Passport renewal

[hwas]

I am trying to decide whether to renew my passport now or wait until I am in Thailand.  My intention is to get a non O visa and after waiting the required time, to apply for a marriage visa in Thailand.  My passport expires in one year.  If I use the old passport for the non O visa and then get a new passport as soon as possible after arriving in Thailand and get the marriage visa with the new passport, will I only have to carry the new passport, or both?

[timendres]

Renew it now. If you renew here, it is more difficult, and you will need to have all of your "stamps" transferred from the old passport to the new one. Furthermore, if you intend to get an "extension of stay" for one year, you will not get the full year, as the extension will only be given to the date the passport expires. And if there is less than 6 months of life left on the passport, you will get no extension at all. If you are asked why you are renewing before 6 months prior to expiration, explain that you will need a full year on the passport for the visa/extension you intend to apply for in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, timendres said:

And if there is less than 6 months of life left on the passport, you will get no extension at all.

There is no 6 month rule for extensions or anything else at a immigration office. The extension would still be issued to the day the passport expires.

[EricTh]

It's always better to renew at your home country because there is usually a delay in getting the new passport from few weeks to few months in Thailand depending on your home country.

 

Then you will only get less than a year extension depending on how much is left on your passport expiry date.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by EricTh

[DrJack54]

OP, not even sure why your asking.

Obtain pp now.

BTW in there is added cost to obtain passport renewal when your outside of own country. 

For example here is snippet for Oz embassy additional fees. aud.

 

 

ADDITIONAL FEES FEE

Priority processing (if eligible) $225

Overseas surcharge - adult applicant $138

Edited March 15, 2022 by DrJack54

[hotandsticky]

49 minutes ago, timendres said:

Renew it now. If you renew here, it is more difficult, and you will need to have all of your "stamps" transferred from the old passport to the new one. Furthermore, if you intend to get an "extension of stay" for one year, you will not get the full year, as the extension will only be given to the date the passport expires. And if there is less than 6 months of life left on the passport, you will get no extension at all. If you are asked why you are renewing before 6 months prior to expiration, explain that you will need a full year on the passport for the visa/extension you intend to apply for in Thailand.

Not quite true.... with 6 months expiry date he would get a 6 month extension - exactly to the expiry date.

 

That is irrelevant as it is a no brainer that it should be done in the UK.....cheaper and more efficient leading into a smooth phase of Thai Immigration extensions.

[hwas]

Thank you.  I will have to renew thru US embassy, Lisbon

[hwas]

The Australia fees are worse than the US.  I am living in Portugal, so have to renew thru US embassy Lisbon.  Charge is 117€
 

[EricTh]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, not even sure why your asking.

Obtain pp now.

BTW in there is added cost to obtain passport renewal when your outside of own country. 

For example here is snippet for Oz embassy additional fees. aud.

 

 

ADDITIONAL FEES FEE

Priority processing (if eligible) $225

Overseas surcharge - adult applicant $138

 

How long does the OZ embassy in Thailand takes to get the new passport?

 

 

[DrJack54]

8 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

How long does the OZ embassy in Thailand takes to get the new passport?

 

 

Cannot answer re current situation.

When I did mine at Oz embassy years back, I couldn't believe how quick it was.

Perhaps someone that has obtained an Oz pp renewal recently can chip in.

Just a guess....thinking 3 weeks max. 

Added note: I suggest anyone applying for Oz pp to obtain your photos are the print place just near the embassy.

I obtained mine locally as per the guidelines and they were rejected instantly and I was directed to this particular print joint.

Smells fishy. 

Edited March 16, 2022 by DrJack54

[skatewash]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, not even sure why your asking.

Obtain pp now.

BTW in there is added cost to obtain passport renewal when your outside of own country. 

For example here is snippet for Oz embassy additional fees. aud.

 

 

ADDITIONAL FEES FEE

Priority processing (if eligible) $225

Overseas surcharge - adult applicant $138

The situation is quite different for American citizens.  Passport renewal through US Embassy Bangkok is cheaper, easier, and much faster than it is in the US.  

I don't know what passport renewal is like through US Embassy Lisbon, but almost certainly better than in the US.

Probably best for the OP to renew as soon as possible.

