Is it advisable to renew passport before moving to Thailand?

[Slosheroni]

US citizen with just under four years remaining on my passport.  If I had two years or less I think it would be a no brainer to renew it now before leaving the States.  But with four years I'm wondering if that's not unreasonable.  Part of the issue is, will it even be possible if the federal government is gutted?

[flexomike]

7 hours ago, Slosheroni said:

US citizen with just under four years remaining on my passport.  If I had two years or less I think it would be a no brainer to renew it now before leaving the States.  But with four years I'm wondering if that's not unreasonable.  Part of the issue is, will it even be possible if the federal government is gutted?

It can be renewed at the American Embassy in Bangkok, takes about four weeks, if I had more than one year left I wouldn't even think about it. 

[Phillip9]

Keep in mind that it currently takes 2 - 4 months to renew a US passport if you are living in the USA.  Based on posts by others here it seems to be much easier and quicker to renew your US passport if you are living in Thailand.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html

Edited August 30, 2023 by Phillip9

[bamnutsak]

I'd wait, get settled here, then renew it here, between year - 2 and year -1, dovetailed into any annual extension of stay timeframe.

 

If I were in say, year -3 and they announced a 100% increase in the fee, I might opt for an early renewal. I have to say that the NGPs are pretty nice.

 

I might consider getting a passport card while still in the U.S. Nice RealID compliant government passport for $3 per year ($30 for 10 years). But that's said to be being updated soon so I might wait for the new version? A Passport Card in no way substitutes for a Passport.

 

Recent reports here, first-hand, on renewals, door-to-door have been ~ 5 weeks. I think they say 5 - 6 weeks on the US EMB BKK site. That's for the $130 fee, no expediting charges offered or needed.

[bbko]

On 8/28/2023 at 1:46 AM, Slosheroni said:

just under four years remaining on my passport

as the Thais say, "you think too mutt".

[zoltannyc]

My wife renewed her passport by mail here at US EMB BKK and took around 3 weeks to process.