlier, there is no need to show your new passport to an embassy. It is the police's job to inform your embassy for you.

[mngmn]

There is an interesting thread in Thai in the archives of Pantip.com involving Thais living abroad and naturalised as aliens having problems with immigration officers when trying to enter Thailand on a blank Thai passport issued by a Thai consulate overseas. The IOs often refused to stamp them in in their Thai passports on the basis that they were not allowed two nationalities and insisted they were only foreigners and only wanted to stamp their foreign passports. In all cases escalating the issue to a supervisor resulted in them being stamped in on their Thai passports, since the IOs were doing what Thai officials love to do - inventing their own laws because they were too bone idle to learn the real ones

This happened to a friend of mine who being Thai, simply accepted what the IO told them. It was, as you say, a blank passport issued overseas. The friend ended up paying a 20k baht overstay fine when they left Thailand and was again refused entry on their Thai passport. They are currently overstaying on a foreign passport which will expire soon. Will be interesting to see what happens then. I doubt that immigaration will go as far to imprison and deport them but hey who knows?

As I mentioned in my previous post, we as foreigners are lucky that we often have options. I for one count myself fortunate that I am not a citizen of a country whose public servants seem to take great pleasure in making everyone's life a mysery.

Edited January 6, 2016 by mngmn

[lopburi3]

Why did they not insist on using Thai passport? It works. But understand that is not a natural Thai reaction. But there is no reason for any overstay - extension of stay for one year only costs the normal 1,900 baht for a Thai here on a foreign passport.

[mngmn]

Why did they not insist on using Thai passport? It works. But understand that is not a natural Thai reaction. But there is no reason for any overstay - extension of stay for one year only costs the normal 1,900 baht for a Thai here on a foreign passport.

Not sure how well you know Thais? They are taught from an early age to respect, and not to question authority. Those on these forums that think some Thais in authority are rude to foreigners, should see how they deal with lesser staus Thiais!

As far as the the 1900 baht option goes, the whole point was that the IO told them they had lost their Thai nationality. So even if they knew about this option (unlikely) they would assume they were not eligible.

Edited January 6, 2016 by mngmn

[ubonjoe]

Why did they not insist on using Thai passport? It works. But understand that is not a natural Thai reaction. But there is no reason for any overstay - extension of stay for one year only costs the normal 1,900 baht for a Thai here on a foreign passport.

Not sure how well you know Thais? They are taught from an early age to respect, and not to question authority. Those on these forums that think some Thais in authority are rude to foreigners, should see how they deal with lesser staus Thiais!

As far as the the 1900 baht option goes, the whole point was that the IO told them they had lost their Thai nationality. So even if they knew about this option (unlikely) they would assume they were not eligible.

I can assure he has been here more than long enough to know Thais.

You have never seen my wife in action when she is treated badly by a Thai authority. I had to call a timeout one time at immigration when an officer pissed her off.

I suspect the person you mentioned made the fatal mistake of letting immigration see her other passport.

[mngmn]

Why did they not insist on using Thai passport? It works. But understand that is not a natural Thai reaction. But there is no reason for any overstay - extension of stay for one year only costs the normal 1,900 baht for a Thai here on a foreign passport.

Not sure how well you know Thais? They are taught from an early age to respect, and not to question authority. Those on these forums that think some Thais in authority are rude to foreigners, should see how they deal with lesser staus Thiais!

As far as the the 1900 baht option goes, the whole point was that the IO told them they had lost their Thai nationality. So even if they knew about this option (unlikely) they would assume they were not eligible.

I can assure he has been here more than long enough to know Thais.

You have never seen my wife in action when she is treated badly by a Thai authority. I had to call a timeout one time at immigration when an officer pissed her off.

I suspect the person you mentioned made the fatal mistake of letting immigration see her other passport.

Great to hear that your wife is assertive and can stand up for herself Ubonjoe, I wish more Thais would. However, I stand by my comment that it is more common for Thais to not question those in authority. This is epecially true when there is a large difference in status, education and skin colour. For example, I have been shocked to witness the the way rural Tesaban officials treat lower status, less educated Thais (mainly farmers). Those receiving the bad treatment appear to simply accept it. I also wonder if standing up to these officials would be counter productive, as they have the power to make people's lives extremely difficult.

