Trouble with 6-month passport?

[10years]

My USA passport expires on April 29 of next year and I booked a flight to Bangkok for October 29 (end of this month), based on confirmation from the US passport agency that my passport would still be valid for travel on October 29 as I would still have 6-month validity as of that date.

 

But when I made a test try to check in on AirAsia's website, I get the message Passport validity is less than 6 months, please check and update valid passport details and the Continue button is shaded out. If I change the Passport expiry date to May 29, the continue button becomes available.

 

Should I falsify my expiry date so I can board my plane? Do they really check this at the departure airport?

 

Also, I was led to understand from this forum that Thai immigration does not impose a 6 month minimum validity requirement for visa exemption. Has anyone had any experience with this?

[ChaiyaTH]

They do pay attention to these details when you check-in at the counter so big chance you will be refused to board.

[DrJack54]

OP, Thailand immigration does not have 6 month pp validity rule however many airlines do. 

 

[hotandsticky]

Where are you flying from/to?

 

 

[Caldera]

  On 10/23/2023 at 9:28 AM, 10years said:

Also, I was led to understand from this forum that Thai immigration does not impose a 6 month minimum validity requirement for visa exemption.

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That's the case, but Air Asia might still have it in their terms of carriage. Requiring 6 months passport validity throughout their network is much easier to enforce.

 

A related question is where you plan to fly FROM. Are you sure that this other country doesn't require you to have a passport that is still valid for 6 months?

 

[hotandsticky]

  On 10/23/2023 at 10:42 AM, Caldera said:

 

That's the case, but Air Asia might still have it in their terms of carriage. Requiring 6 months passport validity throughout their network is much easier to enforce.

 

A related question is where you plan to fly FROM. Are you sure that this other country doesn't require you to have a passport that is still valid for 6 months?

 

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Until the OP comes back and answers that question, that I posed, we don't even know he is flying from another country; it could be a domestic flight in which case a passport may not be required.

[DrJack54]

  On 10/23/2023 at 12:40 PM, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Until the OP comes back and answers that question, that I posed, we don't even know he is flying from another country; it could be a domestic flight in which case a passport may not be required.

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He is 100% not asking about flight.

The OP is foolish to plan international travel and have a border line expiry date on pp.

As I posted earlier Thailand immigration does not impose the 6 month validity rule however airlines do.

Also many nearby countries immigration do have that requirement. 

[hotandsticky]

  On 10/23/2023 at 12:54 PM, DrJack54 said:

He is 100% not asking about flight.

The OP is foolish to plan international travel and have a border line expiry date on pp.

As I posted earlier Thailand immigration does not impose the 6 month validity rule however airlines do.

Also many nearby countries immigration do have that requirement. 

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He is flying on the 29th October.

 

He is asking about falsifying check in information.

[DrJack54]

  On 10/23/2023 at 12:59 PM, hotandsticky said:

He is asking about falsifying check in information.

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Speaks volumes.

Very foolish from the OP. 

[10years]

I am flying to Thailand (Bangkok) from Indonesia (Jakarta) on the return leg of my AirAsia ticket.

 

As mentioned above, this 6-month flag might be network-wide, irrespective of the actual destination and the origin of the passport. A US passport is reportedly valid for travel on the expiry date. So on October 29, I still have six-months validity remaining.

 

Since my destination is Thailand, I'm hoping that I'll be allowed to board.

[richard_smith237]

  On 10/23/2023 at 9:28 AM, 10years said:

My USA passport expires on April 29 of next year and I booked a flight to Bangkok for October 29 (end of this month), based on confirmation from the US passport agency that my passport would still be valid for travel on October 29 as I would still have 6-month validity as of that date.

 

But when I made a test try to check in on AirAsia's website, I get the message Passport validity is less than 6 months, please check and update valid passport details and the Continue button is shaded out. If I change the Passport expiry date to May 29, the continue button becomes available.

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The requirement for a 6 Months Passport Validity is not an Airline Requirement, but an immigration (country) requirement. 

