Passport Renewal

[jucel]

I need to renew my passport. Am I able to do the following? Send the passport back to the UK with my father along with my completed application form from UK. Have my father post the new passport back to Thailand once the passport has been renewed.

[lopburi3]

As you are in Thailand you should not be without passport. UK has made provisions for that and you apply to Hong Kong using only copies and get passport back from UK within the month. You continue to have your passport for ID here in Thailand. Procedure can be found on UK Embassy Bangkok web site.

[beano2274]

You should send it to Hong Kong, but it is gonna cost you more. Sending back to the UK is an option if you copy the passport and have the copy with you when asked, but if the Police here ask for your original passport then you could end up in big trouble, especially as the Embassy will get informed, then they will track your passport and find you did not comply with the procedures set out.

You pay your money you take your chances!!!!!!

[RabC]

It will also be obvious to the UK Passport Agency what you have done as there will be no exit stamp from Thailand in the old passport.

[MrMuddle]

As stated above, under Thai law it is illegal for a foreigner to be without a passport.

When sending in your application to Hong Kong, you must use a black ball point pen (not a gel pen), to complete the form. Pay particular attention to the background colour that the UKPA requires for your passport photos. I got my local photographic shop to photoshop edit my photos, until they got an acceptable colour - most photographic studios here do not have the correct colour as background.

I sent mine via Hong Kong, after listening to good advice on here, (thanks Beano and others ), and received a new passport within three weeks. Don't forget to have your new passport updated at the Thai Immigration, for your retirement, marriage or whatever kind of visa you use to satay here.

Good Luck.

[jucel]

Rab C, would there be an exit stamp in my passport? It would be sent by DHL to HK and not go through any immigration.

[lopburi3]

No there would not be an exit stamp as you are still in Thailand - only when exiting Thailand would an exit stamp be placed in your passport.

In the case of having an extension of stay you must visit immigration for transfer of stamps when new passport is returned. If on a normal visa entry of 90 days or less you will take care of the stamps on exit at border.

[jucel]

lopburi, so i can arrive at immigration on my departure with both passports, the old and new? I will have a used tourist visa in my old passport at the time i depart.

[Upnotover]

Rab C, would there be an exit stamp in my passport? It would be sent by DHL to HK and not go through any immigration.

But you wouldn't send it to HK, applications from Thailand do not need the expiring passport to be sent.

[lopburi3]

lopburi, so i can arrive at immigration on my departure with both passports, the old and new? I will have a used tourist visa in my old passport at the time i depart.

That is the procedure.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

MrMuddle

"As stated above, under Thai law it is illegal for a foreigner to be without a passport."

Do you happen to have a cite in Thai law where is says this?

Believe the law actually says something like every person must carry their ID card, which for foreigners is inferred to be their passport, but it doesn't actually state this. So other documentation might be OK, such as the Blue Book for a foreigner who is a Permanent Resident here.

Or, perhaps the Yellow Tambien Ban, too?

Mac

[whybother]

MrMuddle

"As stated above, under Thai law it is illegal for a foreigner to be without a passport."

Do you happen to have a cite in Thai law where is says this?

Believe the law actually says something like every person must carry their ID card, which for foreigners is inferred to be their passport, but it doesn't actually state this. So other documentation might be OK, such as the Blue Book for a foreigner who is a Permanent Resident here.

Or, perhaps the Yellow Tambien Ban, too?

Mac

I would think that if you can't produce your passport within a day or two you would probably be thrown in jail.

[yermanee]

Except for all the above reasons, I also think that it will be illegal for your father to be traveling with 2 different passports in his possession.

Yermanee

[Chopper]

No there would not be an exit stamp as you are still in Thailand - only when exiting Thailand would an exit stamp be placed in your passport.

In the case of having an extension of stay you must visit immigration for transfer of stamps when new passport is returned. If on a normal visa entry of 90 days or less you will take care of the stamps on exit at border.

lopburi, what about the underlying visa that my extension of stay is based on (my non immigrant B visa was issued about 8 years ago in the UK) who would transfer that over to the new passport?