Yes, my friend did let the IO see their foreign passport. The IO told them they had lost their Thai nationality and they must enter using their foreign passport. The friend followed a lifetime habit of complying with those in authority.

I agree that anyone who has Thai/Foreign passports should under no circumstances let an IO see the foreign passport. If you have a travel companion, consider letting them carry your Thai passport through immigration so there is no possibility that you will crack under pressure.

Edited January 7, 2016 by mngmn

[Stevemercer]

I agree with the above 100%. A dual passport holder should always use their Thai passport when entering and leaving Thailand.

[Muggi1968]

What happens with the TM6 when you get Thai passport. Canceled or will it stick forever to your old passport ??

[lopburi3]

You enter/exit on same passport - so the TM.6 gets collected.

[ubonjoe]

What happens with the TM6 when you get Thai passport. Canceled or will it stick forever to your old passport ??

Not sure about now but from previous posts from some time ago you have to leave the country after getting a Thai passport using the passport you used for entry to cancel that entry and then re-enter the country using the Thai passport.

[mrfaroukh]

It is simple just google it here is your answer

http://www.multiplecitizenship.com/wscl/ws_THAILAND.html

[Maestro]

The information on the linked web page is wrong. Disregard it.

[lopburi3]

It is not so much a case of hiding the fact you have two passports as to not pointing it out. As long as only one passport is presented there is seldom any issue with immigration officers. In some cases two passports are routinely shown (to airline boarding staff) but when you pass immigration only the passport of entry/exit normally needs to be presented.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post and the replies to it.

[mngmn]

Let me simplify even further. Many years ago when I got my Swiss citizenship, I was told that I 'should do nothing to continue my UK citizenship'. I went to the UK embassy who told me that in that embassy it was UK law that counted and if I came in for passport renewal I would get one. That's why double nationality laws are almost impossible to enforce.

Advance Passenger Information can make it difficult to hide the use of two passports if the same information is used for departing from country A and for arriving in country B.

This is a good reason to let someone else carry your foreign passport through immigration if you are a Thia with dual nationality. Its called plausible deniability.

[Richard W]

Advance Passenger Information can make it difficult to hide the use of two passports if the same information is used for departing from country A and for arriving in country B.

This is a good reason to let someone else carry your foreign passport through immigration if you are a Thia with dual nationality. Its called plausible deniability.

If Peter Michael Elliotson travels from Britain to Thailand on his Thai passport and back on his British passport, what information do Britain and Thailand get? Britain certainly gets two sets of API information; I expect Thailand will too. If it is obvious that he received his Thai passport before he applied before his British passport, but did not record it in his British passport application, he may have trouble, such as a hefty fine or the cancellation of his British passport. If were asked about his Thai passport on return to Britain, and denied that he had one, I rather think he would be making matters worse rather than better.

It's conceivable that Britain and Thailand will get different API information for the departure from Britain, but I think it unlikely.

[sunnyjim5]

Advance Passenger Information can make it difficult to hide the use of two passports if the same information is used for departing from country A and for arriving in country B.

This is a good reason to let someone else carry your foreign passport through immigration if you are a Thia with dual nationality. Its called plausible deniability.

If Peter Michael Elliotson travels from Britain to Thailand on his Thai passport and back on his British passport, what information do Britain and Thailand get? Britain certainly gets two sets of API information; I expect Thailand will too. If it is obvious that he received his Thai passport before he applied before his British passport, but did not record it in his British passport application, he may have trouble, such as a hefty fine or the cancellation of his British passport. If were asked about his Thai passport on return to Britain, and denied that he had one, I rather think he would be making matters worse rather than better.

It's conceivable that Britain and Thailand will get different API information for the departure from Britain, but I think it unlikely.

You may wish to re-think the wording of that post!

[Nordlys]

I have dual Thai - Japanese citizenships. I didn't naturalize to Thailand, I was born with them. I only travel with my Japanese passport but I did use Thai passport to travel as a child when growing up in Thailand.