Answered5 years ago

Can I stay in Thailand without extending my visa and leave with my Thai passport after entering with my French passport?

Visa Exemption Thai Passport Visa Extension Overstay Immigration Rules Dual Citizenship

asked Jan 6, 2022

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Question about double passport/overstay

Hi everyone, I entered Thailand under visa exemption 1 month with my French passport. I am going to ask for my Thai passport (couldn't do it before in foreign countries).

Can I just stay in Thailand without extending my visa and leave with my Thai passport ? 

I thought of leaving by land border and re-enter with the Thai passport but it is not possible now. Has someone ever entered with a foreign passport and left with a Thai passport ? 

It should be a problem since the immigration would have my information from the French passport in their records like I never left Thailand. But do they check anything if you leave with a new passport? Seeking for advices now 🙏🏻

Answer summary

The user inquired about staying in Thailand while holding dual citizenship, having entered on a French passport but seeking to obtain a Thai passport. Responses advised that they cannot remain illegally and recommended applying for a one-year extension of stay to avoid overstaying, using both their French passport and the proof of Thai nationality. It was also clarified that they cannot switch passports while in Thailand and must leave the country on their French passport before returning with the Thai passport.

13 repliesnewest first

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Tod *********

I let this post in and will give you the answer

Whether you hold a thai nationality or not, you entered on a french passport so in the eyes of the thaiz you're here as a french citizen.

You can go to the immigration office WITH your french passport and proof of your thai nationality and get a year extension based on being thai (who entered on another passport)

You CANNOT leave the country on any other passport than the french one. AND you cannot switch passports at land crossings (even if there were any open). You have to fly out and back in to switch passports.

5 years ago

Thitsana ********

@Janni *******

But Lao isn't a country with exemption of visa for Thai nationals ?

5 years ago

Janni ********

Sorry this was meant to reply to the other post and that admins are indeed correct.

5 years ago

Benjamin ******

@Siggi *******

That's news to me; do you have any proof of that?

5 years ago

Siggi ********

@Benjamin *****

i think you have to proof that any Thai was refused entry to it's home country. You can enter with id, run out passport, even without any ID (when you are able to pass the other country immigration) the only point is that the immigration has the right to check your identity. So a id is 100% enough, an run out passport too because it holds all information to identify the holder. No country can refuse entry for it own citizen. Otherwise international travel wouldn't work. And this is not only valid for Thailand but for all countries.

5 years ago

Ellie *******

@Siggi *******

, Do you know any actual case someone could switch the passports specifically at the land border?

5 years ago

Thitsana ********

@Tod ********

Thank you for your reply, I didn't know it was not possible to switch passport at a land border

5 years ago

Tod *********

@ธิษณา ********

just go get the year (i'm thai) extension, to buy you time.

Then when ever you do decide to fly out and back to switch passports just stamp out at the airport on the french one, fly to another country, stamp in and out and then fly back to thailand and stamp back in on your thai passport..

5 years ago

Tod *********

This is what that one year "thai entered on a foreign passport" extension stamp looks like

5 years ago

Bernie *******

@Tod ********

how much does immigration charge for this extension as my partner will need to enter on her Australian passport because of her Covid certificate is linked to it but she also has a Thai passport in her maiden name.

5 years ago

Benjamin ******

@Bernie ******

All extension of stays are 1,900 THB at the local immigration office 🙂

5 years ago

Robert *******

You can apply for the 1 year Extension of Stay to avoid overstay during the process of getting a new Thai passport.

You HAVE to cancel this Extension of Stay in your foreign passport, it does not go away automatically.

Fly out to another country and use your Thai passport to come back into Thailand.

5 years ago

Benjamin ******

You can not stay illegally on your French passport, and you can not "change passports" inside Thailand. You can use your Thai passport or the documents that you used to request a Thai passport as proof of citizenship and request a one year extension of stay based on being a Thai national. This will cost 1,900 THB at the local immigration office.

5 years ago