Multiple passports and visit stamps

[YimSiam]

Hi all, 

Anyone have experience or knowledge of how Thai immigration sees and deals with persons with multiple passports?  A friend has two US passports, issued to facilitate frequent business travel and totally above-board, different numbers but same identity.  She has a condo in Bangkok and is quite well-settled and so doesn't want to get in trouble that might cause problems or get her blocked from entering, since her life is all based out of Bangkok.  Not old enough for a retirement visa yet, kind of considering the Elite visa as a solution, but in the meantime can do frequent 30 day stamps on arrival.  Anyone know if this is likely to be detected - rotating the two passports on a regular basis, coming in through the airport rather than land visa runs.  Are they going to identify that she's using two passports, and if they do, is there any limit to coming and going with 30 day stamps split between two passports?

Thanks!  

YimSiam🙂

[Flashermac]

I knew a guy years ago who had both US and UK citizenship. The only time it caused a problem was when he left on his UK passport and came back on the US one. Immigration looked at his US passport and said, "How can we let you in when according to your passport you haven't left yet?"

[migrant]

The wife has US and Thai passports.  She leaves, and enters, Thailand on the Thai one and same with the US one in the states only.

 

The first time she did this it made her nervous and she mixed them up.  The Thai immigration officer explained it to her.  Now, 15 years later, never a problem.

[YimSiam]

Thanks for comments - I also have two passports, but not issued by the same state.  In the case of my friend, she has two passports issued by the same country, to facilitate frequent travel, one passport with embassy for visa issuance in some country, while she's off traveling to another.  Both US passports, but with different numbers.  Think they are counting you as a single individual, or might there be room to increase the time spent in LOS by rotating?  (As I understand there are limits on the 30 day visit stamps within time periods?)

I guess she'll find out - but with a condo and life in Bkk, she doesn't want to find out the hard way!

YimSiam

[radioman]

I have two passports, both UK, both active, same reason as your friend. Never been an issue here over about 4 or 5 years I was working in the Middle East and traveling back here in and out on 30 day stamps, no problem. Most visits then were 10 days or so and once every few weeks. I would alternate the passports with no real concern. It did get commented on one time in Doha when I was in and out on visit visas before I had a residency permit but I just mentioned that I had two for business purposes and that was fine. Plenty of countries issue two if asked for though I know that now in UK they want to see some supporting evidence as to why you need it, letter from company MD/CEO etc.

 

[YimSiam]

Thanks.  Guess I'll tell her give it a go and see how long it works, and if it all goes south, I'll house-sit the place for a few months til she gets sorted.  That's what friends are for!