[EricTh]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Cannot answer re current situation.

When I did mine at Oz embassy years back, I couldn't believe how quick it was.

Perhaps someone that has obtained an Oz pp renewal recently can chip in.

Just a guess....thinking 3 weeks max. 

Added note: I suggest anyone applying for Oz pp to obtain your photos are the print place just near the embassy.

I obtained mine locally as per the guidelines and they were rejected instantly and I was directed to this particular print joint.

Smells fishy. 

 

Due to Covid situation, the delay can be a few months in some countries.

 

 

 

[skatewash]

6 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

Due to Covid situation, the delay can be a few months in some countries.

 

 

 

Through US Embassy Bangkok the wait has been about two weeks.

[Thingamabob]

Just renewed my UK passport here in Bangkok one year prior to expiration of my current passport. Straightforward and efficient, 6 weeks from start to finish. Later had info regarding my previous 1 year extension transferred to my new passport when appying for a further 1 year retirement extension.

[hwas]

I mailed in my renewal yesterday.  According to the embassy, it will take 2-3 weeks to process 

[eastbaybob]

On 3/15/2022 at 6:38 PM, timendres said:

Furthermore, if you intend to get an "extension of stay" for one year, you will not get the full year, as the extension will only be given to the date the passport expires.

Although OP already sent off his passport for renewal, just to let anyone else that may read this, this is not the case.  I got a full year in Nonthaburi even though my passport will expire well before that.

[DrJack54]

14 minutes ago, eastbaybob said:

Although OP already sent off his passport for renewal, just to let anyone else that may read this, this is not the case.  I got a full year in Nonthaburi even though my passport will expire well before that.

Strange.

I wonder if they made a mistake.

Any extension should be dated to expiry of pp if expiry is prior to the extension period. 

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by DrJack54

[OJAS]

20 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Just renewed my UK passport here in Bangkok one year prior to expiration of my current passport. Straightforward and efficient, 6 weeks from start to finish.

Not sure that "straightforward and efficient" is how I would personally describe the dreaded With-It Tower UK Passport Renewal Experience! Might you live within a stone's throw of the VFS office perchance?

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by OJAS

[OJAS]

On 3/16/2022 at 10:22 AM, skatewash said:

The situation is quite different for American citizens.  Passport renewal through US Embassy Bangkok is cheaper, easier, and much faster than it is in the US.  

Whereas quite the reverse situation applies in the case of us Brits. Those renewing online in the UK are apparently receiving their new passports within 5 weeks according to current official statistics*, whereas those of us applying from Thailand (who are not permitted to use the online service for some ridiculous reason) are currently being told to expect a wait of 11 weeks for ours. I find it hard to believe that the 6-week difference can be wholly explained by the time needed for applications to be sent by courier from the VFS offices in Bangkok & Chiang Mai to the UK, and for replacement passports to be eventually couriered back to those offices from the UK.

 

* https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office/about-our-services

Edited March 17, 2022 by OJAS

[skatewash]

15 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Whereas quite the reverse situation applies in the case of us Brits. Those renewing online in the UK are apparently receiving their new passports within 5 weeks according to current official statistics*, whereas those of us applying from Thailand (who are not permitted to use the online service for some ridiculous reason) are currently being told to expect a wait of 11 weeks for ours. I find it hard to believe that the 6-week difference can be wholly explained by the time needed for applications to be sent by courier from the VFS offices in Bangkok & Chiang Mai to the UK, and for replacement passports to be eventually couriered back to those offices from the UK.

 

* https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office/about-our-services

Yes, whenever I'm tempted to complain about US Embassy Bangkok I just think about the Brits in Thailand and refrain. ???? I think passport renewal via US Embassy Bangkok is an excellent service and in that respect Americans in Thailand are very fortunate. 

[OJAS]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Strange.

I wonder if they made a mistake.

Any extension should be dated to expiry of pp if expiry is prior to the extension period. 

 

IMHO this is a discrepancy which @eastbaybob needs to follow up with Nonthaburi as a matter of urgency since I wonder whether he could technically be regarded as being on overstay after the expiry date of his passport, notwithstanding the date of his latest extension stamp.

