New rules for extensions of stay with expiring passport

[Pib]

Has any American TV members have experience renewing a US Passport though the US Embassy? How many months before your Passport expiration can you apply for an Passport Renewal, and approximately how long does it take for the embassy to process your request before you are issued a renewed passport? Thanks.

You can get a new passport anytime you want - just go to embassy website and make appointment and you can fill out the application and print it on-line to take with you - pay and about 10 days later your new passport will be ready for collection.

^^^^^what lopburi3 said. I got mine in 9 days.

[hellodolly]

Has any American TV members have experience renewing a US Passport though the US Embassy? How many months before your Passport expiration can you apply for an Passport Renewal, and approximately how long does it take for the embassy to process your request before you are issued a renewed passport? Thanks.

I did it here in Chiang Mai in July. It took around 9 days to receive it. I think they say in less than ten days. I have heard claims of applying and having it in three days.

[Beetlejuice]

Normally the visa stamp is transferred into the new passport, To me this would seem to imply that you can avoid having to reapply by renewing your passport well in advance of its expiry so as to avoid the issue of it expiring before your stamp does. I do not take it to mean that if you do renew your passport well before then you start all over again.

So for example: Your passport expires in June of 2015 but your visa is renewed annually in December. If you get your new passport in June of 2014 then you avoid having the problem of your visa expiring when your passport does.

Officially your old passport becomes null and void once you have received your new passport. But I have no idea how Immigration will deal with this?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Officially your old passport becomes null and void once you have received your new passport. But I have no idea how Immigration will deal with this?

A person's extension of stay stamp and a companion re-entry stamp in your "old" passport remain valid until their expiration date, even if that date is after the new passport has been received.

Thai Immigration will still allow the use of a new passport along with an unexpired old passport containing one's extension of stay stamp up until the expiration date of the old passport.

At that point, the holder better have already applied for and received a new extension stamp to be placed in their new and still valid passport in order to remain legal for Immigration purposes.

[Beetlejuice]

Officially your old passport becomes null and void once you have received your new passport. But I have no idea how Immigration will deal with this?

A person's extension of stay stamp and a companion re-entry stamp in your "old" passport remain valid until their expiration date, even if that date is after the new passport has been received.

Thai Immigration will still allow the use of a new passport along with an unexpired old passport containing one's extension of stay stamp up until the expiration date of the old passport.

At that point, the holder better have already applied for and received a new extension stamp to be placed in their new and still valid passport in order to remain legal for Immigration purposes.

I think this is a grey area and really not sure.

Perhaps it`s as you say, but there could be a time limit. Maybe 7 days or a month?

Probably will need to wait until a future date to find out, when Thai visa members send in reports of their experiences later on.

[cosmont]

A new way to make some new extra cash for the immigration office, isn't it ???

[Torrens54]

Nothing is ever simple in Thailand.

All designed to keep us on our toes.

[jrtmedic]

Or maybe the Immigration Officers are fed up with lazy foreigners who cause extra work as a result of them being to idle to renew a passport in good time ?

Just a thought

[wasisdn]

Let's try to make it more clear:

Old rule:

You have a passport valid till September 1. On January 1 you apply for a 1 year extension of stay. Immigration gives you an extension of stay till September 1 and tells you to return to immigration with a new passport before September 1. (If you come back after Sept 1 you don't have a valid permission to stay anymore and are fined for overstay).

You go back to immigration on 15 August with a new passport and immigration transfers all details to the new passport, in addition immigration gives you a new extension of stay, now till January 1 of next year for free.

New Rule:

You have a passport valid till September 1. On January 1 you apply for a 1 year extension of stay. Immigration gives you an extension of stay till September 1 and tells you to return to immigration with a new passport before September 1. (If you come back after Sept 1 you don't have a valid permission to stay anymore and are fined for overstay).

You go back to immigration on 15 of august. Immigration transfers the details of your old passport to the new passport. So far nothing has changed. Now comes the new part. Instead of immigration giving you a new permission to stay till January 1 of next year for free your extension of stay ends on September 1 and you have to apply for a new extension of stay with all necessary paperwork for the extension. You now get a new 1 year extension of stay valid till September 1 of next year and pay the usual fee of 1,900 baht for that.

thx Mario, this is clear so far but I still have 2 more questions.

1. I have get my Visa extensions in July 2013 and stamp until June 2014 (before the new rules came out) but my passport expiration date is in April 2014. Is this new rule only for those who get the visa extensions after 13. August 2013?

2. Whats about the work permit? Normaly I have done this every year together with my visa extension, but now my work permit is also stamp until June 2014...

