Thai or US passport

[thaitot]

Need a little advice.

 

I am a US citizen married to a thai lady for 9 years we lived in Chiang mai for a short stint before returning to the US.

She is now a US citizen with a US passport. Her Thai passport will expire in the next few months. For us to update this passport we need to travel to Los Angeles 

to the Thai consulate to get it updated. I am trying to avoid traveling across the country to get this done at this time until it is convenient.

We want to return to Thailand for a short 3 week vacation at the end of the year her thai passport will expire around that time.

We do not want to make any mistakes on entry to Thailand also booking flights as that requires your passport #

 

So here is my question do we really need to worry about her thai passport now can't she just enter the same as myself with her US passport(visa on entry), we are only staying for 3 weeks

and will be returning as we both have jobs then when it is convenient we can update her Thai passport.

 

I just want to be sure that we are not sacrificing her thai citizenship or any complications that could arise by entering with a US Passport verses a Thai. 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

If you are certain that you will stay only 3 weeks: yes she can simply use her US passport.

She should take her Thai passport with her but not show anytime at check-in or immigration.

 

And when in Thailand renew her passport here.

An easy process.

A couple of passport centers around the country.

Ready in a week or less.

All she needs is a Thai ID card and her blue housebook.

And no word about US citizenship.

 

 

[BEVUP]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

If you are certain that you will stay only 3 weeks: yes she can simply use her US passport.

She should take her Thai passport with her but not show anytime at check-in or immigration.

 

And when in Thailand renew her passport here.

An easy process.

A couple of passport centers around the country.

Ready in a week or less.

All she needs is a Thai ID card and her blue housebook.

 

Beat me Khun , but i reckon you could do the passport the same day

[KhunBENQ]

2 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

Beat me Khun , but i reckon you could do the passport the same day

3000 Baht in Bangkok  Chaeng Wattana (only?).

Normal process from a passport center around the country takes a about a week. as passport is printed in Bangkok and sent back by EMS to resident address.

(at least to best of my knowledge)

[thaitot]

Thanks for the replies we may not renew her Thai passport while in Thailand as we will not be in one spot for the entire 3 weeks.

 

My fear would be if we have any issues that take extra time we might be stuck waiting in the area we applied 

[BEVUP]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

3000 Baht in Bangkok (only?).

Things may have changed but Wife & young lad yrs back got theirs the same day & also the same for my wifes name change in Korat - we waited longer in the waiting room then it actually took

[thaitot]

Thanks for the replies

[BEVUP]

1 minute ago, thaitot said:

Thanks for the replies we may not renew her Thai passport while in Thailand as we will not be in one spot for the entire 3 weeks.

 

My fear would be if we have any issues that take extra time we might be stuck waiting in the area we applied 

I would definitely check this option out as Im sure it would be much easier then doing it abroad

[KhunBENQ]

2 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

I would definitely check this option out as Im sure it would be much easier then doing it abroad

Fully agree.

Even the one day option would be much better than doing it in the US.

And as far as I know the passport would be sent to her home address in Thailand when using the EMS option.

 

[thaitot]

The passport update is not to bad in the US the problem is it is about 1100 miles away we have done it once before.

 

The Thai consulate has a traveling office and comes to the seattle area once a year we just missed it.

 

We can also plan a vacation to Southern california and combine the two that would be my first choice but not until next year.

 

If we can do it in thailand even better we will most likely be in Chiang Mai for a full week the other two moving about.

 

Again thanks for the input.   

[lopburi3]

1.  There is no loss of citizenship issue and she can easily extend a year at a time on her USA passport at immigration if plans change.

 

2.  I would do as you plan and obtain new passport from Consulate in USA as then you can use to make new entry without any question of why there is no exit or arrival/departure card in a Thailand issued passport.  

 

3.  Normal usage is Thai passport for entry/exit of Thailand and USA passport for entry/exit of USA.

[SpokaneAl]

The passport update is not to bad in the US the problem is it is about 1100 miles away we have done it once before.
 
The Thai consulate has a traveling office and comes to the seattle area once a year we just missed it.
 
We can also plan a vacation to Southern california and combine the two that would be my first choice but not until next year.
 
If we can do it in thailand even better we will most likely be in Chiang Mai for a full week the other two moving about.
 
Again thanks for the input.   

One can obtain a visa from the LA Thai Consulate via mail - I do it every year. Can't you do the same to renew a Thai passport?


