Visa Question

[basjke]

I hold a one year multiple entry Non-B visa.No work permit.This visa expires next month so i will have to go europe to apply for a new one.However at the time that I can apply for a new visa my passport will be only valid for another 11 months.My question is will they give me a one year multiple entry when my passport is valid less then 1 year.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I hold a one year multiple entry Non-B visa.No work permit.This visa expires next month so i will have to go europe to apply for a new one.However at the time that I can apply for a new visa my passport will be only valid for another 11 months.My question is will they give me a one year multiple entry when my passport is valid less then 1 year.

Most will still grant the visa but might endorse it's validity to coincide with your passport expiration. Why go to Europe when Australia is much closer and quicker ?

[lopburi3]

Why not make a new entry before the visa expires and obtain a new passport before the 90 day permitted to stay expires? Transfer to new passport costs nothing.

[basjke]

Why not make a new entry before the visa expires and obtain a new passport before the 90 day permitted to stay expires? Transfer to new passport costs nothing.

I know I can still make a new entry now but than my passport will only valid for 8 months when I have to apply for a new visa.The point is do they stick a one year multiple entry visa in a passport that isn't valid for 1 year at the time of applying?

[lopburi3]

And my point is to get a new passport, as I said, before your entry expires. You should never let a passport run down below six months as you can not travel on it to many places and living here on one year visas you should have a new one before that last year unless you have an entry that expires during that time - in which case you get new passport before expiration of entry or passport - but before you have to apply for a new visa.

Are you unable to obtain a passport while in Bangkok?

[basjke]

And my point is to get a new passport, as I said, before your entry expires. You should never let a passport run down below six months as you can not travel on it to many places and living here on one year visas you should have a new one before that last year unless you have an entry that expires during that time - in which case you get new passport before expiration of entry or passport - but before you have to apply for a new visa.

Are you unable to obtain a passport while in Bangkok?

Sorry Lopburi,I don't know if I explain myself incorrectly or if I don't understand your posts but my case is as follows.My visa expires end of this month.So normaly I can have one more entry on that day which gives me another 3 months stay.At this time my passport is valid for another 11 months.I planned to go europe at the end of the month and apply for another one year multiple entry which normaly is no problem.I can not get a new passport at this time as my current one is still valid.So will the thai embassy refuse me a one year visa because my passport expires before the visa does or will they just issue one and I transfer it to a new passport on a later date.

[lopburi3]

Have you checked with your Embassy? A passport is useless without at least six month validity and I have never heard of any country saying they could not issue a new passport until your present passport expires. You should always obtain a new passport when you are under a year validity.

[sumrit]

And my point is to get a new passport, as I said, before your entry expires. You should never let a passport run down below six months as you can not travel on it to many places and living here on one year visas you should have a new one before that last year unless you have an entry that expires during that time - in which case you get new passport before expiration of entry or passport - but before you have to apply for a new visa.

Are you unable to obtain a passport while in Bangkok?

Sorry Lopburi,I don't know if I explain myself incorrectly or if I don't understand your posts but my case is as follows.My visa expires end of this month.So normaly I can have one more entry on that day which gives me another 3 months stay.At this time my passport is valid for another 11 months.I planned to go europe at the end of the month and apply for another one year multiple entry which normaly is no problem.I can not get a new passport at this time as my current one is still valid.So will the thai embassy refuse me a one year visa because my passport expires before the visa does or will they just issue one and I transfer it to a new passport on a later date.

I believe you can renew your passport when there is up one year to run before it expires. I think mine (UK) had about 10 months to run when I renewed it. I didn't loose that 10 months either, they just added it to the length of my new passport. As Lopburi 3 says you can't use a passport with less than 6 months to run so everybody must renew their passport after 9 1/2 years (UK passport holders) and it's wise to do it a month or two before that.

[TerryLH]

You should be able to get a one year visa now. When you get a new passport you can take it to immigration and they'll transfer the visa into the new one.

Terry

[Mahout Angrit]

You dont say what nationality passport you are holding but.....

Why not stay for another entry, return to your country when your passport has 8 months left. Apply for a passport in your home country and with your new passport apply for a new 1 year visa.

You can renew a UK passport up to 9 months before expiry so I suspect other EU countries are much the same. In UK you will be credited to the life of your new passport with the remaining time left on your old passport.

As a guide see Renewal of UK passport

Edited April 7, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[Maestro]

When you get a new passport you can take it to immigration and they'll transfer the visa into the new one.

I believe the Immigration office does not transfer the visa from the old passport to the new passport, only the permission-to-stay stamp from your last entry.

