Will Anything Happen If I Don't Take My Newly Issued Passport To Immigration Before Leaving?

[Junglejumbo]

I am about to get a new British passport as my old one has been used up and wondering if I really need to go to the immigration police at Suan Plu after receiving it back from the Embassy?

I got a new passport in 1996 and didn't bother taking to the police station and the guy at the exit point to Malaysia just grumbled a bit and noted about three of my previous 6-7 Thai visas on the first page plus my old passport number.

However, with rules generally becoming tighter, I am wondering if I should risk not going this time as apparently it takes almost a whole day, and as for example the Malaysian Thai consular is checking the number of previous tourist visas before granting a new one it might be better not to have the record of ALL my Thai visas taking up about two pages at the front of my passport even though the majority of them are working visas..

So wondering if anyone else has left the country without taking the new passport to the immigration police station, and if so any problems or not?

Thanks for any information and advise to share...

[ubonjoe]

My advise is to make a trip to immigration and get it done. It does not take that long. If I recall correctly the last report for Bangkok was less than an hour.

You will need to fill out this form. http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/downl...ansferstamp.doc

The embassy should give you a letter saying they issued you the passport if not you should have the receipt showing you paid for it.

You don't have to do it in Bangkok it can be done at any immigration office unless you are on an extension of stay.

[lopburi3]

If you are on an extension of stay the normal desk can not handle the transfer and it must be done by those who issued the extension. In Bangkok that means an all day wait as it is done as a batch process with those returning for marriage extensions and pickup is in afternoon for those deposited before noon.

[Pakaty]

About 4 years ago when I got a new passport at the BKK US embassy, they returned my old passport with holes punched in it making it unusable. I had no choice but to take my new and old passport to immigration to get the visa stamp transferred.

[ubonjoe]

Your passport was invalid but any valid visa in it would of remained valid. Lots of people are using 2 passport for entry because the have a valid visa in an old one.

Immigration does not transfer visas to new passports. They will transfer any stamp that immigration put in your passport but not a visa issued by an embassy or consulate.

[Samuian]

Your passport was invalid but any valid visa in it would of remained valid. Lots of people are using 2 passport for entry because the have a valid visa in an old one.

Immigration does not transfer visas to new passports. They will transfer any stamp that immigration put in your passport but not a visa issued by an embassy or consulate.

Yes, on exit/entry the exit/entry stamp will be put in the new document,

one will have to carry the Old Passport till the Visa in it expires!

[Norrad]

My embassy didn't do anything to my old passport when they issued a new one. I went to Laos and exited on the old passport, entered Laos with the old one and handed the new one (with no stamps) in at the Thai Embassy to get my visa. The next day when I went to pick it up, I was asked for my old passport, the lady thumbed through and then handed me both without any problems. I then exited Laos on the old passport and entered Thailand with the new passport, I've had zero problems with immigration in either country.