New passport from US Embassy in Bangkok. Do I need to transfer my visa stamp in Phuket (where it's issued) or can I go to Chaengwattana (where I am now)?

[bkk7]

As the post says, I picked up my new US passport in Bangkok. I'd like to just go to Chaengwattana and get it transferred because I won't go back to Phuket for a bit. My visa is actually almost expired but was issued in Phuket (non-ED) and I am waiting for my work permit and business visa paperwork, so I'd rather not go back down to Phuket just to get the visa stamp transferred if I can do it in BKK.

 

Thanks!

[Tod Daniels]

Unless I'm greatly mistaken you can only get extension of stay stamps moved to a new passport at the office that originally issued it.

 

So that would mean you slog on down to Phuket to get it transferred.

 

You're out nothing but time by going to Chaengwattana (Section N) and try.

This is the form you need, it lists the copies that are required

https://tinyurl.com/yskbaz54

[khunjake]

Both times I had a new passport, I just let them transfer the stamp at the airport while leaving with embassy letter in hand. Yes they will pull you aside and take you to the desk to do the transfer but both times took less then 5 minutes. I try not to step into any offices anymore as IOs have gotten far worse attitudes lately. 

[eia310e]

I don't know the official policy, but I got my new US passport last year and first tried to do the visa transfer near my office in Samutprakarn.  The officer said I had to go to where my visa was issued so I did and it was done very quickly.

[Pinot]

How quickly do you need to have the stamp transferred? I get a new passport in October and a apply for a yearly AO Visa in November. Can I just wait for the new one? Carry the old one with the new one?

 

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, Pinot said:

How quickly do you need to have the stamp transferred? I get a new passport in October and a apply for a yearly AO Visa in November. Can I just wait for the new one? Carry the old one with the new one?

 

You will acquire the new passport next October, correct? Then you can proceed with the stamps and info transfer to the new passport in November at the time of your yearly extension. (Believe that's what you mean, an extension, not a 'Yearly AO visa'.)

 

That's the best way to do it in that scenario. 

Edited March 8, 2023 by rwilem

[JimmyJ]

6 hours ago, khunjake said:

Both times I had a new passport, I just let them transfer the stamp at the airport while leaving with embassy letter in hand. Yes they will pull you aside and take you to the desk to do the transfer but both times took less then 5 minutes. I try not to step into any offices anymore as IOs have gotten far worse attitudes lately. 

Will they only xfer stamps at the airport if departing on an internatonal flight, or will they do it if I am flying domestically also?

Edited March 8, 2023 by JimmyJ

[rwilem]

23 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Will they only xfer stamps at the airport if departing on an internatonal flight, or will they do it if I a flying domestically also?

Only international. There is no mechanism for stamps to be transferred to a new passport at the airport for a domestic flight. You're not going through immigration.

Edited March 8, 2023 by rwilem

[Dart12]

I am awaiting a new passport from the embassy now.  I'm currently on 45 visa exempt.  

Are you saying I'll need to travel to the border to get re-stamped/ stamp transferred in order to get my next 30 day stamp at immigration?

Edited March 8, 2023 by Dart12

[JimmyJ]

Once we receive the new Passport, is there a fine if we don't have the stamps xferred within X days?

[KhunLA]

13 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Once we receive the new Passport, is there a fine if we don't have the stamps xferred within X days?

I don't think so ( a guess ) as I waited about a month before doing, as my extension was do then, and did both at same time.  No issue (Hua Hin Imm).

[DrJack54]

43 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Once we receive the new Passport, is there a fine if we don't have the stamps xferred within X days?

No

[Letseng]

8 hours ago, khunjake said:

Both times I had a new passport, I just let them transfer the stamp at the airport while leaving with embassy letter in hand. Yes they will pull you aside and take you to the desk to do the transfer but both times took less then 5 minutes. I try not to step into any offices anymore as IOs have gotten far worse attitudes lately. 

I did the same.

[Letseng]

9 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

Unless I'm greatly mistaken you can only get extension of stay stamps moved to a new passport at the office that originally issued it.

 

So that would mean you slog on down to Phuket to get it transferred.

 

You're out nothing but time by going to Chaengwattana (Section N) and try.

This is the form you need, it lists the copies that are required

https://tinyurl.com/yskbaz54

For a British pport you need a letter from the embassy to confirm a new pport has been issued. You may need  this letter for a US pport. Otherwise they send you away.

[rwilem]

5 hours ago, Dart12 said:

I am awaiting a new passport from the embassy now.  I'm currently on 45 visa exempt.  

