Should I get my Thai passport? A luk khrueng guide

What changed in September 2026

From 15 September 2026, Thailand gives visitors from the countries on its visa exemption list up to 30 days per entry, for tourism only. Before that, the visa-free stay was 60 days. The UK government and the Danish embassy in Bangkok both confirm the 30-day stay from that date. Trade press reports that the Ministry of Interior notifications were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 and that the list now covers 60 countries and territories.

If you visit family on your other passport, that’s now the rule for you. Short trips don’t change much. Long summers with yai, a few months between jobs, or a trial year of living in Thailand now need a visa or a different plan. If you are timing a trip around Songkran or a family holiday, the dates are in Thai public holidays 2027.

The visa exemption scheme is a rule for foreign visitors. A Thai national on a Thai passport enters as a Thai citizen, not under that scheme. That’s why the question in the title comes up now.

Can you be Thai?

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says: “A child who was born to either or both Thai parents is qualified for Thai citizenship and is, therefore, eligible to a Thai passport.” Being born abroad doesn’t change that. If you were born abroad to a Thai mother, she notifies the Thai embassy so a Thai birth certificate can be issued.

If only your father is Thai and your parents weren’t married, the Ministry lists three routes: your parents marry later, your father registers you as his legitimate child, or a court order. London’s embassy also says that in this case your father must register you as his child. Ask your embassy if this is your situation.

The paper trail, in order

A Thai passport is usually the last step, not the first. Most embassies expect the steps in this order.

1. Birth registration. It’s free in Stockholm, London, Canberra and Berlin. Embassies usually ask for your local birth certificate (some want it legalised), your parents’ passports, the Thai parent’s ID card and house registration, a marriage certificate if your parents are married, and a photo. Stockholm only registers children born in Sweden or Latvia. You post copies first, then sign in person. In London, the child and both parents attend. Our guide to registering a birth at a Thai embassy compares the posts in detail.

Grown up and never registered? The Berlin and Canberra embassies say a person aged 15 or over can apply for their own Thai birth registration. London has extra steps for births before 1 March 1992. We found no single official page that covers every adult case, so a short email to your embassy is the best first step.

2. House registration. Washington DC can’t process a second Thai passport without a Thai ID number. Stockholm issues only 5-year passports to people who aren’t in a house registration. Ask your embassy whether someone in Thailand can do this step for you with a power of attorney. Our house registration guide goes through it.

3. ID card. Stockholm, Canberra and Washington DC all say the first Thai ID card is made only in Thailand. Adults need a valid Thai ID card to apply for a Thai passport at an embassy. More in the Thai ID card for people born abroad.

4. Passport. You apply in person, because the embassy takes your photo and fingerprints. For a first adult passport, London asks for your Thai birth certificate and a valid Thai ID card. In Stockholm, adults (20 and over) can choose 5 years (370 SEK) or 10 years (550 SEK), under-20s get 5 years, and it takes about 4 to 6 weeks. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that a Thai national can hold only one Thai passport.

For a child. Under-20s count as minors for a Thai passport. Usually both parents come and sign a consent in front of the officer (Stockholm, London and Washington DC). London notes that a child under 20 without a Thai ID card can still get a 5-year passport.

Things to weigh before you start

Your other citizenship. Whether you can keep it depends on your other country’s law. Sweden says: “Sverige tillåter dubbelt och flerfaldigt medborgarskap” (Sweden allows dual and multiple citizenship). The UK says dual citizenship is allowed. The US Department of State says US law does not impede holding another nationality. On the Thai side, a 2019 Royal Thai Embassy note says the Nationality Act “does not … specifically [forbid] any Thai national to hold dual citizenship.” That is a diplomatic note, not the Act itself. If your other country isn’t listed here, check its official page. Our guide to Thai dual citizenship for Sweden, the UK and the US goes through each country’s rules.

Military registration for Thai men. Embassy pages say Thailand’s conscription law covers Thai men living abroad too. The Oslo embassy writes: “Any Thai male with several citizenships, holding Thai birth certificate is obliged by law to undergo conscription.” Registration (สด.9) happens at your district office in the year you turn 17; Washington DC says “17 or about to turn 18”. Someone can register for you with a power of attorney, and students abroad can ask for a deferment through the embassy. If this applies to you or your son, contact your embassy early. Asking is always fine. The details, with each embassy’s wording, are in our guide to Thai military service for luk khrueng men.

Crossing borders with two passports. Thai embassy pages in Washington DC and Paris say to leave Thailand on the same passport you used to enter. We found no official page that says which one you must enter on. The UK advises: “If you’re a dual national, it is best to leave Thailand on the same passport you used to enter.” US citizens “must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.” Ask your embassy before you travel. Our guide to which passport to use when entering Thailand has each source’s wording.

To find the office that covers you, see Thai embassies and consulates for families, by country.

What we couldn’t confirm

We only publish what an official page says. These questions have no official answer we could find, so they’re not in this guide:

• which passport a dual national must use to enter Thailand
• how land and property rules apply to dual nationals
• whether every embassy follows the same steps for adults born abroad

We re-check this guide at least every 90 days.

Thai embassy websites

Each US post serves specific states. Washington DC lists them on its conscription page.

Thai words on this page are a draft until a native speaker has reviewed them.