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What should I do about my visa extension now that I have Thai citizenship?

Thai citizenshipVisa extensionMarriage visaImmigration adviceOverstay regulationsDual nationality90-day reportingRe-entry permit
Jun 4, 2017
7 years ago
Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi everyone. I just received my Thai citizenship and have made my Thai ID and passport. I'm wondering what the procedure is concerning my visa extension based on marriage stamped in my American passport. It expires in mid October. I've been told that if I cancel it, or if I don't leave the country before it expires using my Thai passport (on leaving and re entering) that I could be charged for overstaying. I have no problem leaving before it expires. The Ministry of Interior told me to check with immigration, which I did. But I received conflicting info. The first officer said I should cancel my extension, but another officer who overheard us (not sure if she was the superior officer) said that I would be charged for overstay and should leave and re enter using my Thai passport. It's all a bit confusing and I'm wondering if anyone has experience with this. Sorry for the long post. Any advice is appreciated.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user recently obtained Thai citizenship and is seeking guidance on how to handle their visa extension based on marriage, which is currently in their American passport and is expiring soon. They received conflicting advice from immigration officers regarding whether to cancel the extension and how to exit and re-enter Thailand using their Thai passport. Comments from the community provided varying perspectives, with most suggesting to exit on the American passport to cancel the extension and re-enter on the Thai passport to avoid overstaying. The user was also advised about the need for a 90-day report before departure.
Tod *********
@Jenn****
, just so you know, when you do fly back to the US, you stamp out of thailand on your thai passport, and you use your US passport to get into america, You do the reverse comin' back. Leave the US with your american passport and stamp into thailand on your thai one.
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
For anyone who still gets notifications for this post, I would like to thank everyone for their advice. I left Thailand using my US passport so that my visa extension was cancelled and re entered using my Thai passport. I encountered no problems. Thank you all again😊
7 years ago
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Tod *********
(y)
7 years ago
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Tod *********
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Fernando ********
Wow till I saw this post I thought a farang could never get a Thai passport?!
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@An**
, This is a good (y) (but extremely LONG :/ ) thread about acquiring thai citizenship.

If you read the beginning then go to the last pages and read backwards you can get some good information about the process.

*************************************************************************************
*****
3-story-of-my-thai-citizenship-application/
7 years ago
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Fernando ********
Easy
@Tod ********
... but thanks for that info :)
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@An**
, if a baby is born in thailand to parents who are foreigners they do NOT get to become thai unless the parents hold permanent residence status.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Anfi *******
 if you have a thai parent (whether you're born in thailand or not you're ALREADY a thai ;) )

To qualify for citizenship based on marriage to a thai a male foreigner has to be married 5 years, be legally working work permit, file thai taxes for xx number of years and a whole bunch more of paperwork.

Foreign women marrying thai men have a far simpler route to go.

Google is your friend. There are a TON of topics about it.
7 years ago
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Fernando ********
First time I hear about it as if you are not born on Thai soil or have Thai parents seems to be pretty impossible to get it.

Please would you mind sharing which way exactly you can get it as a foreigner?

I have tons of married foreign friends here in Thailand, none of them seems to be able to get it.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
HUNDREDS of foreigners get thai citizenship every year. It's not that uncommon.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I am sorry for the continuous questions and confusion. My plan is to fly out of Thailand to Milan at the end of July( without a re entry permit and before my visa extension expires). I will show both passports along with my Thai ID at the ticket counter and immigration upon leaving and ask them what is necessary upon arrival. Hopefully everything will go smoothly. I will post here as to the process and outcome. Thanks again everyone😊
7 years ago
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Tod *********
I wouldn't ask or show them anything when you fly out because in the eyes of a passport stamping official at the airport you're leaving as an American.;)

Only show them your thai passport when you fly back in. :)
7 years ago
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Tod *********
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Laurence **********
Interesting stuff.....thanks for sharing.
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you all for your quick responses and advice. This page is extremely helpful😊
7 years ago
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Tod *********
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess Jennifer, applied for and received thai citizenship based on being married to a thai man.

