Lost Passport Experience @ Immigration

[Microwave]

I lost my passport about 10 days ago. I went to the tourist police and reported my lost passport as well as doing the same with the regular Thai police. I then went to my consulate in Chiang Mai and jumped through the hoops needed to obtain a new passport. Yesterday I received an email from the consulate saying that my passport was available tomorrow (Thurs.), so I went today @ 1 pm and picked up my new passport.

I then went to the Thai Immigration office, which was chaotic at best, to see what I could do about my visa. I brought the police reports, a letter from my consulate asking for a resumption of my old visa, as well as any downloadable form I could find from the Thai Immigration website which might be of use.

Turns out that the most useful aspect of my visa application process was being able to speak fluent Thai. I've lived and worked off and on in Thailand for 31 years and am able to speak, read and write fluent Thai. Being respectful of others also takes one a long way here in Thailand.

I just happened to meet an official outside of the visa building upon my arrival at immigration. I explained to him all that had happened and showed him the papers I had brought with me. He immediately took me to the 3rd building on the right (the one furthest from the entrance) where he quickly found on a computer all of my visa info., including a photo of me upon arrival at the Chiang Mai airport. My passport was then stamped with my old visa number with an explanation in Thai as to why I was given this renewed visa (basically it says that I lost my passport).

That was that! No fees and no worries whatsoever. The entire process took about 20 minutes.

I obviously bumped into the right official, but knowing Thai also was extremely helpful.

My advice is to learn as much Thai as you can and as quickly as you can. Knowing Thai not only helps in getting to know the Land of Smiles (and this country still is the Land of Smiles), but is also extremely helpful when dealing with Thai officials.

[Crossy]

Good to hear it went smoothly.

However, they will not have transferred a visa, just whatever permission to stay you have. If that's an extension (from immigration) all well and good, if however you had a visa (from a consulate outside Thailand) then it's toast and any remaining entries are lost

[Genericnic]

Being respectful of others also takes one a long way here in Thailand.

I have found this to be true almost everywhere.

And I do agree with you on learning the language here or wherever you are.

David

[mesquite]

I've lived and worked off and on in Thailand for 31 years and am able to speak, read and write fluent Thai.

So why can't you remember where you put your passport?

[scorecard]

I've lived and worked off and on in Thailand for 31 years and am able to speak, read and write fluent Thai.

So why can't you remember where you put your passport?

Where's the connection?

[mesquite]

I've lived and worked off and on in Thailand for 31 years and am able to speak, read and write fluent Thai.

So why can't you remember where you put your passport?

Where's the connection?

He has the brains to learn Thai, remember the words, tones, letters, difficult pronunciation, etc, but cannot remember where he put his passport?

[scorecard]

I've lived and worked off and on in Thailand for 31 years and am able to speak, read and write fluent Thai.

So why can't you remember where you put your passport?

Where's the connection?

He has the brains to learn Thai, remember the words, tones, letters, difficult pronunciation, etc, but cannot remember where he put his passport?

So he's not allowed to make an error.

I guess your perfect, congratulations.

[rakchaingmai]

Had a similar experience to you when i was applying for my extension he recognised me from the area i live in and i was sitting round the back of the building in the morning and spoke to him in thai about the area i live in as soon as i went into the office he called me in first without using the number system was done in 20 minutes.

[hellodolly]

Congratulations You are right about being able to speak the language but even more important is being polite. It will take you a long way here in Thailand.

I myself have a copy of my passport entry card and last renewal on a card I carry in my wallet. My Thai is useless so I always take my Thai wife and let her do the talking if need be. Not sure who you would see if you had not run into the fellow outside the building.

Forget mesquite He has a hard time being the only perfect human being on the planet. That is why he post's here it is a lonely life being perfect.

[mesquite]

Congratulations You are right about being able to speak the language but even more important is being polite. It will take you a long way here in Thailand.

I myself have a copy of my passport entry card and last renewal on a card I carry in my wallet. My Thai is useless so I always take my Thai wife and let her do the talking if need be. Not sure who you would see if you had not run into the fellow outside the building.

Forget mesquite He has a hard time being the only perfect human being on the planet. That is why he post's here it is a lonely life being perfect.

I am honored that you capitalized "He" when referring to me. Thank you.

[Microwave]

No worries, mesquite has a valid point. Just goes to show that anyone can be an airhead if one's not careful! : )

[mesquite]

No worries, mesquite has a valid point. Just goes to show that anyone can be an airhead if one's not careful! : )

Yes, my comment was not meant as a put down, but simply to point out something a little bit funny.

[Microwave]

Actually I agree with you and am not the least bit offended. We're all born with the ability to be airheads at times. My parents refer to these times as "senior moments", but I know that they're really just being airheads... : )

[Microwave]

I've always felt that if I can't laugh at myself when I mess up, then I shouldn't laugh at others when they make mistakes. We're all human : )

[Semper]

I've lived and worked off and on in Thailand for 31 years and am able to speak, read and write fluent Thai.

So why can't you remember where you put your passport?

Where's the connection?

Maybe he posted this with a bit of tongue in cheek.

[mcgriffith]

Excellent outcome, and I am happy the OP was able to resolve this so quickly.

Another thing to consider is taking a digital image of your passport contents- facepage, and each visa extension/re-entry permit.

Save the images in a folder in your computer's document file titled "Visa".

Oh, and backup all your computer files to an external hard drive, kept in a safe.

