Hi all, A friend has his passport with Pattaya immigration until next week having his retirement visa stamps transferred to his new passport.

Immigration have given him a pretty little orange card with a number on it and the words "Pattaya Immigration".

He says he wants to go up to Isaan on Sunday and come back Monday but I reckon he will have a problem if stopped by upcountry police.

After all, the little card is not exactly a hard thing to fake anyway and I cannot imagine any upcountry policeman just looking at it and sending him on his way, or am i wrong?

Any thoughts?

Simon

I've never been asked to show my passport when stopped by a Thai cop, just show my driving license, the International one, not my Thai license.

But, doesn't he have a xerox copy of his passport? That's what I carry with me, not my real passport.

He might need a copy of his TM card, the Arrival Card, to show to a hotel when checking in, altho the last few times I've stayed at hotels here, my Thai driving license worked OK.

Mac

Sorry but why have Immigration kept his passport, it is illegal to be in Thailand without it and they know this.

To change stamps from one passport to another is a process which takes about 10 minutes max, so why have they kept his passport?

Pattaya/Jomtien immigration does not do fast. Normally they do not even return passport on a normal extension of stay until the next day (and it appears next day in this case is after the weekend). He has a passport - it is just be held by immigration as is routinely done by much less official places (like hotels in South Thailand). He should be fine but not the ideal situation for out of area travel and in worst case could result in some time in a police station. But the chance is slim.

I will submit my new passport to Jomtien immigration for visa transfer on any day of the week except Friday, then. I also picked up my extension of stay the next day.

One troll post removed.

Last year, I got my extension of stay and a multiple re-entry permit done before noon, on the same day, at the Jomtien office.

And you seem to be the exception - at times early arrivals will get the same day but it seems most have to make a new trip and it is often the next day.

And you seem to be the exception - at times early arrivals will get the same day but it seems most have to make a new trip and it is often the next day.

concur in my experiences also, now that I have found out about SriRacha office and I am eligible, I use it

This happens sometimes in Phuket also, specially when it is busy and you have to something more then a simple extension.

For example transfer first to a new passport or do a two way step from VOA to Retirement.

In this case they sometimes ask the people to come back the next day to pick up their passport.

Not nice but much we can do about it.

.......... He has a passport - it is just be held by immigration as is routinely done by much less official places (like hotels in South Thailand). .......

I do remember passport being held at certain places renting a motorbike. But the hotel....why would they need to hold it? They did that in Vietnam.

To prevent skipping out without payment - same as cycle renters.