 

For example: My Wife was permitted to travel to Japan (from Bangkok) with 4 months remaining on her passport, because Japan does not have this stipulation. However, we were told that Singapore is strict about its 6 month remaining validity policy and my Wife would have been refused travel if going to Singapore.

(We had to sign an affidavit stipulating that we'd not hold the airline accountable). 

 

 

  On 10/23/2023 at 9:28 AM, 10years said:

Should I falsify my expiry date so I can board my plane? Do they really check this at the departure airport?

 

Also, I was led to understand from this forum that Thai immigration does not impose a 6 month minimum validity requirement for visa exemption. Has anyone had any experience with this?

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Lots of websites state that Thailand requires 6 months passport validity from date of entry - its difficult to find an official source for this info and a lot of sites just regurgitate what others may have incorrectly states.

 

First things first: You'll need to find out the absolute facts on this, then obtain a Government issued statement to that effect as proof. 

Then you'll need the Airline to pre-approve your travel based on this information as you can guarantee that the Airline staff of budget airlines are nasty little barstayards (in the UK at least) who'll take great delight in exercising limited power on the back of their bitterness for making such s#itty life choices !!!! 

 

Also, the Airline themselves may have this 6 month policy - but that is for no other reason than to protect themselves from the financial burden or return carriage should immigration reject an arrival based on this regulation. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BritTim]

  On 10/24/2023 at 10:15 AM, 10years said:

I am flying to Thailand (Bangkok) from Indonesia (Jakarta) on the return leg of my AirAsia ticket.

 

As mentioned above, this 6-month flag might be network-wide, irrespective of the actual destination and the origin of the passport. A US passport is reportedly valid for travel on the expiry date. So on October 29, I still have six-months validity remaining.

 

Since my destination is Thailand, I'm hoping that I'll be allowed to board.

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If the Air Asia online system blocks checking in with the correct dates, you are taking big risks, and not just of denied boarding. Trying to travel based on false information is a criminal matter. When (likely) Air Asia tries to correct the information and the system will not accept your passport, accept the decision. If you make a fuss, they might pursue harsher measures. Do not be surprised if you end up on an Air Asia blacklist.

[DrJack54]

  On 10/24/2023 at 11:58 AM, richard_smith237 said:

The requirement for a 6 Months Passport Validity is not an Airline Requirement, but an immigration (country) requirement. 

 

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Can be both.

Certainly it's more often than not an airline requirement.

Thai immigration does not have that as a requirement.

Some nearby countries immigration do.

 

Attempting to fly to Thailand with less than 6 months validity the issue will be with the airline at departure. 

[MangoKorat]

  On 10/23/2023 at 9:49 AM, DrJack54 said:

OP, Thailand immigration does not have 6 month pp validity rule however many airlines do. 

 

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Not quite as clear cut as that:

 

Item 1, Item 14.

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/84498-faq?menu=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072ef

 

 Passport Validity Requirements

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

 

Visa Exempt Entry

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/thai-visas-americans/

 

Last year I had a trip to Thailand planned and would be arriving with 5 months left on my passport.  I called the Thai embassy in London to ask if that was OK and was told that my passport must have 6 months remaining from the date or arriving in the country.

[IndomitableSpirit]

Three years ago, I did a border run(Thailand-Cambodia) and both sides checked the expiry date of my passport. It's 5.5 months left but I had my embassy extended it, the border immigration didn't see it at first. One of my flights back to Thailand, there was a couple who were arguing with an immigration officer in Suvarnabhumi about the wife's passport expiry date(less than 6 months) the officer won't let her in and the last I saw they were being escorted to that office on the side.

 

Why don't you get a passport extension date while renewing it? If you have something like that in your country. What you're planning is risky.

[BritTim]

  On 10/24/2023 at 4:37 PM, MangoKorat said:

 

Not quite as clear cut as that:

 

Item 1, Item 14.

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/84498-faq?menu=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072ef

 

 Passport Validity Requirements

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

 

Visa Exempt Entry

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/thai-visas-americans/

 

Last year I had a trip to Thailand planned and would be arriving with 5 months left on my passport.  I called the Thai embassy in London to ask if that was OK and was told that my passport must have 6 months remaining from the date or arriving in the country.