--

Maestro

[oooooo]

maestro is right

immigration dont issue or replace visas. they may renew the stay of extension in ur new passport, but they will not replace the visa in ur old one regardless of whether u lost it or it expired.

now, since ur on a non-imm u will lose that visa and u will have to apply for another one.

hope that helps

Edited April 8, 2007 by oooooo

[Tywais]

When you get a new passport you can take it to immigration and they'll transfer the visa into the new one.

I believe the Immigration office does not transfer the visa from the old passport to the new passport, only the permission-to-stay stamp from your last entry.

--

Maestro

Guess I'm not clear on what you are saying. I've had my passport renewed twice since being here and both times the visa and the extension was transferred to the new one.

[samtam]

You should be able to get a one year visa now. When you get a new passport you can take it to immigration and they'll transfer the visa into the new one.

Terry

How easy is it transfer a visa from an old passport to a new one? Is there a form to complete? Which section do you go to at Suan Plu?

[koheesti]

Not sure how they would do it in Thailand but I've gotten a 1-yr visa elsewhere with a passort which was set to expire in 1-2 months. Inside my soon-to-expire passport they put in a visa stamp good up until the expiry date and I was told to bring my new passport in when I got it and they would give me a visa for the remainder of the time then.

[lopburi3]

When you get a new passport you can take it to immigration and they'll transfer the visa into the new one.

I believe the Immigration office does not transfer the visa from the old passport to the new passport, only the permission-to-stay stamp from your last entry.

--

Maestro

Guess I'm not clear on what you are saying. I've had my passport renewed twice since being here and both times the visa and the extension was transferred to the new one.

Permission to stay and extensions of stay stamps are transferred but do not believe Consulate issued visas are (but have never been in that position myself). Believe in such a case the visa remains valid in the old passport, just as done in the US, and you present both passports if you want to use that visa for entry.

[Sojourner]

I'm American and on one year extensions based retirement. My non O visa was placed in my passport in 1999. My anniversary date for one year extensions is November 7th. My passport was set to expire in March of '06 but I wanted a new one before my November 7th anniversary. New one received on 14 September '05. Took both passports to Immigration the week of my anniversary and they used a stamp on one entire page that allows Immigration to enter all the info from the old passport into the new one. Since then I have left the country and re-entered with only the new passport. No problem. Hope this helps.

Edited a date I entered incorrectly.

Edited April 8, 2007 by Sojourner

[lopburi3]

We seem to be mistaking visa entry with re-entry permit entry. Immigration does not transfer a visa - they only transfer the permission to stay stamp and the extension of stay stamp - they link that information to the original visa but the visa is not valid for entry - you require a re-entry permit for entry.

[Krub]

In the old days I received a 10 year visa for the USA

Passports were then valid for 5 years

USA do not transfer visas from one passport to the other (I don't think any country does)

The visa remains valid in the old passport for its validity period as long as it ispresented together with a valid passport inwhich the new entry stamps are put.

There is no way to have a visa transferred but a period of stay and/or re-entry permit should be transferred to make it easy at borders

[samtam]

You should be able to get a one year visa now. When you get a new passport you can take it to immigration and they'll transfer the visa into the new one.

Terry

How easy is it transfer a visa from an old passport to a new one? Is there a form to complete? Which section do you go to at Suan Plu?

Grateful if anyone can advise the actual detail of how the transfer of the re-entry permit is effected in a new passport. Is there any form you have to complete? Which section at Suan Plu Immigration do you go to etc?

Having just had my first Suan Plu experience, I know that these procedures are not obvious when you turn up there.

Edited April 8, 2007 by samtam

[TerryLH]

We're all making more of this than there is. It's a simple procedure.

My first mistake was in the wording. I said;

"When you get a new passport you can take it to immigration and they'll transfer the visa into the new one."

Let me restate that.

When you get a new passport, and are on an extension, you can take it to immigration and they'll transfer some of the visa information into the new one.

This gives you the same length of visa extension as in the old passport.

As reported by Sojurner, the USA Embassy gives you a letter to take to immigration along with your new passport. I believe it's just a letter asking for the transfer. (I can imagine years ago some American going to immigration, not being clear about what they wanted, having a minor problem. Now, to avoid that, they give you the letter.)

As I recall, the procedure at immigration was routine and just took a couple of minutes. I wasn't the first one doing that, and I wasn't the last. Very straightforward.

I have no first hand experience with what would happen with a re-entry permit. I'd guess there might be something similiar, but will leave that for those who've gone through that experience.

Even after many years experience dealing with some of these things, it's still easy to use the wrong vocabulary when discussing them.

