Thread: Child - Dual citizensip - a problem

Originally Posted by OhOh

You should also be able to accompany him into Thailand using the gate for Thai citizens, if you have a foreign passport, which may save you some time.

Yes. That was quite handy!

[/quote]

I've got dual Australian Thai citizenship.

You've managed to get the computers nickers in a twist for sure. You have your son in Thailand on an australian passport, while at the same time, you've got your son's Thai passport having 'never left' the country after the return from Laos.

Lesson learned - the Thai immigration computer is like an accountant - debits must equal credits!

Suggest you do this:

- when you do eventually leave for OZ - show the Thai passport at immigraton at the airport to be stamped out on. This should be OK as as far as the computer is concerned, your son (the Thai citizen) had never left Thailand since his last trip to laos.

- Enter OZ on the OZ passport (of course)

- from that point onwards - ALWAYS enter and exit Thailand using the Thai passport. Never again, should your son (the Australian version of him at least) step on Thai soil.

It 'should' work, but if it doesn't feign ignorance, look aplogectic, and show the OZ one to be stamped out on.

General rule is always depart Thailand on the passport you entered on. As a general rule also, I travel around Asia on my Thai passport (usually the visa's are easier) and use my Australian passport for travelling to 'the west'.

If in future there are issues with re-entering Thailand on the Thai passport, ask the immigration officer if you can speak with the supervisor. It is possible to overide the system, you just need to be insistent and stand your ground (trust me, I've done it myself).[/quote]


Thank you, Samran. What you say makes perfect sense. The only exception is that I do not think now trying to exit Thailand with his Thai passport is a good idea as:

1. He has a Thai entry stamp in his AUS passport together with the departure card stamped and stapled to his AUS passport.

2. If he leaves on his Thai passport it will show (at least in his AUS passport) that he never left Thailand. Not sure if it matters but sounds like he may have a problem again as far as the Thai immigration computer system is concerned.

His Thai passport is nearly expired so perhaps it is easier for him to just exit on AUS passport and apply for a new Thai one in AUS next time and use it properly.

Thanks again
B

Just one more thing if I may ask here.

We are currently travelling near Nong Khai so for him to avoid overstaying I am thinking to get my son to do a visa run. My wife will take him through the friendship bridge to Laos and return a couple of hours later. Will he get fresh 30 days that way?

Thanks for any help.

B

Problem with your idea is that if you leave thailand on the australian passport your son (the thai version of him) will still be in thailand. As such next time he comes back he'll still have the same problems even though he has a new thai passport as they are linked.

With my suggestion at least next time he'll be able to come back to thailand as a thai citizen- as is his right.

The only caveat though, is that he should never again enter thailand on the oz passport - which is silly if you think about it the other way around (why would you enter oz on thai passport when you have an oz one?)

The other 'sneaky' alternative' given you are at nong khai is simply to go there and stamp him out on the oz passport - pretending that you are going to laos. People move around the immigration area pretty easily as many people take their cars across and have to walk back into thailand after they stamp their passports to get in their car. Your son though turns around and goes home. Again have done that myself when I took my car across. Go scout the border post and you'll see what I mean.

Then at least the australian version of your son has left thailand while the thai version is still there. When you leave thailand at the airport - get stamped out on the thai passport as per normal.

Hi Samran,

Your Nong Khai idea is sneaky and pretty smart, but there is one major flaw in it - it's illegal. I know it may have worked for you but it doesn't make it legal and one can get caught very easily despite all the confusion at the immigration gates.

The idea to exit Thailand on his Thai passport should work but again there is a problem. Where is the Thai exit stamp in his Thai passport? Australian immigration may want to know why he didn't exit Thailand on his Aus passport.

His was a Thai citizen born o/s. For individuals like himself there is a rule that he must enter Thailand on Thai passport next time he enters Thailand. Unfortunately we overlooked it and that is why the hassle.

During our coversation with the senior immigration officer at Suvanapum, she said that once he gets his new version of Thai passport the system will be reset. Yes, the two passports will be linked but now there will be explanation as to what happens. The main problem was that he did not use his overseas issued Thai passport to enter Thailand in the first place. This will be fixed with the re-issued passport. They are now putting a stamp for those kind of passports specifying just that - he must enter Thailand with it first.

Thanks again for the advice.
B

Originally Posted by samran

Problem with your idea is that if you leave thailand on the australian passport your son (the thai version of him) will still be in thailand. As such next time he comes back he'll still have the same problems even though he has a new thai passport as they are linked.