Are you saying I'll need to travel to the border to get re-stamped/ stamp transferred in order to get my next 30 day stamp at immigration?

OK, let's get clear here. You entered visa-exempt, a 45-day stay. And while here you have applied for a new passport, from either your embassy or passport-issuing agency. And you desire to get a 30-day extension, at or near the end of your 45 days. 

 

So we're talking about an entry stamp here. If that is correct, just take both passports with you at the time of applying for the extension. Your entry stamp and any other pertinent info should be transferred from the old one to the new one, and then you should be able to proceed with the 30-day extension application.

 

At least that's how I believe it would go. But it's a good idea to contact the immigration office you will apply for the 30 day extension with and confirm that.

 

Having a letter from your embassy, or passport-issuing agency, for Thai immigration, which requests the entry stamp transfer should be needed. Your new passport itself might have a stamp placed in it for Thai immigration for that purpose, in lieu of the letter.

 

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by rwilem

[rwilem]

Regarding the above, it's also possible immigration will just put the extension stamp in the new passport, leaving your entry stamp in the expired one. And then when you do exit the country have both passports ready to present at the immigration booth upon departure.

 

But I just don't see any situation where you would be refused a 30-day extension because you've got a new passport, and be told to do an exit-and-return to get an additional 30 days. (Think the 45-day visa-exempt stay is supposed to end on March 31, after which it would return to the standard 30 days. Assuming....)

Edited March 8, 2023 by rwilem

[JimmyJ]

13 hours ago, Letseng said:

For a British pport you need a letter from the embassy to confirm a new pport has been issued. You may need  this letter for a US pport. Otherwise they send you away.

Us Embassy Bangkok automatically includes one when doing it by mail.

[Dart12]

11 hours ago, rwilem said:

OK, let's get clear here. You entered visa-exempt, a 45-day stay. And while here you have applied for a new passport, from either your embassy or passport-issuing agency. And you desire to get a 30-day extension, at or near the end of your 45 days. 

 

So we're talking about an entry stamp here. If that is correct, just take both passports with you at the time of applying for the extension. Your entry stamp and any other pertinent info should be transferred from the old one to the new one, and then you should be able to proceed with the 30-day extension application.

 

At least that's how I believe it would go. But it's a good idea to contact the immigration office you will apply for the 30 day extension with and confirm that.

 

Having a letter from your embassy, or passport-issuing agency, for Thai immigration, which requests the entry stamp transfer should be needed. Your new passport itself might have a stamp placed in it for Thai immigration for that purpose, in lieu of the letter.

 

 

Yes, that's pretty much it.  

So according to you an additional letter will be needed from the Embassy will be needed for immigration to transfer the stamp at local immigration...

****(and not required to go to the border where I got the stamp, right?).  

so I will need to email the Embassy and make a special request for that letter to be mailed back to me along with my passports?

this correct?

[expat_4_life]

31 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

Yes, that's pretty much it.  

So according to you an additional letter will be needed from the Embassy will be needed for immigration to transfer the stamp at local immigration...

****(and not required to go to the border where I got the stamp, right?).  

so I will need to email the Embassy and make a special request for that letter to be mailed back to me along with my passports?

this correct?

No, I don't believe so.

 

I can only speak for US passports, but the Embassy routinely has provided the stamp transfer letter you need at immigration automatically when you renew a passport in Thailand, which I've done twice

Edited March 9, 2023 by expat_4_life

[JimmyJ]

17 minutes ago, expat_4_life said:

No, I don't believe so.

 

I can only speak for US passports, but the Embassy routinely has provided the stamp transfer letter you need at immigration automatically when you renew a passport in Thailand, which I've done twice

+1

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, Dart12 said:

Yes, that's pretty much it....

so I will need to email the Embassy and make a special request for that letter to be mailed back to me along with my passports?

this correct?

As the fellas above have noted, the U.S. and some others automatically provide the letter. At least one embassy (Australia?) puts a stamp in the passport for this purpose. 

Edited March 9, 2023 by rwilem

[rwilem]

18 hours ago, Dart12 said:

I am awaiting a new passport from the embassy now.  I'm currently on 45 visa exempt.  

Are you saying I'll need to travel to the border to get re-stamped/ stamp transferred in order to get my next 30 day stamp at immigration?

Excuse me, I didn't read this carefully. I assumed you entered 45-days visa exempt by air. (Even though you did not say that.) And the border thing you were referencing was for an out-and-back bounce, not that Imm would direct you to get that entry stamp transferred there. (Because I was still incorrectly assuming a by air entry.) But it was at a land border that you entered. Got it, finally.

