megapix Posted November 7, 2023 Posted November 7, 2023 Hello everyone, Im in Savannakhet right now. Going to apply for a non-o visa tomorrow. I have everything prepared but I have a question. I have 2 passports and they have different numbers (both are Czech passports though). My initial thought was that I will exit Thailand with my old passport because my old non-o visa expires in 3 weeks and passport is also almost full (3 pages left). Then I would enter Laos with new passport that is empty (make visa on arrival). Well I was wrong, the immigration officer forced me to enter Laos on my old passport. He said I cannot change passport. Well, that is wrong because I did it in past many times and no problem in other countries. My question is, can still apply for Thai visa tomorrow in the embassy with my new passport or I have to apply with old one ? Because the Laos stamp is in the old one. Thank you for helping me.
BritTim Posted November 7, 2023 Posted November 7, 2023 You can change passports when using airports. At a land crossing, you are obliged to use the same passport for exit from one country and entry to the other. You are not the first to be inconvenienced by this. 1
megapix Posted November 7, 2023 Author Posted November 7, 2023 7 minutes ago, BritTim said: You can change passports when using airports. At a land crossing, you are obliged to use the same passport for exit from one country and entry to the other. You are not the first to be inconvenienced by this. Thanks for the info. First time I heard about this. Do you have any idea if I can still apply with the new passport ? Or in case I have to apply with the old one, can I have two valid visas at the same time in one passport ?
BritTim Posted November 7, 2023 Posted November 7, 2023 17 minutes ago, megapix said: Do you have any idea if I can still apply with the new passport ? You will not be able to get a visa in a passport that lacks a Laos entry stamp. EDIT: An approach you might want to consider: Get the visa in the old passport. Travel to Vientiane. Fly to Bangkok leaving on the old passport and entering Bangkok on the new passport (using the visa in the old passport). You will be questioned, but airport immigration should allow this based on your reasonable explanation of why you are doing it. 1
kdrayong Posted November 7, 2023 Posted November 7, 2023 Thanks @BritTim I intend to switch my current passport to a brand new and empty passport at Vientiane Airport and apply for a Non-Imm-O visa at the Thai embassy. In Thailand I'm staying on the EoS based on retirement. My current passport needs to be renewed and therefore it needs to travel up to three months. I have dual citizenship. Should I expect any problems?
megapix Posted November 7, 2023 Author Posted November 7, 2023 1 hour ago, BritTim said: You will not be able to get a visa in a passport that lacks a Laos entry stamp. EDIT: An approach you might want to consider: Get the visa in the old passport. Travel to Vientiane. Fly to Bangkok leaving on the old passport and entering Bangkok on the new passport (using the visa in the old passport). You will be questioned, but airport immigration should allow this based on your reasonable explanation of why you are doing it. Just to be sure. Its possible to hold two valid thai non-o visas in the same passport ?
BritTim Posted November 7, 2023 Posted November 7, 2023 2 hours ago, megapix said: Just to be sure. Its possible to hold two valid thai non-o visas in the same passport ? I did not suggest applying for two visas, only for one (which I thought you were intending to do anyway).
BritTim Posted November 7, 2023 Posted November 7, 2023 3 hours ago, kdrayong said: Thanks @BritTim I intend to switch my current passport to a brand new and empty passport at Vientiane Airport and apply for a Non-Imm-O visa at the Thai embassy. In Thailand I'm staying on the EoS based on retirement. My current passport needs to be renewed and therefore it needs to travel up to three months. I have dual citizenship. Should I expect any problems? There is no Thai embassy in Thailand. If you are planning to travel by air to Vientiane, entering on a new passport, then subsequently apply for a Non O visa at the Thai consulate in Vientiane, that should be OK. If you are currently in Thailand on a permission to stay that was stamped into a passport that will expire in three months, then you will probably face questioning. Allow extra time to explain to the airline at check in and to Thai Immigration that you will not be using that passport to enter Laos. Laos requires a passport with at least six months remaining validity for entry.
megapix Posted November 7, 2023 Author Posted November 7, 2023 20 minutes ago, BritTim said: I did not suggest applying for two visas, only for one (which I thought you were intending to do anyway). I still have one valid non-o visa in old passport that experes in 3 weeks. That means if I apply for a new one I will have two valid visas in 1 passport
BritTim Posted November 7, 2023 Posted November 7, 2023 2 minutes ago, megapix said: I still have one valid non-o visa in old passport that experes in 3 weeks. That means if I apply for a new one I will have two valid visas in 1 passport If they agree to give you a new visa, they will cancel the old one first.
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