My Thai boyfriend is looking to renew his passport as it expires next year and we wish to apply for a visa for him to visit my home country. DOes anyone know if you can renew passports in Samui Immigration or Surat Thani to save him the trip up to Bangkok. Or can you apply by post to renew your passport?

Thanks

Claire

Immigration has nothing to do with passport issue - that is the function of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As Thailand recently changed to a bio-data chip passport his present passport may have to be changed rather than extended 5 years as has been normal. The English passport web page was removed long ago with a "coming soon" sign. Website is http://www.mfa.go.th/web/1670.php

He will have to apply for a Thai Passport in person at any one of the Thai passport offices as he has to have his face and fingerprint digitally photographed. The process will take 3 days if collected or about a week if it is returned to his home address by courier.