rwilem

Nice! That's when a more rural or outlying immigration office does have its benefit. I've done this twice now. The first time, ten years ago, it was rather chill, even at CW, and close to your experience. The most recent one, nine-plus years later and also at CW, wasn't a 'walk in the park' thing. As I said earlier, it's not all that onerous, but the experience was of a borderline 'mini-extension' type, doing the stamp transfer and then the 90-dayer. Even had a holdup at the 90-day desk at CW, issue with the my rental agent's freshly-issued updated TM-30, which took about an hour to resolve.

Right, you really want to stay up on these things, be 'pro-active' if you can. Being outside the country brings an added challenge to navigating all the bank stuff going on.

I edited my post before having seen that you replied. Did that because I realized you are on top of things, so I didn't need to 'ask' if you had done it!

I assume at that time you updated the new passport number with your mobile service provider. If one has a mobile number tied to their bank account(s), best to update the new passport number with their mobile service provider, especially these days when the banks are really tightening things up. Just another item to add to the 'things to do' list after getting a new passport.

If your agent can do it on your behalf, and it will be an IO doing it, that's probably the easy way. If do it yourself, basically you will submit at least both passports, copies of both passports' front/data pages, the relevant most recent extension and entry stamps from the old passport, copy of the re-entry permit (if you have a current one to transfer, and which would likely be handled by the re-entry permit counters, at least that's the case at CW), copy of the original visa or visa information notation from the old passport, AND the completed stamps transfer request form. You can check with your office for possible items that may/may not be required. These would include copies of the most recent 90-day report notice (which has the 'next due date'), a most recent or updated TM-30, and possibly your bankbook and copies of its front page and account activity dating back to the last extension. (CW requires the bankbook and copy of the account activity, not sure about Jomtien.) Sounds like a lot, but you probably already have some copies of most of the things needed. It's not an onerous process, but one in my opinion that's better done separate from extension time. Ideally, best to do it in conjunction with an in-person 90-day report.

OK, if you are not leaving the country (and if you are, using both passports is OK for that), if you are not leaving the country, at some point your 90-day report 'obligation' will be due. Do you do your 90-dayers online? In person? Or by mail? This will affect the decision when to get the extension stamp (and re-entry stamp, should you possess one in the now-expired passport) transferred to the new passport. Doing it online and using the new passport number won't work, you'll be rejected and asked to report in person. (You might try using the expired PP number, you would probably be approved, if the online 90-day reporting system's been working for you. But you also might be discovered later for having submitted a PP number that was not valid; don't know what the repercussions might be, but maybe wouldn't want to find out.) There has been at least one report, maybe a second, of successful first-time-after-a-new-passport 90-day reports done by mail. Imagine that is because physical copies of the stamps and new PP data page are sent to the immigration office. Online, all they are seeing is a number and not the new passport front page. If you do a 90-day report in person, either by choice or being told to do so after a rejection notice from an online submission, you will have to have the stamps transferred to the new passport before being allowed to do the 90-day report. That is probably the ideal time, if not mandatory, to do the stamp(s) transfer, when doing your first 90-day report--if you are obligated to do one--before your next extension. Having done a stamps transfer at CW within the last year, doing the transfers and 90-day report independent of any extension, I'm glad it went that way. If one deals with an office not so busy or active, doing the whole hog in one go might be OK. But there's enough to do for just a stamps transfer. And it worked out good to get all that cleared before extension time.

On the ground and real-time reporting on fast-breaking border closures and their ramifications. Top notch job.

Understand that you are going to be contacting an agent to sort your issue. But still not entirely clear on what's happened. You have stated that your landlord (new one, in Bangkok, correct?) completed a TM-30 (for the new place in Bangkok) and provided you with a print of the receipt. And did you have that print with you, and handed it to the IO at the desk, when attempting to do the 90-day report? (As you said you 'assumed because your landlord submitted online', 'there was no need to do a TM-30'.) Something's not adding up here. something's off. The whole system of the TM-30 is really meant to be done online, done online by landlords. You also say 'because i had been living previously in Chonburi then according to the immigration officer(s) TM 30 cannot be done on line.' That doesn't make any sense, either. Hope the agent can sort it out, sounds like something has gotten lost in translation along the way. On the plus side, if you could say that, you have plenty of time to resolve the issue, up till 7 days after the 90-day report's due date. (But best to count 6 days, as I believe the due date itself counts as 'day 1' of the 'grace period'.)

