Thread: Holding dual passports...

What is the skinny on this issue, William?

I have heard that legally one can not have both a US or UK passport and a Thai passport. But yet, I know people that do. What gives? And please remember that I am a hillbilly so please talk slowly.

yes you can, my daughter who will be 4 in August has had both a UK and a Thai passport before she was even 6 months old, dual nationality is now accepted by the Thai authorities and has been for some time now.

^ I agree with BB , my son has Aus/Thai passports and uses both, coming and going,so no need for visas.Thai immigration has no problems withn this.

I think they have to make a decision on their nationality when they get to a certain age...though I don't know if anyone checks up on this.

My Daughter (4 years born in Germany) has German/Thai passports. She has to make a decision when she is 18 years old according to the german law. But who knows what will be in 14 years.

Wayne Jnr holds both ... the Thai and Australian authorities told me he can do this for life. Know a few older Thais that hold multiple passports too. Don't know about US or UK.

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

My Daughter (4 years born in Germany) has German/Thai passports. She has to make a decision when she is 18 years old according to the german law. But who knows what will be in 14 years.

are you sure?? my friend who is half german and half british, holds both a german and british passport, as far as i know (i could be wrong though as i am not german) Germany accepts dual nationality.

Originally Posted by NickA

I think they have to make a decision on their nationality when they get to a certain age...though I don't know if anyone checks up on this.

i think this has something to do with boys being elidgable for national service if they have Thai nationality.

legally, you cannot have dual nationality with Thai nationality.

That said, the only "check" on this is a box on the application form which asks whether or not the applicant holds nationality of another country.

Guess how many people tick it

In the old days you could not hold dual nationality with US nationality (at least, you could not when I was a youngester). I understand this has now changed (in fact, I'm almost certain it has).

As far as I am aware, you have always been able to hold dual nationaility with British nationality.

HB, if you are interested in the subject, the rules are set out in the Nationality Act B.E. 2508 (1965), as amended.

I think there may have been a recent amendment so I might take another look at this.

Originally Posted by hillbilly

What is the skinny on this issue, William?

I have heard that legally one can not have both a US or UK passport and a Thai passport. But yet, I know people that do. What gives? And please remember that I am a hillbilly so please talk slowly.

Looking at it from the perspective of the U.S. one cannot lose U.S. citizenship unless such is voluntarily given up (even voting/serving in foreign armed services won't cause loss of citizenship due to Supreme Court rulings to the effect that 'a basic constitutional right of any American is U.S. citizenship').

So, if you're talking about dual Thai/U.S. then it won't be U.S. law causing lose of nationality.

^Yes mate - there's fuck all chance the IRS will let you give up US citizenship these days

my old man revoked his US citizenship. But that was back in '64/65 (not too sure which).

He told me that when he recently went to visit the US to see his sister, he was interviewed for half a day by immigration on why he had revoked his citizenship - and did he not believe in the good old US of A.

Being from Northern Ireland I have a British one and an Irish one, Its not legal but everyone here does it.

I have dual nationality and two passports.

The thing to be careful with is some countries have very strict rules regarding 'swearing allegence' so you may loose nationality by swearing 'allegence'.

Joining a foreign military may be such a case, but there are also allowances or exceptions where military service is compulsory - hence the service and oaths of allegence during the service are not a voluntary act.

my kids have 2 already and a third is promessed to them as they will turn 17, this will be the Thai one ...

The law will not change William in the next 14 years ?

^mate, I cannot tell you if the law will change or not in the next 14 days, let alone years

Aussies are allowed up hold up to three passports for life.
Uk at least two
Thais can have two at birth Mum's and Dad's, they must revoke one of them at 22 y. o.
No Thai is llowed two passports, the King being an exception he has or did have USA as well.
I can get a Thai passport by re-nouncing my Australian one (handing it over), but the Thai government can not stop me from applying for a new Australian Passport at a later date.
What they don't know won't hurt them, or me.

For an Australian this would be a bad choice as there are no pension or other agreements with Thailand at present.
On the other hand a Norwegian can get a Thai passport, and the Norwegian pension will be paid.

You have to check each country to find the loopholes, there are plenty if you look hard.

^good peiece of knowledge. Thanks for sharing

The desire to maintain a single citizenship is nothing more than an attempt by various governments to maintain the feudal relationship between subject and state.

quite

I have two concurrent British passports, which is nice

I did have three at one time, but when I went to the embassy in Cairo to renew one, they confiscated all three. Eventually they let me have two back

The same feudal mentality exists here too. Why must I give up my Oregon driver's license if I move to California?

It's all about control.

In Canada, you can have dual citizenship.

I am not sure that William is right about Thailand. I know so many Thais with dual citizenships. And here, it looks like it's unclear:

Information about specific countries
http://matrix.bangkokpost.co.th/forums/thread.php?http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t31508.html

But I don't know. I will also verify.

^Hi Sebastien

Likewise, I know a number of Thais with dual nationaility (even some with three if they include the Chinese), but I believe they merely ignore ticking the box that asks if they hold any other nationality when applying for their passport, etc.

My 3yo son has both Thai and U.S. Nationality with both birth Documents and passports.
As far as I see it, This is a God given Birth right and NO Man or Country can stirp a person
of his or her Nationality!.