Transferring Old Visa Onto New Passport

[infofootballaj]

Ok this is complex so my apologies from the start.

My old passport which has my current non B visa in had no pages left so naturally I applied for a new passport. I needed to do it as I am just in the process of doing a work permit with my school. Now I have had me new passport for a week or so and I obviously need to get my VISA transferred from the old one to the new one. When activating this current visa I went to the South of Thailand for a break and while I was there I hopped over to Malaysia and back at Padang Basar to activate my last entry on my NON B multiple entry so Padang was my entry point back into Thailand.

I went to immigration today in Chaeng Wattana and they said oh sorry sir you have to go back to the Malaysian border to transfer it to your new passport in order to process your work permit. They said if I was leaving the country it could be done at the airport only but hey I don't wanna leave the country fly out then back in. Busy with work not to mention the expense. The visa is up on June the 24th and the only info I got from them today is that I have to go back to my point of entry. This is the central immgration office of Thailand telling me this. My jaw dropped.

Please please please any assistance on this is greatly needed.

I

[lopburi3]

You can never transfer a visa into a new passport. If you want a new visa entry you exit with both passports and get stamped out on the new one (valid passport) and return using that but showing visa from the old passport if it is still valid (multi entry).

Only if you qualify for an extension of stay will the old passport information/visa/stay information be transferred into the new passport at Immigration office. As you do not have work permit obviously that can not be done and your entry passport is invalid so you need to make a border run to get a new entry in your new passport to obtain the work permit issue. You can do this at any border crossing.

[infofootballaj]

You can never transfer a visa into a new passport. If you want a new visa entry you exit with both passports and get stamped out on the new one (valid passport) and return using that but showing visa from the old passport if it is still valid (multi entry).

Only if you qualify for an extension of stay will the old passport information/visa/stay information be transferred into the new passport at Immigration office. As you do not have work permit obviously that can not be done and your entry passport is invalid so you need to make a border run to get a new entry in your new passport to obtain the work permit issue. You can do this at any border crossing.

I fully understand what you've said and thanks for the info but when doing the visa run in Pedang I didn't have my new passport at that time.

If I do a border run tomorrow for example what stamp will I get on re-entry? Will they stamp it the same as my old stamp on my old passport? I ask because the non B I am currently on is now expired the actual visa but I am still valid until next month from my last entry.

[infofootballaj]

Lopburi if I do a border run will they stamp me until the date stamped in my old passport honouring the Non B visa or will they give me a basic 14 day new stamp?

[Maestro]

1. What is the expiration date of the non-B visa visa, which you got from a Thai consulate?

2. What is the "UNTIL" date in your last arrival stamp, ie when you returned from Malaysia?

With your answers to the above questions it will be easier to give you specific advice.

[infofootballaj]

1. What is the expiration date of the non-B visa visa, which you got from a Thai consulate?

2. What is the "UNTIL" date in your last arrival stamp, ie when you returned from Malaysia?

With your answers to the above questions it will be easier to give you specific advice.

April the 11th is the expiry date of the non B visa and I went to activate the last entry on March the 27th, so that gave me 3 months which they stamped me until June the 24th.

[lopburi3]

In that case you will also have to obtain a new non immigrant B visa using normal paperwork and return using that - as you have employment and should be able to extend your stay at immigration a single entry should be fine. Your original post did not point out your multi entry visa had expired (in fact you said June 24 was expiration) so yes you have more work to do than most. But it is not something Immigration is doing to you but the position you have put yourself in.

A border crossing will not help you now - you must get the visa and enter using it to obtain your work permit and legally work. Where you go to obtain the visa will be up to you.

[infofootballaj]

In that case you will also have to obtain a new non immigrant B visa using normal paperwork and return using that - as you have employment and should be able to extend your stay at immigration a single entry should be fine. Your original post did not point out your multi entry visa had expired (in fact you said June 24 was expiration) so yes you have more work to do than most. But it is not something Immigration is doing to you but the position you have put yourself in.

A border crossing will not help you now - you must get the visa and enter using it to obtain your work permit and legally work. Where you go to obtain the visa will be up to you.

My work permit process will take another 3 weeks from now for everything to be complete then I need to take my passport to the ministry of Labour and then immigration so with the existing entry stamp vaild until the 24th of June I have the time I just need to trasfer the entry stamp from the old passport to the new one. Sorry, my info wasn't accurate on the original thread. I need to know how I can transfer the entry stamp as immigration have told me I need to go to my point of entry to do it where as friends have just done it at Chaeng Wattana that my problem. I won't need to go and get a new non B I don't think because I have sufficient time on the existing entry just this passport isse.

