Thai Returning To Thailand From Overseas By Air, Passport Validity.

[fishhooks]

Does a Thai Citizen need any period of validity/date expiry on their Passport to return Thailand from overseas by air?

Heard a rumour and sounds like a rumour that some airlines out of Australia require the normal 6 months validity on the said Passport to travel, even if a same day connection out of Australia to Bangkok!

Surely even if only a few days remaining, the Passport holder should be able to travel.

[gburns57au]

this was brought up in another thread recently,

AFAIK, you must have 6 months validity on the day of the original departure.

If the passport holder is a resident or temp resident of Oz returning to Thailand and then coming back to Oz they must have 6 months from the departure date in Oz.

If they are on tourist visa for say 6 months and the passport expires a few days after they are due back in the original country then that is ok.

Not a 100% sure on this as there is little on the website that deals with this......maybe a call to Immi or enquire at a travel agent to confirm.

[Mario2008]

A returning Thai does not need a valid passport to fly back to Thailand. An expired one is allowed.

(It might be that security regulations demand a valid ID for one is allowed to board an airplane, but that could be other than a passport)

[drawp]

I had recently brought my GF over for a short visit here in Macau, and as we were leaving BKK they had told her that they would not let her leave since they had said most countries require 6 months to be valid on your passport (she had a Thai passport with about 45 days remaining, we couldn't get a new one in time due to the Songkran holiday). I had spoken to them and told them the law of Macau and that it is 30 days after your intended stay, so they took a few copies of her passport and told her that they would not be able to help her if she got stranded some how and that she may have some issues with returning to Thailand.

There were no issues with her when we arrived in Macau, they had told her that they would only give her 2 weeks to stay rather than the 30 days, which was no problem. We showed them the return ticket and they stamped her passport and we moved on. When she returned to Thailand, she didn't receive any problems from the customs staff as the lady had indicated she might have when we first left. She promptly went to Bangkok and applied for a new passport on Friday and picked it up the following Monday morning.

[fishhooks]

Seems like a bit of a grey area, will pursue further with Thai Embassy here in Melbourne and Australian Immigration as well.

From what you post above Graham:

"If the passport holder is a resident or temp resident of Oz returning to Thailand and then coming back to Oz they must have 6 months from the departure date in Oz".

This indicates to me that it is an issue with Australian Immigration, thus, are they saying that on leaving the airport as a resident, if the foreign passport does not have 6 months validity, they will cancel the holders permission to return to Australia, even though of course the holder will have needed to get a new passport when back on their home turf to initiate any further travel anyway. I guess what I am trying to fathom here is "why would our Immigration have cause for concern"...... In our case a new Thai passport would be obtained whilst on the next trip in February and should this not be the only legal requirement for a resident to return here. Of course keeping the original cancelled Thai passport for any visa verification.

All very interesting. My initial concern was the airline concerned at departure having some sort of issue with a passport with less than 6 months validity?

Air Asia X in this case, have emailed them but from previous form doubt if I will get a response!

Also from what Mario indicates, it sounds as though there is no issue with Thai Immigration which is understandable, but again I imagine an expired passport would not be able to be used at the point of departure, both immigration and airline wise.

[gburns57au]

Seems like a bit of a grey area, will pursue further with Thai Embassy here in Melbourne and Australian Immigration as well.

From what you post above Graham:

"If the passport holder is a resident or temp resident of Oz returning to Thailand and then coming back to Oz they must have 6 months from the departure date in Oz".

This indicates to me that it is an issue with Australian Immigration, thus, are they saying that on leaving the airport as a resident, if the foreign passport does not have 6 months validity, they will cancel the holders permission to return to Australia, even though of course the holder will have needed to get a new passport when back on their home turf to initiate any further travel anyway. I guess what I am trying to fathom here is "why would our Immigration have cause for concern"...... In our case a new Thai passport would be obtained whilst on the next trip in February and should this not be the only legal requirement for a resident to return here. Of course keeping the original cancelled Thai passport for any visa verification.

All very interesting. My initial concern was the airline concerned at departure having some sort of issue with a passport with less than 6 months validity?

Air Asia X in this case, have emailed them but from previous form doubt if I will get a response!

Also from what Mario indicates, it sounds as though there is no issue with Thai Immigration which is understandable, but again I imagine an expired passport would not be able to be used at the point of departure, both immigration and airline wise.

As I said, I am not 100% on this issue.

Most countries have a 6 month validity on the passport from departure date from the original point of departure. Thai nationals can re enter Thailand on an expired passport....

As Oz has the same rules then it follows that if the resident or temp resident leaves Oz and intends to return (ie has a return ticket) then that person should have 6 months on the Passport. Not an Aussie thing....most countries would be the same IMO

I believe from previous threads that some airlines have created problems with passports even though they have been cleared by the home country's Immigration. This seems to be an Airline policy issue, will check that airlines website and see.

Air Asia terms and conditions.......

6.5

Travel Documents: You are responsible for obtaining and must possess and have available for presentation as required by the relevant authorities all entry and exit, health and other documents required by law, regulations, order, demands or requirements of the countries flown from, into or over. We reserve the right to refuse carriage to any Passenger who has not complied with, or whose documents do not appear to comply with, such applicable laws, regulations, orders, demands or requirements.

6.6

Documents Advisory: All passengers travelling on international routes must possess valid passports with at least six (6) months' validity and the applicable valid visas. Such passengers shall also possess a return or an onward journey ticket.

These are the two sections that seem to apply to your question......

Edited May 31, 2010 by gburns57au

[fishhooks]

Thanks Graham,

Very helpful, think we'd better organize a new Thai Passport here.

Interesting but not surprised that Air Asia's booking system doesn't flag that rule "6.6" is being breached during the process, as I clearly indicated the correct expiry date of my wife's passport which only covers a few months.

A friend mentioned last night that Thai Airways will carry a Thai regardless of expiry, which further verifies Mario's post, but that still doesn't get over the possible Australian Immigration issue which you mentioned.

[Mario2008]

An airline will see the the following rules when they check the IATA database with immigration rules:

National Thailand (TH) /Residence Australia (AU) Destination Thailand (TH)

Thailand (TH)

Passport required.

- Expired passports issued to nationals of Thailand are

accepted.

Passport Exemptions:

- Nationals of Thailand holding a Certificate of Identity.

VISA NOT REQUIRED.

Additional Information:

- All passports must be in good condition.

- Those travelling to Thailand with a visa issued prior to

arrival, are permitted to travel on a one-way ticket.

http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations...ation/index.jsp

[fishhooks]

Appreciated Mario.

I think the issues remaining are to do with Australian Immigration on departure and as the forthcoming return to Thailand requires a transit in KL, there may be a snag with Air Asia X out of Melbourne.

The transit in Malaysia would not actually be that, as Air Asia determines that each of their tickets is complete as is, and even though continuing on to Bangkok a few hours later with them, it would not figure in the matter.

Passport renewal I think is the safest wat to go here!

(Unless AA comes up with another of their "almost free" sales and it might be worth popping back in the meantime)

[Mario2008]

With Air Asia as point to point carrier it is indeed better to have a new passport, as she will need to go through immigration in Malaysia.

Believe new Thai passport takes about 3 weeks from an embassy.