Strange passport situation and the transfer of visa into a new Passport

[keysersoze276]

Hi all!  I just got an email from the US embassy in Bangkok.  "Your new passport book is ready to be mailed within the next two working days. Please send us your current passport for cancellation to U.S. Embassy Bangkok".  I am traveling by bus to Savannakhet on June 6th (arriving June 7th) to get a Non O based on marriage.  Due to long waits for new US passports, it was scheduled to arrive long after my visa expires and the embassy allowed me to pick up my old passport and told me to use it for my new visa.  Now the new passport has arrived early.  I will contact the embassy to see if it is definitely possible or get the new passport before I travel.  My current passport is still valid, just running low on pages.

 

If I am able to get my new passport before I travel, is that better? 

 

If not, and I get a new visa in my current passport and then send it in to be cancelled, what happens next?  Do I have to go to immigration to transfer the visa or just take my new passport next time I travel?

[Callmeishmael]

The embassy will give you a letter to Thai Immigration asking them to transfer the Visa from the old passport to the new passport.  You just need to take both passports with you the next time you go to immigration.

 

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, Callmeishmael said:

The embassy will give you a letter to Thai Immigration asking them to transfer the Visa from the old passport to the new passport.  You just need to take both passports with you the next time you go to immigration.

 

Immigration don't transfer visas; they just transfer your current permission to stay (and use up 2 pages doing it!). So, if your visa is multi-entry you need to carry both passports when you travel ???? 

 

Either way you need to visit immigration when you get your new PP before you can travel on it.

 

Since time is short, I would be tempted to travel on your existing PP unless you can guarantee being able to get to immigration between your new PP arriving and you needing to travel.

 

[keysersoze276]

16 minutes ago, Callmeishmael said:

The embassy will give you a letter to Thai Immigration asking them to transfer the Visa from the old passport to the new passport.  You just need to take both passports with you the next time you go to immigration.

 

They actually don't issue the letters anymore, but probably the same process.  Notice: From April 10th 2023, the U.S. Mission in Thailand will no longer provide a linkage letter with newly issued passports.  You may present the cancelled and current passport to the Thai Immigration Bureau or the nearest regional immigration office in other provinces to have your Thai visa transferred to your new passport.

 

 

[keysersoze276]

16 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Either way you need to visit immigration when you get your new PP before you can travel on it.

 

Really?  I remember just taking both passports to do a border crossing and immigration at the border did it.  Things could have changed since then though.

 

 

20 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Since time is short, I would be tempted to travel on your existing PP unless you can guarantee being able to get to immigration between your new PP arriving and you needing to travel.

Yeah, both the embassy and the immigration office are very far from me and from each other.  It's not possible to do this at the border with both passports and I have to go to an immigration office?

 

[Crossy]

22 minutes ago, keysersoze276 said:

Really?  I remember just taking both passports to do a border crossing and immigration at the border did it.  Things could have changed since then though.

 

It's not something I've ever tried, so you may be able to do it, I'm not sure I'd take the risk. Which border crossing (it may matter)?

 

@BritTim are you able to confirm/deny if the border chaps will do the transfer?

 

[DrJoy]

1 hour ago, Callmeishmael said:

The embassy will give you a letter to Thai Immigration asking them to transfer the Visa from the old passport to the new passport

The US embassy does not issue letters anymore

[bigt3116]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Either way you need to visit immigration when you get your new PP before you can travel on it.

Totally wrong, if he has a visa he just carries both, if he has an extension of stay, he COULD visit immigration, or just leave on the old passport and arrive on the new one with his new VISA in.

[keysersoze276]

31 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Which border crossing (it may matter)?

Thanks.  The last time I did it was Mae Sai/Tachilek.  UJ talked me through it, but I don't remember if there were any required docs...it was years ago.  This time will be Mukdahan/Savannakhet

[Crossy]

29 minutes ago, bigt3116 said:

Totally wrong, if he has a visa he just carries both, if he has an extension of stay, he COULD visit immigration, or just leave on the old passport and arrive on the new one with his new VISA in.

 

Yeah, I was mis-reading the actual situation. Since he has to get a new visa anyway he needs to do nothing before leaving the country.

[keysersoze276]

25 minutes ago, bigt3116 said:

Totally wrong, if he has a visa he just carries both, if he has an extension of stay, he COULD visit immigration, or just leave on the old passport and arrive on the new one with his new VISA in.

Right now I am on a visa exempt extension.  Have you done it on an extension before just using both passports?

[keysersoze276]

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Yeah, I was mis-reading the actual situation. Since he has to get a new visa anyway he needs to do nothing before leaving the country.

Thanks so much.  Yes, I am getting a new non-o crossing by land in Savannakhet.  If I can't get the new passport in time, do you know if I need to take it right away to the immigration office or if I can just do it when I go to apply for an extension?  

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, keysersoze276 said:

Thanks so much.  Yes, I am getting a new non-o crossing by land in Savannakhet.  If I can't get the new passport in time, do you know if I need to take it right away to the immigration office or if I can just do it when I go to apply for an extension?  

 

I'm not aware of any time limits but I wouldn't wait too long, if you are only getting a single-entry non-o I think you would be fine to wait until you go for your extension.

 

IMPORTANT - If you do get your new PP in time, you will need both passports when you exit! Trying to leave on a PP with no entry stamp could prove painful

[keysersoze276]

6 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

I'm not aware of any time limits but I wouldn't wait too long, if you are only getting a single-entry non-o I think you would be fine to wait until you go for your extension.