[lopburi3]

Your friends had an extension of stay from Chiang Watanna if they transferred there. You do not. The easiest route for you is to obtain a new non immigrant B visa and enter using that after using both passports to exit. You can go back to border crossing and ask but expect you would also require an exit of country and re-entry permit to return and even then would not guarantee Labor would accept your new passport with no visa in it.

[infofootballaj]

Your friends had an extension of stay from Chiang Watanna if they transferred there. You do not. The easiest route for you is to obtain a new non immigrant B visa and enter using that after using both passports to exit. You can go back to border crossing and ask but expect you would also require an exit of country and re-entry permit to return and even then would not guarantee Labor would accept your new passport with no visa in it.

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Ah right I get that but I have my old passport for them to see I had a legal non B visa and the current entry is the last of the mulyiple entries. Even though it isn't in the new one my boss is saying that another teacher has done this successfully before. I think I need to go back to Chaeng Wattana tomorrow and ask them again as maybe I didn't explain it fully to them either.

[lopburi3]

In years past all new passports did indeed have entry and visa information (but not actual visas) transferred but for the last year or so this has not been the case and only those on extensions of stay from Immigration have this done - others are told to take care of it on exit of country.

[infofootballaj]

In years past all new passports did indeed have entry and visa information (but not actual visas) transferred but for the last year or so this has not been the case and only those on extensions of stay from Immigration have this done - others are told to take care of it on exit of country.

I see so in the end it may well be a case of having to go to Laos again but the British embassy have given me a document asking for the entry stamp being transferred because I am in the process of the WP. If they do it tomorrow then I am ok but if not it could just be a long hike to Loas and having to go through the whole process again. If they don't just transfer it with the notion I am working and about to recieve a wp I will be very disappointed. I'll let you know.

[infofootballaj]

Just following up from my previous thread. Went to Samut Prakan immigration today with my Thai boss and they said no need to go to do another visa run or go back to Padang and that they would stamp my new passport with extension of stay after my work permit is completed, which is in 2 weeks or so. I was happy as, knowing that I don't have to go and do another non B.............

So I didn't even transfer the stamp they are just stamping the new one.

[lopburi3]

I suspect it will/would include transfer of current entry - information on previous passport and visa entry when you do it.

I hope your work permit can be issued as that is what I see as the issue - you do not have a non immigrant B visa allowing issue in your current passport.

[infofootballaj]

I suspect it will/would include transfer of current entry - information on previous passport and visa entry when you do it.

I hope your work permit can be issued as that is what I see as the issue - you do not have a non immigrant B visa allowing issue in your current passport.

Well yes that was my main concern but immigration said apply for the work permit in your old passport as thats where your visa is and we will just stamp your new one no problem. I personally thought that was strange as my old passport is now cancelled but I suppose at the end of the day the visa and stamp are still valid so they were happy to do it.

[lopburi3]

Not sure how close Labor will check but passport and visa entry must be valid for issue of a work permit in my understanding and immigration will not have any control over that. If It were me I would not issue the work permit until you had a valid passport with the required visa entry in it. And I fear this may happen; but hope I am wrong.

[infofootballaj]

Not sure how close Labor will check but passport and visa entry must be valid for issue of a work permit in my understanding and immigration will not have any control over that. If It were me I would not issue the work permit until you had a valid passport with the required visa entry in it. And I fear this may happen; but hope I am wrong.

Well after that reply from you I started fearing again even though I was told that today so I have just called my boss as she went to the labour department in Samut prakan today and they said they will do it so it looks as though I am ok but I know you know your stuff on these things and I fully understand your info/advice so I wanted to call and check. My boss deals with these individuals regularly so she may have asked for a favour on this occasion. Of course I am not home and dry unless the new passport is stamped officially with the extension of stay so I just have to wait. Apparently my date to pick up my work permit is 15th of June so we'll see then.

[lopburi3]

If she has checked with labor expect you will be OK. Just feared nobody was talking to both sides and it could turn into a Catch 22 without coordination.

[infofootballaj]

Hey just an update always handy for others to look at I suppose. My visa was to expire this weekend but I went to the labour department in Samut Prakan yesterday and was stamped in my new passport no problems and then followed by immigration which was equally as easy. Without transferring the stamp from the old passport........although I did take the old one with me obviously. Good news and I am over the moon as I now have an extension of stay until May the 29th 2013....wooo hooooo