 

The new passport is coming to you by mail, could anywhere in the country. My response is based on what I would expect Bangkok immigration to do in this case, but other offices may not act that way 

 

If you don't mind, from which land border did you enter, and which immigration office are you planning to use to apply for the 30-day extension?

 

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by rwilem

[Dart12]

4 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

No, I don't believe so.

 

I can only speak for US passports, but the Embassy routinely has provided the stamp transfer letter you need at immigration automatically when you renew a passport in Thailand, which I've done twice

 

4 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

+1

Yes US passport.  

You are both saying letter automatically is shipped back with the passports?  (this makes sense, but governments have no common sense usually).

 

3 hours ago, rwilem said:

 

 

If you don't mind, from which land border did you enter, and which immigration office are you planning to use to apply for the 30-day extension?

 

 

US Embassy.
 

Land border Cambodia.

Jomtien immigration.

[expat_4_life]

30 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

 

Yes US passport.  

You are both saying letter automatically is shipped back with the passports?  (this makes sense, but governments have no common sense usually).

 

Yes, US passport holder, the letter comes back with the new passport, never had to request one here as a separate procedure.

[Dart12]

5 minutes ago, expat_4_life said:

Yes, US passport holder, the letter comes back with the new passport, never had to request one here as a separate procedure.

thanks so much for the info.  

I assumed all that would be covered when I sent it in for renewal...but reading this post I got a little nervous for a second.  Thank you again for sharing.

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, Dart12 said:

US Embassy.
 

Land border Cambodia.

Jomtien immigration.

"Are we clear?"

 

"Yes, crystal."

 

Got it now. Ordinarily, it is residents here who are acquiring new passports and then subsequently having current extension permits transferred to the new passport. And I assumed an air entry by you, visa-exempt, and as a shorter-term visitor getting a new passport here then applying for a 30-day extension of your stay. But you came in by land, with an entry stamp from a border post.

 

I'd suggest as soon as you have the new passport go apply for the extension at Jomtiem. You won't lose any days applying early. Again, I can't see how they'd tell someone to return to a border post for an entry stamp transfer to a new passport. I don't even know if that's possible. That's really would be lot.  But you never know. And if a wrench is thrown your way, then you some time.

 

Ordinarily, in cases like this the traveler just uses both passports on departure from the country. No problem, easy. But as you are seeking a 30-day extension with the new passport, before exiting, this is little different. 

 

The letter will be included in the envelope returning your passports. The Jomtiem office has likely had similar cases as yours before. Haven't read any reports of someone instructed to return to a land border for an entry stamp transfer to a new passport. With both passports and the letter Jomtien should either transfer it to the new passport or make some kind of note of it along with the extension in the new one, and in that case--maybe most cases with an in-country acquired passport--you would use both passports when you do exit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by rwilem

[Dart12]

I haven't been home in about 3 years, but intend to fly back in sept/oct.  

I have one last land border run allowed which would take me to almost august.  

then I need to figure out a way to stay another 2 months ish.  

I don't qualify for retirement yet... and education, etc is overpriced for that short term.

Wish it was as easy as places like the philipines, but hey...part of the fun I guess, right?

 

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, Dart12 said:

I have one last land border run allowed which would take me to almost august.  

then I need to figure out a way to stay another 2 months ish.  

I don't qualify for retirement yet... and education, etc is overpriced for that short term.

Wish it was as easy as places like the philipines, but hey...part of the fun I guess, right?

Yep, I get it. Got to be judicious with the border runs. And it's a tougher row to hoe here than it is for the PI, no doubt.

 

Part of the fun...'yeah'.

 

Keep us posted how it turns out for you.

Edited March 9, 2023 by rwilem

[Dart12]

15 hours ago, rwilem said:

Yep, I get it. Got to be judicious with the border runs. And it's a tougher row to hoe here than it is for the PI, no doubt.

 

Part of the fun...'yeah'.

 

Keep us posted how it turns out for you.

welp.  mailed the passport day after return from cambodia.  

Now just sitting in no-mans' land praying they get it back to me in time for the extension.

And honestly, after doing my first border run, I'll be looking for different visa to use. 

Losing a full day to travel (and the discomfort of it)...it's probably costing me more in lost monies than saving me.

Plus I got to watch one guy get denied getting back in when a new girl came in at shift change.  I don't like those kind of surprises.