Terry

[Maestro]

...it's still easy to use the wrong vocabulary when discussing them.

Even the Immigration Bureau sometimes uses the wrong vocabulary. For example, on their website they write “visa extension” when they mean “ extension of stay”

Is there any form you have to complete? Which section at Suan Plu Immigration do you go to etc?

The form, which unlike most other Immigration forms has no official number, is listed in the topic “Thai Immigration Application Forms” pinned at the top of this forum. Here is the direct link to that form, called “Transfer stamp to new passport”

Incidentally, this Immigration service of transferring stamps is free.

When you enter the Suan Phlu office you find a reception/information desk on the left. Ask here for the form (if you do not download and print it yourself) and they will tell you which room to go to.

--

Maestro

[samtam]

Thanks maestro, that's great - and makes life much easier to have the detail that you've provided.

[Chaichara]

Not sure how they would do it in Thailand but I've gotten a 1-yr visa elsewhere with a passort which was set to expire in 1-2 months. Inside my soon-to-expire passport they put in a visa stamp good up until the expiry date and I was told to bring my new passport in when I got it and they would give me a visa for the remainder of the time then.

I am now on the third passport which I have had issued from the Brit Emb in BKK.

Each time, the current Non Im B multiple entry is transferred to the new passport which is done usualyy the next time I need to do a 90 day border run.

I collected the last new passport on the morning of 8 March and drove immediately the 800 km to Nong Khai Frendship Bridge border crossing. (I live in Udon).

In Nong Khai the current visa was transfered to my new passport in 5 minutes at no cost. I exited on the new passport, returned 45 minutes later to receive a new 90 day stamp in my new passport.

Edited April 8, 2007 by Chaichara

[freefunk]

Old and new passports can be used together as there is a reference stamp with in each passport. I suggets you apply for the new one now. Which country are your from?

[faxx]

I had a similar situation a few months age when I applied for a Non-B 1 year visa with a passport that is valid for 10 months, only. They issued me a visa that is valid until the expiry of my passport and not the full year.

[gzu88bv]

I, Swiss, almost 64, don’t have much experience with visa and stamp transfers. Since one is always at the discretion

of issuing authority whatsoever, I am now running down my temporary passport (issued in Switzerland last year

and just valid for 12 straight months) and triple Non-O-visa. At the same time I will also get a new passport at the

Swiss Embassy in Bangkok and subsequently plan to seek for a new Thai visa to avoid cluttering my new passport

with old stuff.

The lady at the Thai consulate in Basle/Switzerland clearly told me and emphasized last year that she could not

grant me a full multiple Non-O-visa and issued a triple Non-O-visa therefore restricted till the end of May 2007,

as the total length of my initially requested multiple Non-O-visa would exceed my passport’s expiry date of

November 20, 2007.

[cosmont]

You should be able to get a one year visa now. When you get a new passport you can take it to immigration and they'll transfer the visa into the new one.

Terry

How easy is it transfer a visa from an old passport to a new one? Is there a form to complete? Which section do you go to at Suan Plu?

I did it 2 years ago at Suan Plu without any difficulties, ground floor have one desk for this.

Just filled a form, wait your queue number and they stamp on the first page of your passport then write informations about your previous passport (Number, issuing place, etc and your visa N°, date of issue, etc)

Of course it is FREE

Cheers

Edited April 9, 2007 by cosmont

[iang]

Last year, with 9 months to run on my passport (Aust), I applied for a new Non-Imm B and was given the visa for a full 12 month period.

I subsequently renewed my Aust passport and now when entering immigration, I present the officer with both passports. The visa in the old passport remains valid for 12 months and the officer stamps me in for 90 days and notes on the entry stamp in the new passport, the reference to the visa in the old passport (passport number & page number).

I similarly present both passprts on departure.

Have done this 3 times so far and there hasn't been a hint of a problem.

[khunjimk]

Basic issues but I would appreciate help. Thanks much! I will be entering Thailand getting the standard 30 day visa on arrival.

1. I have read that a passport must be valid for at least 30 days for entry into Thailand. My new (renewed) Passport will only be 3 weeks old when I arrive from the US.

Question - Will this be a problem for me on arrival ?

2. I have booked my return flight for 1 month and 7 days after arrival into Thailand (planning to pay the 1,900 baht for an extension)

Once again I have read "aliens entering the Kingdom with no visa must present ticket or travel documents that have been paid already or confirmed to exit the kingdom and must not exceed '30 days' upon the date of entrance to the kingdom."

Question - Should I change my ticket return for a 30 day stay for customs on arrival then re-book with my airline in Thailand for 7 days later or is this no big deal?