Dual citizenship Thai / British ( airport procedure)

[simonuk]

My wife and I will be visiting Thailand in November for 5 weeks, I understand this is longer than the 4 weeks visa granted upon entry. I will cross the border to Myanmar for a week to extend mine.

My wife however will stay with family and wants to enter Thailand on her Thai passport so she doesn't need a visa.

I am concerned that at BKK departure immigration they will ask her for a British visa ..then upon seeing a British passport notice no entry stamp. If my wife then produces her Thai passport at the same time this will show that she has dual citizenship which i understand isn't allowed by Thailand.

Airlines need passport numbers also.

Advice would be much appreciated.

Simon

[elviajero]

• If you are entering with a tourist visa you don't need to go to Myanmar as you can apply for a 30 day extension at a local immigration office for 1,900 baht.

Dual citizenship is allowed and immigration/airlines are used to dealing with dual nationals.

When you check in to the flight in the UK your wife should show her Thai Passport. Immigration at BKK should accept her Thai passport. If they do insist she uses the British passport she would be given a 30 day stay. She could then apply for an extension of stay at immigration, as a Thai, for 1,900 baht.

[p_brownstone]

Leaving Thailand Immigration is not concerned about where the passenger is going or whether or not you have a Visa for that destination. Their job is solely to check that your stay in THEIR Country - Thailand - was legal and in accordance with Thai Immigration laws, since your wife is a Thai citizen she clearly has no problem in that respect

As already mentioned both UK and Thailand have no problems with their citizens holding Dual Nationality and two passports; that said however it's best to show only the Thai Passport at Thai Immigration - some junior Officers may not know the regulations and make a fuss if they see 2 passports.

Patrick

[trojanhorse]

At the airport they will usually ask your wife for the visa or her uk passport when flying out, never had any problems

mobile

[mike324]

I have dual citizenship, enter with Thai (don't show your foreign passport), upon leaving show both passports at the check in counter as they need to see your foreign one to make sure you have an entry visa for your final destination Upon clearing departure immigration - show only your Thai passport (don't show your foreign).. No problems ever. Thailand does not prohibit dual citizenship, but they don't say its allowed.

[p_brownstone]

At the airport they will usually ask your wife for the visa or her uk passport when flying out, never had any problems

mobile

ONLY at Airline Check-in - because if you are denied entry to the destination Country the Airline is responsible for sending you back.

Immigration never asks, it's just not their concern as I said earlier.

Patrick

[Heng]

Anyone have any issues with advance passenger information when dealing with two passports where the name is spelled differently?

Say if your wife's Thai name is Sophaphen Sophonpanich (on her Thai passport) but she's married to your UK name... making her Sophaphen Smith in her UK passport for example. Which name would you use for the ticket? Logic says it should be the one you will use at the destination.... BUT presumably since you have to present your boarding pass and passport simultaneously at outbound immmigration in Thailand, you'd have a boarding pass with Sophaphen Smith (and given, you had already presented your UK passport to the airline so that the ticket and passport match and you pass the airline's check system) but passport with Sophaphen Sophonpanich (to clear outbound immigration as a Thai).

[mike324]

Anyone have any issues with advance passenger information when dealing with two passports where the name is spelled differently?

Say if your wife's Thai name is Sophaphen Sophonpanich (on her Thai passport) but she's married to your UK name... making her Sophaphen Smith in her UK passport for example. Which name would you use for the ticket? Logic says it should be the one you will use at the destination.... BUT presumably since you have to present your boarding pass and passport simultaneously at outbound immmigration in Thailand, you'd have a boarding pass with Sophaphen Smith (and given, you had already presented your UK passport to the airline so that the ticket and passport match and you pass the airline's check system) but passport with Sophaphen Sophonpanich (to clear outbound immigration as a Thai).

I think it will depend on which immigration will give you the least trouble. If you are able to, its best to add another name on the UK passport. For my non-Thai passport, I was able to add two names - hence avoiding this problem as I just travel using my Thai Name.

[p_brownstone]

Anyone have any issues with advance passenger information when dealing with two passports where the name is spelled differently?

Say if your wife's Thai name is Sophaphen Sophonpanich (on her Thai passport) but she's married to your UK name... making her Sophaphen Smith in her UK passport for example. Which name would you use for the ticket? Logic says it should be the one you will use at the destination.... BUT presumably since you have to present your boarding pass and passport simultaneously at outbound immmigration in Thailand, you'd have a boarding pass with Sophaphen Smith (and given, you had already presented your UK passport to the airline so that the ticket and passport match and you pass the airline's check system) but passport with Sophaphen Sophonpanich (to clear outbound immigration as a Thai).

