Previous Thai Passports

[jonathan_t]

My girlfriend is applying for a visitors visa from a certain Western embassy. As usual they ask about previous passports, previous trips abroad and would like to see the previous passports too I believe.

What I'm interested to know is: is there anything on the Thai passport that indicates to the embassy whether the applicant has any previous passports? (can't see anything obvious myself but what do I know). Do they have any way of finding out, checking with the Thai authorities etc?

In our case, she did have a previous passport, which was lost and was replaced earlier this year. To the best of my knowledge she had no refusals, deportations etc on the old passport, just a couple of short visits to neighboring countries.

My question is, is the ECO going to use a "lost" passport as a reason to give you a hard time or have doubts about granting a visa, and therefore it would be best to just say she has never had a passport or been abroad before? Or am I worrying about nothing and there would be no probs with telling the truth?

Advice greatly appreciated!

Edited July 8, 2005 by jonathan_t

[Clive sorts]

Jonathan

My now Fiancee lost her passport a few months before she applied for a visitors visa for the UK last year and no problems arose with the Embassy application process.

When she lost the passport she just reported it to the Police in Bangkok and filled out a couple of forms.

Best of luck.

Regards

Clive sorts

[lopburi3]

Do not lie on a visa application. In this case there is not even any reason to think about such fraud. Just answer honestly.

Do not believe passport is marked with any reference to previous passport unless there has been a visa transfer but the fact would be very easy to confirm as it lists ID card number and both would have that in common even if names had changed.

[GU22]

Tell the truth, always. Surely she has nothing to hide.

As Lopburi3 says, it would be a simple matter for the embassy to check whether this was her first passport or not. I doubt that they bother with all applications, but maybe a random check?

[samran]

not worth fibbing. Having said that, a lost PP is a lost PP.

They can always cross check using name, ID card, DOB etc etc to see if the name has had a visa application rejected. If she hasn't before, then no problems.

[jonathan_t]

Appreciate the replys and very good advice too. Best to simply tell the truth.