Dual Citizenship Question

[digitele]

Here is a good one, talk about ignorance.

My wife naturalized US citizen. Returns to Thailand on Non Imm Type "O" multiply entries in Feb.

Gets a Thai ID card, good so far. We concentrate on changing my visa to Spouse type Visa.

I get my status changed, really good! Well, I'm reading online about a dual who has to pay for overstay because they stamped in on foreign passport and that visa expired - 20k Baht.

-Her 1 year started in feb and the "visa run" she missed was on August 8th.

- The one year would last till next febuary - I have the feeling it won't matter - 20k depart tax!

So bottom line is don't do / say anything until departure and pay the 20k?

Thanks to all, but I think it's 20k either way. Just would like to be certain.

Best Regards

[samran]

Hi there,

Well, if she has stayed passed the date stamped into the passport, then yes, she will be liable for overstay up to the maximum of 20K.

I always recommend this: If she is a Thai national she should enter Thailand on her Thai passport. Otherwise, she will be treated as a foreign national, ID card or no ID card. She should have applied for a Thai passport in the US prior to departure and entered on that. Saves fussing about with visa's, border runs etc etc.

Dual nationality isn't illegal, and hasn't been for quite a while now.

PM me if you have any questions.

Cheers-samran

[lopburi3]

But as she is here now have her get a Thai passport (for next time). Am not sure if immigration will just extend her permitted to stay (as it seems to have expired) with payment of the overstay or not. Normally all she would have to do is file for an extensions of stay for one year at a time as she is Thai. Although believe she would also have to file address reports she would not have to make visa runs. She might want to call them and ask what to do.

[digitele]

Samran and LopBuri, Thanks! Had a contact in Immigration call us.

Basically, 20K cause of overstay - OK.

Then, she can stamp out on US Passport. When arriving back show Thai ID. She can get a 1 year on the spot - 1,900

She doesn't want Thai PP in maiden name and as we were married in US

to have it certified there and then with MFA here it's easier for me to get a PR!

Either way, thanks for the help guys, Best Regards Always!

Thai Visa is the Best!

[lopburi3]

Do not believe it is all that hard to take care of the paperwork/name change - just some time. What name is on her ID card/martial status? It should be taken care of from id card to home register to passport.

[lukamar]

Do not believe it is all that hard to take care of the paperwork/name change - just some time. What name is on her ID card/martial status? It should be taken care of from id card to home register to passport.

It's very easy. My wife had her passport name changed from Maiden to Married and it took about 20 minutes. They just put a stamp with the name change info and it was done. When they issue a news passport in the spring they will just change the name then. All she needed was out Thai marriage certificate. If the marriage was outside of Thailand then they would probably need an official translation.

[digitele]

Do not believe it is all that hard to take care of the paperwork/name change - just some time. What name is on her ID card/martial status? It should be taken care of from id card to home register to passport.

Lop, Thai ID is Miss Maiden_Name. We weren't married here.

With the time / hassles, we don't really care anymore.

Another complication is one of our offsprings works for US Government with a TS.

Those folks know who is who and the sit is acceptable, no foreign PP needed

Where we live has it's own immigration office, I never have to go to BKK for my 1 yr ext.

And we can do it together every year, what fun. I check in every 90. She does not.

It's like 3 minutes from my house and they are "fun" people really. Always nice / helpful.

So, will go to Singapore soon. On exit she will cough up 20K. She will exit on US PP.

Upon return, (Immigration verified this yesterday) she'll stamp in on US PP show her Thai ID.

At that time (on the spot) they get the 1,900 and she is stamped for a year.

Path of least resistance for us Lop

Thanks for the help / advise, really appreciate...

[digitele]

All she needed was out Thai marriage certificate. If the marriage was outside of Thailand then they would probably need an official translation.

Hi Lukamar,

Don't have Thai Marriage Cert. The translation part isn't acceptable to Thailand without

verification process in US AND Thai MFA. I tried it Man. 2 much BS for lazy me

It's OK. Things could be worse. Like trying to get a UK Visa and not being able 2 come back

to Siam again.