My wife's Thai passport expires in October, we plan to visit Thailand in December.

Does her passport need to be current to return, if so, what is the easiest, most cost effective way to renew her passport?

Thanks

Regards

John

A couple of options - go to embassy in Canberra if you are near. Believe the consulate in Sydney also has walk in passport application facilities.

If not, the embassy organises a travelling passport application service in each of the state capitals a couple of times per year. Ring the embassy to find out when they'll be closest to you.

Last but not least, she can travel and enter Thailand on an expired Thai passport and renew it locally. Will take 3 to 7 days for new one to come through.

All the best

A Thai can travel to and enter Thailand with an expired passport.

It it would best if she got a new before making the trip. She can apply at the embassy or the consulate in Sydney.

Embassy info here: http://canberra.thaiembassy.org/consular.html

Sydney consulate.: http://www.thaiconsulatesydney.org/english/e-passport

Thanks Samran, yes I have heard that, but it would be quite expensive to go to Sydney and back from Townsville (Queensland), and then wait for the passport to be delivered.

But if as you say she could travel to Thailand without a passport , that would probably be the best option, and then directly to Foreign Affairs to organise a new passport.

There is no waiting for the passport after applying at the embassy or consulate. It can take as much as two months to get. They will send it to her when it comes in.

You might want to check to see If they have a consular visit near you that would fit into your schedule.

Thankyou Ubonjoe,

there is a Thai Consulate in Brisbane , but they do not do passports, I think Sydney is the only place.

I think based on what yourself and Samran have said , we will call the Sydney office and enquire more about going to thailand on an expired visa , this option would be alot cheaper and less time consuming.

thanks for your help

If you want to confirm she can enter on the expired passport you can check the IATA data base here: http://www.staralliance.com/en/services/visa-and-health/

You will probably get better info from it than the embassy or consulate. The one in London told somebody that 6 months was required and then later told them Thai airways would do it with 60 days.

Hi syd do them 1 hr my wife and kids done twice. Easy come morning go home afternoon

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Wow. you wont believe this!!

I sent an email to the Thai Consulate in Brisbane 2 hours ago thinking I would get a reply next week...guess what...i just got a reply!!...on ANZAC day!!

IT says....."Thai Airways and Thai Immigration will permit her to travel to Thailand direct with an expired passport. She will need to

show her current Thai ID card at checkin together with her expired passport. She can get a new passport in Bangkok in a
few days."

Excellent...that will save alot of time and money..but I wil still make the phone call to Sydney before we go...just to confirm;-)

Thailand is a great country:-)

Thankyou Ubonjoe,

there is a Thai Consulate in Brisbane , but they do not do passports, I think Sydney is the only place.

I think based on what yourself and Samran have said , we will call the Sydney office and enquire more about going to thailand on an expired visa , this option would be alot cheaper and less time consuming.

thanks for your help

Just to clarify, the mobile passport office will bring all the equipment up to Brisbane at differed times of the year.

Not that makes much of a difference, it is still a journey from Townsville!

Thanks very much Samran,

we will keep that option in mind also

Wow. you wont believe this!!

I sent an email to the Thai Consulate in Brisbane 2 hours ago thinking I would get a reply next week...guess what...i just got a reply!!...on ANZAC day!!

IT says....."Thai Airways and Thai Immigration will permit her to travel to Thailand direct with an expired passport. She will need to

show her current Thai ID card at checkin together with her expired passport. She can get a new passport in Bangkok in a

few days."

Excellent...that will save alot of time and money..but I wil still make the phone call to Sydney before we go...just to confirm;-)

Thailand is a great country:-)

Just remember that if her name is changing on the new one to KEEP THE OLD PASSPORT!

We've had trouble before leaving Sydney and returning when my wife didn't bring her old passport with the perm resident visa in it. Thai airways actually had to call immigration.

Brought it with us the 2nd time and nobody asked for it and dramas so it seems a bit inconsistent.

Thanks Gats,

Yes, her expiring passport is in her new married name (from 6 years ago) , so we be sure to take that and her current Thai ID card, thanks