When to get a new passport?

[Babytalk]

Hello. I am from Scandinavia and I am on 1-year extensions to a Non-Imm Visa because of marriage to a Thai national. My extensions run from December to December each year. My passport expires in August 2015. I live in Thailand only 6 months a year, from mid-September to mid-March. So when should I get a new passport? Can I wait until August 2015 or should I do it a year earlier, in the Summer of 2014? If I wait until August 2015, will there be a problem getting my 1-year extension stamped into my passport in December 2014? The extension will then be valid longer than the passport... Or can I just get a new passport in Scandinavia in August 2015 and use that passport to enter Thailand in mid-September 2015 while also showing my old passport and visa extension stamp at Swampy - and then get my 1-year visa extension transferred at an immigration office in Thailand a couple of days after entry into Thailand. But my main concern is that I might get refused a 1-year extension in December 2014 if I have a passport that expires in August 2015. Could that happen?

[olddoc]

Get the new passport and use both to re-enter Thailand

[Babytalk]

Get the new passport and use both to re-enter Thailand

When do I get the new passport? In the Summer of 2014 or the Summer of 2015?

[olddoc]

I would renew in 2014 .

You will then get a full 12 month extension of stay !

[ubonjoe]

You should renew your passport prior to applying for your extension or it will only be valid until the date your passport expires.

Your can do it while you are back in your home country and then show both passports on entry to Thailand showing your re-entry permit in old passport. Then go to immigration to have your stamps transferred to your new passport.

[chunktal]

I'm in a similar situation, extensions based on marriage each July and my passport would have expired in February 2015. My understanding is they would only give the extension up to the expiry date of the passport in Feb 2015 so I've renewed the passport now so when the next extension is done it'll be for the full year and I won't need to do another extension in February next year.

[wayned]

You should get the new passport whenever it is convenient for you. However you should get it so that you have at least 1 year remeining on your passport when you do your extension, otherwise your extension will only be to the expiration date of the passport and you will have to do your new extension early.

[Babytalk]

Thank you olddoc, ubonjoe, chunktal & wayned!!! I'll get a new passport in the Summer of 2014. ThaiVisa.com and it's members are a great resource!