Refused entry on Thai passport

[Aussietraveller]

Hi, just need to see if I am missing something here..

The family have just returned to oz after a holiday on Thailand.

I travel on an Australian passport only, my wife has a Thai passport only and the kids hold both passports.

We were returning to Thailand from Hong Kong and I decided to give the kids thai passports some use.

we came to immigration and the officer refused the kids entry on their Thai passports and insisted that they use their Australian passports as this was the passports they had used to exit Australia.

i was tired and keen to argue the point that as Thai citizens that should be allowed to use their Thai passports.

my wife backed down and the immigration officer refused to speak to me. My wife spoke nicely to him even though he was a prick.

i was going to tear up the Thai passports and chuck them on the floor but my wife held on to them.

 

Am I missing something?

is there a reason we cannot use their Thai passports in some circumstances when entering Thailand?

If he was right then we can not ever use their Thai passports( or was he just on a power trip?)

 

 

[ubonjoe]

They cannot legally deny entry to a Thai citizen using their Thai passport. One way to end the discussion is to ask them to formally deny entry by doing a denial of entry stamp.

How did they know they had used their Australian passports or even know they had one. Never let them see the other passport.

[GarryP]

I left the UK on my British passport two weeks ago and entered Thailand on my Thai passport. Absolutely no problem. I went through the automatic gates for Thais though. I do not understand how they could have known which passports your children used when leaving Australia/Hong Kong.

Edited August 9, 2016 by GarryP

[lopburi3]

You mention Hong Kong?  Did you stay there using Oz passport by chance?  You also start by saying family departed Thailand for Oz so the travel is a bit unclear.

[Aussietraveller]

Travel was as follows.

Kids travelled Australia to BKK on their Australian Passports

Stayed in LOS several weeks

Travelled BKK to HKG on Australian Passports

Stay 1 week

Depart HKG on Australian Passports

Arrive BKK and at that point the kids were refused entry on their Thai passports

Immigration officer said we could use their Australian Passports, but not their Thai.

His manner to me suggested that it was more about his power than anything.

He refused to talk to me and would only speak to my wife who responded with thai subservience to Authority and a few Ka,s

They knew we had been using another passport as the kids Thai passports were new, with no stamps.

 

[kkpat]

When you check in for your flight, you must use the passport you intend to use on arrival.

Otherwise it wont match the flight manifest.

[Aussietraveller]

Sorry, this is not correct.

I have dual passports and you can you a different passport at port of departure and port of arrival.

I have Australian and European passports.

Departing Australia i must use my Australian passport, i cannot use any other, but when arriving in Europe i can use my European passport.

The same applies for my kids, they have dual thai/oz citizenship.

Leaving Australia that must use Australian passport, but entering Thailand that should be allowed to use either passport.

[kkpat]

you are talking about immigration and you are correct.  What i mean is when you check in for your flight, you show the check in desk your passport, they enter the details on the flight manifest, this is then sent to immigration at your destination and must match. The passport you go through immigration with can be different from the one you check in with.  Hope this is more clear.  I also have 2 passports and this has been my experience.

[Maestro]

6 hours ago, Aussietraveller said:

...

Travelled BKK to HKG on Australian Passports

Stay 1 week

Depart HKG on Australian Passports

Arrive BKK and at that point the kids were refused entry on their Thai passports

...

 

That was the problem. Immigration expects a Thai national to return to Thailand with the same passport with which he left Thailand, and expects a foreigner to leave Thailand with the same passport with which he entered Thailand.

 

Dual Thai nationals should generally take care never to use the non-Thai passport in Thailand so as not to jeopardise their Thai nationality.

 

That said, it is true that in the case of your children the immigration officer would have had to back down if your wife had stood her ground. It is also true that the Immigration Bureau would have had the right to recommend to the Minister of the Interior that he revoke the Thai nationality of your children under section 17 of the Nationality Act B.E.2551 as amended by the Nationality Act (No.4) B.E.2551:

 

Quote

 

Section 17. With respect to a person of an alien parent who was born within the
Thai Kingdom and acquires Thai nationality, his Thai nationality may be revoked if it appears
that:

...

(2) There is evidence to show that he makes use of the nationality of his father,
mother, or of a foreign nationality, or that he has an active interest in the nationality of his
father, mother, or in a foreign nationality;

...

 

[Aussietraveller]

OK, next trip i will make sure that we use the kids Thai passports from the outset.

we have had so much drama getting Thai birth certificates and passports for the kids as they were born in Australia.