[jombom]

As usual with all these new changes, nobody has thought through the various potential anomalies. So, expect modifications in the days ahead. These will not be thought through either. But the extra baht is paramount, and messing the Farang is great fun.

[jrtmedic]

wasisdn

"I have get my Visa extensions in July 2013 and stamp until June 2014 "

Not possible even under the "old" rules if the passport expires in April 2014 !

Unless an error has been made which is your responsibility!

You did not check ?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Officially your old passport becomes null and void once you have received your new passport. But I have no idea how Immigration will deal with this?

A person's extension of stay stamp and a companion re-entry stamp in your "old" passport remain valid until their expiration date, even if that date is after the new passport has been received.

Thai Immigration will still allow the use of a new passport along with an unexpired old passport containing one's extension of stay stamp up until the expiration date of the old passport.

At that point, the holder better have already applied for and received a new extension stamp to be placed in their new and still valid passport in order to remain legal for Immigration purposes.

I think this is a grey area and really not sure.

Perhaps it`s as you say, but there could be a time limit. Maybe 7 days or a month?

Probably will need to wait until a future date to find out, when Thai visa members send in reports of their experiences later on.

That's the way it's been, and that's the way it will continue to be...

Nothing in the Immigration rule change that is the topic of this thread relati\es to the issue of one's extension stamp remaining valid in a still valid passport, even after a new replacement passport has been issued.

Extension stamps only expire at their own expiration date or when they and the passport they're in reach their mutual expiration date.

The issuance of a new, future passport doesn't change that.

[hawker9000]

What's the current status of the six-month rule? Can somebody please maybe summarize? If there are six months or less remaining on your current passport:

1. Will the airlines let you board enroute Thailand if you have a return ticket & it's within the six months?
2. " " if it's NOT within the six months (and you tell them you're planning to renew at the embassy)?
3. Will immigration stamp you in?
4. Can you apply for visas?

[rizla]

Just going to send off my postal application for a renewal of my UK passport today ( passport full but not expired ) .

Any idea if i put a note in asking if they will give me a letter along with my new passport to confirm the new passport validity , in case my not friendly Korat immigration ask for one...bearing in mind the new passport will be posted from the UK but the application made via Hong Kong...

Or will my new passport have this confirmation included....

I live in Issan , or would i need to travel to Bangkok to get this letter in person when my passport arrives.....Sorry its slightly off topic...very kind regards

[diehard60]

When your new passport is issued then the old one is in effect canceled and canceling your extension to stay now. How do you avoid the fine/overstay?

This is very easy. Go and get your new passport and then go to the nearest immigration office and they will be very happy to transfer the visa to the new passport. And if i am not mistaken your embassy will give you a letter to the immigration office. Or atleast the US EMbassy does. So there should be no worries if YOU do it the right way.

[leewood]

Great post, thanks for the heads up on this! very useful

[pontious]

Let's try to make it more clear:

Old rule:

You have a passport valid till September 1. On January 1 you apply for a 1 year extension of stay. Immigration gives you an extension of stay till September 1 and tells you to return to immigration with a new passport before September 1. (If you come back after Sept 1 you don't have a valid permission to stay anymore and are fined for overstay).

You go back to immigration on 15 August with a new passport and immigration transfers all details to the new passport, in addition immigration gives you a new extension of stay, now till January 1 of next year for free.

New Rule:

You have a passport valid till September 1. On January 1 you apply for a 1 year extension of stay. Immigration gives you an extension of stay till September 1 and tells you to return to immigration with a new passport before September 1. (If you come back after Sept 1 you don't have a valid permission to stay anymore and are fined for overstay).

You go back to immigration on 15 of august. Immigration transfers the details of your old passport to the new passport. So far nothing has changed. Now comes the new part. Instead of immigration giving you a new permission to stay till January 1 of next year for free your extension of stay ends on September 1 and you have to apply for a new extension of stay with all necessary paperwork for the extension. You now get a new 1 year extension of stay valid till September 1 of next year and pay the usual fee of 1,900 baht for that.

Perfectly clear post Mario.

I assume you will have to purchase a new re-entry permit ( if required ) otherwise the dates will not match the 'new '

extension.

[phetpeter]

I think you will find that wth a UK passport you can apply for renewal up to a year in advance of expiry, I think its 18 months in the case of living outside the UK. and all current stamps and visa return valid, up to you if you request and in some cases pay to have them transferred. When i renewed the Thai offices did so without any charge.

[Crossy]

I think you will find that wth a UK passport you can apply for renewal up to a year in advance of expiry, I think its 18 months in the case of living outside the UK. and all current stamps and visa return valid, up to you if you request and in some cases pay to have them transferred. When i renewed the Thai offices did so without any charge.

