Really confused about my passport and visa situation

[Silentwalker]

My passport has run out of pages and I'm about to send off for a new one. I am fully aware of how long the new process takes for British citizens applying for new passports and this has got me into a sticky situation, to say the least!

 

The problem lies with my current visa status. I'm starting school and getting an ED visa and was supposed to do it over a month ago. However I was put off the idea of going to Laos as I only had just over 2 pages on my PP. Seemed a little too risky. My only option from there was to apply for a new passport and get visa on arrivals while I wait. i''ve done one visa run and about to do another (because of the ridiculous amount of time I had to wait just to get an appointment at the embassy). Unfortunately the new 'crackdown' rules have become worse and worse since my plans first started. 

 

Here I now am with one page left and on a exempt visa, unable to get my ED. I'm sending off for my new PP on Monday but I'm extremely concerned about what will happen from there. Every option seems to be bad and full of risk, despite having to dish out a lot of money. 

 

My first option is to do nothing. Wait around without a PP until the new one turns up (no blacklisting for under 90 day overstay if you hand yourself in at immigration) and then do my ED visa trip when the new one arrives. Simply pay the hefty overstay fine at the airport. However, Thai authorities have just declared that anyone caught on any overstay or with no ID at all will be blacklisted for one year.

This has got me worried because of the current state over here. The worst thing that could happen (after jail) is being blacklisted. Like many, I have too much to lose here. 

 

Second option is to get an 'emergency travel document'. This is where I'm quite confused and welcome any advice and info... Would I be able to extend the current exempt visa on an emergency PP? If so, for how long? I was told it will be possible to extend exempt visas for up to 30 days starting some time in August. 

Is it possible to bite the bullet and pay up for a proper tourist visa on the emergency passport while I wait for the new one?

As far as I know it will not be possible to get exempt visas after the 12th August so it seems pointless paying for an emergency PP if I can't even use it to prevent long overstay... the only positive of this is that I will have proper ID while I wait for the new PP but it's still an awful situation. 

 

What do you recommend?

 

 

[paz]

You should go to Cambodia using an E-visa, saving one passport page, to get a single entry-tourist visa. 

 

That will give you 90 days in country, enough for a new passport and ED visa supporting paperwork.

 

Otherwise fly back to the UK and obtain a new passport in a short time using the dedicated procedures.

 

 

 

[lamyai3]

 

You should go to Cambodia using an E-visa, saving one passport page, to get a single entry-tourist visa. 
 
That will give you 90 days in country, enough for a new passport and ED visa supporting paperwork.
 
Otherwise fly back to the UK and obtain a new passport in a short time using the dedicated procedures.

 
Good advice. Don't be considering overstay as an option.

[Kev01]

If it helps your options I don't think they send off your old passport when you are applying for a new passport so you will have your existing passport for ID and any visas contained in it should remain valid. The UK just recommend that you don't travel on it as they will cancel the old passport sometime during the application process.

[smedly]

ok you make it sound like you are a teenage student "I'm starting school"

 

perhaps you can share with us all since you are looking for advice - the following

 

 

 

What are you studying ?

How old are you ?

Why is your passport full ?

How long have you been in Thailand ?

 

and I guess last but not least -

 

Why did you leave it so late to sort out your passport ?

 

 

Oh and I forgot

 

The best course to take in Thailand at the moment  is English - even if you already speak English and are from the UK, what is wrong with improving your English skills in Thailand and leening to spoke it puperty

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2014 by smedly

[paz]

ok you make it sound like you are a teenage student "I'm starting school"

 

perhaps you can share with us all since you are looking for advice - the following

 

 

 

What are you studying ?

How old are you ?

Why is your passport full ?

How long have you been in Thailand ?

 

and I guess last but not least -

 

Why did you leave it so late to sort out your passport ?

 

Just curious, which one of your questions is any of your business ?

