Elite Visa and passport expiration question

[prb]

Hi, French National, 43 years old, soon 44 this autumn.

Currently on 2nd Land border Visa exemption.

 

Decided to apply for Elite Visa this month and started to move funds to my Thai Account.

From what i understood , when done it should then start on the date of my next entry, so July or August the latest and then valid till summer 2024 with the possibility of being stamped one extra year if leaving the country soon before expiry date.

That will bring me close to the 50 years old and the possibility for retirement visa.

 

Then realised that expiry date for my current passport is november 2024.

 

Means it should be renewed 6 months before that date, so I should get a new passport around may - june 2024.

 

Should I assume that if things does not completly change in 5 years I will just have to get stamps transferred from old to new passport at local immigration office and then leave the country and come back with old and new passport to get the last stamp at airport ?

 

If anyone knows....

 

Other solution would be to get a new passport now but first i'm not sure the ambassy will agree as it has plenty of space left and then it will delay the application for Elite that apparently is taking now 2 months and up.

 

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, prb said:

Should I assume that if things does not completly change in 5 years I will just have to get stamps transferred from old to new passport at local immigration office and then leave the country and come back with old and new passport to get the last stamp at airport ?

Yes you could do that..

[toolpush]

I have had an Elite Passport for 4 years. The Visa stamp is in my old passport and I have been using my new passport about 2 years. At first I went to Chaeng Wattana to have the Visa stamp transferred but after sitting there for several hours waiting for my number to be called, I finally gave up and walked out. Since then I just carry both passports and hand both to the immigration officer at the immigration desk at the airport. Not ever a second glance from them. No problems at all. Not worth the hassle of changing from one passport to the other. Just carry both.

[mikecha]

8 hours ago, toolpush said:

I have had an Elite Passport for 4 years. The Visa stamp is in my old passport and I have been using my new passport about 2 years. At first I went to Chaeng Wattana to have the Visa stamp transferred but after sitting there for several hours waiting for my number to be called, I finally gave up and walked out. Since then I just carry both passports and hand both to the immigration officer at the immigration desk at the airport. Not ever a second glance from them. No problems at all. Not worth the hassle of changing from one passport to the other. Just carry both.

Thats good information saves much time  

[ilms]

Last year I got a new passport and had my extension transferred into it. It took about 20 minutes at the immigration office. They didn't ask me for any money and it didn't seem like a big deal.  I'm have to work with a smaller office in the south, so the waiting and travel time are probably not like at CW in BKK.

They will take up at least a full page stamping/writing in an explanation of the change. The last time I left the country I carried the old passport with me just in case, as it has my original visa in it.  They did not ask to see it when I was clearing immigration at Suvarnabhumi.

[prb]

Sounds great, i really wasn't in the mood to change my passport.