Passport Expiration

[MysteryX]

I am planning to go to Thailand and surrounding area for a year. My passport is approaching it's time limit, it will expire about the time I will come back from that trip.

Can they refuse a tourist visa on a passport that will expire soon, or it's OK as long as the passport is valid for the Visa length?

Seeing that consulates can be picky on passports containing several tourist visas, it might be a good idea to get 2 tourist visas on this passport, then get a clean passport and start over if I wish.

Any recommendations?

[bino]

I can't speak with definitive knowledge, because I have never had a passport expire... I fill them up too quickly. I believe that Thailand will give you a tourist visa provided that you have enough validity for the duration of the visa. In cases where you don't have enough validity, they will give you as many days as your document is valid. IE - if your passport expires in 19 days, they will give you 19 days entry.

But like I said- I'm not completely sure... maybe another member can clarify this.

However, my recommendation is to get a new passport before you travel. Having ample validity can't hurt anything, and will definitely solve any doubts. Furthermore, if the unthinkable happens and you don't make it home on schedule before it expires- you get hit by a bus and are hospitalized for a couple of weeks, or arrested, or something like that - having your passport expire while you are incapacitated (or incarcerated) would just compound an already serious problem.

Edited December 11, 2007 by bino

[thai_narak]

some countries may deny your visa application if your passport's validity is less than 6 months. better renew it 6 months before it expires.

[Mahout Angrit]

You may be interested in what the MFA in Thailand expects when applying for a visa.

2. TOURIST VISA

1. REQUIREMENT

This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for tourism purposes .

2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months

- Visa application form completely filled out

- Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant

- Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)

- Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)

- Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary

[ballbreaker]

A valid visa may not be the only problem you face. Some airlines are very strict about passport and visa regulations. Last year on the return segment of a trip from Thailand to Australia Qantas refused me check-in because I did not have a outbound ticket from Thailand. I could not get it through their thick heads that I live in Thailand on a Type "O" retirement visa and its not necessary. They said, we understand but, because I would only have 2 days remaining on my visa upon arrival and might not get it renewed so I needed an outbound ticket. They also pointed out that my passport would expire in 7 months and if it had been less than six months they could only put me on a plane back to the US (traveling on US passport). So after arguments with staff and supervisors I agree to go buy a outbound ticket from Thailand. I get the cheapest refundable one way ticket I could find which was from Bangkok to Singapore. Upon getting back to check-in they start giving me a hard time about not having an outbound ticket from Singapore. At this point I'm ready to go postal but after more arguments they finally allow me to check-in. Needless to say I will never fly Qantas again.

When I related this story to a US friend I found out he had been turned around in Japan on a trip from US to Singapore because his passport was due to expire in less than six months. I for one will not travel anymore unless I will be back at least 6 months before passport expires.

Edited December 12, 2007 by ballbreaker