 

Oh.. I know.. you represent Rightness here, and are entitled to ask. Keep doing and which you will gain Paradise. 

[smedly]

 

ok you make it sound like you are a teenage student "I'm starting school"

 

perhaps you can share with us all since you are looking for advice - the following

 

 

 

What are you studying ?

How old are you ?

Why is your passport full ?

How long have you been in Thailand ?

 

and I guess last but not least -

 

Why did you leave it so late to sort out your passport ?

 

Just curious, which one of your questions is any of your business ?

 

Oh.. I know.. you represent Rightness here, and are entitled to ask. Keep doing and which you will gain Paradise. 

 

 

 

I'm just curious

[ubonjoe]

Visa exempt entries are not going to end on the 12th. That is only the date that immigration has set to officially start enforcing the out/in visa run rules. How many visa exempt entries have you already done?

On August 29th you will be able to get a 30 day extension of a visa exempt entry.

You can do about everything with an ETD that you can do with a normal passport. 

[iancnx]

Just from a personal perspective and given my responsibilities to my family I would take the least risky route. Get back to London and get a new passport and return on the correct visa. You can take all of the school paperwork with you presumably and get the visa in London? More expensive yes, but piece of mind and no stress makes this a no brainer. Borrow the money in UK if you don't have the funds, but you already intimate you have money for a hefty overstay fine? Edited August 1, 2014 by iancnx

[paz]

You can do about everything with an ETD that you can do with a normal passport. 

 

The UK Gov.t (from where the OP is) says:

 

An emergency travel document allows you to leave the country you’re in and travel to your destination via a maximum of 5 countries.

...

The emergency travel document will only be valid for the journey that you specified when you applied and for a specific period of time. This will be shown on the document. Your existing British passport will be cancelled in most cases.

https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document

I wouldn't count on it for anything except to go home in a pinch.

[ubonjoe]

Many have gotten an ETD and stayed here and have even gone out for a visa. It is not only for travel to the UK.

[Silentwalker]

But it is a school so what am I supposed to call it? An academic learning centre? It's certainly not a college or university. It's a language school.

I'll be studying Thai

Why does my age matter? I'm not a child, nor am I an OAP 

It's full because I've been to a lot of places

I've not been here for a long time

 

Your last comment is not welcome and it's certainly not helpful. Why would a perfectly fluent native speaker take English lessons in Thailand, paying hundreds of pounds in the process? What do you think immigration will think when they meet an Englishman taking English language lessons in Thailand? Hmm...
If you're under the impression I'm attending a school just for the ED visa you are mistaken. It does help me to stay here with less hassle. However, I am interested in learning more Thai.

If anyone should take English lessons I suggest it be you. "leening to spoke it puperty". Even if you correct the spelling mistakes it's still gramatically incorrect.

ok you make it sound like you are a teenage student "I'm starting school"

 

perhaps you can share with us all since you are looking for advice - the following

 

 

 

What are you studying ?

How old are you ?

Why is your passport full ?

How long have you been in Thailand ?

 

and I guess last but not least -

 

Why did you leave it so late to sort out your passport ?

 

 

Oh and I forgot

 

The best course to take in Thailand at the moment  is English - even if you already speak English and are from the UK, what is wrong with improving your English skills in Thailand and leening to spoke it puperty

 

 

 

 

[John1thru10]

 

 

ok you make it sound like you are a teenage student "I'm starting school"

 

perhaps you can share with us all since you are looking for advice - the following

 

 

 

What are you studying ?

How old are you ?

Why is your passport full ?

How long have you been in Thailand ?

 

and I guess last but not least -

 

Why did you leave it so late to sort out your passport ?

 

Just curious, which one of your questions is any of your business ?

 

Oh.. I know.. you represent Rightness here, and are entitled to ask. Keep doing and which you will gain Paradise. 

 

 

 

I'm just curious

 

 

You're not curious.  And I'm quite sure that if we demanded you prove yourself that way, you would say it was insulting.

