“visa Run” But Switching Between Two (legal) Passports

[withoutyoubuttons]

I’m European and (legally) have two passports – I travel a lot with business, and my Embassy allows a business and a personal passport in these situations.

I am in Thailand on one passport which is about to expire, but have my new ‘non immigration B visa’ from Hull in the second passport.

I want to leave Thailand on the first passport, get my exit stamp, but enter Thailand straight away on the second passport, with my new ‘non immigration B visa’.

It’s kind of like a visa run, but I’m switching passports.

Jack’s Golf wont allow me to do it - I checked. My guess is if you go via Cambodia, you need to exit that country with the same passport you entered. Is this true, or do Jack’s Golf just not want the hassle?

I did this last year by flying into Singapore, and flying straight out within two hours. Worked a treat, but was costly.

I’ve got a good travel agent and have checked flights again to Singapore, cost is about 8000baht return, but I’m wondering if anyone has any better ideas, or experiences.

IE where I might do this cheaply and quickly in the region?

Can it be done (cheaper) overland, or any better ideas for cheaper closer flight options?

On a footnote, a friend recently planned a visa run to Singapore (with just one passport), but when he was at the gate in BKK his flight was cancelled. He went back thrugh immigration and got a new stamp without any checks or questions. I’m guessing this was just luck.

thanks in advance for any help.

[thaiphoon]

JG are correct. Cambodian immigration will want to see the exit stamp from Thailand in the passport you present to enter their country, which will not be there. You will be refused entry into Cambodia on that passport. You then have a further problem that you cannot return to Thailand on that passport either, as there will be no Cambodian exit stamp in that passport to re-enter Thailand, and likely you will be detained at the Thai border for questioning. So at land crossing you would have to use the same passport to leave/enter leave/enter which defeats what you are trying to do.

Such checks do not happen when flying, as you already know, and that is the way to do a passport switch.

[monty]

Normally at a land border crossing Thai immigration needs the entry and exit stamps of the other country in your passport.

Which is probably why Jack golf won't take you.

Without this requirement it would be possible for people to just leave Thailand and come straight back without bothering to get the Cambodian visa and entry/exit procedure.

On a footnote, a friend recently planned a visa run to Singapore (with just one passport), but when he was at the gate in BKK his flight was cancelled. He went back thrugh immigration and got a new stamp without any checks or questions. I’m guessing this was just luck.

Normally in this case immigration would just cancel your exit and stamp you in for whatever time you had remaining.

[withoutyoubuttons]

Thanks for your speedy replies thaipoon and monty.

anyone else got any thoughts about a better visa run flight option than singapore in early jan 8000baht then?

cheers.

[tropo]

Malaysia will be the cheapest on AirAsia. KL would offer the best option for a quick return flight as they have many flights everday. Mid January is just over 5000 return.

[shaunoro]

I have two legal passports as well.

You have to go to a hub, so it appears you are flying in from UK, and transfering up tp BKK.

I have done it via Penang before, but overnighted there.

The cambodian border is not the place as the nice IM police will not understand.

[daxbr]

Last month, I attempted to substitute passports while entering Laos from Thailand.

Laos immigration initially accepted the second passport with visa application but after a few moments called me back to and asked if I have second passport as they could not find Thai stamp.

I was advised to use the passport with Thai exit stamp and come up more money for visa fee. Old visa application was still fine after changing passport numbers.

Lao immigration guy seemed to be quite relaxed about the whole affair. Would not try to do such thing while entering the US.

[tropo]

Last month, I attempted to substitute passports while entering Laos from Thailand.

Laos immigration initially accepted the second passport with visa application but after a few moments called me back to and asked if I have second passport as they could not find Thai stamp.

I was advised to use the passport with Thai exit stamp and come up more money for visa fee. Old visa application was still fine after changing passport numbers.

Lao immigration guy seemed to be quite relaxed about the whole affair. Would not try to do such thing while entering the US.

If I'm reading this correctly, you gave the Laos Immigration offical MORE money? For what? If you did I can understand why he felt "quite relaxed about the whole affair". How much extra did you pay him?

[tropo]

I have two legal passports as well.

You have to go to a hub, so it appears you are flying in from UK, and transfering up tp BKK.

I have done it via Penang before, but overnighted there.

The cambodian border is not the place as the nice IM police will not understand.

There's no need to go to a "hub". Any airport will do and no overnight stay would be necessary. KL is the best as you can easily fly in and out again without waiting all day for a flight.

[Mattd]

I have actually done this many times when I was using two legal passports, you just need to fly out to any foreign destination and then return back using your other passport, actually no need to stay overnight, but that is up to you.

[withoutyoubuttons]

thanks for all your tips and replies guys.

i have reserved a ticket to KL early jan, 7000 baht, in and out on the same day, i leave bkk at 4pm, will be back home in bed by midnight.

was the best fare i could find this time of year - in many ways, a small price to pay for another year in paradise:)

[daxbr]

Last month, I attempted to substitute passports while entering Laos from Thailand.

Laos immigration initially accepted the second passport with visa application but after a few moments called me back to and asked if I have second passport as they could not find Thai stamp.

I was advised to use the passport with Thai exit stamp and come up more money for visa fee. Old visa application was still fine after changing passport numbers.

Lao immigration guy seemed to be quite relaxed about the whole affair. Would not try to do such thing while entering the US.

If I'm reading this correctly, you gave the Laos Immigration offical MORE money? For what? If you did I can understand why he felt "quite relaxed about the whole affair". How much extra did you pay him?

Lao Immigration charges different prices for different nationalities. As far as I remember, I had to pay USD3.00 more.

[tropo]

Last month, I attempted to substitute passports while entering Laos from Thailand.

Laos immigration initially accepted the second passport with visa application but after a few moments called me back to and asked if I have second passport as they could not find Thai stamp.

I was advised to use the passport with Thai exit stamp and come up more money for visa fee. Old visa application was still fine after changing passport numbers.

Lao immigration guy seemed to be quite relaxed about the whole affair. Would not try to do such thing while entering the US.

If I'm reading this correctly, you gave the Laos Immigration offical MORE money? For what? If you did I can understand why he felt "quite relaxed about the whole affair". How much extra did you pay him?

Lao Immigration charges different prices for different nationalities. As far as I remember, I had to pay USD3.00 more.

I'm aware of different prices for different nationalities. Were your passports from different countries?