Greetings. My US pp will be up for renewal soon l. I have read conflicting reports as to if I can keep hold of my old pp while the new pp is processing. I haven’t started the online application yet- still have a couple months. Just wanted to get some info from members that may have renewed theirs recently online. I’m on a retirement visa and need to get new pp before my visa is up for renewal. Thanks in advance.

Yes for online renewal it is required to mail in your current passport. Yes it is stressful. It will be returned with your new passport. Likely in about a month.

According to your Embassy you mail it in with your application;

"Include the passport you are renewing in the package you mail to the Embassy.  The passport will be canceled and delivered together with your new U.S. passport along with any original documents you submitted."

I did it last year and simply followed the process outlined. You do have to send in your old passport, no way around it.

Step-by-Step Mail-In Process

1. Complete the Form: Fill out and print single-sided, then sign and date Form DS-82 (accessible via the U.S. Embassy in Thailand Passports Guide). You must provide your Social Security Number on the form. [1, 2]

2. Get Photos: Prepare two identical 2x2 inch (5x5 cm) color passport photos with a white background. [1, 2, 3, 4]

3. Pay the Fee: Pay the passport renewal fee online through the official government payment portal, and print out your payment confirmation receipt. [1, 2]

4. Prepare Mailing Materials: Gather your current/expired original passport book, the completed/signed DS-82, the photo copies, payment confirmation, and a prepaid return envelope designated for Thailand tracking. [1]

5. Mail the Package: Send your application packet strictly via Thailand Post or DHL directly to the U.S. Embassy Bangkok. Do not mail packages to the Chiang Mai consulate. [1]

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated!

Plan ahead --no vehicle accidents, bank withdrawals or hospital visits.

Just kidding.

Take a paper copy and a copy of your new application. 🥂

Edited August 1Aug 1 by SiSePuede419
There are no accidents

I renewed my passport last July. The process was quite painless. The hardest part was trying to pay for the prepaid return envelope. The website wouldn't take my Thai debit card as payment so I had to use a credit card.

Send to US embassy in Bangkok with tracking. I got both passports back in less than a month and the state department sent me an email with tracking information when it left the USA. The local post office even called me a couple of times to make sure I was home before they would deliver it. A nice touch.

I always keep a copy of my passport in my wallet and if you have a Thai driving license just about everyone will accept that in lieu of the passport. The hospital did, but the banks may be a little sticky. You may want to do any needed in person banking right before you mail it off.

Someone mentioned keeping a copy of the application. A good idea. I took a copy of the application to immigration when I got my new stamps in my new passport. Just a extra layer of precaution. The more paperwork the better when you go to immigration is my motto.

There is also a form to fill out for immigration to change the stamps. I don't remember what it is but you probably can find it on line. I gave everything to the officer and he smiled and said come back tomorrow. No Charge.

A couple of extra things. You will probably have to update your TM30 at immigration and if you do the 90 day on line you will probably have to go in person the first time with your new passport. It took me a couple of extra trips to immigration to sort it out. If you time it out properly you may be able to do everything in one trip. I tried, but you know how it is 😊

Edited August 1Aug 1 by LivingNThailand
typo

19 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

The hardest part was trying to pay for the prepaid return envelope. The website wouldn't take my Thai debit card as payment so I had to use a credit card.

Good report.

Yes there have been many posts regarding frustration for payment.

Most recent reports indicate that process time is back to approx a month or less.

A one point it was much longer.

Bemused as to why USA required the current pp to be sent as part of application.

Not the case for Oz pp renewal.

Transfer of stamps form.

https://aseannow.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=939160&key=2e63bc0d8abee18369df31b777516cb4

22 hours ago, LivingNThailand said:

I renewed my passport last July. The process was quite painless. The hardest part was trying to pay for the prepaid return envelope. The website wouldn't take my Thai debit card as payment so I had to use a credit card.

There is a way to renew passport online without sending in current passport but not when located outside US.

https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/renew-replace/online.html#accordion-d4fe85e1d2-item-aeac5e92cd

34 minutes ago, JerryM said:

There is a way to renew passport online without sending in current passport but not when located outside US.

