Gjk7777 Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 I am travelling to Thailand in the first week in March 2014 and staying until at least the 18th April 2014. My passport expires on the 29th August 2014. Will I have problems at immigration because it expires so soon? How strict are they? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post AYJAYDEE Posted November 11, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted November 11, 2013 No problem entering first time and many here are going to tell you that the written rules say that if you leave thailand you will b allowed back in even tho you dont have 6 months left on your passport .But the consulate in my city told me that it is up to the discretion of the immigration officer at the border and last january I was refused re-entry from cambodia with 5 1/2 months left on my passport and the immigration officer claimed that the computer flagged me when he typed in my info. I would get a new passport if I were you. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayned Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 You should get a new passport and apply for a single entry tourist visa just prior to your departure. If you come without a visa, with either the old passport or a new one, and are planning to get a 30 day "visa exempt" entry, you still could have problems as the Airline might not let you board your flight without a ticket out of Thailand during the 30 days. If you are able to board the flight with the old passport you might not be able to do a border run since some neighboring countries do not allow entrance without 6 months left on your passport even though Thailand "officially" does except in some cases as reported above. And you must enter another country to come back in and get another visa exempt entry. Why play the odds, get a new passport and tourist visa unless you are a gambler and what to gamble away your vacation time! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colabamumbai Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 You should get a new passport and apply for a single entry tourist visa just prior to your departure. If you come without a visa, with either the old passport or a new one, and are planning to get a 30 day "visa exempt" entry, you still could have problems as the Airline might not let you board your flight without a ticket out of Thailand during the 30 days. If you are able to board the flight with the old passport you might not be able to do a border run since some neighboring countries do not allow entrance without 6 months left on your passport even though Thailand "officially" does except in some cases as reported above. And you must enter another country to come back in and get another visa exempt entry. Why play the odds, get a new passport and tourist visa unless you are a gambler and what to gamble away your vacation time! As Wayned says get a new passport, otherwise you may also have to apply for a new one if planning on staying here and that would leave you with out a passport for 2 weeks or so. Providing you have to return your old one to get a new one as Canadians do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davejones Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Another example of people creating problems for themselves. Rules say you need 6 months left on passport, but not always enforced. Why take the risk? Is it so difficult to save yourself some possible hassle and just renew it? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lite Beer Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 The rule says that you must have enough days left on your passport to cover your stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaiexpat21 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 The rule says that you must have enough days left on your passport to cover your stay. That begs a question ! Why would anyone wish to attempt travel with a passport which would, in many places in the world, ensure a refusal of entry ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lite Beer Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I suppose if you are only going to Thailand before traveling back home it would be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaiexpat21 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I suppose if you are only going to Thailand before traveling back home it would be OK. Sure if ones passport is good for the initial period of stay ! It is when people try to cross borders that the problems emerge. Knowingly traveling on a passport with six months or less of validity is, in my opinion the height of stupidity 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYJAYDEE Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 The rule says that you must have enough days left on your passport to cover your stay. could you show us where that rule is posted, I cant find it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 See here: http://www.iatatravelcentre.com/ The above web page connects to the same database as the computers at the check-in desks of airlines do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gjk7777 Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 I am not going to take the risk..applying tonight for a new passport, all the time remaining is added onto the new passport up to 9 months! Thanks for the advice everyone. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickjn Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Your going on holidays.Having a good time not a guts ache,get a new passport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYJAYDEE Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 See here: http://www.iatatravelcentre.com/ The above web page connects to the same database as the computers at the check-in desks of airlines do. the land crossings are not connected to this database and neither it seems are the thai embassies and consulates around the world. do you have a source from the thai government? