Sorry this is long, detail seems necessary. I have a UK passport, with a non-immigrant OA visa issued in the UK. Sticker expires in January, stamp in March. I have just got a new passport, as the old one was due to expire in April. When I got the new one (via the embassy-approved agency in Chiang Mai), I was advised to visit immigration to get the stamp transferred to it and given a letter from the embassy to facilitate the process. When I went to the office yesterday, the triage volunteers gave me a form to fill out and sent me to get copies of every stamp, sticker, TM30, 90 day report and departure card slip in my old passport. In the office however, the IOs told me that I had a choice of either getting the stamp transferred, or just always showing my old passport along with the new one. When I asked what the difference would be, they told me to go away and just show my old and new passports together when required. I then went to a different desk for my 90 day report. It was issued on my old passport and I was told that I should transfer the stamp to the new one before the next time. I’m at a loss as to whether it makes any real difference to have the stamp in my new passport and whether I should try again. I think the issue must be that though they can give me a new stamp, they can’t give me a new sticker, so I would always need to use the old passport if I was relying on that. Advice appreciated. 

They never transfer Visa stickers. Only stamps and the info commentary about it. To use your Visa if you can enter the country before expiration, you need to carry both passports. Otherwise only need to carry the new one with transferred stamp info.

Edited September 1, 20205 yr by tonray

If you got your stamps transferred there would only be info about your visa and old passport entered on stamp. And the would only transfer you most recent entry stamp to it the new one.

If you were to travel and re-enter the country before your OA visa expires you would have to show both passports on entry to use the visa in your old passport and then be stamped into the country in the new one.

Do yourself a favor and go to the immigration and let them transfer everything. If I remember correctly when I did it some years ago it was even for free. 

30 minutes ago, Oldie said:

Do yourself a favor and go to the immigration and let them transfer everything. If I remember correctly when I did it some years ago it was even for free. 

 

Yes. I have done this twice now.

 

They transfer the original visa with a new stamp. The new passport number is registered in their system and you never need to show the old passport again.

 

The whole process takes 10 minutes (except that there were technical issues last time)

Thank you for responses. The point is that the IO didn’t want to give me a new stamp. I got the impression that they didn’t think it was worth it, but my Thai was not up to understanding. It sounds like there is little practical difference at this stage, but obviously I need to get any extension or new stamp in my new passport. 

8 minutes ago, rosyrose said:

Thank you for responses. The point is that the IO didn’t want to give me a new stamp. I got the impression that they didn’t think it was worth it, but my Thai was not up to understanding. It sounds like there is little practical difference at this stage, but obviously I need to get any extension or new stamp in my new passport. 

If you don't tell the immigration that you have a new passport they and their systems will not know it. If you move to a hotel they have to do TM30 with your new passport. If you do 90 day reporting they have to use the new passport. Your old passport is simply not valid anymore.