Hi.

i made a new passport in Bangkok and went to immigration division 1.

They didn’t want to transfer my student visa non ED visa or last stamp - to my new passport because I made it in Surathani.

 

They said in a very unclear English that I can leave with 2 passports.

 

My embassy said - they might not let you out of Thailand if you don’t transfer your visa, which I also read here somewhere.

 

 

Can I or can’t I, go out with 2 passports when one of them is completely empty?

 

i am worried because the officers on the airport are pretty pedantic.

 

 

thanks. 

When we have a new passport for swedish citizens, we always gets a letter from our embassy, asking in a nice manner the thai immigration to transfer the stamps to the new passport.

 

I was under the impression that it is VERY healthy to have this letter. Can THIS be an issue for you maybe??

 

glegolo

Interesting post as I was about to post an experience leaving Thailand earlier this week via Friendship Bridge 2.  I needed to get a new passport last week (US) and as I have done on numerous times (both in Thailand and other countries) I paper-clipped the old passport with the new passport.  Well ... let me tell you, this set off a string of conversations at Thai Immigration.  Telling me I had to transfer the visa (which wasn't even a visa since I am visa exempt) to the new passport, why I didn't do this, etc, etc.  

 

Of course, instead of arguing and saying that I have never had to do this is all the years of coming and going in Thailand i just stood there and let them talk.  Then they stamped me out and hand wrote on the exit stamp that the entrance stamp was in my cancelled visa, etc,  and told me not to use my cancelled passport anymore (duh!).

 

My only thoughts were the Immigration folks at the land crossings aren't as informed as the guys at the airports or ... they were just looking for an excuse to be annoying.  Who knows.  

 

 

4 minutes ago, glegolo said:

When we have a new passport for swedish citizens, we always gets a letter from our embassy, asking in a nice manner the thai immigration to transfer the stamps to the new passport.

 

I was under the impression that it is VERY healthy to have this letter. Can THIS be an issue for you maybe??

 

glegolo

The US embassy and consulate also issues the same letter.  But, as I say in my posting ... its never been an issue until this week for me either.

Edited November 14, 20196 yr by kurtmartens
revised

I have the letter from embassy but they didn’t want to transfer my visa because “it belongs to another province - Surathani”. 
 

I am super worried !!

I have the letter, but did anyone left the airport in Bangkok without doing it? 
 

They insist on the immigration division that I can’t do it, I tried with many officers- they said go out with 2 passports.

 

What to do? I am currently in Bangkok.
Is there any other authority I can speak with here?

 

thanks. 

17 minutes ago, glegolo said:

When we have a new passport for swedish citizens, we always gets a letter from our embassy, asking in a nice manner the thai immigration to transfer the stamps to the new passport.

 

I was under the impression that it is VERY healthy to have this letter. Can THIS be an issue for you maybe??

 

glegolo

Uk also gives very polite request and the transfer is done for free, well a packet  of biscuits maybe.

3 minutes ago, Rob4 said:

I have the letter, but did anyone left the airport in Bangkok without doing it? 
 

They insist on the immigration division that I can’t do it, I tried with many officers- they said go out with 2 passports.

 

What to do? I am currently in Bangkok.
Is there any other authority I can speak with here?

 

thanks. 

Like I said, I've left via the airports (both BKK and CNX) at least half a dozen times over the past 8 years with a cancelled passport paper-clipped to a new passport and never had an issue.  I have also arrived using a Non O in a cancelled passport paper-clipped to a new passport.  My only issue was earlier this week at a land crossing.

 

I wouldn't worry about leaving via BKK.

I know it may or may not be relevant but when I got a new passport in Malaysia they simply asked to see the old passport when leaving. I would not be surprised if it doesnt work that way in Thailand. 

4 minutes ago, Rob4 said:

I have the letter from embassy but they didn’t want to transfer my visa because “it belongs to another province - Surathani”. 
 

I am super worried !!

I have the letter, but did anyone left the airport in Bangkok without doing it? 
 

They insist on the immigration division that I can’t do it, I tried with many officers- they said go out with 2 passports.

 

What to do? I am currently in Bangkok.
Is there any other authority I can speak with here?

 

thanks. 

The thing here is, that they always protect the integrity of every single individual IO and Immigration Office. Same goes for their unlimited discretion. In reality, you can never be 100% sure of anything.

According to rules and regulations as well as in theory they should be able to transfer oyur stamps at any given office. It is also possible for you to show two passports at the airport, and they would stamp you out and transfer nessessary stamps there.