The OP is in Thailand.

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The OP is in Thailand.

So he sends in his current passport and they will return it with the new one with 2 holes punched in it.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

The OP is in Thailand.

This my story of passport renewal this year. Yes, I'm in Thailand. I paid online for the post first.

Somehow the site I applied on was a site for online renewal stateside. I couldn't understand why I had to submit a digital photo but oh well. I completed and paid the application fee. I could tell something wasn't right but application accepted. When I was able to talk to a real person I realized what I had done and there was no stopping it.

Long story short, new passport was mailed to my US address and my people fed exed it to me which cost around $150.

It worked out beautifully. I never released my old passport.

While noting the experience above, this is from the link above for online passport:

You can renew online if you meet all these requirements:

You are located in a U.S. state or territory at the time you submit your application.

The above is verbatim from the US State department webbsite.

Edited August 3Aug 3 by JerryM

34 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

It worked out beautifully. I never released my old passport.

Eligibility Requirements

U.S. Mailing Address

You must be located in a U.S. state or territory at the time you renew, since your most recent passport will be invalidated for travel.

https://opr.travel.state.gov/en/application/eligibility-requirements/

Though it is not on the US Embassy website, we were told at a recent US citizen Townhall meeting that if you are worried about not having your passport while they are processing your renewal request, if you include a second self addressed stamped envelope with your application, the embassy will return your old passport to you while your application is being processed for a new passport. Once the new passport is received back in Bangkok, they will email you and request that you send the old passport back to them again and then they will return both passports to you. My understanding is while you are holding your old passport. It is still active. Meaning it has not been canceled yet.

On 8/2/2026 at 6:32 AM, LivingNThailand said:

The website wouldn't take my Thai debit card as payment so I had to use a credit card.

Surely this is a limitation of trying to use a debit card on any web site, not just a US passport application where the fee is not paid instantly? How can any web site accept a debit card number number for an intended payment when there is no guarantee the debit card account will have any money in it at the time the debit is made?

1 hour ago, JerryM said:

Eligibility Requirements

U.S. Mailing Address

You must be located in a U.S. state or territory at the time you renew, since your most recent passport will be invalidated for travel.

https://opr.travel.state.gov/en/application/eligibility-requirements/

I'm sure that's true. Like I said, it was all a mistake on my part but it worked out OK.

2 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I'm sure that's true. Like I said, it was all a mistake on my part but it worked out OK.

True. It worked OK for you. But I would not suggest others try it just to avoid mailing a passport to Bangkok.

While you had physical possession of an unpunched passport, it was invalidated the moment they accepted your application.

Edited August 3Aug 3 by JerryM

2 hours ago, Digitalbanana said:

Surely this is a limitation of trying to use a debit card on any web site, not just a US passport application where the fee is not paid instantly? How can any web site accept a debit card number number for an intended payment when there is no guarantee the debit card account will have any money in it at the time the debit is made?

I said that the website for the prepaid postage would not take my Thai debit card. I used my USA credit card for the passport but the card has a foreign transaction fee feature so I try to not use it for foreign charges outside the USA. Since the charge for postage was about 100 baht I finally tried the credit card and it worked.

BTW. When using my Thai debit card Lazada and many other local on line companies whisk the money out of my account immediately. There is no delay processing the debit. It was an isolated case, for me.

Lucky you - you'll probably get one of the new passports with Dear Leader's printed signature - even good for another 10 years!

This renewal system is one of the stupidest ever passed on to the unsuspecting public IMHO. Just another layer of inconvenience to ensure that the paper shufflers at the Consulate/Embassy have even less to do.

13 minutes ago, fredge45 said:

Lucky you - you'll probably get one of the new passports with Dear Leader's printed signature - even good for another 10 years!

Updated Jul 31, 2026

For those who wish to receive one, they can now apply for an in person appointment at a “250th Anniversary commemorative passport application event,” which are being held in August and September at agencies around the US.

They can also receive it if they get a standard passport in-person at the Washington, DC passport office.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/30/politics/state-department-announces-trump-passports-available-throughout-us

Off topic posts removed.

The thread concerns pp renewal while in Thailand.

