New Passport And Existing Visa

[TOQ]

I have a passport that will expire before the Retirement Visa does.. Will I be able to renew my passport and then have Immigration transfer the existing visa or will I have to apply for a new Retirement visa.. Either way it seems im going to be without both while the passport is being processed..

Thanks for the help,

john

[Crossy]

AFAIK They'll transfer the entry stamp but not the actual visa, so you need to keep your old PP with the still-valid visa when you enter the country.

[JonnieB]

you need to keep your old PP with the still-valid visa when you enter the country

Crossy...are you sure about this? If one has an expired passport with a visa and one-year "retirement" extension stamp in it and a new passport with the "stamp" transferred to it, if the person (with a re-entry permit) travels in/out of Thailand, they need to take both passports with them?

Seems kind of cumbersome and I am sure many people would be tripped-up by this, believing that the "transfer" procedure put whatever information was needed about both the visa/entry stamp/extension into the new passport. Therefore, only the new passport would be needed for travel in and out of Thailand in the future.

[Axel]

I have an annual extension of stay (non-imm 'B). Every time I bring a new p/port all data are transferred. Immigration got a stamp for this, all in Thai, where they mark old p/port number, arrival date (they always go back 3-4 years), permission of stay etc.

One page is gone

On second page stamp the 'extension permission', another half page.

Once I went to the re-entry counter as well, asked to transfer the permit. First refused, but after pointed out that even the Vietnam-embassy had tranferred the visa, they did accept, stamped the re-entry and marked it as 'copy'.

All in all 2 1/2 pages used.

Edited March 29, 2007 by Axel

[Crossy]

The OP enquired about a VISA not an extension of stay.

If you have an extension the original visa has no further part in the proceedings and is not required.

[Axel]

True, Crossy, my reply was in confirmation to your post No. 2.

Immigration can transfer what is their's, Visa is not issued by immigration so a transfer could only be done by the issuing consular office.

[jackk]

I have a passport that will expire before the Retirement Visa does..

Sorry if I missed something but how can you have a passport expiring before the visa expiry date? Usually, you cannot get a visa covering a period not covered by your passeport.