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 IATA does not make the rules. The information in the IATA database is a collection of information furnished them by government agencies of the various countries. You could start with the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which however gives one rule for visa applicants of all nationalities, ie "Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months", whereas the information in the IATA database makes distinctions based on the travellers nationality. Incidentally, the OP of this topic does not mention his nationality. There was this recent post about a tourist with a Latvian passport who was denied boarding in Stockholm because his passport was valid for less than six months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYJAYDEE Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 IATA does not make the rules. The information in the IATA database is a collection of information furnished them by government agencies of the various countries. You could start with the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which however gives one rule for visa applicants of all nationalities, ie "Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months", whereas the information in the IATA database makes distinctions based on the travellers nationality. Incidentally, the OP of this topic does not mention his nationality. There was this recent post about a tourist with a Latvian passport who was denied boarding in Stockholm because his passport was valid for less than six months. well iata seems to agree with you in regard to canadians and yet i was refused entry at a land border with 5 1/2 months left on my passport and only one tourist entry remaining on my visa. so you can see the problem, thai immigration officials do not subscribe to the iata information and when left to their own devices will use their discretion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 See here: http://www.iatatravelcentre.com/ The above web page connects to the same database as the computers at the check-in desks of airlines do. the land crossings are not connected to this database and neither it seems are the thai embassies and consulates around the world. do you have a source from the thai government? Neither Thai embassies and consulates nor Thai immigration officers need access to the IATA database. The OP did not say that he will travel by air but it is safe to assume that he will do so. His concerns regarding the remaining validity period of his passport are the following, in chronological order: Will the Thai consulate give me a tourist visa? Will the airline let me fly, ie check me in and give me a boarding pass? Will the Thai immigration officer let me enter Thailand? The OP posted later that he has decided to get a new passport, and this eliminates his concerns regarding passport validity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Removed a post misquoting the OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYJAYDEE Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 See here: http://www.iatatravelcentre.com/ The above web page connects to the same database as the computers at the check-in desks of airlines do. the land crossings are not connected to this database and neither it seems are the thai embassies and consulates around the world. do you have a source from the thai government? Neither Thai embassies and consulates nor Thai immigration officers need access to the IATA database. The OP did not say that he will travel by air but it is safe to assume that he will do so. His concerns regarding the remaining validity period of his passport are the following, in chronological order: Will the Thai consulate give me a tourist visa? Will the airline let me fly, ie check me in and give me a boarding pass? Will the Thai immigration officer let me enter Thailand? The OP posted later that he has decided to get a new passport, and this eliminates his concerns regarding passport validity. "I am travelling to Thailand in the first week in March 2014 and staying until at least the 18th April 2014. My passport expires on the 29th August 2014. Will I have problems at immigration because it expires so soon? How strict are they? Thanks in advance." i described the problems i had at immigration. he seems to have heeded my warning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Yes, of the three concerns the OP should have had he voiced only the third. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYJAYDEE Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Yes, of the three concerns the OP should have had he voiced only the third. thats the one i addressed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 The rule says that you must have enough days left on your passport to cover your stay.could you show us where that rule is posted, I cant find it.It is not possible to post an exact answer because it depends upon your nationality.Just yesterday there was a Latvian who posted that he was denied boarding because his passport did not have at least 6 months remaining which is correct. I am sure there is a pages long rule that lists the info but it is not available to the public via the internet. If you want to know what your nationality is allowed you can use this webpage to get info from the IATA database compiled from info supplied by countries from around the world. Link: http://www.staralliance.com/en/services/visa-and-health/# Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYJAYDEE Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 The rule says that you must have enough days left on your passport to cover your stay.could you show us where that rule is posted, I cant find it.It is not possible to post an exact answer because it depends upon your nationality.Just yesterday there was a Latvian who posted that he was denied boarding because his passport did not have at least 6 months remaining which is correct. I am sure there is a pages long rule that lists the info but it is not available to the public via the internet. If you want to know what your