Everything you wanted to know, and then some, about photo requirements for folks who'll be doing a U.S. passport renewal. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html

Pay by credit card via the pay.gov portal as noted above. Can pay by credit card for the mailback envelope at Thai Post Mart.

With how critically important one's passport is, and especially for folks in this region with the visa and extension stamps contained in them, I'm amazed at people handing over their passports, allowing them out of their possession. At various tourist spots in Thailand, I didn't have much of a problem finding a bike rental place that would take a copy and not the real thing. I didn't and wouldn't rent a bike from ones that insisted on taking possession of the passport. OK, that may not fly in Laos, and if the rental places are demanding a deposit worth the value of the bike, that's a no go.

Occam's razor...this is the answer. Simplify things. Plan ahead? There's plenty of time starting now. Your other scenario, if I may clarify. Get new extension in October in current passport. Extension will go to late April '26, also the expiry of the passport. In the intervening period, new passport is acquired. Perhaps no need to transfer extension stamp to new passport prior to doing another extension before it expires (late April '26.) When going for the new extension, the stamp for the late April '26 extension will be transferred to the new passport, as well as the identifying details in the now-expired passport on which the extension is based. Then the new 'annual date' of extension validity will be that date in April, no more October, that's over. So one can weigh all the pros and cons of passport expiring date in relation to extension valid till date and make a decision which way to go. Do you want to have a new extension time frame, or carry on with the one you've had for years? That's a component of the decision. As is, the need to have at least six months validity left on the passport for international travel. (Returning to home country, returning to Thailand on valid visa, the six months issue need not be considered.) Good passport renewal management, last half of year 9 is the time to plan for a renewal, and have it done by early into year 10.

Well, he did say 'thanks'. The extra part though, recalls one Col. Jessup. "I would rather that you just said "thank you" and went on your way."

Was just ready to post. This is the answer. If your friend rolls into Immigration to extend on the current passport, the new extension would be valid only until the expiry of the passport, till late April '26, which is only about six months for that extension. Meaning he'd have to do another extension before then. Inform your friend to apply for a passport renewal ASAP. There've been several recent reports in the forum--take a look for them-- detailing the confusion, mess-ups, taking long time frames for the new ones to arrive back here, etc., etc., with UK passport renewals in Thailand. Your friend needs to get it in gear and start getting the new one now.

That's because the State Department sends the new passport to the embassy. The embassy then mails the passports--'old' one and the new one--to your address here. It's pretty straightforward. I've never heard of any report there having been an issue with final delivery to the recipient of the passports. Just follow the directions. As for your other question, it implies submission of a passport renewal in Thailand. And asking if it would be mailed to the U.S.? I'm gonna guess, that is not gonna fly, ie, not be possible.

Of course, the immigration officers are not going be shaking down arrivals for a bribe, that can't be done in out the open like that. The proper way is for the arrival to have arranged beforehand their 'safe entry'. The agent facilitates with immigration issue-free entry for the arriving customer, and the fee for that service is shared on the low down, not in the open. For those who might face heightened scrutiny over their entry when arriving at the airport, it's a good option.

Useful piece of info. May I ask the always pertinent question, which immigration office you are dealing with?

And when was that? When was the last time you re-entered the country and successfully did a 90-day report online? This 'do the 90-day report in person after a re-entry' became a thing about a year ago, year-and-a-half ago. Perhaps a little longer? Maybe then you might have been OK, or slipped through the cracks. These days they want it in person. The issue really came to a head some time after the paper TM6 arrival forms were scrapped. Prior to their scrapping, no problem. I wonder if the new TDAC arrival system will allow for the immigration office to better track our 90 status, so we'll be able to get back to how it was in the past, i.e. no need to do an in-person report after a re-entry. But, I'm not holding my breath.

