My experience Registering a new passport

[Saraburi121]

Took my old and new passports to immigration with every page copied from my old passport, info page from new passport and letter from the embassy requesting to transfer visa/stamps to new passport on Monday, figured easy day after reading posts on TV about the subject. Had to leave passports/copies on Monday because they were "busy"  IO explained to my wife to leave my passports and pick up on Thursday. Saraburi is never busy, I was 6th in the que on Monday with two behind me.  I asked for a receipt and was told if you have problem call the number they gave me.  When I politely asked for a receipt again I was met with silence and a nasty glare.  Figured I would wait till Friday before making the 3 hour round trip. Friday morning my wife called and asked if it was ready and was told if you were told it would be ready on Thursday then it is ready.   Drove down and was met with a lot of confusion and was repeatedly questioned by the person I dropped it off to as to who I gave my passports to, I said "you".  After my wife talked to the lady we submitted the passports/documents to she said she would get it done and we could meet her on Saturday to pick up, she would message us.  Saturday wife got a message at about 3pm from the IO that maybe it will be done on Monday. 

 

Nothing is ever easy at this office no matter how much you prepare. Figured let the wife deal with them but she gets the same BS as I do, at least they are consistent.  

 

[onebir]

tldr; if you get a new passport and want to register it, figure on writing off a week.

[DrJack54]

Remarkable. Transferring stamps and information re your initial visa takes couple of minutes. I'm guessing that your new passport is back in your possession with info transferred. If not insist upon their return with or without transfer. 

When I obtained my new pp and was exiting and re-enter Thailand every month, simply traveled with both passports and had info transferred when my extension was due.

[mtls2005]

8 hours ago, Saraburi121 said:

maybe it will be done on Monday. 

 

Would that be tomorrow?

Maybe your passports were misplaced in the office and they are looking for them?

[UncleMhee]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Would that be tomorrow?

Maybe your passports were misplaced in the office and they are looking for them?

Yep @mtls2005; Monday would be tomorrow 1 goom pa 2564/1st February 2021.  If the passports are lost at least they're lost at immigration, not in some agents office. Then again it might have been easier for them to use one. Good luck for tomorrow @Saraburi121

 

[Saraburi121]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Would that be tomorrow?

Maybe your passports were misplaced in the office and they are looking for them?

I think they did misplace the passports hopefully they find it by tomorrow.  Every time I deal with these folks its always problems not caused by me.  Maybe they get a kick out of messing with people.  

[jackdd]

47 minutes ago, Saraburi121 said:

Maybe they get a kick out of messing with people.

Maybe this as well, but their main motivation to cause problems is usually so that you get annoyed by it and decide to use an agent in the future, then they would get paid through the agent.

[Saraburi121]

1 hour ago, jackdd said:

Maybe this as well, but their main motivation to cause problems is usually so that you get annoyed by it and decide to use an agent in the future, then they would get paid through the agent.

I just sit and smile, getting annoyed is counter productive.  Have to renew my extension next month so another round to go.  If I could find an agent here for a reasonable price I would go that route. 15k is the cheapest I have found so not worth it to me so I will continue to do it myself.  

[OJAS]

13 hours ago, Saraburi121 said:

 I asked for a receipt and was told if you have problem call the number they gave me.  When I politely asked for a receipt again I was met with silence and a nasty glare. 

 

Does this mean that they charged you for a service which is supposed to be free (at most other offices at any rate)?

 

[Saraburi121]

21 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

Does this mean that they charged you for a service which is supposed to be free (at most other offices at any rate)?

 

No charge.  I just wanted a document showing I submitted my passports to them in case they lost it.

[nahkit]

Took my new passport to immigration last Tuesday along with the old one and a letter from my embassy. Took about 15 minutes for them to do it (including my 90-day report) and they charged me 200 baht.

Edited January 31, 2021 by nahkit

[fvw53]

14 minutes ago, nahkit said:

Took my new passport to immigration last Tuesday along with the old one and a letter from my embassy. Took about 15 minutes for them to do it (including my 90-day report) and they charged me 200 baht.

I did the same last week and it took me also 15 minutes ...and it was free of charge

[PETERTHEEATER]

14 minutes ago, fvw53 said:

I did the same last week and it took me also 15 minutes ...and it was free of charge

As it should be.......I have only had to do it once. The cutest female IO took me into an empty office and with well practiced skill transferred the various stamps and with a beaming smile asked for 500 baht. I would have given her a 1000 baht note tor the display of eye candy alone but found only 500 in my depleted wallet..????