I would advice you to show two passports at airport when exit, but see to that you are in time and allow same extra time for it to get done.

42 minutes ago, Rob4 said:

They didn’t want to transfer my student visa non ED visa or last stamp - to my new passport because I made it in Surathani.

That is correct, 

The stamp transfer can only be done where you applied for your extension of stay.

No problem to leave the country without the stamps being transferred.

45 minutes ago, kurtmartens said:

Like I said, I've left via the airports (both BKK and CNX) at least half a dozen times over the past 8 years with a cancelled passport paper-clipped to a new passport and never had an issue.  I have also arrived using a Non O in a cancelled passport paper-clipped to a new passport.  My only issue was earlier this week at a land crossing.

 

I wouldn't worry about leaving via BKK.

Yep, same.

If it's a visa issued outside Thailand it stays valid even in an expired/full passport.

If it's an extension of stay, eg based on being married or retired or work ( 90 day reports needed ) applied for in Thailand at your local Imm' office then that should really be transferred at the same office using the the embassy letter that most likely wrongly calls it a visa.

Edited November 14, 20196 yr by overherebc

Thanks for all the comments.

Visa (full page print) was issued in Laos, last extension stamp issued in Surathani (all of them).

I think by law indeed they can’t transfer the last extension stamp to the new one.

 

So, is my embassy wrong and I just leave with 2 passports + letter in Bangkok? (I should expect a question why didn’t you transfer the stamp right? )

20 minutes ago, Rob4 said:

Thanks for all the comments.

Visa (full page print) was issued in Laos, last extension stamp issued in Surathani (all of them).

I think by law indeed they can’t transfer the last extension stamp to the new one.

 

So, is my embassy wrong and I just leave with 2 passports + letter in Bangkok? (I should expect a question why didn’t you transfer the stamp right? )

Why not fly to Surat Thani and ask them to put the Visa into your new passport.

You can be there and back in well under a day.

2 hours ago, glegolo said:

When we have a new passport for swedish citizens, we always gets a letter from our embassy, asking in a nice manner the thai immigration to transfer the stamps to the new passport.

 

I was under the impression that it is VERY healthy to have this letter. Can THIS be an issue for you maybe??

 

glegolo

Every embassy provides this "letter". It authorizes Thai imm to transfer stamps such as last entry and and reentry permit. Without letter from embassy nothing can be transfered.

Visas are not transfered. 

It is possible to present both passports to exit and reenter. Many do this when next annual extension in near future. 

An added note...reentry permits can only be transfered at place where issued. For eg..you obtain reentry permit at airport then Thai imm office will not transfer..

Edited November 14, 20196 yr by DrJack54

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Every embassy provides this "letter". It authorizes Thai imm to transfer stamps such as last entry and and reentry permit. 

I got a new UK passport at Liverpool last June, no letter with it. Entered Thailand showing the re-entry in my old one, stamped in on new one.Went to my local, Phitsanulok, Immigration two days later. The 'visa' was transferred, no charge, 15 minutes.

I think the point some of us are making is that it's not necessary to transfer a visa to a new passport.  It's nice, but not required.  

56 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Every embassy provides this "letter". It authorizes Thai imm to transfer stamps such as last entry and and reentry permit. Without letter from embassy nothing can be transfered.

Visas are not transfered. 

It is possible to present both passports to exit and reenter. Many do this when next annual extension in near future. 

An added note...reentry permits can only be transfered at place where issued. For eg..you obtain reentry permit at airport then Thai imm office will not transfer..

Overall you are NOT correct, VISAS are transferable.... Maybe not in certan cases but i.e. VISAS that are the basis for an existing extension are being transfered to new passport..

 

glegolo

56 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

I got a new UK passport at Liverpool last June, no letter with it. Entered Thailand showing the re-entry in my old one, stamped in on new one.Went to my local, Phitsanulok, Immigration two days later. The 'visa' was transferred, no charge, 15 minutes.

You were lucky. Try CW

3 minutes ago, glegolo said:

Overall you are NOT correct, VISAS are transferable.... Maybe not in certan cases but i.e. VISAS that are the basis for an existing extension are being transfered to new passport..

 

glegolo

I don't think the debate is IF they are transferrable, but if they are required to be transferred to a new passport ... Which is not required.  

 

Even my wife's 10 year US visit visa doesn't need to be transferred as long as she presents both passports.  

9 minutes ago, glegolo said:

Overall you are NOT correct, VISAS are transferable.... Maybe not in certan cases but i.e. VISAS that are the basis for an existing extension are being transfered to new passport..

