Switching Passports!

[elreico]

Hello, this is a newby-Question. I'm German, 44, holder of two passports. One is full and the other has four pages left. Both are valid. How can I switch between them, in order to stay in Thailand? The new passport will arrive in a 6 weeks time in the German Ambassy!

Thanks for any advice,

Elreico

[tropo]

Why do you need to switch passports if you're already here with a valid stamp? Are you planning to go on a side trip to somewhere?

If you want to leave to go somewhere before your new passport arrives you can have your stamp transferred from one passport to the other at an Immigration office in Thailand. You will probably need a letter from your Embassy to do this but that may depend on where you are. I'm in Chonburi and definitely need a letter to have stamps transferred between passports.

[elreico]

Why do you need to switch passports if you're already here with a valid stamp?

If you want to leave to go somewhere before your new passport arrives you can have your stamps transferred from one passport to the other at an Immigration office in Thailand. You will probably need a letter from your Embassy to do this but that may depend on where you are. I'm in Chonburi and definitely need a letter to have stamps transferred between passports.

My valid Stamp expires on Monday. I don't have any letters from Ambassies. But can I go TO THE iMMIGRATION on Monday with my two books? A valid stamp in the one? will they transfer?

[maibork]

well at your immigration, you can transfer the valid stamp from one passport to the other one, however you will loose one page.... so there will be only 3 left......

the transfer is free of charge

[maibork]

sorry I forgot something.

I transfered my stamps last month at the immigration in Bangkok, and I just used my two passports (one full and my new one)

I didn't need any papers from the Embassy or something like that. Just gave them my two passports, told them to transfer the stamp and waited for about 30min.

[HotelManager]

Don't complicate things.... Just keep them together with some elastic... and always give them like that, if passport is requested.

[beechguy]

If the permission to stay is about to expire, it won't do much good to transfer stamps unless elgible for an extension. Probably best to fly out with the old passport, and return using the passport with 4 pages. Using a land border crossing may be possible, but I've always seen recommendations to fly when changing passports.

[lopburi3]

1. To change passports would require air arrival and land borders would require entry/exit stamps to be visable.

2. Transfer of stamp is from an invalid/canceled passport to an active passport. Do not believe they would do this between valid passports (but have never seen any report one way or another).

3. Now if you are only asking about the replacement passport and how to transfer your current entry stamp it is as said - talk old and new to immigration and file out a short form/submit copies of both and they make entry into the new passport. No visa will be transferred but your current permitted to stay is.

[karTER]

I'm not sure if it helps, but we had to renew our UK passports last December as they were full and we had to take both new and old passports to Immigration to transfer our entry stamp.

It was all rather easy to do (remember to take full page photocopies of all documents) but the process took up two precious pages in the new passport. If you have four left you're fine, but bear it in mind.

[elreico]

Thanks for the answers. So my idea is going over the friendship-bridge in Mae Sot on Monday with my (almost) full passport, in order to get a 15 days permission. That should still be possible. Then I'll go with my two passports to the nearby immigration-office and ask them to transfer just this new permission. Well, they can only say yes or no! If no, I will leave the Kingdom by air and switch my passports in Macau or HK.

[RussellGSXR]

Hello,

The short answer is you can't just switch betwen them to stay in Thailand! I too have dual nationality and have used different passports when re-entering Thailand, because of the 'three visa in a row rule'. but you still have to exit and re-enter Thailand.

If you want to stay here, the best bet is to sign up for a Thai course and obtain a one year educational visa.

[Mario2008]

Hello,

The short answer is you can't just switch betwen them to stay in Thailand! I too have dual nationality and have used different passports when re-entering Thailand, because of the 'three visa in a row rule'. but you still have to exit and re-enter Thailand.

If you want to stay here, the best bet is to sign up for a Thai course and obtain a one year educational visa.

1. There is no 3 visas in a row rule.

2. You can do that only when leaving and entering by air, at a landborder they want to see your exit stamp (which will be in your old passport.

[elreico]

You can switch your passports in the air! When I arrived in Macau they asked me for my departure stamp, and I showed it in my old passport. They took one short look and agreed and stamped my other passport with theit arrival stamp. No questions asked! It was very easy. For immigration officers it's quite common facing people with two passports.