Really frustrating when you are not allowed to use them...

 

Thanks all for your input.

[maoro2013]

16 hours ago, kkpat said:

When you check in for your flight, you must use the passport you intend to use on arrival.

Otherwise it wont match the flight manifest.

That is not necessarily correct. My daughter has two passports also and we use one to depart the home country and the, other,  Australian one to enter Thailand. There has never been an issue.

[MAMMartin]

16 hours ago, Aussietraveller said:

Travel was as follows.

Kids travelled Australia to BKK on their Australian Passports

Stayed in LOS several weeks

Travelled BKK to HKG on Australian Passports

Stay 1 week

Depart HKG on Australian Passports

Arrive BKK and at that point the kids were refused entry on their Thai passports

Immigration officer said we could use their Australian Passports, but not their Thai.

His manner to me suggested that it was more about his power than anything.

He refused to talk to me and would only speak to my wife who responded with thai subservience to Authority and a few Ka,s

They knew we had been using another passport as the kids Thai passports were new, with no stamps.

 

you say BKK to HKG on Australian Passports - it depends what they left BKK on.  If they left on their Aussie passports they would have had to show their entry visa.  If they left on their Thai passports they would need to have filled in their TM card.

Btw wanting to tear up their Thai passports and throw them on the floor is a mature approach.  Which one was the prick?

[Pungdo]

I am in the same boat as you, I'm an Aussie and my daughter has dual nationality, but she was born in Thailand, I have taken her home to Oz twice now and always leave Thailand on the Thai Passport, Aussie passport in and out of Oz and Thai passport to enter back in at Bangkok, not had a problem.

[SOTIRIOS]

...your fault...you looked too happy....

[SpokaneAl]

11 hours ago, Maestro said:

 

That was the problem. Immigration expects a Thai national to return to Thailand with the same passport with which he left Thailand, and expects a foreigner to leave Thailand with the same passport with which he entered Thailand.

 

Dual Thai nationals should generally take care never to use the non-Thai passport in Thailand so as not to jeopardise their Thai nationality.

 

That said, it is true that in the case of your children the immigration officer would have had to back down if your wife had stood her ground. It is also true that the Immigration Bureau would have had the right to recommend to the Minister of the Interior that he revoke the Thai nationality of your children under section 17 of the Nationality Act B.E.2551 as amended by the Nationality Act (No.4) B.E.2551:

 

 

"Immigration expects a Thai national to return to Thailand with the same passport with which he left Thailand . . ." I don't think that this is necessarily true. On our first visit to Thailand my wife entered and left with her US passport, and while in Thailand obtained a Thai passport. When we returned six months later she left the US with her US passport and entered Thailand with her Thai passport, and returning to the US with her US passport and we have been doing this every six months since with no problems.

Edited August 10, 2016 by SpokaneAl

[DeeMak9]

The immigration officer was wrong. Next time you should ask for his/her supervisor immediately. He cannot deny a Thai citizen and stamping the Australian passport most likely will end up in overstay.

Edited August 10, 2016 by DeeMak9

[al007]

This is thailand, remember, I have dual USA/UK and both these countries say very strongly you MUST enter on the countries own passport if you have one

 

Of course coming to Thailand you need to depart on the same as you arrive

 

IF and only if you have two passports and the same rules apply as in the UK or USA, then you would have to use the thai passport to enter Thailand

[Thefinn]

This shouldn't have happened, but now that it has....  the child can get a one year extension at immigration on the foreign passport for a B1900 fee and proof of being a Thai, ie, birth certificate, ID card and possibly the house book. If there is any over stay the fine is payable at the same time, no other action taken.  This requires the 90 day reporting until they leave on the foreign passport again.

My daughter arrived in BKK with her Thai PP just expired and was told to come in on another foreign passport she also has and this was what she had to go through to stay.

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, Thefinn said:

This shouldn't have happened, but now that it has....  the child can get a one year extension at immigration on the foreign passport for a B1900 fee and proof of being a Thai, ie, birth certificate, ID card and possibly the house book. If there is any over stay the fine is payable at the same time, no other action taken.  This requires the 90 day reporting until they leave on the foreign passport again.

My daughter arrived in BKK with her Thai PP just expired and was told to come in on another foreign passport she also has and this was what she had to go through to stay.

She could of entered on her expired Thai passport. Who said she couldn't do it.

