Entering Thailand with less than 6 month valid passport?

[Don Chance]

I seem this is ok to do. Any recent reports?  I need to renew my passport, so next problem is that it will take 20 working days. So likely over the 30 days visa exempt i would get. So i would need to extend right away another 30 days, ya think?

Edited April 10, 2023 by Don Chance

[Jack1988]

Why don't you renew your passport first and after that enter Thailand? Easy...

I would never enter thailand with less than 6 month valid passport!

Edited April 10, 2023 by blackcab
Oversized font removed

[Don Chance]

Because i am in Nepal. Means i have to mail the application to the embassy in New Delhi. Which i guess i will do. But it would be easier just to fly back to Thailand in couple of months.

 

here is the thread

Edited April 10, 2023 by Don Chance

[Caldera]

2 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

Because i am in Nepal. Means i have to mail the application to the embassy in New Delhi. Which i guess i will do. But it would be easier just to fly back to Thailand in couple of months.

Make sure to check the rules of any airlines you want to use and any transit countries as well.

 

Even if Thailand would let you in, airlines and other countries might well enforce the six months validity rule.

[Don Chance]

8 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Make sure to check the rules of any airlines you want to use and any transit countries as well.

 

Even if Thailand would let you in, airlines and other countries might well enforce the six months validity rule.

Airlines use the IATA Portal to check these matters when you check in.

 

 

 

Here is an example, for my late trip to Thailand . I present my Passport to the Check in Person. They put in my details and they know what flight I am goin out on and the one coming back. This shows them that in my case it was 29 days in the Kingdom.So that meant I was with the rules of "POOT" At the same time it tells them I do not need Visa . It also tells them that my passport is good for travel.

 

 

 

Some years ago a person from Australia was in real Panic on Saturday, was flying next day and had less than 6 months. I did a double check even though I knew the answer . Just went in the IATA Portal put in deatails , it popped up clear to travel.

[DrJack54]

Thailand immigration will allow you into the country with less that 6 months validity.

However as @Caldera points out

Airlines have their own rules for issuing boarding pass.

Since many countries have the 6 months rule it's not uncommon for airlines to insist on this. 

[expat_4_life]

I have US passport and made a trip home on re-entry permit some years ago. Planned on renewing my passport as soon as I returned as my annual extension was due in several months.

When I attempted to board my return flight to Thailand I was denied boarding by airline staff, had 5 1/2 months remaining on my passport.  I showed them my reentry permit and my permission to stay stamps, still denied.

Fortunately, and after much discussion with supervisory staff, I was finally allowed to board. I had to sign some documents that stipulated I would pay for the repatriation flight if I was denied entry.
 

Thai immigration noticed and remarked when I entered but a simple. I plan to renew my passport before my next extension was enough for them.

Nail biter, close call.
 

Edited April 10, 2023 by expat_4_life

[chalawaan]

If you can, just renew, if it goes tits up on arrival, or even at check in, you'll be mighty inconvenienced, and still have to get a new passport anyway. 

If you do make it in, you can only get an extension a week before your original exemption expires, and you cannot do that without your passport!

If I was in your position, I'd extend my current stay, or fly to a third country (home?) and apply from there, THEN enter Thailand, as it is, I can't see it working out without you running into an unintended overstay, and that's really bad news if you want to stick around or return frequently.  

Edited April 10, 2023 by chalawaan

[2baht]

What's happened to Ubon Joe, have'nt seen anything of him for some time???

[brianthainess]

Knowing your home country would help to give correct advice, due to different rules for renewal of PP, and how long you will be in Thailand. Just read your link so you are Indian ?

Edited April 10, 2023 by brianthainess

[Don Chance]

I am just a bit hesitant about sending my passport and application to New Delhi from Pokhara and them sending it back here to my guesthouse without a screw up. But since i have a 3 month visa now, i might as well go for it.

 

DrJack54 

I could fly Thai smile to BKK, they would probably be aware of the rules.

[DrJack54]

29 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

I could fly Thai smile to BKK, they would probably be aware of the rules

Indeed.

As others have stated.

Thailand does not have the 6 month rule, which I think be outlined from other Asian countries eg Vietnam.

And yes Thai Smile would be aware of that. 

Safe trip. 

[bobonzo]

I was refused boarding by Emirates in Bahrain once with a less than 6 months validity passport.

[hidbehindthesofa]

In my view it is not worth the risk with less than six months in your passport.

 

A couple of years ago I had entered Thailand on a METV, extended it at Immigration, and then came the time for a ''border bounce'' to Laos.  

 

At the immigration check point coming back into Thailand I was directed into the office and told I could not re-enter because I had less than six months on my passport.

 

There was then a protracted discussion during which I pointed out that my Thailand visa was still valid and was issued regardless of the fact that its validity exceeded my intended length of stay in Thailand, as did my passport, which went beyond the validity of the visa in any event, and I produced my outward flight details.  The senior immigration officer was unmoved.

 

I continued to ''argue my case'' that both my visa and my passport covered my length of stay and that I had a visa that was valid for six months in any event and it was only Thailand rules that required me to ''leave the country'' after 90 days to ''reactivate'' exactly the same visa that I entered with in the first instance.

