Spare Passport?

[Bmouthboyo]

Hi Guys,

I will be moving to Thailand for work for at least the next 2 years. I hope to travel a fair bit with the wife and was wondering if it is wise to try and get a spare passport. One for carrying about as ID etc and one at home encase I lose it or for some reason have it removed from my person.

If it is sensible does anyone know best way to get one? I read you can't always just apply for a spare. So if I said I lost mine would that work? Or would that one them flag up as lost or stolen on scanners etc?

[Maestro]

I doubt very much that you can get a second passport for this purpose. Call the passport office in your country and ask them about it.

What you can do is keep a scanned copy of your passport in a place where you can always easily access it. Send it an email to yourself or upload it to a file storage site. Having a Google account I keep mine on Google Drive. Every time you get a stamp in the passport, photograph it an upload it. Same with arrival and departure cards. This way, if you lose your passport, it is a little easier to get it replaced at your country's consulate and to get the permission of stay copied into it at the immigration office of the country you are visiting.

[Maestro]

Yes, if you applied for a second passport for the reason that you lost your passport, the lost passport would be flagged as invalid and you would be unable to use it for international travel.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

I doubt very much that you can get a second passport for this purpose. Call the passport office in your country and ask them about it.

What you can do is keep a scanned copy of your passport in a place where you can always easily access it. Send it an email to yourself or upload it to a file storage site. Having a Google account I keep mine on Google Drive. Every time you get a stamp in the passport, photograph it an upload it. Same with arrival and departure cards. This way, if you lose your passport, it is a little easier to get it replaced at your country's consulate and to get the permission of stay copied into it at the immigration office of the country you are visiting.

A useful tip.Thanks.

[Wolf]

Made pics of my passport. Personal data page, entry stamp, visa, TM card. Keeping it in my smartphone. Got stopped by police a few days ago. They asked for ID. Showed them the pics and that was fine with them.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

I got my visa page copied, reduced and laminated, with the main passport page on the reverse side. I find it very useful as an ID card

[Carib]

Some countries will allow a second passport when the holder is on the move constantly, it is impossible to travel and apply/obtaining visa`s at the same time.

Application will have to be done together with a company letter as to the how and why.

[Crossy]

A second passport is always useful, as a Brit I have one, but it's not a 'spare' being totally independent from the other passport.

It's usefulness when applying for visas is reducing as an increasing number of countries (latest India) now insist upon issuing your visa in the passport with your Thai permission to stay, it does however allow you to bridge over the 1 month wait for a replacement passport when the other becomes full (you'll have to transfer your Thai stamps to the alternate passport at immigration).

I rarely carry my passport although it's always within an hour or so (either at home or in the office), I rely upon my Thai driving licence and a couple of other photo IDs that happen to be in my wallet.

[roiethome]

The UK allows holders to have two passports, I have two now. All you need to do, when you send in your application, is explain that you travel a lot and need to send your passport for visa applications, which can take up to a week for some countries, and they ail issue a second passport no problem.

[WhizBang]

Made pics of my passport. Personal data page, entry stamp, visa, TM card. Keeping it in my smartphone. Got stopped by police a few days ago. They asked for ID. Showed them the pics and that was fine with them.

Ha. Never thought of putting it on my smartphone.

I do the same. I scan my passport, visa, entry stamp and entry/departure card. I then print out a copy and carry that in my wallet.

Putting the scans on my smartphone is also a good idea.

[phuketrichard]

the US allows two passport as well

[Arkady]

The UK allows a second passport, if you enclose a convincing letter from your employer with your application explaining that you need a second passport due to frequent visa application for business travel - you can still travel on the main passport while the second one is in an embassy awaiting visa. Also for those who need to travel to Muslim countries and want a second passport for travel to Israel.

This will not be any use for the purpose you describe because the second passport you want to carry around in Thailand will not have your Thai visa in it, so it will look like you are an illegal immigrant.

Best thing is to apply for a Thai driving licence and carry that around as ID in Thailand. On the very rare occasions that a policeman wants your passport, e.g. a drugs raid on a bar, he wants the original copy of the passport you entered Thailand on - not a laminated copy of it or another passport. In that case you will be arrested even with your silly laminated passport copy. All other cases, e.g. traffic cops, they only want your Thai driving licences. I have never carried my passport or a copy of it in Thailand in over 20 years and never had a problem.