My extension of stay is the old special investment visa that I was grandfathered into.

[lopburi3]

Visas are never transferred - but extensions of stay are and the original visa information is entered into the new passport. On any extension of stay you visit the immigration office serving your location to make the transfer stamps into the new passport.

[Chopper]

^ Thanks for that clarification. Very helpful once again...

[Soutpeel]

Except for all the above reasons, I also think that it will be illegal for your father to be traveling with 2 different passports in his possession.

Yermanee

Certainly not for British citizens, you can be issued with two passports if you justify it....so certainly not illegal

[MrMuddle]

This is from the UK Governments form to advise on passport renewals:

"Specific requirements from Thailand

ORIGINAL PASSPORT: Thailand is an exception to the main guidance given on our primary website. It is not advised to be without your original passport in Thailand and we recognise this. You may therefore submit a clear photocopy of your passport (just the page with your personal details and photograph). Please note that the passport being renewed will be electronically cancelled and is therefore not valid for use as a travel document from the moment you submit your application. On receipt of your new passport, you must physically cancel your old passport by cutting the corners of the photo page and the front and back covers. Failure to do so may leave your replaced passport open to abuse. Alternatively, you should visit the British Embassy in Bangkok to have your replaced passport physically cancelled."

Clear enough?

If people want to rely on different coloured books, to keep them out of jail for not having the correct ID in Thailand, that's up to them, me I'll stick with the passport.

I'll also be extra careful about offering advice in future, don't want to upset anyone who may have been in Thailand a week or two longer than me, I thought I'd left all that doffing of cap stuff behind me.

[Soutpeel]

MrMuddle

"As stated above, under Thai law it is illegal for a foreigner to be without a passport."

Do you happen to have a cite in Thai law where is says this?

Believe the law actually says something like every person must carry their ID card, which for foreigners is inferred to be their passport, but it doesn't actually state this. So other documentation might be OK, such as the Blue Book for a foreigner who is a Permanent Resident here.

Or, perhaps the Yellow Tambien Ban, too?

Mac

your correct there is no law which says this specifically, but common sense dictates if you are not a national of the country your living in, you should have easy access to your passport and your passport should not go off on international trips on its own.

Lets take a hypothetical situation, your PP goes off on a holiday on its own, while on holiday civil war breaks out in Thailand and British nationals are told to report to an airfield somewhere to be evacuated..What document do you think they will want to see to prove who you are and you are entitled to British goverment assistance...you guessed it your original passport, even a copy may not be acceptable as it can be modified.

Extreme example I know, but be very careful what you do with your PP as its the only form of "legal" indentification you have in Thailand, yes I know copies and DL are accepted but even these are not fully legal documention in some repsects

[Soutpeel]

This is from the UK Governments form to advise on passport renewals:

"Specific requirements from Thailand

ORIGINAL PASSPORT: Thailand is an exception to the main guidance given on our primary website. It is not advised to be without your original passport in Thailand and we recognise this. You may therefore submit a clear photocopy of your passport (just the page with your personal details and photograph). Please note that the passport being renewed will be electronically cancelled and is therefore not valid for use as a travel document from the moment you submit your application. On receipt of your new passport, you must physically cancel your old passport by cutting the corners of the photo page and the front and back covers. Failure to do so may leave your replaced passport open to abuse. Alternatively, you should visit the British Embassy in Bangkok to have your replaced passport physically cancelled."

Clear enough?

If people want to rely on different coloured books, to keep them out of jail for not having the correct ID in Thailand, that's up to them, me I'll stick with the passport.

I'll also be extra careful about offering advice in future, don't want to upset anyone who may have been in Thailand a week or two longer than me, I thought I'd left all that doffing of cap stuff behind me.

But the question that was asked is show the poster the Thai law, this comes from the BE website not Thai law