Passport 6 Month Expiry Problem

[probert]

Hi everyone,

Just need some advice on the problem that I have managed to get myself into through being very disorganised.

My passport expires on 8th May 2011. I am on a 30 day exempt which expires on 28th november, so I have not got enough time to get a renewal from Hong Kong.

My question is....do you think I could do another 30 day run by air with my passport expiring in less than 6 months and then when I have the extra 30 days send off my passport ? or am i screwed ??

Or does anyone know if in urgent cases the Bangkok Embassy will issue a passport ?

Thanks for any advice

Edited November 12, 2010 by probert

[chris5346]

hi,

i think some countries are stricter than others about the 6 month rule - here's a usefiul link :

http://www.wordtravels.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1580

i'm in same situation , i'm thinking of trying a border run to burma to just get 2 weeks if not i will fly home.

maybe the problem will be flying back into thailand.

i would have thought there's a system in place for this sort of thing ? why don't you just extend your current visa at immegration and then apply for a re-new .

good luck,

chris

[probert]

hi,

i think some countries are stricter than others about the 6 month rule - here's a usefiul link :

http://www.wordtrave...scussionID=1580

i'm in same situation , i'm thinking of trying a border run to burma to just get 2 weeks if not i will fly home.

maybe the problem will be flying back into thailand.

i would have thought there's a system in place for this sort of thing ? why don't you just extend your current visa at immegration and then apply for a re-new .

good luck,

chris

Hi,

If i try for an extension then i get an extra 7 days yes ? But will they give me an extension with less than six monhts on the passport ?

Also when i get my new passport i will be getting a one year to stay here but for now I have this problem so i am looking for solutions.

Edited November 12, 2010 by probert

[cougar52]

What country are you and your Passport from, it matters.

When I renewed my permission to stay the same year that I had to renew my Passport I only had 8 months left on my original Passport.

I talked to Immigration in the old TOT building,in Korat, and I explained that I would have renewed my Passport earlier but the U.S. Embassy would not renew that early.

So they gave me the full 1 year and instructed me to bring my new Passport to have all my stamps and etc. transferred.

When I had only about 3 months left on my Passport, I renewed it and and immediately went to Immigration, mad by next 90 day report and had all the stamps transferred about 30 minutes it was done.

It only took the Embassy about 2and1/2 weeks to issue the new Passport.

[Soutpeel]

What country are you and your Passport from, it matters.

One assumes Its a British passport, the OP is talking about renewing in HK. The embassy in BKK will only issue "emergency" passports and the dont believe the embassy will help him in this circumstance.

The problem I suspect will trying to get on a plane, cant see any reason why an extension in-country wouldnt be given to give more time to get the PP back.

[lopburi3]

An extension of stay can be up to the expiration date of the passport.

[probert]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies so far.

Sorry I was not clear enough in my first message, yes I am British.

Does anyone know if I could try this extension at Jomtien, or is that service only for visa holders ? remember I am on a 30 day exempt at the moment.

From some of the research i have done it seems that risking air travel at this point would be stupid and maybe by land is better but then by land i would only get 15 days so its not too different to the situation im in now anyway.

I am thinking maybe its best to just get an extension for an extra 7 days, send the application and then just hope to god the new passport gets here within 2-3 weeks !!!

I am really really trying not to break any rules here because after this mess has finished I want to get another one year O as i had before but I think there maybe a chance I overstay if the passport arrives late.

Has anyone got any other ideas ??

Edited November 13, 2010 by probert

[endure]

As a bit of info you can renew a UK passport up to 9 months before it's due to expire. You'll get the extra time added on so if you renew 6 months before it expires your new passport will be valid for 10 years and 6 months.

[PhilHarries]

I am thinking maybe its best to just get an extension for an extra 7 days, send the application and then just hope to god the new passport gets here within 2-3 weeks !!!

Just did mine and got it back in under two weeks but that was via the Consulate here in HCMC. The websites advise allowing one month so you could end up on a week or so's overstay which is no big deal. Just explain it to the officer, pay the fine and go.

The only question would be; your entry stamp would be in the old passport which by the time you leave will be cancelled so do you need that transferred to the new one before exiting? Otherwise you'll have a pp with an exit stamp but no corresponding entry and this anomaly will also be in the computer system.

