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Dual nationality

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 2:39 pm
by tdealing
Hey guys,

I have finally attended the citizenship ceremony on Wednesday and officially I'm a British national, wooo wooo!

The question is, my "home country" Slovakia doesn't allow dual citizenship which I am fine with, but the thing is, I am going to Thailand in three weeks for 2 months and I already got the Thai visa in my Slovakian passport, I want to use the Slovakian passport to get to Thailand and after that ditch it and just use my British passport and forget all about Slovakia and Slovakian passport.

But the question is, is it risky to do that? Would they stop me at the customs and deport me or something?

Re: Dual nationality

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 2:56 pm
by CR001
You don't need a pre approved visa with your British passport. You can enter Thailand for 90 days as you get a visa on arrival.
But the question is, is it risky to do that? Would they stop me at the customs and deport me or something?
Nothing to do with UK immigration/customs.

Re: Dual nationality

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 6:25 pm
by swintooh
I'm not entirely sure, but in many countries if you are the citizen of that country you have to show that document (passport/national ID) to the immigration officer.

So it doesn't matter which passport you use to enter into Thailand, but there may be difference which passport to show coming back to Britain to the UK immigration officers.

Re: Dual nationality

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:42 pm
by IcikePicike
As the UK allows you to have as many citizenships as you like, they don't care about your Slovakian passport and you won't get into trouble in Britain.
You might get into trouble with Slovakia if they find out but I don't know whether they would.
By the way, I think it's foolish to give up EU citizenship voluntarily. I realise you may need to make a decision at some point but personally, I wouldn't rock the boat until then.
Just fly to Thailand with your Slovakian passport and fly back with it too.

Having British citizenship doesn't mean you have to have a British passport. Traveling with your Slovakian one will be fine. However, once the UK leaves the EU, you might need to get your Slovakian passport endorsed on the border to make sure you can keep using it. That's when Slovakia might find out about your dual citizenship.

Re: Dual nationality

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 11:53 am
by tdealing
IcikePicike wrote:
Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:42 pm
As the UK allows you to have as many citizenships as you like, they don't care about your Slovakian passport and you won't get into trouble in Britain.
You might get into trouble with Slovakia if they find out but I don't know whether they would.
By the way, I think it's foolish to give up EU citizenship voluntarily. I realise you may need to make a decision at some point but personally, I wouldn't rock the boat until then.
Just fly to Thailand with your Slovakian passport and fly back with it too.

Having British citizenship doesn't mean you have to have a British passport. Traveling with your Slovakian one will be fine. However, once the UK leaves the EU, you might need to get your Slovakian passport endorsed on the border to make sure you can keep using it. That's when Slovakia might find out about your dual citizenship.
Oh ok, so they won't put a block on my card. I can still use it even when I have British passport issued already, right?

Re: Dual nationality

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:00 pm
by CR001
tdealing wrote:
Wed Nov 22, 2017 11:53 am
Oh ok, so they won't put a block on my card. I can still use it even when I have British passport issued already, right?
What do you mean by 'card' and blocked by who???

Re: Dual nationality

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 7:51 pm
by tdealing
CR001 wrote:
Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:00 pm
tdealing wrote:
Wed Nov 22, 2017 11:53 am
Oh ok, so they won't put a block on my card. I can still use it even when I have British passport issued already, right?
What do you mean by 'card' and blocked by who???
Oh sorry, I was writing a reply earlier without thinking what I was writing.

I mean will my passport get blocked by Slovakian passport office the minute I receive British nationality?
I have actually received my British passport today.
I mean I can use my British passport to get to Thailand, but I already paid for the two-month tourist visa and the visa sticker is in my Slovakian passport.

Re: Dual nationality

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:00 pm
by CR001
I mean will my passport get blocked by Slovakian passport office the minute I receive British nationality?
HO do not inform foreign embassies about your British citizenship. My understanding of Slovakian rules are that you automatically lose the citizenship once you gain another. The effective date would be the date of your naturalisation certificate. You would need to enquire from the Slovak authorities.
I mean I can use my British passport to get to Thailand
You can yes, visa issued on arrival for 90 days.
but I already paid for the two-month tourist visa and the visa sticker is in my Slovakian passport.
Your choice which one you use.

Re: Dual nationality

Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2017 11:40 pm
by tdealing
CR001 wrote:
Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:00 pm
I mean will my passport get blocked by Slovakian passport office the minute I receive British nationality?
HO do not inform foreign embassies about your British citizenship. My understanding of Slovakian rules are that you automatically lose the citizenship once you gain another. The effective date would be the date of your naturalisation certificate. You would need to enquire from the Slovak authorities.
I mean I can use my British passport to get to Thailand
You can yes, visa issued on arrival for 90 days.
but I already paid for the two-month tourist visa and the visa sticker is in my Slovakian passport.
Your choice which one you use.
Thanks for your help. I think I will use my Slovak passport just for the visit to Thailand and once I leave the country to go to Bali I will use my British passport.