The process is FAR simpler and straightforward than a foreign guy married to a thai woman.
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yes. We both felt quite silly when asked😊
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Jenn****
, Yep, you could have applied after just 5 years of marriage..
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yes. From what I understand the process for women with a Thai spouse is far less complicated. The only question that I encountered several times during the interviews was why my husband and I hadn't applied sooner. (To which our answer was "we heard it was a very difficult and time consuming process)
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
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Tod *********
@Jennifer ********
, just so you know THAIS can't be charged for overstay EVER no matter what an immigration officer says. I know a TON of thais who mistakenly entered the country on another passport and when stamping out they just showed their thai i/d card and had the overstay fine waived.

What I would do though, is listen to Peter, just before your current extension expires, fly out of thailand on your American passport (getting stamped out and in essence canceling your extension). Then fly back in on your thai passport.
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you Peter Laird😊
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you
@Tod ********
. I will do that😊
7 years ago
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Tod *********
FWIW: you CANNOT change passports at a land border crossing, it can only be done by flyin' in and out.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
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Adrien ******
Exit Thailand on your Thai Passport. Enter the US on your American Passport
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
, that is my plan. Thanks again for your information and advice.😊
7 years ago
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Joe ******
Tod Daniels Well that's what I say, Until she comes back on a Thai Passport.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Jenn****
, Right, don't buy any re-entry permit and that extension cancels when you stamp out. And yes DO do your 90 day report like normal in July..
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Joe *****
 No, they meant while she's still here on her current extension of stay on the US passport she's still required to do a 90 day report even though she's already acquired thai citizenship.

She won't get outta that until she comes back in as a "thai". ;)
7 years ago
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Joe ******
PeeJay Ess - You mean: "You will have to take care of your 90 day report as usual until the time you're here on your THAI passport." ?

If she re-enters on her US Passport, she will need to report again every 90 days but not if she enters Thailand on her Thai Passport. Wouldn't that make more sense? Don't know.
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you. You've been most helpful.
7 years ago
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PeeJay *****
If you exit the country on your US passport without procuring a reentry permit (single/multiple), your extension of stay will be automatically invalidated.

You will have to take care of your 90 day report as usual until the time you're here on your US passport.
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Also, my 90 day report is due in mid July. I should take care of that before exiting Thailand as well?
7 years ago
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Jennifer *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
A valid question. I hadn't thought of that. I don't have a multiple re entry permit and assume that I need not apply for a re entry permit when I leave the country before my visa expires?
7 years ago
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PeeJay *****
Tod, just out of curiosity. What if she has a multi reentry permit valid until Oct? While exiting on US passport and reentering on her Thai passport will eliminate the overstay issue, her extension of stay will still stay valid until Oct, no?
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Adrien *****
 Right but your wife was a thai by birth NOT a naturalized one like
@Jenn****
.

Seeing as she's currently here on an extension of stay based on marriage to a thai national on her US passport. That's why she hasta fly out and back in to switch over to her Thai one..
7 years ago
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Adrien ******
Understood. Yes my Ex-Wife had duel nationality. But was born in Thailand.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Adr***
, Sorry, the OP just received her thai citizenship and is still in the country under the extension of stay she had based on marriage which is in her US passport.

What you're talking is the process a thai stamps into and out of thailand on their thai passport when entering the US. That's where you do the passport swap.

She'd need to stamp out & fly out on her US passport, then fly back in on her thai one to do the switch.
7 years ago
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Adrien ******
You are in Thailand. You exit Thailand on your Thai Passport (by Air) and enter the US on your US Passport. You have duel nationality. So no issues. Why complicate the issue.....or am I missing something lol
7 years ago
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Adrien ******
@Tod ********
 My ex wife did it for 16 Years with no issues
7 years ago
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Paul ********
SILLY IDEA
7 years ago
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Paul ********
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