Retirement Visa/ Us Passport Expiring Next Year

[thaisomchai]

Tried searching previous forums but no luck in finding what I wanted to find.

( If the info is already here, please just link me to the appropriate forum & thanks.)

PLEASE dont respond to this thread unless you are American and have done this and/or can give me constructive advice. Thank you.

(I really dont want to see this turn into the typical spelling/grammar bee, joke of the day exchange," us vs them", TIT, off topic banter fest that seems to plague such forums.)

Situation:

Retirement visa/ 6th extension now. Due for extension #7 in September this year.

US passport expires in March 2012.

Whats the real deal with getting a new passport from the American embassy, Bangkok?

Easy, difficult, expensive?

Is it done in days, weeks. months?

Then what about getting my visa and current extension transferred into it once I have it?

Unnecessary? Vital? Done at the next extension time in September?

Do I have to go through getting a new visa ( God I hope not!)

So if you have done this or have information that might help me here, please post and/or perhaps PM me.

Most grateful for any help. Thanks

[Mario2008]

immigration will give you a permission to stay till the date your passport is valid. Once you have a new passport, you return to immigraiton with both your old and new passport (and a letter from the embassy) to have your permission to stay and details transferred to the new passport. At the same time you will get the rest of the permission to stay (till September 2012). The whole procedure is free, and you don't need a new visa..

[Gary A]

If it were me, I'd get a new passport before you apply for the new extension. It is a simple thing to get a new passport It takes 15 days. You must apply in person and the embassy refuses to mail it to you. I think the fee is now more than $100 US. I do know the fee has gone up and I don't remember for sure how much it is now. Thai immigration will transfer your visa stamps at no charge.

[lopburi3]

But from September onward that passport is useless for almost all travel except to US or Hong Kong so it would be much better to obtain replacement now (before September) and extend on the new passport. Only takes a couple of weeks to obtain and a quick/free visit to immigration to transfer stamps and you can then retire the old one and for extension of stay in September just your new passport will be required. I am American and I have done this. You fill out mail application for new passport and visit Embassy to submit/pay normal price.

[FarangBuddha]

As for getting a new passport, it takes 10-14 days (about 2 weeks). Just go to the Embassy - American Citizen Services and fill out a form and a couple passport photos (2"x2" of head on white background) and pay the fee and you're good to go. Can't remember the current fee as they recently had an increase...all the info and their hours are on their website. Call them beforehand if you have any other questions...they are very helpful on the phone (no phone tree and unhelpful civil non-servants like "back home."

[thaisomchai]

If it were me, I'd get a new passport before you apply for the new extension. It is a simple thing to get a new passport It takes 15 days. You must apply in person and the embassy refuses to mail it to you. I think the fee is now more than $100 US. I do know the fee has gone up and I don't remember for sure how much it is now. Thai immigration will transfer your visa stamps at no charge.

Thanks so much Gary and Mario & Farang & lopburi

This all helps immensely.

I thoughtk about getting a new passport now . . I wonder if they will do it 7 months early through? The extension needs to be in September so I would have to do it in the next two or three months.

That seems like a very good plan at this point.

1. Get the new passport.

2. Have Thai immigration transfer my visa.

3. Then do the extension on schedule in September.

Wonder if 2 and 3 can be done at the same time?

With regard to the US Embassy: do I just walk in, fill out an application for a new passport, pay whatever the fee has risen to, leave my old passport and return in 15 days? Is that it?

(Sorry to say that I have had too much experience with the disconnect between what one finds on the official US Embassy website/ online info and the reality on the ground there . .which is why I am asking my questions here of people who have actually "been there" and done this. )

You were able to PHONE the US Embassy with questions FB??? That amazes me! Maybe things have really changed there with the new ambassador.

So Thai immigration will transfer my original retirement visa . .right? At no charge? Wow. I had to travel outside Thailand to get it ( Penang)

Further question: anyone know if all this can be done at the Hua Hin Immigration station?

[Gary A]

To finish my story, Thai immigration made some mistakes on my retirement visa. As you may know, Thai immigration does NOT make mistakes. Rather than correct their mistakes, they asked me to get a new passport. My passport had two years remaining and the US embassy did not question my application for a new passport. I got the new passport, had the stamps transferred with no questions and no problems.

[JohnC]

You do not say where you live in Thailand but for info the US embassy have an outreach service so may be worth checking when they are in your area (tomorrow 1st June they are in Pattaya at the Amari Hotel from 10am)

[lopburi3]

You can apply for a new passport anytime.

Embassy has an online queue system that puts you at front of line on arrival for services - if you don't use you take a queue number. You can download and fill out form before you go - you do not need to pay more for fast service (the form assumes you are in US asking for service and you will not be sending your passport so disregard that blurb). You should be able to do both your change and extension of stay at the same time if you want (extensions have a 30 day before window). What is transferred is your current extension of stay, a note of your original visa information and old passport information. You fill out a half page form for this service.

[JimGant]

Two questions:

Are the passports the Embassy issues the ones with extra pages -- if not, can you request the bigger versions?