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[Tanoshi]

2 hours ago, thaitot said:

The passport update is not to bad in the US the problem is it is about 1100 miles away we have done it once before.

 

The Thai consulate has a traveling office and comes to the seattle area once a year we just missed it.

 

We can also plan a vacation to Southern california and combine the two that would be my first choice but not until next year.

 

If we can do it in thailand even better we will most likely be in Chiang Mai for a full week the other two moving about.

 

Again thanks for the input.   

You should look at this link for the location of the Chiang Mai Passport office.

http://thailand-uk.com/visas/thaipassport.php 

Note: Passports can be collected the day of application if submitted in the morning.

 

As a Thai national she cannot be refused entry to Thailand on an expired Passport.

Edited July 28, 2017 by Tanoshi

[elviajero]

3 hours ago, thaitot said:

Thanks for the replies we may not renew her Thai passport while in Thailand as we will not be in one spot for the entire 3 weeks.

It is a bad idea to renew the Thai passport in Thailand as your wife is entering with a US passport.

 

If, in the future, she ever tried to enter with a Thai passport, issued in Thailand, without an exit stamp from Thailand she might not be allowed to use it. She should make this trip as a US citizen and apply for a new Thai passport when back in the US.

 

Having a Thai passport is only really needed for any stays in Thailand longer than 30/60 days, in which case she should exit/enter the US with her US passport and enter/exit Thailand with her Thai passport.

 

Passports have no affect on citizenship.

 

 

[SpokaneAl]

It is a bad idea to renew the Thai passport in Thailand as your wife is entering with a US passport.
 
If, in the future, she ever tried to enter with a Thai passport, issued in Thailand, without an exit stamp from Thailand she might not be allowed to use it. She should make this trip as a US citizen and apply for a new Thai passport when back in the US.
 
Having a Thai passport is only really needed for any stays in Thailand longer than 30/60 days, in which case she should exit/enter the US with her US passport and enter/exit Thailand with her Thai passport.
 
Passports have no affect on citizenship.
 
 

My wife obtained a Thai passport after entering Thailand on a US passport and departing in the same manner. When we returned six months later and she entered on her fresh, unused Thai passport the official attempted to give her a bit of a hard time because of a perceived birthdate issue. She stood her ground and was allowed to pass. Never have had a problem since.


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[imjmn]

Leave the USA on the USA passport and enter Thailand on the Thai passport - reason the Thai passport shows an entry stamp.

 

If you renew the Thai passport in Thailand and there is no entry stamp - will this cause any problems with the renewal?

 

Her Thai passport would show an exit stamp if used to exit Thailand on herlast trip to the USA. Renewing the passport and no entry stamp hmmmmmm.

 

IMJMN

[Gumballl]

My youngest daughter has never used her Thai passport.  She was born in the US, and has always entered and left Thailand using her US passport.

 

My wife and I, as of last week, renewed her passport at the MoFA office in Korat (it took less than a week for the new PP to arrive by EMS).

 

When our holiday is over, it seems as if she has no choice but to exit using her US passport.  Otherwise the Immigration computer systems will not have a record of her checking out of the country.

 

Someday, if she returns back to Thailand for an indefinite stay, she would have to enter using her 'virgin' Thai passport.  I do not see the Immigration Official with any legal authority to refuse a Thai citizen back into the country.

 

P.S.  My older daughter exited Thailand in 2008 using her Thai passport, and have never returned using such (but has returned using US PP).  Her case is different though; she was born in Thailand, and had never used her US PP until she entered the US (for the first time) a day after exiting Thailand.

[habanero]

If you are not going to use it to enter Thailand. Why not get it renewed in the U.S.? Send it to the Thai embassy in Washington. In the meantime, use her U.S. passport to vacation in Thailand. 

 All the information for doing it in Washington is on the Thai Embassy web site. Or just call them. I have done this and it is actually pretty easy.

[lopburi3]

31 minutes ago, habanero said:

If you are not going to use it to enter Thailand. Why not get it renewed in the U.S.? Send it to the Thai embassy in Washington. In the meantime, use her U.S. passport to vacation in Thailand. 

 All the information for doing it in Washington is on the Thai Embassy web site. Or just call them. I have done this and it is actually pretty easy.

E-Passport must be applied for in person and that is clearly stated on Embassy web site.

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, thaitot said:

So here is my question do we really need to worry about her thai passport now can't she just enter the same as myself with her US passport(visa on entry), we are only staying for 3 weeks

and will be returning as we both have jobs then when it is convenient we can update her Thai passport.