 

IMPORTANT - If you do get your new PP in time, you will need both passports when you exit! Trying to leave on a PP with no entry stamp could prove painful

Oh, I should have mentioned I am getting a multiple entry.  Will definitely bring both passports if I am able to get the new one.  Maybe the embassy will let me pick it up in person.  Kinda worried about any possible delays or unexpected events with the mail.  @BritTim advised me I could get a multi-entry non O marriage and get 60 day extensions, due to a financial hiccup with the 400k in the bank.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

It's not something I've ever tried, so you may be able to do it, I'm not sure I'd take the risk. Which border crossing (it may matter)?

 

@BritTim are you able to confirm/deny if the border chaps will do the transfer?

 

The necessary stamp transfers can be done at land crossings. However, it is usually done in a different part of the office from the desks where you check out from Thailand. There tends to be a specific officer who handles the stamp transfers, and you may need to wait around for an hour or two if he is busy when you arrive at the border. Also, it might be a problem if you wanted to do it late evening. Make sure you allow for this.

[keysersoze276]

Thanks so much! @BritTim.  I am happy you mentioned that so I will be sure to arrive extra early at 6:00am.  On another thread, you mentioned they may require proof of 20,000 in a Thai bank.  Is cash in hand just as well or do I need to go to a bank the day before and get an official bank statement?  Multiple entry non o (marriage)

[CMBob]

Puzzled how you still have your old passport.  When I got a new US passport a year+ ago (mail deal to Bangkok), I had to send my old/current passport in with the application papers.

Edit:  Just checked the forms I used and see that they require you to send in either your "current passport and/or card."  So presume OP sent in the card.

 

[treetops]

7 minutes ago, CMBob said:

Puzzled how you still have your old passport.  When I got a new US passport a year+ ago (mail deal to Bangkok), I had to send my old/current passport in with the application papers.

OP already said:

5 hours ago, keysersoze276 said:

Due to long waits for new US passports, it was scheduled to arrive long after my visa expires and the embassy allowed me to pick up my old passport and told me to use it for my new visa.

 

[CMBob]

Mea culpa, missed that part.  Nevertheless, nice to see the embassy be so accommodating.

 

[zzzzz]

7 hours ago, Callmeishmael said:

The embassy will give you a letter to Thai Immigration asking them to transfer the Visa from the old passport to the new passport.  You just need to take both passports with you the next time you go to immigration.

 

no they dont, US stopped doing that in April:
Your OLD passport is invalid the day your new passport is issued<
I would not try using it!
So take both:  you will show both at border, stamped out in new one and enter next county on new one<
return on new one
when u have both, fill out a form and immigration will transfer needed info to new one  FREE
OR i am told it can be done at the airport

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, keysersoze276 said:

Thanks so much! @BritTim.  I am happy you mentioned that so I will be sure to arrive extra early at 6:00am.  On another thread, you mentioned they may require proof of 20,000 in a Thai bank.  Is cash in hand just as well or do I need to go to a bank the day before and get an official bank statement?  Multiple entry non o (marriage)

Just a reasonably up to date bank book will do. That are not as paranoid as immigration offices.

[artotle]

I recently had nearly the same issue in January this year. Slightly different and from a different country.

 

Anyway I got my passport mailed to me from the Finnish embassy, I was changing work as well at the same time and ran out of grace period (21 days) to switch my work permit to the new company, so I was forced to go apply for a new non-IB in Vientiane on the new passport.

 

Went to the crossing in Nong Khai and the border wouldn't do this, so they sent me to the Nong Khai Immigration office, where they did the transfer stamps and after that I was free to cross over with my new passport. Nong Khai immigration asked 200 baht to do this, I believe it was under the table.

 

Note: they wanted full copies of both passports and to see both of them at the Vientiane Thai embassy to apply for visa.

[1FinickyOne]

9 hours ago, keysersoze276 said:

Now the new passport has arrived early.

I am in the process of getting a new passport - it used to take 10 days but I know there are delays. I sent my old passport out a month ago - how long did it take you to get a new one?

[keysersoze276]

2 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

how long did it take you to get a new one?

I sent mine on April 17th. You can check the status on travel.state.gov, but mine didn’t show up as being processed for over a month.  It was sent from USA on May 26th, but they said it was expected to arrive on June 29th, I believe. They may have automatically expedited it because now it has arrived just before my extension expires. 

[keysersoze276]

5 hours ago, zzzzz said:

Your OLD passport is invalid the day your new passport is issued<
I would not try using it!

Not quite correct. Your old passport is invalid the day they physically cancel it. US embassy Bangkok adivised me today to use my current passport to get a new visa, then mail it to them so they can cancel it and send it back along with the new one. They haven’t responded to my second inquiry asking if I can do this in person before I travel.  But they were quite accommodating letting me pick up my current (old) passport without an appointment.  
 

Under normal circumstances, the embassy would cancel the old one when the new one arrives and is ready to be sent or picked up. 

[zzzzz]

u need fill out this form:
https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/22.Transfer-Stamp-to-New-Passport-Form.pdf

I read on a facebook post that someone in Bangkok, on a retirement extension, they asked him for his bank book an told him he had to do the transfer ONLY where his extension was issued 
I hope thats not true for here in Phuket>> as i used an agent 
as i understand it, there is no time limit to do it and you can use old an new passports till extension expires