With my suggestion at least next time he'll be able to come back to thailand as a thai citizen- as is his right.

The only caveat though, is that he should never again enter thailand on the oz passport - which is silly if you think about it the other way around (why would you enter oz on thai passport when you have an oz one?)

The other 'sneaky' alternative' given you are at nong khai is simply to go there and stamp him out on the oz passport - pretending that you are going to laos. People move around the immigration area pretty easily as many people take their cars across and have to walk back into thailand after they stamp their passports to get in their car. Your son though turns around and goes home. Again have done that myself when I took my car across. Go scout the border post and you'll see what I mean.

Then at least the australian version of your son has left thailand while the thai version is still there. When you leave thailand at the airport - get stamped out on the thai passport as per normal.

No overstay fine for kids, both mine have done it on their UK passports. Always causes amusement and smiles with the officials.

Thanks Samran for all the helpful advice.

Cheers

B

Originally Posted by samran

Originally Posted by bangkokpi

Hi Samran,

Your Nong Khai idea is sneaky and pretty smart, but there is one major flaw in it - it's illegal. I know it may have worked for you but it doesn't make it legal and one can get caught very easily despite all the confusion at the immigration gates.

The idea to exit Thailand on his Thai passport should work but again there is a problem. Where is the Thai exit stamp in his Thai passport? Australian immigration may want to know why he didn't exit Thailand on his Aus passport.

His was a Thai citizen born o/s. For individuals like himself there is a rule that he must enter Thailand on Thai passport next time he enters Thailand. Unfortunately we overlooked it and that is why the hassle.

During our coversation with the senior immigration officer at Suvanapum, she said that once he gets his new version of Thai passport the system will be reset. Yes, the two passports will be linked but now there will be explanation as to what happens. The main problem was that he did not use his overseas issued Thai passport to enter Thailand in the first place. This will be fixed with the re-issued passport. They are now putting a stamp for those kind of passports specifying just that - he must enter Thailand with it first.

Thanks again for the advice.
B

yeah my sneaky idea borders the bounds of legality - deffo ignore it, but it was worth floating. Best to stick to my first suggestion then....

I was a born on OZ as well FWIW with my first Thai passport obtained in Canberra in 1992. Been passport swapping since then, depending on convinence.

As for your conversation with the offical and saying the system will 'reset' - interesting, but sounds strange given that the new passport generally gives details of the last passport travelled on. I'd take their assurances of the system 'resetting' with a grain of salt. In my experiences, the Thai databases for things are pretty good, especially where their is and ID number involved.

So I'd stick with leaving Thailand on the Thai passport at Suvanaphum. Next entry, as said, enter on the Thai passport, but this time, if I was you, if you have issues I wouldn't budge till they stamp him in on the Thai passport. Call over the supervisor and get him to sort it out then and there. And 'lose' the old Thai passport before you travel. Having said that, I don't think there will be any problems, so long as he properly departs Thailand on his Thai passport.

As for your 'stamps' question, I think you are worrying over nothing. Many countries don't stamp out people these days (eg Australia doesn't stamp out its own nationals, the US doesn't stamp out anyone!).

Australian immigration won't care if he does/doesn't have an exit stamp from Thailand, purely because it isn't their job to care for purposes of entry into Australia - all that matters to them is that he has the right to enter Australia (which he does) and that he isn't carrying restricted or contraband good.

I split my time between Australia and Thailand and at last count, my three year old Thai passport had at least 30 exits and entries from it, by my Australian passport barely has a stamp. Even though they don't match up, I've never been questioned, except when pulled over for the "random" customs search - and even then, I've never been asked to show a 'stamp trail'.

Traveled through a bunch of places in the world doing the passport swap - it works fine (so long as you enter and leave the country on the same passport!!!). The only place where I don't suggest swapping passports is travelling around Asia where those in the next country generally want to see the previous countries stamps (this is especially true when travelling by land).

Anyway, all the best, and hopefully the issue sorts itself out...

Originally Posted by Bobcock

No overstay fine for kids, both mine have done it on their UK passports. Always causes amusement and smiles with the officials.

Thanks!

Haven't read all the replies. but went through a simaler thing a few months ago, baby born in Oz . Oz passport, birth certificate issued from Thai Embassy In OZ. Enter Thailand on OZ passport. Issued a Thai passport in Ubon, crossed over to Lao on the OZ passport and re entered on the Thai passport. Explained to the boss at Chong Mek and he fixed the computer up. No problem, very helpful Jim