I suggest she enter on her expired Thai passport. No problem for her to do that.

Then apply for a new one while here so that she can leave on her new passport. It will take less than a week for her to get the new passport.

List of passport offices in Thai is here. http://www.consular.go.th/main/th/organize/21037-หน่วยบริการหนังสือเดินทาง.html

Edit: If in the western part of the US there might be a mobile consular visit near you where she could apply for the new passport. See: http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_mobile.aspx

Edited July 29, 2017 by ubonjoe

[Gumballl]

40 minutes ago, habanero said:

If you are not going to use it to enter Thailand. Why not get it renewed in the U.S.? Send it to the Thai embassy in Washington. In the meantime, use her U.S. passport to vacation in Thailand. 

 All the information for doing it in Washington is on the Thai Embassy web site. Or just call them. I have done this and it is actually pretty easy.

You forgot to mention that getting to the Embassy, and parking, are a pain-in-the-a$$.

 

P.S.  I have not been to their new location; my comments reflect that of the older location.  Maybe things have changed.

[stevenl]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I suggest she enter on her expired Thai passport. No problem for her to do that.

Then apply for a new one while here so that she can leave on her new passport. It will take less than a week for her to get the new passport.

List of passport offices in Thai is here. http://www.consular.go.th/main/th/organize/21037-หน่วยบริการหนังสือเดินทาง.html

What would be the advantage over the OP's plan to enter Thailand on US passport and renew Thai passport in the US?

Disadvantages are clear.

[habanero]

7 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

E-Passport must be applied for in person and that is clearly stated on Embassy web site.

Please accept my apologies. Apparently with the new "chip" passport, one does have to go in person to renew their passport. I have not had to do that. When my passport was due to expire this time, I was already in Thailand. In the past, I just applied by mail to Washington.  One is always learning something on this site.

Again my apologies.  

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

What would be the advantage over the OP's plan to enter Thailand on US passport and renew Thai passport in the US?

Disadvantages are clear.

The advantage is no special trip required to visit a Consulate or attend an outreach visit and she can immediately use to exit Thailand (as entered on a Thai passport - always good to have that entry/exit form in passport when returning - although perhaps they will stop using now that automatic gates are common).  

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, stevenl said:

What would be the advantage over the OP's plan to enter Thailand on US passport and renew Thai passport in the US?

Disadvantages are clear.

Why not renew the passport here. Much better than making a trip to the consulate in the states to apply. 

An hour or so here at a passport office and then it is sent by EMS.

 

[stevenl]

15 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Why not renew the passport here. Much better than making a trip to the consulate in the states to apply. 

An hour or so here at a passport office and then it is sent by EMS.

 

Those are advantages from your perspective, OP has already said he prefers that route.

I personally agree and would prefer to do it inside Thailand.

Edited July 29, 2017 by stevenl

[asiaexpat]

My kids have all entered Thailand on USZ passport and obtained new Thai passports while in Thailand. Return trips to Bangkok with new (no stamps or departure card) Thai passports have never been a problem. Grandson just did the same this last month without any problem. Passport application on Tuesday and received passport on Friday via EMS. 

[Tanoshi]

19 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

My kids have all entered Thailand on USZ passport and obtained new Thai passports while in Thailand. Return trips to Bangkok with new (no stamps or departure card) Thai passports have never been a problem. Grandson just did the same this last month without any problem. Passport application on Tuesday and received passport on Friday via EMS. 

Are you saying they entered on a US passport but departed on Thai  passport?

[asiaexpat]

1 minute ago, Tanoshi said:

Are you saying they entered on a US passport but departed on Thai  passport?

No, entered on US Passport and departed on same. But after obtaining new Thai passport it was used to enter Thailand on subsequent visits. My point was they came back to Thailand with Thai passports with no stamps or TM6 in the passport and had no problem entering Thailand. The suggestions that entering with a clean Thai Passport is a problem may be unwarranted based on our experiences.

[Tanoshi]

3 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

No, entered on US Passport and departed on same. But after obtaining new Thai passport it was used to enter Thailand on subsequent visits. My point was they came back to Thailand with Thai passports with no stamps or TM6 in the passport and had no problem entering Thailand. The suggestions that entering with a clean Thai Passport is a problem may be unwarranted based on our experiences.

Thanks for the clarification. That is the correct procedure.

I ask only because some Thais entered using a foreign passport, renewed Thai passport, then departed on Thai passport, which leaves them on Immigrations database as a foreigner who entered, but never leaves.