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Sigh! People understandably assume that the Thai consular officials will be knowledgeable about all things Thai (and also that the website will contain accurate information). In reality, they are a terrible source of information about anything other than the services they directly provide themselves. In particular, they are ignorant about the workings of Thai Immigration, a different branch of the bureaucracy under the different ministry. 

[10years]

On the website of the Thai Embassy in the US, there is no mention of a passport requirement for a visa exemption.

 

But under the "Qualifications and required documents" for a Visa on Arrival, it says "Genuine Passport with at least 1-month validity and 2 blank pages." (Emphasis added).

[BritTim]

  On 10/25/2023 at 8:27 AM, 10years said:

On the website of the Thai Embassy in the US, there is no mention of a passport requirement for a visa exemption.

 

But under the "Qualifications and required documents" for a Visa on Arrival, it says "Genuine Passport with at least 1-month validity and 2 blank pages." (Emphasis added).

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This is an example of a Thai embassy website that is actually correct. However, be warned that such websites are not a reliable source of information on anything other than the services they provide themselves (and occasionally not even then).

[SAFETY FIRST]

  On 10/24/2023 at 10:15 AM, 10years said:

am flying to Thailand (Bangkok) from Indonesia (Jakarta) on the return leg of my AirAsia ticket.

 

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Best you get your new passport in Jakarta. 

[Ben Zioner]

  On 10/24/2023 at 11:58 AM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Lots of websites state that Thailand requires 6 months passport validity from date of entry - its difficult to find an official source for this info and a lot of sites just regurgitate what others may have incorrectly states.

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Indeed, I entered yesterday with an LTR visa, they  stamped me in until the  expiry date of my passport. This implies that I can move in and out of country until my passport  expires.

[10years]

  On 10/24/2023 at 4:54 PM, IndomitableSpirit said:

Three years ago, I did a border run(Thailand-Cambodia) and both sides checked the expiry date of my passport. It's 5.5 months left but I had my embassy extended it, the border immigration didn't see it at first. One of my flights back to Thailand, there was a couple who were arguing with an immigration officer in Suvarnabhumi about the wife's passport expiry date(less than 6 months) the officer won't let her in and the last I saw they were being escorted to that office on the side.

 

Why don't you get a passport extension date while renewing it? If you have something like that in your country. What you're planning is risky.

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Interesting point. Asked the US embassy in Jakarta if I could get an emergency extension of even one day. Seems like there's no such thing. They said I could submit an emergency passport application along with $130. They didn't say how long it would take to get the new passport.

[BritTim]

  On 10/26/2023 at 5:10 PM, 10years said:

Interesting point. Asked the US embassy in Jakarta if I could get an emergency extension of even one day. Seems like there's no such thing. They said I could submit an emergency passport application along with $130. They didn't say how long it would take to get the new passport.

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An emergency travel document is issued within a day or two. It is restricted both to a one year validity, and with respect to the countries it is valid for. You would need to verify that the embassy will issue you an emergency travel document that is valid for your planned itinerary, and that countries you intend to visit will accept emergency travel documents (not all countries will, but Thailand is OK with this).

[10years]

After reading the comments, I began to harbor second thoughts about trying to fake my way on the plane. The US Embassy was letting me go there on a walk-in basis since mine was an emergency case, but then I got a email that all appointments were canceled due to a possible mass protest. Then I hit upon a plan that I was surprised wasn’t mentioned here. That is to leave a day earlier.

 

I was considering buying a new, one-way ticket to Bangkok and worrying about any refund later. But it turns out you can “change” your flight on the website. I’ve never had to make a voluntary flight change before so didn’t know this could be done online. The website walks you through the process step-by-step. The advantages of doing this is that you can keep the same booking number with all the history of payments etc and any refunds are automatically credited to the new payment. The extra cost of changing the return leg of my trip was almost the same as what I paid for the original roundtrip ticket!

 

I hoped that since moving my passport expiration one day out on the AirAsia website allowed me to continue check-in, bringing my flight date one day up would also allow me to check in, but couldn’t be sure about that until I tried checking in. And it worked. I was able to get my boarding pass.