 

Eventually the Immigration officer relented and stamped me back in .  (I did not pay any fine and nor was it suggested).

 

I was lucky that day and learned my lesson to ensure that my passport has a year to run before the start of any planned visits !

[Jaggg88]

Like most countries Thailand has the 6 month passport validity rule but immigration rarely apply it. However airlines do, so check with the airline for a definitive answer. I saw on another forum that the 6 month rule does not apply to Visa on Arrival and these tourists only need 30 days past their return date. The guy posted a screen shot of the rule.

[DJ54]

If my memory is correct I think there was a discussion within last 2 months of someone getting refused entry with less than 6 months on passport. Try searching and hopefully it will help. 

[BritTim]

Be guided by the IATA information for travellers, which is based on the rules followed by airlines and Immigration at your destination and during stopovers. To travel to Thailand, start at https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/TH-Thailand-passport-visa-health-travel-document-requirements.htm. If this site tells you you are good to go, you can rely on it, but should take copies of the pages to show airline check in in the event of problems. If the page warns you that you do not meet the requirements, I would advise you to reconsider trying to come to Thailand with your current passport. Note that the requirements applied by different airlines can differ slightly, but this service takes account of this, allowing you to specify the airline you are using

[brewsterbudgen]

3 hours ago, Jaggg88 said:

Like most countries Thailand has the 6 month passport validity rule but immigration rarely apply it. However airlines do, so check with the airline for a definitive answer. I saw on another forum that the 6 month rule does not apply to Visa on Arrival and these tourists only need 30 days past their return date. The guy posted a screen shot of the rule.

As has been pointed out, Thailand does NOT have the 6 month passport validity rule (as I know from my experience), however, many airlines and foreign embassies don't know this, or through an abundance of caution, refuse boarding or give cautious advice.

[Don Chance]

My other question was since it takes 20 working days to process the passport renewal should i get a visa extension right away before i submit my passport? What would happen if wasn't completed in 30 days?

Edited April 11, 2023 by Don Chance

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

My other question was since it take 20 working days to process the passport renewal should i get a visa extension right away before i submit my passport? What would happen if was completed in 30 days?

You should get extension straight away if possible.

Any permission of stay stamp in "old pp" remains valid even when new pp issued. 

 

BTW when does current pp expire. 

Edited April 11, 2023 by DrJack54

[HampiK]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

You should get extension straight away if possible.

Any permission of stay stamp in "old pp" remains valid even when new pp issued. 

 

BTW when does current pp expire. 

You can get an extension right away?.. this is not only possible 10 or 14 days before actual permit run out? 

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, HampiK said:

You can get an extension right away?.. this is not only possible 10 or 14 days before actual permit run out? 

It varies (as usual) depending on immigration office.

Couple of weeks prior to expiry is the norm.

Some offices refuse earlier than that.

Some allow it much earlier.

 

My advice to OP is that if circumstance is explained then hopefully immigration office will accommodate. 

It certainly is possible.

Edited April 11, 2023 by DrJack54

[it is what it is]

On 4/10/2023 at 10:48 AM, 2baht said:

What's happened to Ubon Joe, have'nt seen anything of him for some time???

probably got fed up with all the ads taking over the screen. he's not alone.

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, Don Chance said:

My other question was since it takes 20 working days to process the passport renewal should i get a visa extension right away before i submit my passport? What would happen if wasn't completed in 30 days?

Most embassies allow you to retain your current passport during the application process for the replacement. That passport is usually not supposed to be used any more for travel, but is perfectly fine for immigration purposes. Assuming you are allowed to retain your current passport, I do not think the timing of your extension much matters. An extension with the replacement passport is slightly more convenient, as it allows transfer of stamps from the old to the new passports to be done at the same time as the extension.

[brianthainess]

11 hours ago, it is what it is said:

probably got fed up with all the ads taking over the screen. he's not alone.

I have no ads blocking my screen thanks to free 'Brave' ad blocker.

[brianthainess]

11 hours ago, BritTim said:

Most embassies allow you to retain your current passport during the application process for the replacement. That passport is usually not supposed to be used any more for travel

 That is not true. If your PP is not cancelled you can still use it to travel, until the expiry date, like a boarder hop for example,  

[brianthainess]

You seem to be lucky in respect of renewing an Indian PP in BK as it only takes a MAX of 6 weeks or only 3weeks if your old one was from India, according to Google answers. some other countries are taking 3+ months. Just saying.

[BritTim]

18 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

 That is not true. If your PP is not cancelled you can still use it to travel, until the expiry date, like a boarder hop for example,  

That varies by nationality, but most countries only seem to allow you to retain your passport (as opposed to surrendering it as part of the application for the replacement) on the condition that it is not used for travel. It is treated as cancelled by your home country's authorities. My own country (the UK) makes this very clear at the time of the application. It is true that the immigration officials of other countries will probably not be aware of the passport's status, and a border bounce very likely to be successful. However, you will be in big trouble if you use the passport to travel and subsequently need consular assistance since (as far as your home country is concerned) you are travelling on an invalid passport. Your country may operate differently, but most countries only allow you to have two simultaneously valid passports if this is specifically authorised.