[probert]

I am thinking maybe its best to just get an extension for an extra 7 days, send the application and then just hope to god the new passport gets here within 2-3 weeks !!!

Just did mine and got it back in under two weeks but that was via the Consulate here in HCMC. The websites advise allowing one month so you could end up on a week or so's overstay which is no big deal. Just explain it to the officer, pay the fine and go.

The only question would be; your entry stamp would be in the old passport which by the time you leave will be cancelled so do you need that transferred to the new one before exiting? Otherwise you'll have a pp with an exit stamp but no corresponding entry and this anomaly will also be in the computer system.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah I have thought about the stamping problem but I dont think i can get around that because I cant really turn up in Bangkok and ask them to transfer my stamp for me which I am already on an overstay for. I figured that if i just take the two passports with me and leave from BKK airport (where they seem to be more savy) then they may be able to sort it for me !!

Please anyone correct me if I am completly wrong there.

I think with the main problem of the passport I just need to send it off , hope for the best and learn some lessons. Ofcourse I do want to carry on staying here, which leads me to my next question which is ofcourse If i do end up overstaying, will i get back in ??

Thanks again in advance

[lopburi3]

To stay completely clean you could travel to Hong Kong where the passport is made and wait for it there. Hong Kong only requires one month of passport validity beyond proposed stay so entry would not be a problem.

[probert]

To stay completely clean you could travel to Hong Kong where the passport is made and wait for it there. Hong Kong only requires one month of passport validity beyond proposed stay so entry would not be a problem.

wow !! really ? but i suppose waiting in Hong Kong for as few weeks wont be cheap, or (like London) can you wait and get a same day or a few days service ?

Thanks and sorry for so many questions.

[lopburi3]

Have no information on time or what costs might be.

[probert]

thanks to everyone so far for the useful info.

the only thing I am hoping someone knows is if i can extend my 30 exempt in jomtien, pattaya ? or has anyone ever done it.

thanks

[lopburi3]

Such an entry can not normally be extended (medical or such would be exceptions) but a 7 day under review (which essentially acts as an extension) can be issued (normally easily - but may require exit ticket which you would not have). You need to check with your Embassy if they can provide reasons for your stay being extended.

[chris5346]

hi,

you say your going to try and get a yearly visa after ? a type O ? where are you going to get that from ?

are you aware that when you re-new your passport in hong kong you don't actually send your old passport to them just a photocopy ? maybe you can just extend or do a visa run whilst waiting for your passport to arrive ?

or just pay the over fine.

i applied for my daughters first passport in hong kong last month and it took 3 weeks , i believe re-news should be quicker.

[probert]

hi,

you say your going to try and get a yearly visa after ? a type O ? where are you going to get that from ?

are you aware that when you re-new your passport in hong kong you don't actually send your old passport to them just a photocopy ? maybe you can just extend or do a visa run whilst waiting for your passport to arrive ?

or just pay the over fine.

i applied for my daughters first passport in hong kong last month and it took 3 weeks , i believe re-news should be quicker.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes I hope I will get a O after as I am married. A few agents here reckon they can do it for about 30,000. I had a O visa before which I got from Hull in UK. If I cannot get an O then i will probably get a double tourist from Loas or single from Kuala Lumpur. Once I get my new passport i am not worried about visas as there are options but very worried about the passport/overstay etc.

Yes I know you only have to send a photocopy of the passport but as soon as Hong Kong receives the application they electronically cancel your old one, you can only use it to show the police, etc etc. After they get the application, thats it, I am here and have to wait.

So basically i just have to take the risk. I am going to Jomtien tommorrow to get a 7 day extension which all together will give me about 20 days for the new passpot to come. As I mentioned I do not want to break any laws by overstaying but maybe i will not have a choice but hopefully if it doesnt come within the 20 days then it wont be too much over.

It is a risk and all my fault but I just have to hope.................and learn the lesson.

[lopburi3]

If you are married to a Thai you do not have to spend 30k for any visa. A quick trip to any Consulate will bet a non immigrant O visa for 2k visa cost. That provides a 90 day stay and if you have 400k in bank account for last two months of it you can extend at Immigration for one year for 1,900 baht.

If you do not have financial means but can get 100k into a bank account you can obtain a one year multi entry non immigrant O visa from KL for 5k which allows unlimited stays of up to 90 days.