How Open Can One Be With The Embassy Of His Country In Bangkok?

[Coffeehouse]

I am just asking hypothetical questions.

1) For example one uses the "Visa service" that some travel bureaus offer where the passport is brought to Malaysia by a Thai person (I suppose with bribed borderguys) and then sent to Europe where a consulate grants its owner a non-immigrant B, then sent back to Malaysia where it gets immigration stamps, brought over the border and is then sent back to its owner.

Would a european (f.e. german) embassy in Bangkok be penalizing one of some sort if they knew that? Would it be better to make up a story if being asked questions leading into that direction.

2) When asked how one earns money in Thailand would one get into trouble when telling ones embassy that one is being a part shop owner without work permit or anything, just a non immigrant B? Or would one rather try to keep a low profile and claim one is not working at all and just living of savings?

Thank you for answering these hypothetical questions.

Edited February 8, 2011 by Coffeehouse

[lopburi3]

1. Your Embassy would likely ask you why you allowed a terrorist to use your passport for exit and entry between Thailand and Malaysia. You should never allow such 'trips'. This was an issue a decade ago and when it was considered a gray area. It became black.

2. It would depend more on who you told than any Embassy policy I suspect; although my guess would be that most Embassy personal are not likely to look favorably on illegal activity.

[clinique]

Hypothetically speaking, I guess it also depends on how much privacy you want to maintain. Or whether you are happy for your government to know more about you.

[Phatcharanan]

Hypothetically, they copy all details of your passport and clone it.

They then use hypothetical passport to enter your country of birth and place a hypothetcal package on some train that later destroys dozens of lives.

I guess that hypothetically, you will have to live with that.........whilst enjoying prison food.

[ThaiRich]

It makes me think. Ummm.. All of that traveling by an agent. Would it not be cheaper just to do it yourself. Fly back home and get your non B yourself. That way you would never have to lie or make up a story about it.

[clinique]

Accidentally deleted first answer.

Hypothetically , Since your passport is the property of your government, is your responsibility and is not supposed to leave your sight (theorhetically), giving to such parties (or anyone else for that matter) is technically a breach of the rules and regs covering the issue of said passport because it allows said others to use it for illegal activities - such as terrorism, fraud, etc. Dont think any Embassy would be too pleased.Hypothetically speaking.

[Richard4849]

I understand that Guantanamo is particularly lovely this time of year.

[SGD]

Thai immigration rules require that you obtain a visa for Thailand whilst outside Thailand, they do not require that you obtain a visa from the country where you are when outside Thailand. Thus, if you are using visas to remain in Thailand and making border crossings every 90 days, you could, in theory, remain outside Thailand on one of these trips whilst your passport made a trip to a Thai consulate or embassy to procure a new Thai visa. You may find that not being in possession of a passport is a technical breach of immigration regulations for the country you are visiting but any such infringement of regulations is of no concern to the Thai authorities.

What is categorically unlawful is for someone to take your passport on a holiday to obtain a new Thai visa whilst you remain in Thailand. Such a visa would be invalid and effectively put you on overstay as a minimum offence. Anyone offering to perform such a (dis) service would be breaking the law.

[clinique]

i beleive the Op was askingabout his own Embassies views regards his hypothetical questions, and not Thai immigration.

As previously stated your passport is the property of your governent, is your responsibility and is supposed to be with you at ALL times, and not be given to others.

[thailandbluegrass]

<deleted> is this guy on about?

I have NEVER heard of any tour company or visa service that has to "send" your passport back to your country for a Thai visa. They simply go to the Thai Consulate in Malaysia, Cambodia etc......Hypothetically speaking.

This sight does have a "search engine" you know.

[Coffeehouse]

i beleive the Op was askingabout his own Embassies views regards his hypothetical questions, and not Thai immigration.

As previously stated your passport is the property of your governent, is your responsibility and is supposed to be with you at ALL times, and not be given to others.

Yes I am talking merely about the embassy of the passport holders country, not about the Thai embassy or immigration.

So they assumably would only be "angry" about not keeping the passport with one at all times? So they might be equally angry at somebody who rented a motorbike and deposited his passport with the motorbike rental since that is what they demand?

@Richard: Guantanamo is closed as far as a I know and there is no connection to the USA in any of this anyways.

@ThaiRich: Travelling and getting that VISA would be approximately double that price of sending it. Hypothetically.

@lopburi3: I was not aware that this could have a connection to any terroristic attacks. Can you provide links or anything? Also about the transition from the gray to the black area during the last decade?