Edited August 1, 2014 by John1thru10

[John1thru10]

Visa exempt entries are not going to end on the 12th. That is only the date that immigration has set to officially start enforcing the out/in visa run rules. How many visa exempt entries have you already done?

On August 29th you will be able to get a 30 day extension of a visa exempt entry.

You can do about everything with an ETD that you can do with a normal passport. 

 

I'm sorry to disagree with you here, because your posts are always very informative.  But, it doesn't really seem that exemptions have to be 'back to back' to count against a person at this time.  For example, the off shore oil worker who posted (today?) about having trouble, even though he'd always been out for a month in between them...things like that.

[Silentwalker]

Well, I've done my fair share of in-and-out trips. Let's just say it doesn't look very flattering on my passport. 

I think I now have a reasonably solid plan in place. Please do mention it if you find any flaws.
Also, can anyone confirm that an exempt passport can definitely be extended by the 30 days after august 29th? If not, my whole plan is going down the drain.

 

-Do visa trip on weekend for new exemption

-Go in to Embassy on Monday and send off for new passport as well as obtaining an emergency passport with latest exemption

-Book a flexible ticket to fly to Laos or Cambodia before the end of the 30 day extension in order to prove onward travel as well as booking a very cheap 'hotel' if they ask about accommodation at Immigration.
-Extend visa by 30 days after the 30 days expires

-Change date of flexible ticket in accordance to when the passport arrives

-Get new passport and fly to Laos or Cambodia for ED visa (same flight as the one booked for proof of departure)

These are the following requirements in order to extend exempt visas by 30 days at Immigration.

'1. Your onward flight ticket or eTicket out of Thailand within the 30 days

2. Minimum 10,000 Baht, or rather 20,000 Baht

3. Hotel booking confirmation - and if you have it, your itinerary

4. One photo, passport sized.

5. Application fee, 1,900 Baht'

 

[paz]

-Do visa trip on weekend for new exemption

 

You mean a border trip.

Anyway I would play it a bit differently. Don't bother with plane tickets at all. Leave via land to Laos, ask on the way out if allowed another visa exempt entry.

If positive, re-enter and go from there. Otherwise continue to Thai embassy/consulate, get single entry tourist visa, and go from there.

[Silentwalker]

I'm planning on booking a flight because it's apparently going to be a requirement to get an extension on my exempt. Isn't it more risky not doing so? I don't see how I can prove to Immigration that I will leave via land in x number of days.This plan relies heavily on getting an extension 

 

Do you mean get a single entry tourist visa in Vientiane on the emergency passport after I've sent off for a new official passport? 

[paz]

There is no risky when you ask at the land  border if you are allowed back on an extension. If you aren't, you continue in country to go get a tourist visa. 

 

I recommend you go to Cambodia using a E-visa that does not take a page in passport and do not rely on using a emergency travel document at all.

[ubonjoe]

 

Visa exempt entries are not going to end on the 12th. That is only the date that immigration has set to officially start enforcing the out/in visa run rules. How many visa exempt entries have you already done?

On August 29th you will be able to get a 30 day extension of a visa exempt entry.

You can do about everything with an ETD that you can do with a normal passport. 

 

I'm sorry to disagree with you here, because your posts are always very informative.  But, it doesn't really seem that exemptions have to be 'back to back' to count against a person at this time.  For example, the off shore oil worker who posted (today?) about having trouble, even though he'd always been out for a month in between them...things like that.

 

That was a case of a errant immigration officer. According to this from a guideline that immigration has sent out to its officers that officer was incorrect.

 

The alien must not enter the Kingdom by exploiting 30-day visa exemptions undertaking method “in-out” or called by foreigners as “Visa run”. Aliens use the advantage of Tourist Visa Exemption by leaving Thailand and returning immediately for the purpose of extending their stay, which is considered from the tourism point of view to be longer than necessary and not in line with the purpose permitted while entering country.