Hi there -

My next yearly retirement visa extension is in June, but my passport runs out three months before that.

Will I need a new passport?

Or are immigration accepting the approx. nine months validity of the passport and the visa being transferred to the new passport later.

So far I have had different answers: YES, I will need a new passport, and NO, as long as there is a validity of six months left ...

Does any one know a definite rule/requirement to this.

Many thanks in advance!

The way I read your post you are saying that your passport will expire before you get your extension.

Immigration will do the extension with less than one year left on the passport but will only do the extension up to the date passport expires and then when you get new passport they will stamp the remainder of the extension when you go in in to have the stamps transferred.

Many countries recommend you get a new passport 9 months before it expires. The UK will even add those 9 months (maximum) onto new passport.

Hm I am not a native speaker in english of course, but I read the post that the OP HAS already an extension up to june next year (it is july now), BUT his passport is only valid up to round march 2014....

So it is already done......I wonder what the stamp says datewise?????????

Glegolo

Edited July 7, 201313 yr by glegolo

I was just referring to the first sentence.

Immigration gives you an extension of stay for 1 year. if your passport validity ends before the year is finished, immigration simply stamps you till the validity date of your passport. When you have a new passport you return to immigration and they will give a new permission to stay in the new passport, now for the full 1 year and for free.

So if you apply June 12th for an extension and your passport valid till Oct 20th means a permission to stay valid till Oct. 20th. When you have the new passport you return to immigration and get a new permission to stay, now till June 12th.

But remember any travel with less than six months remaining can be a serious issue so if passport will only be valid for nine of the 12 months I would plan to get the new passport before extension and getting it placed in passport at same time (one trip and you have valid passport for any travel before and after).

I suppose a new passport (before the old one runs out) seems to be the answer ... must be better than sitting (for hours) twice at immigration.