Girlfriends Passport

[Baz]

My Thai girlfriend has recently divorced her husband. She will recieve her new ID card in approx 2 months.

Does anybody know if she must also apply for a new passport? Her old one still has her old married name on it but is only 1 year old with only 2 pages used.

Can she just continue to use it?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

She can go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and have them change her name. If she travels it might be difficult in a security conscious world, to travel without the change being noted.

[Pink Mist]

Get the name changed, it took us about an hour, a couple of stamps in the passport no wurries.

Question for you doc, what is the extension of validity on page 3 of passport?

[samran]

Bronco, page 3 is an extention of validity for another 5 years. Makes the passport usable for 10 years all up. Need new photo to put on the observations pages too.

Pretty simple proceedure now apparently to take it to a local post office and they will extend it for 5 years on the spot. I got mine done this year though in Canberra.

[Pink Mist]

What a great idea, another 5 years, what is the cost? Why cant we have the same thing with an Aussie passport? The Aussie one is only really valid for 9.5 years, they dont like you to travel with less than 6 months remaining.

[samran]

Well the Thai one is only valid for 9.5 years in reality too, as no-country will let anyone in with a passport with less than 6 months remaining validity.

Cant remeber the cost, but it cant be much for renewing a Thai passport as it didn't leave me in shock. Had to apply for a new Aussie passport recently in BKK and to get it done in 2 days (I travel frequently) cost me 6000 baht!! Very expensive!

[Pink Mist]

6000baht say about $205, samran that's robbery new one in Oz no where near that price. Allways cheaper to pay for stuff in Oz rather than embassy in BKK, they must have a great Christmas party with all the money they over charge.

Did you get the new type of passport samran?

[samran]

well, it was an express passport. If I waited I would have only had to have paid $140, which is still pretty expensive if you ask me.

Actually didn't get a new edition passport which came online on December 1, as I would have waited 10 days for it to come thru and I was travelling in early December. The new ones can only be issued from Canberra, Washington and London. So I applied in the last week of Nov so I could get the older versions in 2 days. C'est la vie, but worth it I guess. The Aussie one gets me into just about every country with barely a glance from the immigration guys, while travelling on my Thai one is a painful process of applying for visa's and lenghty questioning from over zealous embassy staff in BKK.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Bronco, page 3 is an extention of validity for another 5 years. Makes the passport usable for 10 years all up. Need new photo to put on the observations pages too.

Pretty simple proceedure now apparently to take it to a local post office and they will extend it for 5 years on the spot. I got mine done this year though in Canberra.

Samran's advice is spot on Bronco. Canberra for you ...it's a bit beyond Jaye and John.

[Pink Mist]

No probs with the wifes passport it expires in 2006, I was just interested in the extention of validity thingie. Still reckon it's a great idea but I don't think little jonnie and BIG AMANDA would agree.

[Thetyim]

A new Thai passport costs 2000 baht

An extension would presumably cost less

[lopburi3]

For new Thai passport:

Application fees: Baht 1,073 for a 32-page passport , Baht 1,573 for a 64-page passport.

For extension of Thai passport:

Application fees:  Baht 1,005.

Above from MFA web site.

Be sure to change name on home register also. And bank accounts, credit cards, phones, water, electric, internet, lease etc. or they may come back to bite later when she changes to your name.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

One might as well get a brand new passport rather than an extension. Not much cost difference.

[samran]

Yup, but be aware, but applying OS may be a different story as Thai passport application times can take longer. When I tried to get a new passport a new Thai passport in OZ earlier this year, I was told I would have to wait 2-3 months for a new passport, while an extention could be done in 2-3 days!! Go figure.

Recently my cousin got a new Thai passport in Canberra, and she waited a month for it to come thru, and that was an urgent request.

Also the hassle of transfering visas to the new passport can take some time if you are resident OS too (some countries require this, other don't).

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It does take longer to get a new passport from abroad. But the visa issue is no problem, it is acceptable to produce the old passport containing continuing visa's, along with the new passport on arrival.

[halfpast_2]

can somebody give me the address of the Ministry of Foreign Affiars in Thailand (Bangkok) or phone number?

i have just been trying there website but cannot get on.

Thanks.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

MFA

443 Sri Ayudhya Road Ratchathewi

Bangkok 10400

Tel 02 643 5245

Fax 02 643 5244

[lopburi3]

Website seems to be down. If you are looking for the legal department (where you register translations) it is:

Legalization Division

Department of Consular Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

3rd Floor, 123 Chaeng Wattana Road

Tung Song Hong, Laksi District, Bangkok

Tel:(02) 575-1057-8, Fax:(02) 575-1054

[halfpast_2]

thanks you very much, it is for my wife's passport, will ring them now.

thanks again.

[surin]

No probs with the wifes passport it expires in 2006, I was just interested in the extention of validity thingie. Still reckon it's a great idea but I don't think little jonnie and BIG AMANDA would agree.

Bronc....Hope Bonsai and Big Amanda won't be there come next November let alone 2006!

[Pink Mist]

They seem to be pretty worried about Latham, abbot and costello might be doing their act backstage soon

[lopburi3]

MFA web site back up now. Bangkok passport offices are as follows:

1.    Head Office      Map

  Department of Consular Affairs

  Thanon Chaengwattana

  Laksi BANGKOK

  Tel. 0-2981-7171

2.    Temporary Passport Office: Bang Na    Map

            9th Floor Central City Shopping Center Bang Na

            Thanon Bang Na - Trad BANGKOK

            Tel. 0-2361-0888 Ext. 3591 , 0-2383-8400 Ext. 3591 , 0-2383-8403 

            Fax. 0-2383-8398     

3.    Temporary Passport Office: Pin-klao  Map

            8th Floor Central Department Store Pin-klao

            Thanon Boromratchachonnani BANGKOK

            Tel. 0-2884-8829, 0-2884-8830

              Fax. 0-2884-8823     

[Pink Mist]

We are coming back to LOS mid year, wife goes for permanent OZ Visa in November, did you realise while on temp any visits to LOS require another police check?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

No more police checks Bronco...unless she stays a year in Muang Thai.

[Pink Mist]

We went to DIMA Friday Doc because step son wasn't included on Wifes' permanent visa application somehow?? therefore he could't get Medicare, consequentially we had to fill out a 1002 and Medicare form.

I then questioned them about the reference to police clearance in the letter she recieved and the reply was "If that's what's in the letter it's right".

Here is an excerpt from that letter

"Additionally please be aware that it may be neccessary at the time of fial assessment to provide this office with an overseas police clearance if

1. You live in any country for more than 12 months since your 309 visa was granted

OR

2. If you return to a particular country for which you initially supplied a police clearance*, and that clearance is over 12 months old at the time of final assessment.

* Please note this includes all visits to this country regardless of duration.

Do not hesitate blaa blaa

Yous etc

Support staff

Family Residence"

I will try and ask someone senior at DIMA rather than a desk clerk but it seems right.

What a pain in the anus if we have to get another one because it will be near the time fer assessment when it is needed and have to spend a day in BKK stuffing around.

I still can't figure out how the Son wasn't included on the Wifes' application, assume it's another bungle at Oz Embassy.

regards

[dr_Pat_Pong]

This must be something new Bronco. Your mate Amanda putting her own seal on things to unruddock the place perhaps .

[Pink Mist]

Yes a bit of a pain, an inconvenience really as I said will probably have to set aside 1/2 day in BKK to deal with that. I reckon it's been in a year or so, will ask around at the Wat to find out.

It's funny to see flabstone's reaction to Nauru last week, she reacts like a pig and resembles one too