nationality is allowed you can use this webpage to get info from the IATA database compiled from info supplied by countries from around the world. Link: http://www.staralliance.com/en/services/visa-and-health/# well I doubt the immigration officers at the land crossings have access to that webpage and probably would not put much stock in it if someone showed them a copy so I guess it will continue to be at their discretion as I was advised by my local consulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 The rule says that you must have enough days left on your passport to cover your stay.could you show us where that rule is posted, I cant find it. It is not possible to post an exact answer because it depends upon your nationality.Just yesterday there was a Latvian who posted that he was denied boarding because his passport did not have at least 6 months remaining which is correct. I am sure there is a pages long rule that lists the info but it is not available to the public via the internet. If you want to know what your nationality is allowed you can use this webpage to get info from the IATA database compiled from info supplied by countries from around the world. Link: http://www.staralliance.com/en/services/visa-and-health/# well I doubt the immigration officers at the land crossings have access to that webpage and probably would not put much stock in it if someone showed them a copy so I guess it will continue to be at their discretion as I was advised by my local consulate.I am aware you had a problem at the border with Cambodia because your passport had less than 6 months on it. I am not sure when Cambodia changed there requirements from 4 months to 6. There a good chance you were fortunate to enter Cambodia.Perhaps that is why Thai immigration refused your entry because they considered your entry to Cambodia invalid. As said before a person should never let their passport get lower than 6 months validity. I am on extensions of stay with no plans to travel but still renewed my passport when it had about 9 months left on it to avoid possible problems later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYJAYDEE Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 they did not consider it invalid as they would not cancel my exit stamp and allow me to continue on what was left of my first sixty days as if I had never left the country until I could convince the khmers to cancel my entrance and my exit stamps. the guy at the thai border and the senior officer at the immigration office in our provincial capital both stated very clearly that they require 6 months left in my passport to be able to enter thailand. they may have been acting outside the rules as laid down by the immigration police but that didnt change the fact that they acted at their own discretion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamariva1957 Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Re-new your passport now if you can. Certainly do it when you are here if you can't. The rule is that it is up to the Officer at the time of entry to allow you in or not. So why take a chance. Also the rule is that your passport must have 6 months on it when coming into the Kingdom. Not that is always paid attention to... but again... why risk it? Which country are you from? In teh US you can get a new passport in 1-day. Make an appointment by phone or net for the morning. do the paperwork there or in line, hand it in, go out to lunch and then go back to pay your money and pick it up. Easy. Having a ticket with a departure date will help speed them up. I am sure it is the same procedure with other countries... but do not hold me to that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Re-new your passport now if you can. Certainly do it when you are here if you can't. The rule is that it is up to the Officer at the time of entry to allow you in or not. So why take a chance. Also the rule is that your passport must have 6 months on it when coming into the Kingdom. Not that is always paid attention to... but again... why risk it? Which country are you from? In teh US you can get a new passport in 1-day. Make an appointment by phone or net for the morning. do the paperwork there or in line, hand it in, go out to lunch and then go back to pay your money and pick it up. Easy. Having a ticket with a departure date will help speed them up. I am sure it is the same procedure with other countries... but do not hold me to that. The rule for passport validity varies by which country you are from. For most western countries it is only for the length of your allowed stay on entry. For others it can be 6 months.You will longer get a passport in US on same day. Your new passport will be sent to you. Here at embassy it is about 10 days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verdana Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Why do so many people on ThaiVisa feel the need to get involved in a pissing contest when questions like this are asked? The OP asked for advice, and the fundamental advice was to get a new a new passport as it was something he would have to do anyway at some stage. Advice was heeded - end of story! The individual anecdotes are totally irrelevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYJAYDEE Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Why do so many people on ThaiVisa feel the need to get involved in a pissing contest when questions like this are asked? The OP asked for advice, and the fundamental advice was to get a new a new passport as it was something he would have to do anyway at some stage. Advice was heeded - end of story! The individual anecdotes are totally irrelevant. advice is always based on personal knowledge and experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaurene Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 You will need to make sure it is valid for 6 months on entry, you will be leaving before it expires so you will have no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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