And if you really want to be secure, upload all of these relevent and very important document images to any of the various free hosting services, like google drive, etc.

I could lose my passport tomorrow, and on the same day have a fire destroy my apartment, taking out my laptop...and have my safe with the external hard drive stolen...and still have copies of my current extension and re-entry permit- and each of the previous 6 years worth of documentation available at any place with an internet connection.

Silly so much effort, some may say, but better safe than sorry, I say.

[Microwave]

Excellent advice, thanks! : )

[scorecard]

Excellent outcome, and I am happy the OP was able to resolve this so quickly.

Another thing to consider is taking a digital image of your passport contents- facepage, and each visa extension/re-entry permit.

Save the images in a folder in your computer's document file titled "Visa".

Oh, and backup all your computer files to an external hard drive, kept in a safe.

And if you really want to be secure, upload all of these relevent and very important document images to any of the various free hosting services, like google drive, etc.

I could lose my passport tomorrow, and on the same day have a fire destroy my apartment, taking out my laptop...and have my safe with the external hard drive stolen...and still have copies of my current extension and re-entry permit- and each of the previous 6 years worth of documentation available at any place with an internet connection.

Silly so much effort, some may say, but better safe than sorry, I say.

Agree, any new personal, family, personal, house, bank, etc etc ., documents are always handed promptly to my daughter in law, she religiously scans the document, files in within an organized folder, all dated, then sends the updated folder (with time and date mentioned in the filename) by e-mail to every adult member of the family. All completed within 5 minutes.

There was one time when we forgot to take to take ID for a small child in the family to the airport, DIL quickly opened her notebook, found the birth certificate and a hospital card with photo. Airline unfazed, they took a photo of the documents on a dedicated mobile phone, no further problem.

[moe666]

Good for the OP and his experience. having said that I have never had a problem dealing with immigration even for a replacement passport in Bangkok years ago ( pick pocket) did the police and Embassy bit, then went to the old immigration off Silom and was in and out in about 30 min. All this with very little Thai lang. skills. No wife or girlfriend

[uptheos]

Congratulations You are right about being able to speak the language but even more important is being polite. It will take you a long way here in Thailand.

I myself have a copy of my passport entry card and last renewal on a card I carry in my wallet. My Thai is useless so I always take my Thai wife and let her do the talking if need be. Not sure who you would see if you had not run into the fellow outside the building.

Forget mesquite He has a hard time being the only perfect human being on the planet. That is why he post's here it is a lonely life being perfect.

I am honored that you capitalized "He" when referring to me. Thank you.

Elevated you to deity status.

[PoodMaiDai]

Is your name Steven? I found an American passport two weeks ago in Starbucks at the Gate, on the 2nd level. Left it with staff.

[mesquite]

Congratulations You are right about being able to speak the language but even more important is being polite. It will take you a long way here in Thailand.

I myself have a copy of my passport entry card and last renewal on a card I carry in my wallet. My Thai is useless so I always take my Thai wife and let her do the talking if need be. Not sure who you would see if you had not run into the fellow outside the building.

Forget mesquite He has a hard time being the only perfect human being on the planet. That is why he post's here it is a lonely life being perfect.

I am honored that you capitalized "He" when referring to me. Thank you.

Elevated you to deity status.

Indeed

[Microwave]

No, I'm sorry but my name isn't Steven & I'm Canadian. But thanks for trying to help : )

[Thailand]

Excellent outcome, and I am happy the OP was able to resolve this so quickly.

Another thing to consider is taking a digital image of your passport contents- facepage, and each visa extension/re-entry permit.

Save the images in a folder in your computer's document file titled "Visa".

Oh, and backup all your computer files to an external hard drive, kept in a safe.

And if you really want to be secure, upload all of these relevent and very important document images to any of the various free hosting services, like google drive, etc.

I could lose my passport tomorrow, and on the same day have a fire destroy my apartment, taking out my laptop...and have my safe with the external hard drive stolen...and still have copies of my current extension and re-entry permit- and each of the previous 6 years worth of documentation available at any place with an internet connection.

Silly so much effort, some may say, but better safe than sorry, I say.

And me.I have a couple of Hotmail.com accounts. In the clouds if you like.

I now also save a lot of info in different folders in those accounts.

[NoshowJones]

Being respectful of others also takes one a long way here in Thailand.

I have found this to be true almost everywhere.

And I do agree with you on learning the language here or wherever you are.

David

Yes, I agree about learning the Thai Language, but if the OP really is fluent, then that means holding a conversation with a Thai stranger on the telephone, remember, the Thai words are mostly one syllable, and as well as the tones, you have the dais and mais jais and kaos etc etc etc, it is not easy to remember and will take about six months full time to master it. I have been studying it for about three months, although not full time, and I can't come near holding a conversation with anyone in Thai. I am only saying this so that everyone understands that Thai is not going to be learned quickly by any Farang.

[NoshowJones]

I've lived and worked off and on in Thailand for 31 years and am able to speak, read and write fluent Thai.

So why can't you remember where you put your passport?

Where's the connection?

He has the brains to learn Thai, remember the words, tones, letters, difficult pronunciation, etc, but cannot remember where he put his passport?

How do you know it wasn't stolen?

[mesquite]

The first four words of his original post are "I lost my passport" I guess it could have been stolen, but I took it to mean he didn't know what happened to it.

As mentioned before, it was more of a tongue and cheek comment.