[sghanchey]

41 minutes ago, nahkit said:

Took my new passport to immigration last Tuesday along with the old one and a letter from my embassy. Took about 15 minutes for them to do it (including my 90-day report) and they charged me 200 baht.

At which Immigration office, please?

[DJ54]

Smooth process at UDT 15-20 minutes... always have good service there... fortunately 

[Letseng]

21 hours ago, Saraburi121 said:

Took my old and new passports to immigration with every page copied from my old passport, info page from new passport and letter from the embassy requesting to transfer visa/stamps to new passport on Monday, figured easy day after reading posts on TV about the subject. Had to leave passports/copies on Monday because they were "busy"  IO explained to my wife to leave my passports and pick up on Thursday. Saraburi is never busy, I was 6th in the que on Monday with two behind me.  I asked for a receipt and was told if you have problem call the number they gave me.  When I politely asked for a receipt again I was met with silence and a nasty glare.  Figured I would wait till Friday before making the 3 hour round trip. Friday morning my wife called and asked if it was ready and was told if you were told it would be ready on Thursday then it is ready.   Drove down and was met with a lot of confusion and was repeatedly questioned by the person I dropped it off to as to who I gave my passports to, I said "you".  After my wife talked to the lady we submitted the passports/documents to she said she would get it done and we could meet her on Saturday to pick up, she would message us.  Saturday wife got a message at about 3pm from the IO that maybe it will be done on Monday. 

 

Nothing is ever easy at this office no matter how much you prepare. Figured let the wife deal with them but she gets the same BS as I do, at least they are consistent.  

 

IO did it when I exited the country. No need to go anywhere.

[Caspersfriend]

On 1/31/2021 at 12:30 AM, Saraburi121 said:

letter from the embassy requesting to transfer visa/stamps to new passport

 

 

For my last passport transfer [2011] there was no requirement for an embassy letter.

 

Is this now required at all Imm offices?

 

I am in Chiang Mai, anyone transferred a passport there lately?

 

Thanks

[Saraburi121]

2 minutes ago, Caspersfriend said:

 

For my last passport transfer [2011] there was no requirement for an embassy letter.

 

Is this now required at all Imm offices?

 

I am in Chiang Mai, anyone transferred a passport there lately?

 

Thanks

I am not sure if it is a requirement at the Saraburi office but the letter came with the new passport so I submitted it.  Honestly who knows what is a requirement at this office as they make their own rules that don’t always parallel other offices. 

[jomtienisgood]

On 1/31/2021 at 12:30 AM, Saraburi121 said:

Took my old and new passports to immigration with every page copied from my old passport, info page from new passport and letter from the embassy requesting to transfer visa/stamps to new passport on Monday, figured easy day after reading posts on TV about the subject. Had to leave passports/copies on Monday because they were "busy"  IO explained to my wife to leave my passports and pick up on Thursday. Saraburi is never busy, I was 6th in the que on Monday with two behind me.  I asked for a receipt and was told if you have problem call the number they gave me.  When I politely asked for a receipt again I was met with silence and a nasty glare.  Figured I would wait till Friday before making the 3 hour round trip. Friday morning my wife called and asked if it was ready and was told if you were told it would be ready on Thursday then it is ready.   Drove down and was met with a lot of confusion and was repeatedly questioned by the person I dropped it off to as to who I gave my passports to, I said "you".  After my wife talked to the lady we submitted the passports/documents to she said she would get it done and we could meet her on Saturday to pick up, she would message us.  Saturday wife got a message at about 3pm from the IO that maybe it will be done on Monday. 

 

Nothing is ever easy at this office no matter how much you prepare. Figured let the wife deal with them but she gets the same BS as I do, at least they are consistent.  

 

Very amazing, and I think unusual , situation. Each time I did it, I gave them the new passport, expired one and letter from Embassy. Copy of 1st page and last IO stamp in old one . Pick up next day in Pattaya.

[Robin]

Last year I got new UK passport in BKK.  When issued I was given letter to show I/O, asking them to transfer my Retirement Visa and Re-Entry to new passport.

Took all to Phayao I/O aannd all done in about an hour, no problems.  I can't remember if photo-copies were require, and any money must have been trivial, as I don't remember any.