 

glegolo

You have a habit of posting such incorrect info. The info relating to original visa perhaps long time expired is noted. The visa can not be transfered. So many incorrect posts. Perhaps ubon will be along to advise that VISAS are never transfered. 

Geezuz

Edited November 14, 20196 yr by DrJack54

17 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You have a habit of posting such incorrect info. The info relating to original visa perhaps long time expired is noted. The visa can not be transfered. So many incorrect posts. Perhaps ubon will be along to advise that VISAS are never transfered. 

Geezuz

Herrn ubersturmfuhrer, be nice plse.....

My own Non Immigrant O from originally 2008, Have been passed down via 2 earlier passports to the present one. And I can see the stamp saying non immigrant O on the opposit side of my extension of stay based on retirement.

 

So take that back you mean person...

 

glegolo

15 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You have a habit of posting such incorrect info. The info relating to original visa perhaps long time expired is noted. The visa can not be transfered. So many incorrect posts. Perhaps ubon will be along to advise that VISAS are never transfered. 

Geezuz

Yep. If the 'visa' was issued 5 years before and someone now holds an 'extension' it is based on the idea that you need a visa so you can 'convert' to an extension.

When the 'extension' is transferred the details ie number and type of the original visa are noted purely to prove that your extension is issued on a legal basis. The original visa has expired on it's use by/enter by date.

You can call a goose a big chicken but it's a goose.

1 minute ago, glegolo said:

Herrn ubersturmfuhrer, be nice plse.....

My own Non Immigrant O from originally 2008, Have been passed down via 2 earlier passports to the present one. And I can see the stamp saying non immigrant O on the opposit side of my extension of stay based on retirement.

 

So take that back you mean person...

 

glegolo

So all the visas I've had at different times over the past 30 years can be extended?

Wish I'd known that before.

2 hours ago, Rob4 said:

Thanks for all the comments.

Visa (full page print) was issued in Laos, last extension stamp issued in Surathani (all of them).

I think by law indeed they can’t transfer the last extension stamp to the new one.

 

So, is my embassy wrong and I just leave with 2 passports + letter in Bangkok? (I should expect a question why didn’t you transfer the stamp right? )

I guess the question is if you have a re-entry permit for your current extension and intend to use it when you come back to Thailand. If yes, you should get your stamps transferred in Surat Thani before leaving. If no, you can just show up at the airport with both passports and the embassy letter.

 

27 minutes ago, overherebc said:

So all the visas I've had at different times over the past 30 years can be extended?

Wish I'd known that before.

Who said that??? Are you OK??? In case not, can explain to you that it is the permission of stay that are being extended. So there you go, join the others now...

 

glegolo

Mine, they transferred the visa from the old to the new passport at the airport when I left the country.

Thus to keep the visa valid upon returning to Thailand if still within the date on the visa.

I have certainly come in with two passports before now...I get my UK passports in the UK and when I fly back show them the new passport and the old one with the visa in it. I have never had any problems at all.

 

You have to go to the embassy though to get a letter saying your passport is genuine despite having been issued in Britain by the UKPLA. Thai Immigration will then transfer the visa extension and re-entry.

 

I get my passports in Liverpool because you can get them in 4 hours guaranteed for a very small fee.

You will be fine. Present both passports, allow an extra 15 minutes just in case they want to have a committee meeting

I remember a few years ago going to Khonkaen immigration to get my renewal of my retirement extension and my multi re- entry.

 

My passport was nearly, but not quite full. I did have another passport with me unused because I carried two passports for the UK at that time.

 

I was informed that I was at the wrong immigration office for Kalasin and I needed to go to Sakon Nakhon which, at that time, dealt with Kalasin.

 

He saw I wasn't too pleased with that option and I politely made it clear that wasn't my best choice as I was already sitting in an Immigration office and Sakon Nakhon was a very long way for me.

 

He took my passport and asked to look at the other one and then asked would I like the whole lot transferring over to my new passport, which, of course I did. He was in a jovial mood.

 

He did it all there and then for me, so it just shows they can do as they please at Immigration, regardless of the law and whatever province you are supposed to report in and who to etc.

1 hour ago, glegolo said:

Overall you are NOT correct, VISAS are transferable.... Maybe not in certan cases but i.e. VISAS that are the basis for an existing extension are being transfered to new passport..

 

glegolo

Again so incorrect. The info relating to original visa is transfered, which is completely different to the visa being transfered. Stop posting incorrect info.