Can a Thai national with dual nationality ignore a Non-O visa and enter Thailand on their Thai passport?

Dec 12, 2024
6 days ago
Stuart ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi I'm contacting you on behalf of a elderly thai friend of mine .

She unfortunately mistakenly entered Thailand on her US passport and has been put on a non o visa .

She has a Thai ID card She has just renewed her US passport so next time she travels will be a different US passport .

Can she now just forget about the non o visa and just make sure next time she travels make sure she enters Thailand on her Thai passport .

Thanks in advance for any information
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The individual can indeed shift from a Non-O visa back to using her Thai passport for future entries into Thailand. She was mistakenly issued a Non-O visa upon entering with her US passport but can later regularize her status by leveraging her Thai nationality. As a Thai citizen, she can obtain a free extension after initially entering on a free stamp. To switch passports, she must exit Thailand with her US passport and re-enter on her Thai passport, as nationality cannot be changed at land borders. Any existing fines for late reporting can be disputed, as the fine for missed 90-day reporting is capped at 2000 baht under normal circumstances.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
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  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
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Tod *********
Okay here's how that actually works

Thaiz that hold dual nationality enter the country ALL THE TIME on their other country passport. They get stamped in free for the duration that country's passport gets, SO this lady most likely got stamped in FREE stamp for 30 days (she entered the country over a year ago)

THEN

Thais just go to the immigration office, show their thai i/d and they can get a year extension on a free stamp entry based on them being a thai national (they don't need a Non-O to get the year issued, it's done right off a free stamp entry)

NOW because they're here AS a national of another country AND they have a long term extension (that does require 90 day reporting) they have to file a 90 day report.

She was totally exploited if she was charged 6k baht for a late 90 day report😡👎 because the max fine you can get is 2000baht whether you're 2 weeks late or 2 years late.

The only way the fine could be more on a late 90 day report is if you're arrested (for something else) and they find out you didn't do your report, that's when it can be the 2000baht a day up to 5000baht fine.

Once she gets both US passports back in the mail, she takes them to the immigration office and they will move the extension stamp to the new passport (the current year she's on expires in April).

She can apply for a new yearly extension based on being a thai here on another nationality passport again no problem for another 1900baht when this one runs down. I know thaiz who have multiple year extensions on their foreign country passport, it's no issue at all.

Sadly what she can't do is swap passports at a land border. 😮 you cannot change nationalities by land. She would have to fly out of thailand on her US passport (getting stamped out) then fly back in presenting her thai passport when she enters to switch nationalities.

That is in a nutshell how this whole situation has and has to play out
Lloyd ********
As a Thai, I believe she can get a free year extension even though she entered on a foreign passport
Ellie *******
@Lloyd *******
, is it ”free”? I know there is a 1-year extension by proving Thai nationality for the same fee of 1900 baht.
Sam ******
@Ellie ******
That was my daughter's situation as well. She'd entered Thailand on her Australian passport as her Thai passport had expired.

One year extension 1,900฿ based on Thai ID card.

All's Cool 😊
Lloyd ********
@Ellie ******
Ah ok, :-) You are probably right :-)
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