[Fairynuff]

1 hour ago, MAMMartin said:

you say BKK to HKG on Australian Passports - it depends what they left BKK on.  If they left on their Aussie passports they would have had to show their entry visa.  If they left on their Thai passports they would need to have filled in their TM card.

Btw wanting to tear up their Thai passports and throw them on the floor is a mature approach.  Which one was the prick?

Haven't you ever got frustrated and felt like doing something you know you shouldn't really do? Yes I know who the prick is.

[Thefinn]

Immigration officer on the spot refused to enter her on her expired Thai passport. Everyone says she "could" have and I thought she "could"  have .  Where can you go and what can you do facing this situation at the airport?  

 

Easy enough to discuss on a forum at a later date, but on the spot?

[ubonjoe]

Just now, Thefinn said:

Immigration officer on the spot refused to enter her on her expired Thai passport. Everyone says she "could" have and I thought she "could"  have .  Where can you go and what can you do facing this situation at the airport?  

 

Easy enough to discuss on a forum at a later date, but on the spot?

Ask for a supervisor. Many officers at the desk are ill informed or are just trying to be difficult.

Tell them the passport for their other nationality is in checked baggage.

[AgMech Cowboy]

Aussie, thanks for posting your experience, but the IO was only following proper procedure.  I'm surprised he could not explain it more completely to your wife so she could make more clear to you.  The issue is that you left on the Aussie passports and that info was used on the TM.6 and the Aussie passport received the exit stamp.

 

In future there's a simple procedure to follow:

-Check in for flight with Aussie passport. You're going to Australia and the you don't have an Aussie visa in the Thai passport.

- At immigration you show their Thai passports and fill out the TM.6 with those Thai passports to get the exit stamp.

- You won't need the Thai passport again until you check in to return to Thailand.

 

Now, since you've got an entry stamp in the Aussie passports, I'm not really sure how you clear that.  I suggest a short trip to your 'local' Immigration office, explain the problem and get them to explain what you need to do. I strongly suggest you let your wife do the talking unless you speak good Thai.

 

I hate the Immigration office, but I'd rather use them than be held up at the airport. Good Luck!!

[KKr]

18 hours ago, Aussietraveller said:

They knew we had been using another passport as the kids Thai passports were new, with no stamps.

In which case the exit form would be missing.
That explains why you were refused entry.

Edited August 10, 2016 by KKr
apologies for duplicating the answer by MAMMartin earlier.

[oldlakey]

1 hour ago, SpokaneAl said:

"Immigration expects a Thai national to return to Thailand with the same passport with which he left Thailand . . ." I don't think that this is necessarily true. On our first visit to Thailand my wife entered and left with her US passport, and while in Thailand obtained a Thai passport. When we returned six months later she left the US with her US passport and entered Thailand with her Thai passport, and returning to the US with her US passport and we have been doing this every six months since with no problems.

It is a federal offense for a citizen of the USA to attempt to exit or enter the USA with anything other than

their USA passport

The only exception to this is if the dual / second passport can be used as a stand alone document which allows the holder legal abode in the USA

To try to do otherwise is not advisable in this day or age

[DerringDo]

18 hours ago, kkpat said:

When you check in for your flight, you must use the passport you intend to use on arrival.

Otherwise it wont match the flight manifest.

 

Sorry but this is not correct.

 

Our kids enter and leave every other country on their British passport and enter Thailand on their Thai passport. Never ever been an issue.

[THAIJAMES]

I think he just wanted to see the departure card and stamp from having exited Thailand with the passport. 

[mesterm]

21 hours ago, Aussietraveller said:

my wife backed down and the immigration officer refused to speak to me.

 

Excellent service 

[mahjongguy]

Sometimes my memory plays tricks on me, but...

 

I recall it has been reported in the past that there was a problem when entering with Thai passports which were issued overseas and never yet used. There's a flag on that, and a Supervisor clears it after checking the authenticity of the passport. 

 

Or did I imagine that?

 

 

[SpokaneAl]

59 minutes ago, oldlakey said:

It is a federal offense for a citizen of the USA to attempt to exit or enter the USA with anything other than

their USA passport

The only exception to this is if the dual / second passport can be used as a stand alone document which allows the holder legal abode in the USA

To try to do otherwise is not advisable in this day or age

I don't really understand what you are saying. This is standard procedure for many Thai/US citizens. I had previously posed the question to the US Embassy in Thailand, and they informed me that they saw no problems. 

Edited August 10, 2016 by SpokaneAl