I would welcome advice....

I have a 1 year non-imm O Visa issued by Hull consulate in UK which expires on 29th September.

I had planned to do a visa run on the 27th Sept. to get the last 90 stamp which will take me through to end December.

My passport expires on 23rd February 2010, I did know it was expiring, but had planned to make the visa run and then get a new passport from the Consulate in Bangkok in the beginning of October, when time wasn't a pressure.

HOWEVER, I have just read about the 6months validity needed in passport to enter Thailand...

Does this apply to me if I'm just making a border run? I live in Chiang Mai and will be going to Mae Sai... Does anyone have experience with this?

I will have just under 5 months validity left on my passport when I try to re-enter.

Because I live in Thailand I just thought it would okay to renew passport with a few months to go... so only now am I wondering if I'll have a problem! Time is getting a bit tight to get a new passport before the 27th.. although it is possible I think.

Thanks...

You need 6 month left on your passport to enter Thailand, in case the immigration official notices you will have a problem. I would apply for a new passport tomorrow.

Only when you are already staying inside Thailand less than 6 month validity is no problem.

When you get a new passport you will have to use the new and old passport together to enter Thailand.

Mario is right.

I did exactly as he suggests when I had less than 6 months remaining on my British passport.

Got a new passport, took it with my old passport with the non-o multi entry to Mae Sot and did a border hop.

The immigration officer added a stamp to my new passport detailing the visa in my old passport and that was it.

I asked him if I would have had a problem if I had only had my old passport and he said that 'IF' they had noticed I had less than 6 months left they would have warned me before leaving. He went on to say that if I had left and tried to re enter on my old passport then I would have been refused entry and left stranded in Burma.

Forgot to add that if you can pickup the passport yourself at the embassy in BKK then the turnaround is only a couple of days.

Excellent service if a little pricey.

They should add on the unexpired 5 months to the 10 years on the new passport

thanks it's good to hear from people with experience of this!

I am filling in my passport application now (:

cheers