Passport Validity Dates

[JerryAndMiel]

My passport expires 1 month after I plan to leave Thailand. The Thai embassy in South Africa said that in order to get a Thai visa, my passport must be valid for 6 months after the date I will leave Thailand! I have never heard of such a thing. The only requirement I have ever read says that when you apply, your passport must be valid for 6 months, which mine is. I think they are mistaken, and I think I will apply anyway and see what happens. Or, does anyone have any good advice? I think all these visa departments make up their own rules just to pass the time and make it difficult for everyone.

[chinook]

I think they meant your passport must be valid for 6 months when you leave FOR Thailand.

[JerryAndMiel]

Well, their exact words were

"You would need to either extend

your passport validity or apply for an new passport as it is correct that the

passport needs to be valid 6 months after date of return."

I actually think the person doesn't know what they're talking about, since you can't "extend your passport validity"!!! As far as I know, anyway.

I think they meant your passport must be valid for 6 months when you leave FOR Thailand.

[NanLaew]

It is a universal rule for most countries and airline carriers that a passport or other travel document must have at least 6 months validity. They may appear to you to be stretching this point when they state that this validity must cover the duration of intended stay in Thailand. But, by your own admission, your passport will expire 1 month after the date that you plan on leaving Thailand. From this we can assume that you are planning the maximum 90-day stay on the visa... plus any legally entitled extensions? They have only your word that you will leave on a particular date. In their opinion (and mine), the validity of the passport will at some point during your intended stay will pass the minimum 6 months validity criteria. It may be easier if you stated in your OP the date when your passport actually expires and the date you intend to travel as we can't tell from the nebulous data given if indeed the Embassy is being pedantic or as I suspect, you are being economical with the facts.

Some countries, like the Philippines, do actually extend passport dates without needing to totally replace the passport.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Wonder if the Embassy is concerned that you'll not be able to board an airline when it's time to depart Thailand as you'll have less than 6 months remaining on your passport. That's a normal requirement, so you'd probably not be able to enter Malaysia, Singapore, for example, or some other country enroute back to SA.

Mac

[JohnC]

You do not say what nationality you are, however if you are currently in your home country why not just renew your passport?

[Mario2008]

There is no longer a requirement that the passport must be valid for at elast 6 months, the new requirement is that the passport must be valid for the duration of the stay. (Airlines will now this and can check this in the IATA database.) The problem is here that the embassy doesn't know about this new rule.

National South Africa (ZA) /Destination Thailand (TH)

Thailand (TH)

Passport required.

- Nationals of South Africa can enter with passports and/or

passport replacing documents valid for the period of

intended stay.

Passport Exemptions:

- Holders of South African temporary passports.

Visa required, except for A touristic stay of max. 30 days:

- for holders of normal passports, being nationals of South

Africa;

Minors:

- When arriving in, or departing from Thailand, minors aged

under 16 yearsFor details, click here

Additional Information:

- Visitors who are visa exempt are required to hold documents

for their next destination.

- Visitors over 12 years of age are required to hold

sufficient funds to cover their stay (at least THB 10,000.-

per person or THB 20,000.- per family).

For details, click here

- For those who do not require a visaFor details, click here

Warning:

- Visitors who are visa exempt but do not hold return/onward

tickets could be refused entry.

[lopburi3]

MFA has this:

- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months. The validity of 18 months is required for one year visa application.

That would indicate they indeed do mean six months after departure rather than arrival (one year plus six months). AFAIK this is still a valid requirement for visa issue but does not apply to entry.

[NanLaew]

There is no longer a requirement that the passport must be valid for at elast 6 months, the new requirement is that the passport must be valid for the duration of the stay. (Airlines will now this and can check this in the IATA database.) The problem is here that the embassy doesn't know about this new rule.

When did the new rule kick in? AFAIK the 6-month minimum validity is almost written in stone. Is this a universal rescinding of the rule, a Thai rescinding of the rule or only with reference to SA citizens and Thai visas?

I am with Thanyaburi Mac on this one. If you enter Thailand with (say) 7 months validity and stay (say) 3 months, the passport holder may easily be denied travel to anywhere but his home country based on the 'legacy' ruling of 6-months minimum validity since there may only be 3 months validity on said passport.

[lopburi3]

There is no check by airline anymore and it never was a strict requirement even when standard - but for visa issue it is checked closely. Not all places require 6 month validity (believe Hong Kong in the immediate area does not) and in today's world of computers and DHL delivery it is probably outdated.

[NanLaew]

Good to know that airlines don't give a toss any more. I guess that it is up to the individual to paste a 6-month passport expiration reminder in whatever electronic gizmo they use to organise their working, planet-hopping, golfing or other retirement lifestyle. As you say, it was never strictly enforced but I think that there have been enough posts with reference to some sort of travel or immigration drama tied to this 6-month 'rule' that would indicate that an 'early warning' system is a wise investment.

[lopburi3]

With that I mean for Thailand there is no airline check required anymore - for other countries there often is.