Passport expires during one year retirement visa

[globin]

Thank you for all the feedback people.

As usual everyone is right and everyone is wrong

[Eneukman]

This is a potential problem that I'll have in a few years time. My current extension expires in August but my passport expires in April. So if I understand the position correctly, then when I apply for a new extension in August, I will only be given permission to stay until April when my passport expires. Is there a maximum time before my passport expires that I can obtain a new one (from the UK)? It would be a lot easier if I could obtain a new passport 12 - 15 months before the old one expires especially as I don't do a lot of travelling in the first few months of the year.

It would a lot easier if the UK government were to start issuing passports from the embassy in Bangkok but I don't see that happening any time soon.

Alan

Correct. Your extension will only be valid to the date your passport expires.

There is no limit on how early you can renew your passport. You will get up to 9 months from your old passports validity added to your new one.

Thanks for that information. My passport expires in April 2019 so I'll renew my passport before my extension is due for renewal in August 2018 to ensure I get a full 12 months on my extension that year.

Alan

[globin]

To detail this event and its implications following the request for information and the helpful feedback.

Arriving at immigration to do my 90 day report and have the 1 year retirement visa stamps transferred to my new passport I was slapped in the face with a "you are overstaying your visa" warning. Having gone through a passport renewal once before over 12 years and stressing about having to get another visa, I thought I had some experience under my belt, that previous red tape task took about 3 minutes to complete without charge or harassment. A bit confused, I decided to call on Thai friends to assist with clarifying the situation in their native tongue, they agreed and took time off of their normal work duties to help. This resulted in some very aggressive and impolite behavior on the part of the policewomen which included yelling and parading around the office threatening to sue my friends and void my visa entitlement altogether (this is all on surveillance cameras and witnessed by other puzzled office personnel and curious customers). Later that day, the surveillance records were examined by police and the employers of my friends identified by company logos on their uniforms; their employers were subsequently called, questioned and threats intimated. This resulted in the concerned companies sending human resources personnel to the police for further explanations as to why their employees were assisting me in my dilemma. After lengthy negotiations in the absence of any higher authority at the police office I was told I no longer had a valid one year visa after 8 months and had to go to Cambodia to get a tourist visa, later that day, after office hours, the police office manager called me personally, apologized for the inconvenience but told me to go to Laos and apply at the embassy; Cambodia does not have facilities for my situation.

Now the impact of an unplanned and thus disorganized trip to Vien Taine, Laos from a south eastern Thai province.

· 4 temporary Thai workers employed to do home improvements were laid off

· in the light of this event and the insecurity caused, all future home improvement projects cancelled

· material purchased for home improvements spoiled or stolen in my absence

· waste of several thousand baht of fuel resources plus vehicle wear and tear

· lose of wages by friends assisting during working hours with precise language translation solutions

· friends dissuaded under duress from helping with any future resolution through pressure on their employers.

· overloading the tourist visa application system, (tourist visa queues at the embassy are several city blocks long)

· government revenue collection of overstay fees 2000 baht, 1000 baht for visa, hardly a significant amount considering the inconvenience, stress and future implications.

· initial payment for a one year O visa with only a portion utilized.

· weeks supply of vegetables, fruit and meat in storage spoiled

· long and dangerous drive on overcrowded roads with another Thai friend that took time off of work to assist.

· all of my charity activities are suspended indefinitely

· as an outpatient of a Thai hospital I am currently receiving care for a hernia operation and not so enthusiastic about travel.

· I am midway through some dental repairs, this added significantly to the discomfort of the trip

· any future leisure travel to Laos cancelled

Some solutions:

· go to your embassy and get a replacement passport well in advance of its expiry date when re-applying for your O visa

· clarify this regulation change by the previous administration; it is questionable whether it applies to an O visa according to the official regulation chart of events and actions

· retire in another country

Before making any comments about being petty, bear in mind that I am a reluctant retiree in an era of global financial difficulty, I must practice fiscal responsibility and manage my funds strictly, there is no pot of gold in my retirement nest egg.