Travel inside Thailand without a passport

[Danderman123]

I will have to give up my passport to Immigration to renew my visa, which means I will be without a passport for some weeks.

 

my question is, if I have copies of my passport, can I check into hotels?

 

Can I fly domestically with a copy of my passport?

 

 

[CharlieH]

MOVED to Travel forum

 

 

PS never known immigration retain a passport.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

I will have to give up my passport to Immigration to renew my visa, which means I will be without a passport for some weeks.

 

my question is, if I have copies of my passport, can I check into hotels?

 

Can I fly domestically with a copy of my passport?

Do you really have to ‘give up your passport for a few weeks’ ??? this seems strange. 

I don’t recall ever having to leave my passport at Immigration. 

 

That said: there are a couple of other facets: 

 

1) What other ID do you have ?...  

If you have a Thai Pink ID you are good to fly and check-into hotels etc

If you don’t have a Pink ID you may get away with travel and checking into hotels with your Thai Driving Licence (and photo copy of Passport). 

If you don’t have a Thai DL you may get away with an international DL and copies of your passport. 

 

 

2) There is another issue about always being able to provide government issued ID within a reasonable time-frame - this basically means you need to be able to provide your passport IF (on the rare chance) the police stop you and ask for it. In this case, IF immigration are holding your passport they may provide you with a letter perhaps. 

 

[phetphet]

Immigration might hold your passport for a week to process your visa if they are really busy. I doubt they will hold it any longer than that.

 

The only thing I can suggest is to ask them to provide a letter explaining that they are indeed holding your passport. Also take a photocopy of photo page and visa, and take along your Thai driving licence if you have one.

 

HTH.

[MJCM]

20 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Can I fly domestically with a copy of my passport?

I always use my Thai Driving License when flying (domestically) and  if the name is the same as on the Ticket, it shouldn't be a problem

[KhunBENQ]

27 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

for some weeks.

Could you detail what kind of visa or extension you are applying for?

Sounds unreal. Typical cases are under consideration periods of a month but you get a stamp in the passport and it is returned to you.

[Cardano]

OP, Don't know where you got this info from. Immigration do not retain your passport for any visa, why would they? They will put a stamp in your passport stating your application is pending and a date when you need to go back to immigration.

 

[Stocky]

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

my question is, if I have copies of my passport, can I check into hotels?

 

Can I fly domestically with a copy of my passport?

I don't think immigration will keep hold of your passport. However, in the unlikely event they do, I would expect a receipt from them saying as much. In that event I would think a receipt from immigration plus a photocopy might be OK. 

 

Thai driving licence works if you have one.

[Mac Mickmanus]

  Is he referring to an agency ?

An agency who would need to send you passport to an immigration office that isn't strict on the required documents would need to keep your passport for a few weeks 

[Danderman123]

2 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Could you detail what kind of visa or extension you are applying for?

Sounds unreal. Typical cases are under consideration periods of a month but you get a stamp in the passport and it is returned to you.

I renew my Non-O retirement visa via an agency. 

[KhunBENQ]

14 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

I renew my Non-O retirement visa via an agency. 

Very strange that the passport has to be kept for weeks.

Retirement extension for me is a 30 minute affair at immigration without any helper.

[Olmate]

10 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Very strange that the passport has to be kept for weeks.

Retirement extension for me is a 30 minute affair at immigration without any helper.

Day or. two max. at Pattaya agent. Call BS on post! 

[ThailandRyan]

Checked into the Centara Grand in Hua Hin with my Thai DL this week. GF did not have her passport as it's being renewed, so she just showed a copy from her phone and the check-in lady took a photo of the screen.