Transferring Visa To A New Passport...

[Rache]

Hey guys,

I'm looking into getting a new UK passport as I only have 4 pages left - I've been told that it can be harder to get visas if you have only a few pages left - any truth in this?

Looking at the info from the UK government, it says that when you get your new passport you have to transfer the visa you are currently using in Thailand over into the new one.

Reading some old posts, people have said that the visa is fine in the cancelled passport and they just got stamped as they left, some people went to a local office to have the stamps updated in the new one..

I'm currently here on a single entry visa with plans to extend it. If I apply for a new passport now and it doesn't come before I need to extend (got about 5 weeks) can I still get the visa extended using my current passport? Or can I extend it now so I have a bit more time?

Any advice?

Cheers

[lopburi3]

It is not a problem getting visas as long as you have room to enter them. A visa can not be transferred from one passport into another - only permissions and extensions of stay can be transferred and a single entry visa was used on entry in any case (if it was multi entry it would still be valid for use by show of original passport regardless of the passport being canceled. Once your application is made for new passport the old one should be invalid so no new entries should be made in it so I would get your extension stamp before you apply for new passport to avoid any issues if on a tourist visa entry (you can do the extension at any time). Once you have stamp apply and on exit just present both passports (if a tourist visa extension). If you have a non immigrant visa you are extending for a year you will need to transfer stamps into the new passport at the issuing immigration office when new passport is received.

[mowgus]

You MUST get your current visa transferred to the new passport at immigration before you leave Thailand.

I had this exact scenario...had a single entry tourist visa on my passport. I only had a couple of pages left and, because going into Laos was going to take one page and the Thai visa another, I ordered a new passport from my embassy.

I went to exit Thailand at the border in Nong Khai (on the way to Vientienne, Laos) and presented my two passports. The Thai border official turned me away and said I had to go to immigration in Nong Khai to get it transferred.

Luckily, it was a weekday and early so I was able to take a tuk-tuk to immigration, pay the transfer fee (wasn't much... less than 100 baht I think) and head back to the border. If I had been there at night, I suspect I would have had to wait for the next day when immigration opened.

I hope this helps.

[lopburi3]

When did this happen?

A visa can not be transferred into another passport - only the record of that visa and entry stamps can be transferred. It is now normal to present both passports at exit point and immigration will not do this at that time for normal replacement passports if stay has not been extended.

FYI there is no fee involved in transfer process.

[PattayaPhom]

When did this happen?

A visa can not be transferred into another passport - only the record of that visa and entry stamps can be transferred. It is now normal to present both passports at exit point and immigration will not do this at that time for normal replacement passports if stay has not been extended.

FYI there is no fee involved in transfer process.

This service should be free but some offices will ask for anything upto 500 Baht..Hua Hin being an example.