You can apply for a new UK passport at any time (mine usually manage about 5 years before they're full, even 48 page 'jumbo' passports).

You can get up to 9 months 'credit' added to your new passport validity if the old one has not expired. Not much use to me mind

[Mario2008]

Perfectly clear post Mario.

I assume you will have to purchase a new re-entry permit ( if required ) otherwise the dates will not match the 'new '

extension.

Yes, a new extension means a new re-entry permit will be required.

[IMA_FARANG]

U.S. passports are good for 10 years and then you need to get a new passport

The passport I now have was issued in October 2005 so it expires in October 2015.

I am on a retirement extension and it needs to be renewed annually in October, next due this October 2013 for another year.

In 2015 my annual retirement renewal will also be due in October.

From what it seems therefore I must get a new U.S. passport in 2014 so that when I do come to renew my annual retirement visa/extension in 2015 (assuming I last that long) the passport I then hold has at least one year validity left at that time .... to get my annual retirement extension.

Because, as long as remain on my current retirement extension schedule both my current U.S. passport and my annual retirement extension renewal are now both due in October 2015.

So there is a potential conflict.

Is that the gist of it?

reason for edit: it's early in the morning and I'm still having my wakeup coffee.

[Mario2008]

Let's try to make it more clear:

Old rule:

You have a passport valid till September 1. On January 1 you apply for a 1 year extension of stay. Immigration gives you an extension of stay till September 1 and tells you to return to immigration with a new passport before September 1. (If you come back after Sept 1 you don't have a valid permission to stay anymore and are fined for overstay).

You go back to immigration on 15 August with a new passport and immigration transfers all details to the new passport, in addition immigration gives you a new extension of stay, now till January 1 of next year for free.

New Rule:

You have a passport valid till September 1. On January 1 you apply for a 1 year extension of stay. Immigration gives you an extension of stay till September 1 and tells you to return to immigration with a new passport before September 1. (If you come back after Sept 1 you don't have a valid permission to stay anymore and are fined for overstay).

You go back to immigration on 15 of august. Immigration transfers the details of your old passport to the new passport. So far nothing has changed. Now comes the new part. Instead of immigration giving you a new permission to stay till January 1 of next year for free your extension of stay ends on September 1 and you have to apply for a new extension of stay with all necessary paperwork for the extension. You now get a new 1 year extension of stay valid till September 1 of next year and pay the usual fee of 1,900 baht for that.

thx Mario, this is clear so far but I still have 2 more questions.

1. I have get my Visa extensions in July 2013 and stamp until June 2014 (before the new rules came out) but my passport expiration date is in April 2014. Is this new rule only for those who get the visa extensions after 13. August 2013?

2. Whats about the work permit? Normaly I have done this every year together with my visa extension, but now my work permit is also stamp until June 2014...

1. You should not have gotten an extension till June 2014, only till april 2014. I think immigration made a mistake here. So i suspect they will follow the new rules and ask you to apply for a new extension of stay in April.

2. The work permit is no longer connected to the validity of your permisison to stay. In June 2014 you just renew the WP as usual, with the new passport ofcourse.

[Mario2008]

What's the current status of the six-month rule? Can somebody please maybe summarize? If there are six months or less remaining on your current passport:

1. Will the airlines let you board enroute Thailand if you have a return ticket & it's within the six months?
2. " " if it's NOT within the six months (and you tell them you're planning to renew at the embassy)?
3. Will immigration stamp you in?
4. Can you apply for visas?

Off topic, but in short:

That depends on your nationality and immigration status. For nationalities falling under the visa exempt entry rules the passport must be valid for the intended duration of stay, which is determined by the visa (exempt) entry. So with a tourist visa it would have to be valid for atleast 60 days, with a visa exempt entry at least 30 days.

If you travel back to Thailand on a re-entry permit it will also not be a problem, you already have a valid permisison to stay.

[BudRight]

This is crazy. Once the passport has the holes punched in it is becomes invalid. The expiry date has nothing to do with the stamps in it - not even a century after it would have expired.

[moe666]

I wonder how many more years it will take until they come up with long term lasting straight forward and sensibly thought through, as well as for all immigration offices standardised visa regulations without implementing new ones every few month.

The common practice to change the rules every time a bureaucrat comes up with an idea how to increase the revenue from visas has to stop as it will not be compatible with countries more developed and responsible in this matter.

I hope this will end when ASEAN applies! But then again,- TIT.

If what gosompoi is saying is correct, they have yet again found a way to jerk us around.

When will it end....never.