 

At the airport, I bypassed the counter and proceeded directly to immigration. At the departure waiting room, no one checked my credentials like before. Upon boarding, a ground staff used a handheld device to scan your boarding pass. Seems like any red flag shows up on the scanner. He asked the older farang guy in front of me how long he was going to be in Bangkok. When the man said he was staying overnight and flying home the next day, the staff let him go through to the plane.

 

So I passed the first hurdle – leaving Indonesia. The second was entering Thailand. I would have to be scrutinized by immigration at Don Mueang, which is notorious for giving those with multiple visits a hard time. And this was going to be my 4^th VE this year. Surprisingly, absolutely no questions asked. I breezed through my second hurdle.

 

What I didn’t know was that I had inadvertently created a new hurdle. By returning to Bangkok a day early, I had extended my planned 30-day VE stay to 31 days.

[BritTim]

  On 11/5/2023 at 6:27 AM, 10years said:

What I didn’t know was that I had inadvertently created a new hurdle. By returning to Bangkok a day early, I had extended my planned 30-day VE stay to 31 days.

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When you say 31 days, do you mean 31 nights or 30 nights? The difference is important. If 30 nights, you will have a one-day overstay when you leave which is not subject to a fine. However, for a two-day overstay, you will be fined 1,000 baht and it is considered a worse infraction.

[10years]

  On 11/5/2023 at 6:02 PM, BritTim said:

 

When you say 31 days, do you mean 31 nights or 30 nights? The difference is important. If 30 nights, you will have a one-day overstay when you leave which is not subject to a fine. However, for a two-day overstay, you will be fined 1,000 baht and it is considered a worse infraction.

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To put it simply, the departure date on my plane ticket is one day after the date stamped in my passport.

[Bill97]

Just change your Thai departure flight by one day.

[4MyEgo]

  On 10/23/2023 at 12:40 PM, hotandsticky said:

Until the OP comes back and answers that question, that I posed, we don't even know he is flying from another country; it could be a domestic flight in which case a passport may not be required.

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AirAsia require all non Thai's to have a valid passport when travelling on domestic routes within Thailand.

 

I got on a flight at Udon Thani using my pink ID card, however was pulled up at Phuket upon my return flight, the young lady behind the counter as pretty as she were, also had a brain, and showed me the policy on her computer, suffice to say I gave her my passport, she didn't require anything else of me, which was a waste IMO 

[hotandsticky]

  On 11/12/2023 at 7:00 AM, 4MyEgo said:

 

AirAsia require all non Thai's to have a valid passport when travelling on domestic routes within Thailand.

 

I got on a flight at Udon Thani using my pink ID card, however was pulled up at Phuket upon my return flight, the young lady behind the counter as pretty as she were, also had a brain, and showed me the policy on her computer, suffice to say I gave her my passport, she didn't require anything else of me, which was a waste IMO 

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That is incorrect.

 

I never show my passport on domestic flights. My Thai driving licence is perfectly adequate for ID purposes.

[4MyEgo]

  On 11/12/2023 at 8:26 AM, hotandsticky said:

 

That is incorrect.

 

I never show my passport on domestic flights. My Thai driving licence is perfectly adequate for ID purposes.

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Things may have changed from when I last flew domestically, i.e. years ago, however, here is one from Bangkok Airways that I found on Google: 

Foreign Passenger

• Passport or another identity document issued by the embassy of citizenship such as an Emergency passport or Emergency travel certificate.
• Non-Thai Identification Card (Alien Card) or another identity document issued under the Alien Registration Act B.E. 2493.
• Migrant travel documents and United Nations (UN) laissez-passers.

https://www.bangkokair.com/travel-document

[Caldera]

  On 11/12/2023 at 7:00 AM, 4MyEgo said:

AirAsia require all non Thai's to have a valid passport when travelling on domestic routes within Thailand.

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That's not the case. Airports of Thailand has a list of acceptable documents for domestic flights. I often fly with my Thai DL for ID, which is acceptable.

 

Here's that list:

 

https://www.airportthai.co.th/en/which-documents-are-accepted-for-domestic-travel❓/