What are the best practices for traveling with dual US-Thai citizenship regarding passport usage?

Sep 1, 2024
3 months ago
Kree ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Anybody have Dual Citizenship, here?!!!

Need some advice from you.....

Dual Passports questions.....

Both Passports are Current.

Me - My Parents are Thai...

Born in the U.S.A. became a Thai Citizen at 13.

I understand that I can leave the U.S. with my U.S. Passport and enter Thailand using my Thai Passport....to avoid getting a VISA....

What happens when my U.S. Passport doesn't have a DESTINATION?

OR

Enter Thailand with my U.S. Passport and then take a trip to Laos and enter Laos with Thai Passport.

Will there be any complications?

Positive feedback on this would be much appreciated!!!!!

Or if any one knows of a Professional in this matter, please send contact information to my INBOX....THANKS!!!!

TIA.....
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The discussion addresses the complexities of traveling with dual US-Thai citizenship, focusing on the correct usage of each passport. It highlights best practices such as entering Thailand with a Thai passport to avoid visa requirements and managing exit and entry processes for international trips, particularly those to Laos. Key advice includes consistently using the same passport for entering and leaving a country, understanding immigration requirements, and ensuring proper documentation to avoid complications at borders.
Kree ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
THANKS EVERYONE!!!! MUCH APPRECIATED!!!!!!
Steve *******
Why on earth would you enter Thailand on a US passport? Or enter Laos with same when you have a Thai passport. Don’t.

But enjoy paying US taxes for the rest of your life.
David ******
As others said: use your USA passport to exit USA, enter Thailand using Thai passport (stay as long as you wish). Exit Thailand with Thai passport and enter USA with USA passport. Very likely airline gate agent may question if you have no return ticket. Just show your Thai passport and they will note it into their system. We do it all the time.

When going to Laos or Cambodia, use your Thai passport as no visa is required for Thai passport holders.

When departing Thailand, use your Thai passport to exit Thailand immigration. At the departure airline, the gate agent may ask to see your USA passport.

Upon arrival to USA, Immigration officers or kiosk in USA will just welcome you back. Questions they will ask: are you bringing in food, how was your trip, etc.

Enjoy your trip to Thailand 🇹🇭
Gregor **********
@David *****
??? Exit Thailand with Thai passport ??????? . . . . . . . . . This needs a slight correction, because you forgot something:

you cannot check in onto a flight from Thailand to the USA with your Thai passport - a Thai needs a visa for this purpose, or a stay permit for the USA stamped into the passport

So, the correct procedure is: Check-in to the flight with your U.S. passport, and exit Thailand through Immigration with your Thai passport
David ******
@Gregor *********
ah… good catch: let me rephrase:

Departing your USA home airport:

1. Present USA passport to airline gate agent.

2. Arrive Thailand- Present Thai immigration with Thai passport.

Leaving Thailand:

1. Present airline counter agent with USA passport

2. Exit Thai immigration with Thai passport.

3. Arriving USA: Present USA passport to USA immigration or use kiosk to check in.

I apologize for the incorrect information. 🤗
Gregor **********
@David *****
sorry to burst your bubble . . . . you ALMOST got it, yet it is not fully correct

Upon check-in with the airline in the U.S.A., you need to present your THAI passport, not your US passport

Because if you try to check-in with your US passport, you will either need a visa for Thailand, or the proof of onward travel within the 60-days visa-exempt you will get stamped into Thailand using a US passport. The airline is required to check

After check-in , you LEAVE the USA with your US passport
Kenny *****
Just use the same passport entering and leaving the same country, US immigration has no rights to ask u about exit stamps from Thailand, they should ask Thai immigration directly, since u cannot tell Thai immigration what to stamp or no stamp. Just my opinion.
Hiram ********
No issues switching here.
John *******
It is fine to switch via airport, but can’t switch at landborder. I had two USA passports once and needed to switch over from one to the other (back in 2006). Tried this by exiting Laos on one and entering Thailand on the other. Immigration really didn’t like that. Was at the border for hours
Chantal *******
Sorry to ask but what is your Gender?If u use Thaï passport u must be asked to draw the color for military service...
Michael ********
Go to Thai Citizenship group they have great article there about travelling with a Thai and another passport. Half answers here are wrong.
Perry *******
Recommend using ONE passport for each trip

-- else it will be difficult to explain.
Perry *******
-- You can either learn from other's experiences or learn from your own. Your Choice.

*** My offspring have dual citizenship and have traveled both ways with 2 passports and with one.

-- One passport has always been easier
Steve *******
@Perry ******
Not really.
Todd *********
@Perry ******
recommend you re-think that advice.
Graham ******
@Perry ******
Not necessary, read the post above
Kanthira *************
My son dual US-Thai. He is entering with Thai passport when arrive in Thailand. And entering with US passport when he arrive in Us.
James ****************
This is no problem, enter with the passport of the country you are entering. When you depart Thailand bound for the USA airline checkin may ask to see both passports.
Sascha **********
Similar experience having a Dutch and Russian passport, when I travel between the two countries I show my NL passport in NL and RU passport in RU, get the comment ‘oh but you don’t have a Dutch/Russian visa’ and then show them the other passport. I never travel anywhere else with the Russian one though, because from what I understand if I get in trouble I will only get consular assistance from the country whose passport I used to enter.

So in your case, if you use your Thai passport to enter Laos, you’d have to ask the Thai embassy for help if anything happens.
Dennis ******
Never had a problem. One immigration officer told me to use the passport of the country you are going into, if you have one.

If you get a stamp in your passport when you enter, you need to use that passport when you exit, because they need to stamp you out. If you give them a different passport when you exit, there won't be the stamp that gave you permission to enter.
Brandon ************
You cannot change passports at a land border. To enter Laos you would need to show the exit stamp from the passport you exit Thailand with in order to enter Laos.
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