Help! Went to fly to Malaysia from Chiang Mai, got denied, my visa ends today

[twizzler3b]

I booked a flight to Malaysia to get another 60 day Thai tourist visa, and showed up at the airport today, but was told that Malaysia requires 6 months remaining on a passport (mine has 5). So I'm sitting here in Chiang Mai, and my tourist visa ends today. I am here on a 60 day tourist visa that I have already extended once for 30 days. Before I got that visa in Penang, I spent 30 days in Thailand on my "visa on arrival".

I know I can overstay and pay 500 baht per day when I leave the airport (max of 20,000 baht). But what I'm wondering is if they ever give a second extension on a tourist visa? If I could extend a few weeks I could go to the US Consulate and get a new passport, allowing me to do a visa trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

I was also told that Hong Kong and Macau would let me in with less than 6 months left on my passport. But if I go there I can't come back and re-enter Thailand with less than 6 months on my passport.

It seems that my ideal situation would be to get an extension for 30 days, get my new US passport in Chiang Mai, and then do a visa trip to Kuala Lumpur.

Maybe a second option is: Overstay until I get my passport, then take a trip to KL for my visa.

And a third: Fly to Hong Kong or Macau, get a new US passport there, then get my new Thai Tourist Visa.

Am I missing anything? I GREATLY APPRECIATE your guidance anyone!

-Dan

[twizzler3b]

ps. I stopped by the immigration office by Chiang Mai Airport today just after it closed, and an officer who was outside talked to me for a while. He said I should come back tomorrow and apply for an extension, but I'm not 100% sure if he understood I already had a 30 day extension. I'm wondering if there's any point to me going there tomorrow, and if there's any risk of getting send to a detention center for overstaying? I've heard that can happen if you get caught by police during an overstay, while it's no big deal when you're at the airport and on your way out anyway.

[ovenman]

The US consulate for Hong Kong and Macau is located in Hong Kong. If you go there and apply for a new passport, you'll find the bills adding up quickly as even cheap accommodation in HK is expensive.

[digitalchromakey]

I believe that Thailand will still let you back in with less than 6 months validity in your passport, so the Hong Kong, 60 day Thai Tourist Visa, then back to Thailand option should get you 60 days to fix your passport.

You can get another extension now, but only for 7 days, which might however get you time to better plan a trip to HK.

[kevinsan]

Passport takes two weeks. They email you when its ready. The US makes this easy. $110.00

So it will cost you about 7k extra in overstay. Less if you get a 7 day extension. Cheaper than HK.

Just take both passports when leaving.

You may need to take a bus/train to BKK as the airlines do not like the overstay in your passport. Buses do not check the passport. Train/airline does check.

[poooket]

Passport takes two weeks. They email you when its ready. The US makes this easy. $110.00

So it will cost you about 7k extra in overstay. Less if you get a 7 day extension. Cheaper than HK.

Just take both passports when leaving.

You may need to take a bus/train to BKK as the airlines do not like the overstay in your passport. Buses do not check the passport. Train/airline does check.

Nobody checks your visa status for a domestic flight.

[chaophraya49]

Flew to Siem Reap in Cambodia a couple of weeks ago with a mate whose passport expires in August. We're on holiday in Chiang Mai from the UK and wanted to visit Angkor Wat. No problem on arrival in Cambodia and no problem coming back to Thailand after filling out our visa on arrival form on the plane.

[RichCor]

If you go to immigration tomorrow you,

will be required to pay for a one day overstay, submit the fee

can apply for another 30-day extension of stay, submit the fee -- application will most probably be declined

will, instead, receive a 7-day extension.

While it's not what you want to do, you can always fly back to the US (or US territory). Even when your passport eventually expires.

// Yes, I know this post was not helpful.

[twizzler3b]

Thank you everyone, very helpful!

[RichCor]

Another option is to travel to Cambodia (which only requires 4-month validity on passport) and do the Passport Renewal at the US Embassy or Consulate. 10-14 days to process.

[Jay Sata]

Why did you leave it so late with passport renewal?

[ubonjoe]

The longest extension you can get is 7 days.

Thailand for a US citizens only requires a passport valid for the length of stay for entry.

Average time to get a new US passport is about 10 days.

Unless you can get the US consulate to give you emergency service the earliest you will able to apply for a new passport is Tuesday if you can get an appointment for then. See: http://chiangmai.usconsulate.gov/service.html

[Tokay]

Passport takes two weeks. They email you when its ready. The US makes this easy. $110.00

You can also "lose" your passport and get a new one within 24 hours that is good for 1 year.

[ubonjoe]

Passport takes two weeks. They email you when its ready. The US makes this easy. $110.00

You can also "lose" your passport and get a new one within 24 hours that is good for 1 year.

The US does not issue temporary passports. They will only do a emergency travel document.

[watcharacters]

The longest extension you can get is 7 days.

Thailand for a US citizens only requires a passport valid for the length of stay for entry.

Average time to get a new US passport is about 10 days.

Unless you can get the US consulate to give you emergency service the earliest you will able to apply for a new passport is Tuesday if you can get an appointment for then. See: http://chiangmai.usconsulate.gov/service.html

Thanks for that Joe.

I was under the impression a 6 month validity was universally applied.

[ubonjoe]

The longest extension you can get is 7 days.

Thailand for a US citizens only requires a passport valid for the length of stay for entry.

Average time to get a new US passport is about 10 days.

Unless you can get the US consulate to give you emergency service the earliest you will able to apply for a new passport is Tuesday if you can get an appointment for then. See: http://chiangmai.usconsulate.gov/service.html

Thanks for that Joe.

I was under the impression a 6 month validity was universally applied.

For most that are on the list for visa exempt entries it is for the length of stay not 6 months.

You enter the info here and check some different countries: http://www.staralliance.com/en/services/visa-and-health/

[khwaibah]

Passport takes two weeks. They email you when its ready. The US makes this easy. $110.00

So it will cost you about 7k extra in overstay. Less if you get a 7 day extension. Cheaper than HK.

Just take both passports when leaving.

You may need to take a bus/train to BKK as the airlines do not like the overstay in your passport. Buses do not check the passport. Train/airline does check.

The official statement is 2 weeks for a new passport from the US Consulate in Chiang Mai but they normally turn it around in 6 days.

[twizzler3b]

Thank you for all the input, very helpful everyone. (except the one asking why I let my passport get close to expiring

[ubonjoe]

Another option is to travel to Cambodia (which only requires 4-month validity on passport) and do the Passport Renewal at the US Embassy or Consulate. 10-14 days to process.

Cambodia has changed their rules for passport validity. It is now 6 months.

[twizzler3b]

Ubonjoe, thanks for the tip about the Tuesday and Thursday appointments, I didn't know it was limited.

This is my first time posting a question here, what a great forum!