Passport Expiration Requirements For A Thai To Enter S. Korea?

[mcgbilly]

How long must a Thai passport have left until expiration for them to enter S. Korea? I am considering a job in S. Korea and will want my wife to come and stay. Her passport expires in January of 2009. This is what I have found out so far;

1-She can stay indefinately without a Visa, as long as I have one, and of course, her passport is valid(essentially staying on my work Visa)

2- She will need to go to the S. Korean embassy in Bangkok and have an english translation of our marriage cert. Certified.

3- She may have trouble getting out of Thailand, if she needs to travel to Korea alone. I have read that she MIGHT not have any problems, as long as she has the english "S. Korean Embassy Certified" copy of the marriage cert.

4- THE THAI EMBASSY TOLD HER THAT THEY WILL NOT GIVE HER A NEW PASSPORT UNTIL THE CURRENT PASSPORT IS NEARER THE EXPIRATION DATE.

5- Normally the under the standard visa rules, she can come to stay for 3 months, without a Visa at all.

But what are the passport exp. requirements?

[NanLaew]

It's pretty much a universal requirement that any passport have minimum 6 months validity for any travel. I am not sure where the lazy buggers at your local Thai Embassy are but they enforce this 'universal requirement' as well so I am surprised they fobbed you off with a 'come back nearer the expiry date' excuse. Either way, they should be able to renew without question come July.

I had to renew a UK passport 16 months early at the UK consul in Washington because it was full and they prorated the expiration of the new passport, i.e. 10 years from the expiration of the old passport. Bonus!

[giruz]

How long must a Thai passport have left until expiration for them to enter S. Korea? I am considering a job in S. Korea and will want my wife to come and stay. Her passport expires in January of 2009. This is what I have found out so far;

1-She can stay indefinately without a Visa, as long as I have one, and of course, her passport is valid(essentially staying on my work Visa)

2- She will need to go to the S. Korean embassy in Bangkok and have an english translation of our marriage cert. Certified.

3- She may have trouble getting out of Thailand, if she needs to travel to Korea alone. I have read that she MIGHT not have any problems, as long as she has the english "S. Korean Embassy Certified" copy of the marriage cert.

4- THE THAI EMBASSY TOLD HER THAT THEY WILL NOT GIVE HER A NEW PASSPORT UNTIL THE CURRENT PASSPORT IS NEARER THE EXPIRATION DATE.

5- Normally the under the standard visa rules, she can come to stay for 3 months, without a Visa at all.

But what are the passport exp. requirements?

Where are you based?

My gf renewed her Thai passport that had 9 months left and no question was asked.

This was done in 5 or 6 working days (BKK office), no bonus on the duration on the passport tough (5yrs from the renewal request).

The bonus for me was my second waffle of all times at the foodcourt where she renewed the passport!

We've been told that in London the same thing would have required 3/4 months.

giruzz