Passport Life

[Mosha]

Last time I was up in Bangkok, I saw ads for the visa run stating 3 months left on the passport was enough. I am in Ranong so the Burma run is very easy for me here. This week the officer was very eager to point out my passport expires mid November. So my question is what is the rule, 3 months or 6 months.

Regards Steve.

[george]

6 months.

[astral]

This week the officer was very eager to point out my passport expires mid November.

Regards Steve.

I have experienced this as well.

It is just the officer being friendly and helpful.

Better to remind you, than to have to arrest you for having an out of date passport.

[Mosha]

Thanks for the replies. We went to speak with the immigration office in Ranong. I explained my wish to go back to the UK at the beginning of June, and if so would I be ok for 1 more 30 day visa. They said that they had no problem with that. To be on the safe side I think I'll ask my wife to telephone them, when I've explained the situation to her better.

[Mosha]

I have had another thought about this. According to my counting back the 6 month limit is the 7th or 8th of May. If Iwent for another 30 day visa early on the 4th say, would this solve my problem of wanting to stay until early June? My intention is to fly to the UK on June 1st or 2nd.

Regards Steve

[lopburi3]

That should keep you safe.

[Buman]

That should keep you safe.

Once I entered the kingdom with less than a month left on my passport, and no problems at all, they still gave me the 30 day permit of stay. I left just 5 days before my passport expired, and no probs again. If you look decent, they don't have a problem with letting you in and out.

[lopburi3]

Up until recently the 6 month rule was not enforced for passports from many countries but currently it is clearly listed as a requirement for all.

[astral]

Renewing a British passport in Bangkok takes 14 days, with the new biometric ones,

it used to be 7 days. Either way it is much faster than in the UK where a month

is not unusual.

[Mosha]

Renewing a British passport in Bangkok takes 14 days, with the new biometric ones,

it used to be 7 days. Either way it is much faster than in the UK where a month

is not unusual.

Depends on the time of year too. Welll if it was a problem over wanting to avoid going "home" a visit to the embassy would be my option. However this was always the intention to go see the family and a little business to attend to.

I tried to call Ranong Immigration, it's also a Fax m/c. They are probably sat there twiddling their thumbs laughing at the Farang trying to call. Or crowding some more of the Burmese they've caught into that tiny lockup. They send them across by boat to Myanmar, and they are usually back inside 24 hours.