I have done it from Thailand, went perfectly, surprised how quickly it came. From the front cover to every page, scan them all, and then print the scans. Pro Tip: Have a friend take a picture of your face close to the "picture page" of the passport.

On 8/2/2026 at 6:32 AM, LivingNThailand said:

A couple of extra things. You will probably have to update your TM30 at immigration and if you do the 90 day on line you will probably have to go in person the first time with your new passport. It took me a couple of extra trips to immigration to sort it out. If you time it out properly you may be able to do everything in one trip. I tried, but you know how it is 😊

I also needed to go to each of the banks I use and update my passport information there.

Note, when your new passport is returned to you, there will be a letter with embassy letterhead stating the you have received a new passport, and politely requesting Thai immigration to transfer your stamps. Mine was unsigned (by accident) and rejected at immigration. So be sure you get this letter, and that it is signed.

16 minutes ago, timendres said:

So be sure you get this letter, and that it is signed.

That is very out dated requirement.

Most embassies eg USA, UK, AU etc no longer provide letter you refer to.

Immigration will not require that.

On 8/2/2026 at 6:32 AM, LivingNThailand said:

You will probably have to update your TM30 at immigration and if you do the 90 day on line you will probably have to go in person the first time with your new passport. It took me a couple of extra trips to immigration to sort it out. If you time it out properly you may be able to do everything in one trip. I tried, but you know how it is

If you've got a new passport and don't have to make a 90-day report before the next extension then you may be in a position to do the stamps transfer and TM 30 update at extension time.

If you don't have to make a 90-day report before the next extension, you could have the stamps transfer done and TM30 updated at extension time.

But if you do have to make a 90-day report before the next extension, you'll have to do it in-person. You'll also be required to get the stamps transferred to the new passport. Immigration will almost surely require the stamps be transferred first and then the 90-day report can be done.

For that type of 'standalone' stamps transfer to the new passport, CW will also want to see the bankbook and copies of the bankbook pages with activity from the time of the the last extension. An updated TM30 may be asked for? Good idea to update it and bring a print of it.

4 hours ago, rwilem said:

For that type of 'standalone' stamps transfer to the new passport, CW will also want to see the bankbook and copies of the bankbook pages with activity from the time of the the last extension

This is correct and seems to be specific to CW.

It's not listed as a requirement on bottom of form used for transfer of stamps, however an added stunt CW now require.

I was made to go down to level 1 to bank and update bank book (god bless em)

That was when Kasikorn still had a branch there.

Would be very inconvenient without branch in CW.

https://aseannow.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=939160&key=2e63bc0d8abee18369df31b777516cb4

8 hours ago, timendres said:

I also needed to go to each of the banks I use and update my passport information there.

Also the hospitals and your phone carrier. Your phone needs to be connected to your passport for the banks. It’s not urgent but suggested to do somewhat timely if you use mobile banking.

On 8/1/2026 at 11:16 AM, mizzi39 said:

Greetings. My US pp will be up for renewal soon l. I have read conflicting reports as to if I can keep hold of my old pp while the new pp is processing. I haven’t started the online application yet- still have a couple months. Just wanted to get some info from members that may have renewed theirs recently online. I’m on a retirement visa and need to get new pp before my visa is up for renewal. Thanks in advance.

just renewed my wife's PP.. took 21 days from mailed out and returned

On 8/2/2026 at 6:56 AM, DrJack54 said:

Good report.

Yes there have been many posts regarding frustration for payment.

Most recent reports indicate that process time is back to approx a month or less.

A one point it was much longer.

Bemused as to why USA required the current pp to be sent as part of application.

Not the case for Oz pp renewal.

Transfer of stamps form.

https://aseannow.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=939160&key=2e63bc0d8abee18369df31b777516cb4 499.19 kB · 146 downloads

Yes the Aussie process is different. you take your current passport with you when you attend your meeting with Aussie Bkk consular staff*.

When the process to get a new passport is completed, meaning that your application for a new PP is approved (see* above) the Aussie consular staff add a stamp saying 'this passport is now cancelled, new passport is in process'. And they give the old / cancelled pp back to the holder at that meeting.

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