[Coffeehouse]

@ThailandBlueGrass:

Well, is it so easy to get a non immigrant B Visa multiple entry there? I think they only issue Tourist Visa without special documents and only 3 in a row at most.

<deleted> is this guy on about?

I have NEVER heard of any tour company or visa service that has to "send" your passport back to your country for a Thai visa. They simply go to the Thai Consulate in Malaysia, Cambodia etc......Hypothetically speaking.

This sight does have a "search engine" you know.

[FarangBuddha]

Thai immigration rules require that you obtain a visa for Thailand whilst outside Thailand, they do not require that you obtain a visa from the country where you are when outside Thailand. Thus, if you are using visas to remain in Thailand and making border crossings every 90 days, you could, in theory, remain outside Thailand on one of these trips whilst your passport made a trip to a Thai consulate or embassy to procure a new Thai visa. You may find that not being in possession of a passport is a technical breach of immigration regulations for the country you are visiting but any such infringement of regulations is of no concern to the Thai authorities.

What I have always wondered is would a Thai embassy/consulate in say Australia that received a visa application sent from an Australian national from a 3rd country outside Thailand, say Malaysia, process the application and then forward the passport through the mails back to the applicant in said 3rd country outside of Australia?

Edited February 9, 2011 by FarangBuddha

[Mario2008]

Normally no, as the person would be outside the jurisdiction of the embassy. But never say never. Especially honorary consulates are more flexible.

Do remember that often you will need the passport in the country you are staying, for identification purposes and for example to check into a hotel. Also from that point of view it might not be allowed.

[bina]

as far as i know, a passport is the property of the government of the country u have the passport for... and as far as i know it is illegal to hold the passport of someone as it is 'stealing'; which is why now thai workers get their passports and the employers can no longer hold them even for 'safekeeping' (to prevent the worker from leaving); and most embassies dont look favorably on someone giveing someone else their passport; some countries it might be a federal crime, i dont know... but u can read what is written on the passport to see...and many countries fine u for 'losing' your passport ; here, if your passport is lost more then once, u are 'frozen' and cannot get another (u can get travel papers for an emergency )for a period of time.

i would never trust anyone else with my passports, and the agent /visa route often ends up with mistakes or borderlien illegal activity involved. why do it? if said passport is stolen, u have to report to the police of the coutnry in which it was stolen, etc.......a beurocratic nightmare at best; and malaysia is not switzerland either. and u would have to explain why your passport was found at a border of a country u are not in at the present moment, etc.

as for being 'honest' with them? , embassies might not care about what u do in your personal time until u get caught or stuck but why lie? hypothetically speaking.

bina

israel

[mstribling]

People use visa services all the time. When I am outside of Thailand, I routinely mail my passport to my company in the US. They in turn use a visa service and they load me up with various African visa's so I can work.

I don't do it in Thailand, because I keep my PP handy at all times.

Never had to get a Thai visa that way, but I am certain if they did away with the 30 day stamp on arrival. Countless agents throughout the US,EU, etc would, could provide this service.

Unless their a German no one knows what your countries stance would be.

I am of the school of: When dealing with the "MAN". Keep my <bleep> mouth shut.

[fantuzi]

When I wanted to go on safari tour - I bought the package tour from tour agency.Well before the date of departure - I had to surrender my passport to them,so they could obtain necessary visas;

It saved me trouble of going to Bern in Switzerland,where most of Africa embassies are located,none of them in my small motherland. I could travel around Europe with my ID!

So what?Everything is legit!

And look,how tour agency is doing this bizness technically: they send nice girl with bag full of somebody's passports by night train to Bern,without marshals or armed escort;she will cross 3 borders on her way.

Can you imagine it - TV armchairs/google investigators?

to OP,it depends what country gave you your passport,it depends who will talk with you,and if you know him personally,it depends where the conversation will take place(office or corridor or ...pub/bar?)

it also depends how much you value your own reputation?

I do not think,you will put yourself in much danger..

[metisdead]

A post has been removed due to the quoted text being being modified in the reply process.

30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[lopburi3]

When I wanted to go on safari tour - I bought the package tour from tour agency.Well before the date of departure - I had to surrender my passport to them,so they could obtain necessary visas;

It saved me trouble of going to Bern in Switzerland,where most of Africa embassies are located,none of them in my small motherland. I could travel around Europe with my ID!

So what?Everything is legit!

And look,how tour agency is doing this bizness technically: they send nice girl with bag full of somebody's passports by night train to Bern,without marshals or armed escort;she will cross 3 borders on her way.

