My wife will be traveling with me and two grandchildren from the U.S. to Thailand in July, all on U.S. passports. My wife has her old Thai passport, now expired, that she plans on renewing while in country that she will use while exiting. So what does she need to do in the way of a visa to get in?

Tourist visas are good for 60 days, and can be extended at an immigration office for an additional 30 days if needed.

If she enters Thailand on a US passport, she needs to exit on it as well.

If she entered the US on a Thai passport, she should try to exit on it as well.

She has plenty of time to renew her Thai passport prior to the trip.

She can enter Thailand on her expired Thai passport. They can not refuse entry to a Thai citizen. If she has any problems at immigration she sould ask to speak to a superior. If she enters on her US passport, she must leave on it. She should enter and leave the US on her US passport and enter and leave Thailand on her Thai passport. She should show both passports when checking in at the ailine counter to avioid any visa issues.

I think that she can also renew her Thai passport at an embassy in the US by mail, but I do not know this for certain.

Tourist visas are good for 60 days, and can be extended at an immigration office for an additional 30 days if needed.

She has plenty of time to renew her Thai passport prior to the trip.

Thanks! She tried getting her brother to work on a new passport but he had some problem and wasn't able to do it. We think it will be a lot easier for her to take care of it in person.

She can enter Thailand on her expired Thai passport. They can not refuse entry to a Thai citizen.

Interesting! I sure like the idea of skipping the hassle of getting the visa.

If she enters on her US passport, she must exit on her US passport even if she renews her Thai Passport while she is here. If you enter on one you can't leave on another. If she exited on her Thai passport she would be on overstay on her US passport since she did not use it to exit and immigration records would show that she is still in Thailand. Since you are not coming until July, I would send an e-mail to tha Thai embassy and sjhe if she can renew uer Thai passport in the US, hopefully by mail..

. Since you are not coming until July, I would send an e-mail to tha Thai embassy and sjhe if she can renew uer Thai passport in the US, hopefully by mail..

It guess it's worth a shot. I looked through my paperwork and I found her birth/house registration (original Thai and an English translation). The old passport is in her maiden name but I have marriage certificate as well. I see what I can do. Thanks.

I do not know whether it can be renewed in the US or not, but I would assume that it could since I renew my US passport in Thailand. I have dealt directly with the Honary Consulate in Houston on behalf of someone else and they are fast and reliable. I would either call them or e-mail them and explaim that your wife wants to renew her expired passport and ask them exactly what is required. Here is the contact info: Curiosity, where do you live? Not rquired, but just curious.

Honorary Consulate for the Kingdom of Thailand in Houston

600 Travis, Suite 2000

Houston, Texas 77002

713-335-3995 Fax: 713-228-1303

[email protected]

They will tell you if it can be done and what is required without opinions from those who have never done it.

Good luck!

I believe when Thailand changed to computer passports all had to be obtained in person and mail service was no longer an option. Do not believe that has changed but have not checked recently.

The information that I can find says taht they have to be renewed in person an it takes 4-8 weeks. But it wouldn't hurt to call Houston and find out exactly what is required and if it can be renewed at an Honorary Consulate. Since the OP hasn't said where he is it is difficult to reccommend where he should go.

The bottom line is she can not be refused entry into Thailand even if her passport is expired. Lopburi3, do you agree?

I'm in Corpus Christi TX (as my .sig says) and I used Houston to get visas back in 01. I give them a holler. Thanks!

Blind as a bat, just a hop, skip and a jump away!