Thai Passport - Needs 6 Months Left To Leave Country ?

[tebee]

I've been intending to do a few trips this year with my Thai wife and step-son back to France where I now live.

Have got them 6 month multi-entry Schengen EEA family visas - their current passports expire in December this year which is more than three months after the visas expire so I thought was OK.

On ringing the Thai passport office about another matter have been told Thai people are not allowed to leave the country unless they have 6 months left on their passports.

So for the March trip we will be fine, but for the planed trip in July/August we will have to get new passports.

So the next question is can the visas be transferred to the new passports? Have spoken to TLSconnect who deal with visas for the French embassy and they said we would have to apply again for new visas, but I was under the impression you could not get overlapping Schengen visas, but am not sure if this applies for EEA family ones.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Hmmm, never heard that before, and my Thai wife once went to the USA with 17 days remaining on her passport. No problem at all on departure, well, some Qs from the airline and Thai Immigration about whether or not she'd be allowed in to the U.S., but got that smoothed over.

Then on arrival at Seattle, after some more sweet talking, she was stamped in for 14 days, just like our tickets were scheduled.

EU visas? Can't they be carried along in an expired passport while traveling on a newly issued one? U.S. visas operate that way, just show both on arrival.

Mac

[Thongkorn]

i thought you had to have six months left on your passport to enter Thailand.

[tebee]

Well I've just wasted most of a day googling and can't find any definite reference to this requirement for 6 months validity left on your passport to travel - I know that Thailand requires 6 months for you to visit here and am wondering if they are confusing this visiting Thailand requirement with going from Thailand or are just assuming the rest of the world does what Thailand does.

Nearest I could find was this link http://www.thaiconsulatechicago.org/clate/passport_en.html which says at the bottom -

Why is it required for travelers to hold Passports that valid for longer than 6 months before traveling abroad?

It is the practice of most countries. Before traveling, person must check with the embassy or consulate of the country/countries where he/she wishes to visit about the requirements needed.

Also found this link http://www.vfs-france.co.in/FAQ.html which states

No. If you are holding a valid Schengen visa in an expired Indian passport, you may carry both your expired and new Indian passports together and travel between India and the Schengen countries until the visa expires. You do not need to obtain a new visa.

Which directly contradicts what TLScontact told me . Think a visit to the French Consulate is called for

[Mario2008]

_{Thai immirgation will not allow one to leave on an expired passport. But not heard of any time left that is required.}

_{Each country sets its own criteria regarding foreign paspsort validity requirement for being allowed to enter. A Thai must have a passport validity of at least 3 months .}

National Thailand (TH) /Destination France (FR)

France (FR)

Passport required.

- Passport and/or passport replacing documents must be valid

for at least 3 months on arrival.

http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/plan_flight/international_travel_information/visa_passport_information/index.jsp

[tebee]

Think I've found where this comes from, though as the original page is in Thai and I'm relying on Google translate.

on page http://www.consular.go.th/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=207

translated version

Why travel abroad need a passport valid for over 6. month.

-. held practices and rules for several countries to have a passport valid for more than six months prior to departure. If your passport is valid for up to six months must apply for new passports and visas should check with the embassy / consulate of the country are traveling to. About the requirements before traveling.

original version

ทำไมการเดินทางไปต่างประเทศจึงต้องมีหนังสือเดินทางที่มีอายุมากกว่า 6 เดือน

- ถือเป็นหลักปฏิบัติและเป็นกฎเกณฑ์สำหรับหลายประเทศที่จะต้องมีหนังสือเดินทางที่มีอายุมากกว่า 6 เดือนก่อนการเดินทางออกนอกประเทศ หากหนังสือเดินทางมีอายุไม่ถึง 6 เดือน จะต้องยื่นคำร้องขอหนังสือเดินทางใหม่ รวมทั้ง วีซ่าควรตรวจสอบกับสถานเอกอัครราชทูต/สถานกงสุลของประเทศที่กำลังจะเดินทางไป เกี่ยวกับข้อกำหนดต่างๆก่อนเดินทาง

[bobrussell]

Nope my wife has traveled on a passport reaching the end of its validity. No problems!

Six months or more validity is required for UK passports to enter Thailand. Getting new passports in the UK mean a trip to the Royal Thai Embassy but they are a lot more efficient than the UK authorities!

[Richard W]

A few years back, the lady at check-in at Don Mueang initially demurred at exit to the UK on a Thai passport with less than 6 months, but a quick discussion with a colleague or supervisor quickly resolved the matter.

[overherebc]

I posted recently on something on the same lines where on-line booking of a flight was rejected, Air Asia, because her passport had only 4 months left. Nothing to do with visa issues etc as the flight is to Malaysia so no visa required. It is merely an airline policy with Air Asia.

[Arkady]

i thought you had to have six months left on your passport to enter Thailand.

Yes, this a bizarre regulation of Thai Immigration. Some ignorant Thais, including possibly some employees at the the Thai passport office, may assume that other countries do the same thing and/or that Thai Immigration or airlines will not let you out with less than 6 months. The amount of misinformation given out by Thai government officials who just venture there own ignorant opinions as if they are fact never ceases to amaze me.

[overherebc]

^{Brunei had the rule, 6 months validity and 6 clear pages, not sure about other countries, it was never strictly enforced but was always pointed out to the traveller that it was enforceable if they wanted to and would be if they returned in the next few months with the same passport.}