I could not believe how easy it was, as Phayao I/O is normally confused by anything out of ordinary.  Most difficult thing appeared to be for the I/O to get a nice clear stamp of new visa in my passport.

[Saraburi121]

On my way to Saraburi Immigration this morning my wife got a message from the immigration officer to go to the Asia Pacific University in Muak Lek to pick up my passport.  The IO said they had someone who worked at the university help them during busy times.  Here is what I think really happened: My passport was mistakenly given to whomever handles the immigration duties for the university and saying that someone who worked there helped them was a face saving measure.  

 

All is well, new passport registered and old one returned.  Can't wait til later this month to do my extension, always an adventure. 

[nahkit]

21 hours ago, sghanchey said:

At which Immigration office, please?

If you check my post you'll see that it was edited and the reason I edited it was to remove the name of the immigration office. I'm going to be there again in a few days time and although it's highly unlikely that immigration would read this thread, I'd rather not take the chance of annoying them.

[sghanchey]

2 hours ago, nahkit said:

If you check my post you'll see that it was edited and the reason I edited it was to remove the name of the immigration office. I'm going to be there again in a few days time and although it's highly unlikely that immigration would read this thread, I'd rather not take the chance of annoying them.

Got it. Smart move. 

[Saraburi121]

On 2/1/2021 at 1:14 PM, nahkit said:

If you check my post you'll see that it was edited and the reason I edited it was to remove the name of the immigration office. I'm going to be there again in a few days time and although it's highly unlikely that immigration would read this thread, I'd rather not take the chance of annoying them.

I thought the same way when I first got here, don’t rock the boat at your immigration office.  I hope my immigration office reads my posts. Seems social media makes things change here. If you are are doing everything right and are legitimate  but get bound up by an office that doesn’t follow norms observed by the majority of offices in the country why be afraid to tactfully speak up?

[sghanchey]

I am expecting delivery of a new, replacement passport tomorrow. I sent it to the U.S. embassy exactly 8 days ago, so it was a very quick turnaround. I will go to Chonburi Immigration next week to get the current Non-O-A visa transferred ahead of my upcoming renewal later this month. Wish me luck! 

[Wongkitlo]

On 1/31/2021 at 7:45 AM, DrJack54 said:

Remarkable. Transferring stamps and information re your initial visa takes couple of minutes. I'm guessing that your new passport is back in your possession with info transferred. If not insist upon their return with or without transfer. 

When I obtained my new pp and was exiting and re-enter Thailand every month, simply traveled with both passports and had info transferred when my extension was due.

Yes mine was about 10-15 minutes

[Wongkitlo]

4 hours ago, sghanchey said:

I am expecting delivery of a new, replacement passport tomorrow. I sent it to the U.S. embassy exactly 8 days ago, so it was a very quick turnaround. I will go to Chonburi Immigration next week to get the current Non-O-A visa transferred ahead of my upcoming renewal later this month. Wish me luck! 

I did mine there. Was rather quick. I did not need a copy of every page. Just the photo page and the last visa entry. Tm6 .

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

Yes mine was about 10-15 minutes

BTW it's a small issue but may be of interest to some. I always obtain my multi reentry permit at the airport.

When years back I had a new pp and transferred my visa info from old pp to new (CW), I then attended reentry permit desk to have that stamp transferred only to be told I need to have that done where it was issued. 

Meaning Don Muang. No issue I traveled with both pp.

[kokesaat]

Not related to the specific issue of immigration......but to old passports:

8 years after receiving my new US passort, I went to Bangkok Bank to replace the bank book on my retirement account.  They asked for my passport and I showed them a digital photo of my new passport on my phone.  That satisfied them until they checked the passport number against their system......and they told me the number did not match the old one in their system.  I had to make a trip home to retrieve my old passport.  Now, I keep a digital photo of my old passport and new on my phone.

Bankbooks......hate them.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, kokesaat said:

Not related to the specific issue of immigration......but to old passports:

8 years after receiving my new US passort, I went to Bangkok Bank to replace the bank book on my retirement account.  They asked for my passport and I showed them a digital photo of my new passport on my phone.  That satisfied them until they checked the passport number against their system......and they told me the number did not match the old one in their system.  I had to make a trip home to retrieve my old passport.  Now, I keep a digital photo of my old passport and new on my phone.

Bankbooks......hate them.

You make a good point.

It's been recommended often on thaivisa that when obtaining new passport that you need to put on your 'must do list' is to inform your bank. 

As you point out, no big deal but many overlook it.