Visiting UK, Thai wife 2 x passports

[grankboy]

A friend ( French ) is traveling to UK on holiday with his Thai wife, his wife also has a French passport but it's in her married name and Thai passport is in her maiden name, so if she leaves Thailand on her Thai passport will she have a issue at UK immigration with a different name on her French passport. I know the UK use a API system but not really sure how it works.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

[theoldgit]

What name are her tickets in?

Did she enter Thailand on her French passport?

[grankboy]

Entered on her Thai passport and ticket is in her maiden name ( Thai passport)

[skatewash]

I suspect she will use her Thai passport to check-in with the airline in Thailand (as name in that passport matches the name on the tickets). She will also probably need to show her French passport at that time to assure the airline that she will be able to enter the UK without having a visa. She will have no problem leaving Thailand immigration with her Thai passport (assuming she entered Thailand on the same passport). She will probably have no problem in the UK entering on her French passport. In the case the immigration officer in the UK raises the question of her name I imagine she would need to show her Thai passport. It might also be helpful to have a marriage certificate that would make the different names in each passport understandable.

A better way to do this in the future:

1) purchase airfare to the UK using her French passport information.

2) check-in at airport in Thailand using her French passport (no need to show Thai passport at all, French people qualify for visa exempt entry).

3) exit Thailand using her Thai passport.

4) enter UK with her French passport which will match her ticket (again, no need to show Thai passport at all).

on return to Thailand:

5) check-in at UK airport using her French passport (no need to show Thai passport at all).

6) exit UK immigration using her French passport.

7) enter Thailand using her Thai passport.

In general, you should never have to show both passports to anyone, with the exception of the airline check-in staff if asked to demonstrate her ability to enter the destination country without needing a visa.

Edited July 10, 2016 by skatewash

[skatewash]

Of course, eventually it would be desirable to update one of the passports so that her name is the same in both. That would eliminate worry about a potential problem in the future.