I realise that your example is merely conjecture - but I believe someone with any documentation in the name of "Sophonphanich" would immediately find themselves in the First Class Lounge, not the IDC.

Patrick

[Lefty]

Anyone have any issues with advance passenger information when dealing with two passports where the name is spelled differently?

Say if your wife's Thai name is Sophaphen Sophonpanich (on her Thai passport) but she's married to your UK name... making her Sophaphen Smith in her UK passport for example. Which name would you use for the ticket? Logic says it should be the one you will use at the destination.... BUT presumably since you have to present your boarding pass and passport simultaneously at outbound immmigration in Thailand, you'd have a boarding pass with Sophaphen Smith (and given, you had already presented your UK passport to the airline so that the ticket and passport match and you pass the airline's check system) but passport with Sophaphen Sophonpanich (to clear outbound immigration as a Thai).

My wife has this situation,always buy the ticket in the name that is on the Thai passport.Have done this for past 30 years with no issues.Will need to show both passports to the airline ticket counter.

Lefty

[Maybole]

Anyone have any issues with advance passenger information when dealing with two passports where the name is spelled differently?

Say if your wife's Thai name is Sophaphen Sophonpanich (on her Thai passport) but she's married to your UK name... making her Sophaphen Smith in her UK passport for example. Which name would you use for the ticket? Logic says it should be the one you will use at the destination.... BUT presumably since you have to present your boarding pass and passport simultaneously at outbound immmigration in Thailand, you'd have a boarding pass with Sophaphen Smith (and given, you had already presented your UK passport to the airline so that the ticket and passport match and you pass the airline's check system) but passport with Sophaphen Sophonpanich (to clear outbound immigration as a Thai).

My wife has her UKpassport in hermarried nameand her Thai passport in her own name. nobody has ever queried the difference. You may have trouble booking her ticket on internet if youuse a name different from the surname on your card. I suggest you book as Mr and Mrs.

[Heng]

Anyone have any issues with advance passenger information when dealing with two passports where the name is spelled differently?

Say if your wife's Thai name is Sophaphen Sophonpanich (on her Thai passport) but she's married to your UK name... making her Sophaphen Smith in her UK passport for example. Which name would you use for the ticket? Logic says it should be the one you will use at the destination.... BUT presumably since you have to present your boarding pass and passport simultaneously at outbound immmigration in Thailand, you'd have a boarding pass with Sophaphen Smith (and given, you had already presented your UK passport to the airline so that the ticket and passport match and you pass the airline's check system) but passport with Sophaphen Sophonpanich (to clear outbound immigration as a Thai).

I think it will depend on which immigration will give you the least trouble. If you are able to, its best to add another name on the UK passport. For my non-Thai passport, I was able to add two names - hence avoiding this problem as I just travel using my Thai Name.

You have two separate names on the same passport? Or do you mean you have some kind of hyphenated set up where it's just given + maiden + married name?

[mike324]

Anyone have any issues with advance passenger information when dealing with two passports where the name is spelled differently?

Say if your wife's Thai name is Sophaphen Sophonpanich (on her Thai passport) but she's married to your UK name... making her Sophaphen Smith in her UK passport for example. Which name would you use for the ticket? Logic says it should be the one you will use at the destination.... BUT presumably since you have to present your boarding pass and passport simultaneously at outbound immmigration in Thailand, you'd have a boarding pass with Sophaphen Smith (and given, you had already presented your UK passport to the airline so that the ticket and passport match and you pass the airline's check system) but passport with Sophaphen Sophonpanich (to clear outbound immigration as a Thai).

I think it will depend on which immigration will give you the least trouble. If you are able to, its best to add another name on the UK passport. For my non-Thai passport, I was able to add two names - hence avoiding this problem as I just travel using my Thai Name.

You have two separate names on the same passport? Or do you mean you have some kind of hyphenated set up where it's just given + maiden + married name?

On my Thai passport I have Thai name. Yes on my foreign passport, I have two separate names. For eg. one name is Mike Lee, the other is Somchai Leelapai (no that is not my real name).

So when I book my ticket, I just use Somchai Leelapai to avoid having name issues. I have friends who are dual citizen, they just use the same name for both Thai and Foreign passport to avoid any issues. That is the best way.