And, two, apparently the Non Imm visa is not transferred over to the new passport -- just the extension stamps. Do they include reference to the Non Imm visa in the new passport? If not, in ten years, when you again get a new passport, do you have to produce the old passport with the Non Imm visa in it? (And, will there ever be a need to produce the old passport with the Non Imm visa?)

Sorry to hijack this thread, but believe the answers might be helpful to the OP, as well as myself.

Thanx.

Woops, just saw Lop's above response -- so got half my questions answered.

[lopburi3]

There are 28 pages in mine issued in 2009 and do not recall any option. There should not be a need for old passport (some countries keep them) once transfer information is entered into the new one.

Edit: unless you have a valid visa from somewhere of course.

[wpcoe]

You must apply in person and the embassy refuses to mail it to you.

When I applied for my current passport (July 2008,) the Embassy offered to mail me the new passport if I provided a postpaid envelope (and there is a Thai Post kiosk almost right outside the door of ACS), as long as I left my current (i.e. expiring) passport with them. They would then mail the canceled and the new passport.

I opted not to do that, as there was a chance I'd need to make a quick trip out of the country in the two-week period they advised it would take.

[thaisomchai]

Well I am impressed! This is the most focused and most useful forum I have ever seen on Thaivisa! I really appreciate all the info from everyone. The questions from Jimgant are not a hijack at all but add to my OP. I had to have extra pages added a few years back and I didn't know that you could ( perhaps) get that done at the start.

Gary it is good to know that they don't seem to care how much time is remaining when you apply for a new passport . .if you had 2 years left when you did yours, my 7 months should not present a problem

Thanks again everyone. As a direct result of this discussion, I will schedule for a new passport this month.

What scared me the most ( we travel a lot) was the note that some countries require six months left on the life of a passport for visa on entry .. . we are traveling in December!

[thaihome]

The consulate does not keep your old passport after you have applied for the new one. Once the new comes, they take and punch holes in it make it invalid.

Get it now, transfer the extension to stay stamps (you can send somebody to do that) and then get new extension in Sept.

TH

[chuckd]

Following are the fees the US Embassy charges as per their web site, link below.

Adult Passport Renewal: $110

Minor Passport (under 16 years old): $105

First Adult Passport: $135

Replacement for Lost/Stolen Passport: $135

Additional Passport Pages: $82

Adult Passport Card: $35

Minor Passport Card: $15

Notarial (per notarial seal): $50

Certified Copy: $50

Adult passport renewal shows to be $110, which will be converted to Thai Baht at an exorbitant rate.

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/passports.html

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/schedule_fees.html

[lopburi3]

You can freely use USD at the American Embassy if you wish.

[thaisomchai]

Just wanted to update other Americans on my experience at the US Embassy in getting a new passport.

In brief: easy as pie.

Took two weeks for it to be finished and they emailed me when it was done. I kept the old passport during that time when I got the new one, they punched holes in the old one. Time waiting to apply and later to receive the new passport under 30 minutes.

They are very well organized there these days, friendly and professional and I was impressed. Even the security officers at the entry were cheerful and helpful.

I remember the place from four or five years ago when it was both poorly set up and badly run! I had horrible experiences helping a Thai person get a US visa and have never been so ashamed of my country. Thai visa applicants were treated like dogs and the deal at ACS wasnt much better.

But they have pulled things together and my experience this time was actually pleasant.

Now to Thai Immigration to get my visa documents transferred. Hope it goes as well.

[phuketrichard]

information for us passport.

When i got mine in 2008 they would only issue a 28 page one as it seems there were no 48 page passports. Not sure if this has changed.

The Console was just down here in Phuket and i had to get my letter for income. At the time someone asked about extension pages. Here's the low down.

When u apply for your new passport you can ask for the extension pages at the same time

Extension pages are $82 and they will mail ur passport to u ( they have the envelopes for u and u only pay postage .

Now here the great part. You can apply for 2 ( YES 2) sets of extension pages for the same price!!!

so u get plenty of pages for the same $82!!!

Embassy/consulate used 31 baht to the $ 2 weeks ago here in Phuket

[Thanyaburi Mac]

information for us passport.

When i got mine in 2008 they would only issue a 28 page one as it seems there were no 48 page passports. Not sure if this has changed.

The Console was just down here in Phuket and i had to get my letter for income. At the time someone asked about extension pages. Here's the low down.

When u apply for your new passport you can ask for the extension pages at the same time

Extension pages are $82 and they will mail ur passport to u ( they have the envelopes for u and u only pay postage .

Now here the great part. You can apply for 2 ( YES 2) sets of extension pages for the same price!!!

so u get plenty of pages for the same $82!!!

Embassy/consulate used 31 baht to the $ 2 weeks ago here in Phuket

Well, that's good news, the TWO sets of extension pages for the same $82. Still better, tho, last year when they were FREE.

FYI, my current passport issued here in 2006 has 48 pages.

Mac

[phuketrichard]

information for us passport.

When i got mine in 2008 they would only issue a 28 page one as it seems there were no 48 page passports. Not sure if this has changed.