Ah, I get it. You get some very good personalized service there in Roi Et. Come on in, you're good to go! Thanks for such a detailed and informative response.

Man, it seems that the lengths of the 'under consideration' period can vary by quite differing time frames. Some say 30 days from the extension applying date. Some say up to the current extension date if applying more than 30 days in advance of it. And your experience is an under consideration time frame lasting till 30 days after the current extension. And you were applying well in advance, that could mean a two-month time frame for the period. Hard to get a handle on how it should go, or how it's supposed to go. Just like almost all encounters with things immigration, it's a real case-by-case, 'your experience may vary' situation. By the way, you said the under review period given to you always extends to 30 days after the end of your current extension's expiry date, but that it's usually approved before that date. So a question here. Do you return to immigration on that 30th day of the period, and discover at that time that the approval date was a month prior? Or are you able to get the finalized new extension before your current one has expired, before the end of the under consideration period? Just wondering how that works. If you apply 45 days in advance, and you are supposed to return on the 30th, the last day, of the under consideration period, correct? That would be about 75 days in a limbo of some type. If that is the case, of how that works.

Personally, that's just maybe my 'too-proactive' approach to things Immigration here. Do what you can the earliest you can. However, for you in your case, if you do your extension on June 16, 17, 18, or even Monday the 21st which is a few days prior to start of your first trip, you will surely be back at the conclusion of your second trip ahead of the last day of the 30, or what ever number of days it turns out be, under consideration. But make sure about the need or not for a new re-entry permit for that first trip, or whether you will being able to use your existing one for it. And you will surely need a fresh re-entry permit for that second trip during the under consideration period. Factoring that issue, that's why I'd favor getting the new extension and new re-entry in the fold before departing on the second trip...which means going out to CW May 29 or 30 for the extension. Please do report back what happens!

You are in a situation here now where you just gotta bite the bullet and deal with not having an appointment. Dr Jack has long-standing good advice for doing extensions at CW without appointments. Just get there before they close for lunch, get your que number(s), take care of other biz during the break and go back in after they open up for the afternoon. You will get your stuff done. I would assume so, yes. But if you go on May 29 or 30 for the extension you should get under consideration for 30 days. OK, even if goes to July 2 (your current expiry) you will be here. Both of those, or either of those I should say, will work for, you will be here. Confirm with the IO while you are doing the extension, and confirm about travel out, whether your current re-entry will remain valid, etc. Yeah, it's a tad stressful, I get it. Which is why getting the extension out of the way earlier, before you take the second trip, might be the most prudent approach.

From my post above. Some guys reported they needed the re-entry permit, some reported, like the following, that they didn't. Also, note the apply date and return date. More than 30 days, but the date of the expiry of his still-in-effect extension. "I just did it last month my extension was expiring on 11th April I applied on 5th March at Cheangwattana and was give a return date of 11th April. Immigration officer said my current visa and multi entry re-entry permit remain valid. I went out 13th March and returned 6th April and was given 5 days on my stamp on entry up to my new extension date. Picked up extension on 11th April."

OK, you are dealing with CW. You can apply for extension up to 45 days in advance there. From a post in another thread. "CW starts the under consideration period from the day you apply. If you apply 45 days early you would have have your new extension done, FYI you can get a re-entry permit for the under consideration period." So in theory, if you go in and do your extension on May 29 or 30, you should be OK returning for final approval 30 days later, just after you have gotten back from the first trip. You will need to acquire a fresh re-entry permit for that first trip you would be taking during the under consideration period. Hopefully others with experience with doing their marriage extensions and travel during the under consideration period can offer their knowledge.

Yep, I just made one now, to get a preferred date and time. It's just for backup, in case something goes haywire with the online submission(s). Best case scenario is online results in APPROVED and then I just go back in to the appointment system and cancel it.