Is the 6 month rule regarding the remaining validity of a passport enforced by Thailand, both for visa application and entry in the country?

 

Do you know someone who was denied a visa or entry because his or her passport was not valid for at least another 6 months?

 

Is there a limit to the number of applications for a non-O visa, for family purpose (married to a Thai or having Thai children), providing that the requested conditions are met?

 

Or can these visas be rolled over almost indefinitely?

 

Thanks for your input.

Edited April 6, 20188 yr by Brunolem

A western countries passport only needs to be valid for the proposed length of stay in Thailand although some Embassies/Consulate will insist a passport is valid for at least 6 months as a condition for issuing a visa. There is no limit on the number of 'O'visas which can be applied for but those visas are not "rolled over" Each application is for a new visa.a 

2 hours ago, Brunolem said:

Or can these visas be rolled over almost indefinitely?

A visa has an expiry date that cannot be changed. For another visa you would need to apply at an embassy or consulate.

 

2 hours ago, Brunolem said:

for family purpose (married to a Thai or having Thai children), providing that the requested conditions are met?

You could do an annual extension of stay based on marriage, assuming you meet the requirements, but that is not a visa.

 

An extension is applied for in Thailand at the immigration office that serves your residential area. An extension of your permission to stay in Thailand means you are allowed to remain in Thailand. Since it isn't a visa, if you want to exit Thailand and return while keeping the extension, you would need a re-entry permit in lieu of a visa.

 

The annual extension renewal can be done "indefinitely" assuming you continue to meet the requirements and reapply each year.

Just renew your passport if it has only 6 months left, don't be mean not a problem for UK passport renewal you get up to 11 months added on in renewal.

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Just renew your passport if it has only 6 months left, don't be mean not a problem for UK passport renewal you get up to 11 months added on in renewal.

I will renew it in time, but before that I need to calculate how best to use, visa wise, the actual one with what is left of its validity (more than 6 months).

22 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Just renew your passport if it has only 6 months left, don't be mean not a problem for UK passport renewal you get up to 11 months added on in renewal.

It is up to 9 months from the old passports remaining validity not 11.

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

It is up to 9 months from the old passports remaining validity not 11.

Thanks for heads up, 11 months came too mind, from 8 years ago need to change my UK one in 2019.

3 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Just renew your passport if it has only 6 months left, don't be mean not a problem for UK passport renewal you get up to 11 months added on in renewal.

If you applying for a retirement visa in Thailand for 12 months with a prospect of extending for almost 2 years and you only have 6 months left on your passport well I think there is your answer.  Much the same all over the world.  For a retirement visa I don't think you will have much luck unless you passport has at least 18 months left on it.   Even for a 30 day tourist visa most countries insist you pass port has at least 6 months left on it.

Edited April 6, 20188 yr by David Walden

as usual, it will depend on the IO. In spite of many here saying it was not possible, I arrived at the thai border  doing a border hop at chong sanaem. I had almost 9 months on my passport when I entered on the first 90  days of a Non-O multi entry  , and for my 2nd 90 day entry I only had 5 months and 1 week left. The thai IO refused to let me enter thailand. Many here will say that was wrong of him to do that but the fact remains he did it and there was nothing I could do about it!

10 hours ago, AYJAYDEE said:

as usual, it will depend on the IO. In spite of many here saying it was not possible, I arrived at the thai border  doing a border hop at chong sanaem. I had almost 9 months on my passport when I entered on the first 90  days of a Non-O multi entry  , and for my 2nd 90 day entry I only had 5 months and 1 week left. The thai IO refused to let me enter thailand. Many here will say that was wrong of him to do that but the fact remains he did it and there was nothing I could do about it!

So what did you do?

Went back home to get a new passport, then came back to Thailand and transfered the visa from the old to the new passport?

Or something else?

11 hours ago, AYJAYDEE said:

as usual, it will depend on the IO. In spite of many here saying it was not possible, I arrived at the thai border  doing a border hop at chong sanaem. I had almost 9 months on my passport when I entered on the first 90  days of a Non-O multi entry  , and for my 2nd 90 day entry I only had 5 months and 1 week left. The thai IO refused to let me enter thailand. Many here will say that was wrong of him to do that but the fact remains he did it and there was nothing I could do about it!

To be fare you have control on time left on your passport the immigration officer has rules to enforce not guide lines.

 

I knew of the 6 month rule when I started my travels many moons ago.

 

In June 2019 my 1 year extension is due I will have 5 months left on passport so I know I have to renew before hand. 

19 hours ago, AYJAYDEE said:

as usual, it will depend on the IO. In spite of many here saying it was not possible, I arrived at the thai border  doing a border hop at chong sanaem. I had almost 9 months on my passport when I entered on the first 90  days of a Non-O multi entry  , and for my 2nd 90 day entry I only had 5 months and 1 week left. The thai IO refused to let me enter thailand. Many here will say that was wrong of him to do that but the fact remains he did it and there was nothing I could do about it!

If trying to do a border bounce by land, I am astonished that you were allowed to leave Thailand and enter a bordering country. While Thailand only requires a passport valid for the intended length of stay, all neighboring countries require six-month validity. Thai immigration are aware of this, and will usually not stamp you out of Thailand when they know the neighboring country will not accept you. Did you really successfully leave Thailand and enter Laos at Chiang Saen? Having done so, were you really then prevented from re-entering Thailand at Chiang Saen? There is so much that is abnormal in your report.

Anyone traveling on a passport with 6 months validity or less is being somewhat foolish IMHO.

17 hours ago, BritTim said:

If trying to do a border bounce by land, I am astonished that you were allowed to leave Thailand and enter a bordering country. While Thailand only requires a passport valid for the intended length of stay, all neighboring countries require six-month validity. Thai immigration are aware of this, and will usually not stamp you out of Thailand when they know the neighboring country will not accept you. Did you really successfully leave Thailand and enter Laos at Chiang Saen? Having done so, were you really then prevented from re-entering Thailand at Chiang Saen? There is so much that is abnormal in your report.

You are right...and so far the poster has abstained to answer any question...

It seems unlikely that the immigration officer would let someone cross the border without at least informing that person that she won't be authorized to reenter...so as to avoid finding herself in limbo between 2 countries...