It will end when another country near Thailand opens up their country to foreigners and makes visas easier to live with. I believe that will create a vacuum into that country pulling the foreigners out of Thailand.

"When will it end....never. It will end when another country near Thailand opens up their country to foreigners and makes visas easier to live with. I believe that will create a vacuum into that country pulling the foreigners out of Thailand."

Well, it'll pull out some of the chronic complainers, maybe. Thailand's gain and to-be-named country's increased noise pollution.

Many people have said this over the years and guess what people keep on coming.

[Mario2008]

This is crazy. Once the passport has the holes punched in it is becomes invalid. The expiry date has nothing to do with the stamps in it - not even a century after it would have expired.

A passport becomes invalid with punchinh holes in it. But the visas inside not, unless the pages they are on are also cut. Normally that means that they are made invalid as well. That is the reason that if you still have a valid multiple entry visa in the old passport you use both passports. The old to show you have a valid visa and the new to recieve the entry stamp.

But an extension of stay is simply not given beyond the validity date of the paspsort.

[JLCrab]

Maybe regarding the replaced passport the term used should be "invalid for travel" -- but the visas and extensions therein are still valid until but not exceeding the expiration date originally printed in the now replaced passport.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

U.S. passports are good for 10 years and then you need to get a new passport

The passport I now have was issued in October 2005 so it expires in October 2015.

I am on a retirement extension and it needs to be renewed annually in October, next due this October 2013 for another year.

In 2015 my annual retirement renewal will also be due in October.

From what it seems therefore I must get a new U.S. passport in 2014 so that when I do come to renew my annual retirement visa/extension in 2015 (assuming I last that long) the passport I then hold has at least one year validity left at that time .... to get my annual retirement extension.

Because, as long as remain on my current retirement extension schedule both my current U.S. passport and my annual retirement extension renewal are now both due in October 2015.

So there is a potential conflict.

Is that the gist of it?

reason for edit: it's early in the morning and I'm still having my wakeup coffee.

You can apply for a new U.S. passport at the consulate in Bangkok anytime... There's no limit about only being able to apply XX months before the expiration of your current book.

Thus, under the new Immigration rules, ideally, you might want to make sure you have the new passport in hand by the time you apply for your retirement extension in October 2014...

Although, technically, if the date you applied in October 2014 for your retirement extension was actually more than one year ahead of your actual October 2015 passport expiry, I assume you'd be OK for that cycle. Example: you applied for your extension on Oct. 1, 2014, but your existing passport was valid through Oct. 15, 2015 -- i.e., more than 12 months ahead.

What matters for this discussion is how much time is left on your passport on the actual date you file for your next retirement extension. And you can apply for a retirement extension up to 45 days prior to the expiry of your existing one, which gives you some additional wiggle room relative to your passport expiry date.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

What's the current status of the six-month rule? Can somebody please maybe summarize? If there are six months or less remaining on your current passport:

1. Will the airlines let you board enroute Thailand if you have a return ticket & it's within the six months?
2. " " if it's NOT within the six months (and you tell them you're planning to renew at the embassy)?
3. Will immigration stamp you in?
4. Can you apply for visas?

Off topic, but in short:

That depends on your nationality and immigration status. For nationalities falling under the visa exempt entry rules the passport must be valid for the intended duration of stay, which is determined by the visa (exempt) entry. So with a tourist visa it would have to be valid for atleast 60 days, with a visa exempt entry at least 30 days.

If you travel back to Thailand on a re-entry permit it will also not be a problem, you already have a valid permisison to stay.

And in a broader content, while Thailand no longer enforces the former blanket 6 month passport validity rule itself on international arrivals, I believe it's still true that many other countries still do. So that's something to consider, depending on one's travel plans/habits.

All in all, with the new Immigration rule that's the topic of this thread combined with the presence of the 6 month rule elsewhere for international travel, it seems a good encouragement to simply plan for needed passport renewals more than a year ahead of your current passport's expiry.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Maybe regarding the replaced passport the term used should be "invalid for travel" -- but the visas and extensions therein are still valid until but not exceeding the expiration date originally printed in the now replaced passport.

That's a good suggestion, and a fact that hopefully will sink in here eventually. And it's equally true for any unused re-entry permit in the old, but not yet expired passport.

About two months ago, admittedly before the new Immigration rule, I took my still valid "old" passport and my just issued new passport to Bangkok Immigration, and they transferred over into my new passport my existing, still valid retirement extension and re-entry permit. And there was no charge for doing so.

Just to be clear, I was doing that entirely apart from any extension application. Although time and experience will tell, I don't see anything in the new Immigration rule language being discussed here that should change that practice and service.