The Console was just down here in Phuket and i had to get my letter for income. At the time someone asked about extension pages. Here's the low down.

When u apply for your new passport you can ask for the extension pages at the same time

Extension pages are $82 and they will mail ur passport to u ( they have the envelopes for u and u only pay postage .

Now here the great part. You can apply for 2 ( YES 2) sets of extension pages for the same price!!!

so u get plenty of pages for the same $82!!!

Embassy/consulate used 31 baht to the $ 2 weeks ago here in Phuket

Well, that's good news, the TWO sets of extension pages for the same $82. Still better, tho, last year when they were FREE.

FYI, my current passport issued here in 2006 has 48 pages.

Mac

Yes the old passports came in 48 and 24 pages but the news ones that have the chip,( think they started in 2007-8) do not

[JimGant]

Yes the old passports came in 48 and 24 pages but the news ones that have the chip,( think they started in 2007-8) do not

At the top of the application form (DS82) there are two blocks: "28 Page Book (Standard)" or "52 Page Book (Non-Standard)." There is no extra cost for checking the "non-standard" block. And, as I understand it, the 52 page book does not have the extra pages glued in, but is one continuous book (as were the 48 page models of a few years ago).

But, for $82, you can get the extra "glued in" pages. So, the "2 for 1" deal mentioned above sounds like the free 52 page book, plus additional glued in pages.

Similar thread HERE

[thaisomchai]

Took the next step today and went into Thai immigration to get my new passport updated with my visa, visa extension and reentry permit.

Happy to say that I am all set, though I think traveling with both the old and the new passports will be a good idea for a while.

The immigration agent was very busy for quite a while with three boxes filled with stamps. The fee is 500 baht by the way . .plus a hefty copying fee of about 60 baht total.

Surprised me when they copied EVERY SINGLE PAGE of my very well used ( pages added) old passport . .and of course I had to sign every page. It gets checked by a supervisor . .that took a while . . .but I was in there only about 40 minutes total.

The new passport is available in regular pages 24 (or so) and double pages (around 48 no I am not going to go get it and count them ) for the same price. And they recommend that if you had pages added to your last passport that you get the larger version.

The new passport has stiffer covers and a historic picture watermarked on every page . .looks very nice!

Last step will be to get the new retirement extension into the new passport and that happens in September.

Thanks all who made suggestions and gave their experiences . .this forum really helped me. I probably would not have gone through this at this time without the information I gleaned from this discussion. ( And run into real problems with a planned trip at the turn of the year if I hadn't acted!)

And miracle of miracles . .it stayed ON TOPIC and didn't degenerate into the off topic, my-grammar-is-better-than-yours, you-are-an-idiot, personal "chit chat" that seems to dominate these kinds of forums.

So thanks all!!

[thaisomchai]

Took the next step today and went into Thai immigration to get my new passport updated with my visa, visa extension and reentry permit.

Happy to say that I am all set, though I think traveling with both the old and the new passports will be a good idea for a while.

The immigration agent was very busy for quite a while with three boxes filled with stamps. The fee is 500 baht by the way . .plus a hefty copying fee of about 60 baht total.

Surprised me when they copied EVERY SINGLE PAGE of my very well used ( pages added) old passport . .and of course I had to sign every page. It gets checked by a supervisor . .that took a while . . .but I was in there only about 40 minutes total.

The new passport is available in regular pages 24 (or so) and double pages (around 48 no I am not going to go get it and count them ) for the same price. And they recommend that if you had pages added to your last passport that you get the larger version.

The new passport has stiffer covers and a historic picture watermarked on every page . .looks very nice!

Last step will be to get the new retirement extension into the new passport and that happens in September.

Thanks all who made suggestions and gave their experiences . .this forum really helped me. I probably would not have gone through this at this time without the information I gleaned from this discussion. ( And run into real problems with a planned trip at the turn of the year if I hadn't acted!)

And miracle of miracles . .it stayed ON TOPIC and didn't degenerate into the off topic, my-grammar-is-better-than-yours, you-are-an-idiot, personal "chit chat" that seems to dominate these kinds of forums.

So thanks all!!

Just wanted to add that it does have 52 pages . .I did go and check after all.

And I just noticed that each two-page spread features a historical quotation at the top!

[lopburi3]

What did you pay 500 baht for? There is no fee for transfer stay/extension information into a new passport. But you also say re-entry permit and other reports have usually said that was not transferred; so for that?

[thaisomchai]

What did you pay 500 baht for? There is no fee for transfer stay/extension information into a new passport. But you also say re-entry permit and other reports have usually said that was not transferred; so for that?

The 500 baht was the fee they requested. The woman is the one I usually deal with for 90 day/ extension etc and has never stepped outside the law in the way of padding fees or demanding tea money. The 500 baht was passed on to the supervising officer along with all the paperwork.( I didnt get a receipt though so who knows.)

My reentry permit ( multiple) WAS transferred and I am glad of it as I will be traveling at the end of this month. That may be the cause of the fee?