[skatewash]

43 minutes ago, OJAS said:

IMHO this is a discrepancy which @eastbaybob needs to follow up with Nonthaburi as a matter of urgency since I wonder whether he could technically be regarded as being on overstay after the expiry date of his passport, notwithstanding the date of his latest extension stamp.

I'm inclined to think it was a mistake on the part of immigration.  In any case the person should renew their passport as soon as possible and take it to Thai immigration to have the stamps transferred from the old to new passport.  I suspect that there may be an issue doing that (the permission to stay being longer than the passport was valid) and if there is it's best to get it cleared up as soon as possible.

In any case, to be legally in Thailand a foreigner must have a valid passport and a valid permission to stay issued by immigration.  Lacking either of those things is a serious problem.

If the person is a US citizen he can renew his passport entirely online and by mail at US Embassy Bangkok with a 2 week turnaround time.

[vinci]

any intelligent person would tell you to renew it at home, why would you even consider doing it in another country

[skatewash]

38 minutes ago, vinci said:

any intelligent person would tell you to renew it at home, why would you even consider doing it in another country

You would consider it if it were easier, cheaper, and faster.  It really depends on which country you are talking about.  For the US it's much better to renew via US Embassy Bangkok than back in the US.

[timendres]

6 minutes ago, skatewash said:

You would consider it if it were easier, cheaper, and faster.  It really depends on which country you are talking about.  For the US it's much better to renew via US Embassy Bangkok than back in the US.

My experience in the US, when my original passport was stolen, was simple and quick. But that was 20 years ago. I just renewed my passport here in Thailand two weeks ago (March 2). Paid the fee online. Put together the required materials and posted by EMS. Today, the new passport was delivered by EMS. Almost exactly two weeks, and smooth as silk. The only "difficult" parts were, locating the correct instructions and online form to complete (there are out-dated instructions you can easily find first and be led astray, and locating the correct online page for payment of the fee is difficult), and getting the draft check required to pay for the return shipment (fortunately, the instructions provided by the Embassy to print out and hand to the bank teller made that easier). Not sure why that return shipment fee cannot be included in the online payment. Otherwise, this was an example of government efficiency, and I am impressed.

[Dart12]

15 minutes ago, skatewash said:

You would consider it if it were easier, cheaper, and faster.  It really depends on which country you are talking about.  For the US it's much better to renew via US Embassy Bangkok than back in the US.

Unless (Im told), you want to "wash" your passport for thailand...then renew at home. 

[skatewash]

11 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

Unless (Im told), you want to "wash" your passport for thailand...then renew at home. 

Not sure passport "washing" is still a thing.  All entrants to Thailand are in Immigration computers, including in many cases biometric data (picture, fingerprints).  What is in your current passport is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, skatewash said:

I'm inclined to think it was a mistake on the part of immigration.  In any case the person should renew their passport as soon as possible and take it to Thai immigration to have the stamps transferred from the old to new passport.  I suspect that there may be an issue doing that (the permission to stay being longer than the passport was valid) and if there is it's best to get it cleared up as soon as possible.

In any case, to be legally in Thailand a foreigner must have a valid passport and a valid permission to stay issued by immigration.  Lacking either of those things is a serious problem.

If the person is a US citizen he can renew his passport entirely online and by mail at US Embassy Bangkok with a 2 week turnaround time.

Fair enough, provided that @eastbaybob both renews his existing passport and attempts to get the stamps transfer to his new passport processed at Immigration before the old one expires. I only hope for his sake that he isn't a fellow Brit, though!

 

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, vinci said:

any intelligent person would tell you to renew it at home, why would you even consider doing it in another country

In the case of us Brits it's because most of us here in LOS are compulsive masochists - particularly those who go skipping up and down their sois in a state of unbridled ecstasy fulsomely singing the praises of the With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience to the very highest heavens as being the best thing since sliced bread in passport renewal procedures!????????

Edited March 17, 2022 by OJAS

[Dart12]

33 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Not sure passport "washing" is still a thing.  All entrants to Thailand are in Immigration computers, including in many cases biometric data (picture, fingerprints).  What is in your current passport is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

I'm not sure either.  It was something an agent mentioned.

I'm sure on a macro level you are very correct though.