Can you imagine it - TV armchairs/google investigators?

to OP,it depends what country gave you your passport,it depends who will talk with you,and if you know him personally,it depends where the conversation will take place(office or corridor or ...pub/bar?)

it also depends how much you value your own reputation?

I do not think,you will put yourself in much danger..

One very important difference is that you did this in your home country where you did not require a passport and used an offical travel agency.

[mstribling]

When I wanted to go on safari tour - I bought the package tour from tour agency.Well before the date of departure - I had to surrender my passport to them,so they could obtain necessary visas;

It saved me trouble of going to Bern in Switzerland,where most of Africa embassies are located,none of them in my small motherland. I could travel around Europe with my ID!

So what?Everything is legit!

And look,how tour agency is doing this bizness technically: they send nice girl with bag full of somebody's passports by night train to Bern,without marshals or armed escort;she will cross 3 borders on her way.

Can you imagine it - TV armchairs/google investigators?

to OP,it depends what country gave you your passport,it depends who will talk with you,and if you know him personally,it depends where the conversation will take place(office or corridor or ...pub/bar?)

it also depends how much you value your own reputation?

I do not think,you will put yourself in much danger..

One very important difference is that you did this in your home country where you did not require a passport and used an offical travel agency.

Correct. The only flaw in the OP is if he was in Thailand when he did this, and then if he had other form of picture ID such as a Thai drivers license then, he is good to go.

I personally wouldn't do this, but were not talking about me.

Never seen an official travel agency before, not to say the don't exist, maybe in China, or Cuba perhaps.

I'm trying to figure out what would make the OP want to tell anyone at the embassy about this at all, unless maybe he is trying to rat on someone.

[jazzbo]

One of the reasons your country of citizenship maintains an Embassy (and maybe consulates) in Thailand is to come to your assistance in the event of emergency. You do not want to be without your passport or have questionable entries in your passport that would impact or limit the assistance the Embassy staff could offer should the need arise ...

Or in plain terms: That you not get caught with your pants down ... funny how such things seem to occur at just the wrong times.

[FarangBuddha]

Normally no, as the person would be outside the jurisdiction of the embassy. But never say never. Especially honorary consulates are more flexible.

Do remember that often you will need the passport in the country you are staying, for identification purposes and for example to check into a hotel. Also from that point of view it might not be allowed.

Interesting reply and I take you points. The scenario would be to save the time/expense of the return trip home for someone who is qualified for the visa the seek and applies outside of Thailand. One goes to Penang, checks into their hotel, and then sends the passport/application by FedEx say to a Thai embassy/consul in their home country. The application is processed and then returned (FedEx) to the sender (just like it's done when the applicant is physically in their home country) except they are abroad. This would sure save many people allot of money.

I know technically one is probably required to have possession of their passport while in Malaysia and there would be complications if one was involved in some incident in Penang and didn't have it; but the chances of this are very low if one is just hanging around there for a week for the return of the passport. If the consulate won't return a passport out of country, the alternative would be to have a friend or re-mailing service do it for you.

[mstribling]

One of the reasons your country of citizenship maintains an Embassy (and maybe consulates) in Thailand is to come to your assistance in the event of emergency. You do not want to be without your passport or have questionable entries in your passport that would impact or limit the assistance the Embassy staff could offer should the need arise ...

Or in plain terms: That you not get caught with your pants down ... funny how such things seem to occur at just the wrong times.

Very true. Although one service every embassy does for it's citizens, except perhaps England is to replace lost, or damaged passports.

Not having a passport is a common occurrence here.

Now the OP would be lying to the embassy if he said it was lost, when in fact it was in transit. But I doubt that would bother anyone much.

So true about things occurring at the wrong time.

I passed up a 4 week job which would a have netted me a nice 1.2K baht paycheck, because the wanted me to mail my passport to them for a visa.

No problem anywhere but here I told them. dam_n I could have used the money

[jazzbo]

The US Embassy in Bangkok most certainly will replace a lost or stolen passport providing you have filed a police report and filled out the DS-64 form.

http://bangkok.usemb..._passports.html

On the web page it notes: The loss of a valid U.S. passport is a serious matter.

However it has been suggested above that one can apply for a new passport at any time during the 10 year validity period although per FAQ the recommended time -- barring that the pages are not totally full and additional pages impractical -- is 9 months before expiration. From Form DS-11:

21. Have you ever been issued a U.S. Passport book?

Your name as listed on your most recent passport book

Most recent passport book number

Status of your most recent passport book:

In My Possession -- Stolen -- Lost -- Other ____________________

Approximate date your most recent passport book ______________

Other? Good Luck...

Edited February 10, 2011 by jazzbo