Flying Manila to Bangkok with 4 months validity on passport

[ubonjoe]

Just more incorrect info from an embassy that is quoting rules for getting a visa not entering the country.

I need to ask, what happens with the visa (retirement extension and re-entry permit) in her old passport after renewal? Will she be OK presenting both old and new passports to the Immigration Officer upon entry into Thailand?

Just show both passports on entry to show the re-entry permit in the old passport. They will stamp her into the country in her new passport.

[Nemesis7]

Trust me, nothing to worry.The validity in question only applies while applying for a visa, and since she already has it its of no issue. Once at Thailand get it renewed ASAP. Have a safe trip, dont worry too much, please.

[tropo]

Trust me, nothing to worry.The validity in question only applies while applying for a visa, and since she already has it its of no issue. Once at Thailand get it renewed ASAP. Have a safe trip, dont worry too much, please.

The government website is very specific about the 6 month rule, as are the DFA staff I've spoken to... and airline booking staff. We've decided not to worry and get the new passport. We'll need it in Thailand soon after we return anyway and it gives my wife an extra 3 weeks with her family.

Thanks to everyone for your contributions.

Edited January 19, 2015 by tropo

[smotherb]

To me it taking a month to get a new passport is a long time. I think I read a post saying it took 6 weeks or longer.

Nothing happens quickly in the Philippines.

Don't know about that, the begging hand comes out quite quickly.

Do you have anything to add about passport validity? You made your feelings about the Philippines well known already in that other thread in the general forum.

tropo, I really don't care if you have something against me expressing my feelings? My response was directed toward the post which said, "Nothing happens quickly in the Philippines." As you should know, the begging hand does.

[tropo]

Do you have anything to add about passport validity? You made your feelings about the Philippines well known already in that other thread in the general forum.

tropo, I really don't care if you have something against me expressing my feelings? My response was directed toward the post which said, "Nothing happens quickly in the Philippines." As you should know, the begging hand does.

It should have been obvious I was referring to government services, which can be notoriously slow, complex, confusing and frustrating. Beggars are a problem the world over including Western nations (USA) and is hardly specific to the Philippines and just an excuse for you to hijack this thread.

[orientalsf]

Thiland is one of the few countries that do not require 6 month validity upon entry, it only has to be valid for the corrent permission to stay She should be okay. If she has a problem at checkin ask to speak to the suorvisor and have them check the IATA regulations. Hope she has a re-entry permit otherwise her retirement extension will be invalid and she will only get a 30 day visa exempt entry.

Not sure if your correct wayned. Got this quote:

Passports:

To enter Thailand, a passport valid for six months is required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

[tropo]

Thiland is one of the few countries that do not require 6 month validity upon entry, it only has to be valid for the corrent permission to stay She should be okay. If she has a problem at checkin ask to speak to the suorvisor and have them check the IATA regulations. Hope she has a re-entry permit otherwise her retirement extension will be invalid and she will only get a 30 day visa exempt entry.

Not sure if your correct wayned. Got this quote:

Passports:

To enter Thailand, a passport valid for six months is required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Perhaps with the number of tourists visiting Thailand, it's a rule they're a bit flexible on.

[sandyf]

A few years back I got picked up at check-in in Amsterdam. I was travelling from the UK and had made my own way to Amsterdam.

I was lucky the check-in supervisor was helpful and phoned Thai immigration and they cleared boarding on the basis I had a return ticket.

I had screwed up and would never knowingly take the risk. If you cannot get past the check-in staff you are on a hiding to nothing.

[Tomtomtom69]

Thiland is one of the few countries that do not require 6 month validity upon entry, it only has to be valid for the corrent permission to stay She should be okay. If she has a problem at checkin ask to speak to the suorvisor and have them check the IATA regulations. Hope she has a re-entry permit otherwise her retirement extension will be invalid and she will only get a 30 day visa exempt entry.

Not sure if your correct wayned. Got this quote:

Passports:

To enter Thailand, a passport valid for six months is required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Perhaps with the number of tourists visiting Thailand, it's a rule they're a bit flexible on.

Thai immigration aren't usually the problem - it's the airlines. It's good that the OP decided to get his wife her new passport back home as I would have thought that was the purpose of the trip back to the Philippines anyway. I've heard many reports of difficulty for Philippine nationals, particularly women, departing for overseas if their documents are not 100% in order. Arguing your way with an airline official that you should be entitled to enter Thailand due to possessing a valid visa isn't going to cut it. They want 6 months "in case of refusal of entry" and it's not a big task to get a new passport back home. i would also think it's easier than getting a new one abroad because then you have to deal with the hassles of transferring your existing permission to stay to your new passport and deal with local immigration, for example Thai immigration in the case of Thailand. Annoying and probably more work than just applying for a new passport back home.

[tropo]

Thiland is one of the few countries that do not require 6 month validity upon entry, it only has to be valid for the corrent permission to stay She should be okay. If she has a problem at checkin ask to speak to the suorvisor and have them check the IATA regulations. Hope she has a re-entry permit otherwise her retirement extension will be invalid and she will only get a 30 day visa exempt entry.

Not sure if your correct wayned. Got this quote:

Passports:

To enter Thailand, a passport valid for six months is required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Perhaps with the number of tourists visiting Thailand, it's a rule they're a bit flexible on.

Thai immigration aren't usually the problem - it's the airlines. It's good that the OP decided to get his wife her new passport back home as I would have thought that was the purpose of the trip back to the Philippines anyway. I've heard many reports of difficulty for Philippine nationals, particularly women, departing for overseas if their documents are not 100% in order. Arguing your way with an airline official that you should be entitled to enter Thailand due to possessing a valid visa isn't going to cut it. They want 6 months "in case of refusal of entry" and it's not a big task to get a new passport back home. i would also think it's easier than getting a new one abroad because then you have to deal with the hassles of transferring your existing permission to stay to your new passport and deal with local immigration, for example Thai immigration in the case of Thailand. Annoying and probably more work than just applying for a new passport back home.

The plan was to get a new passport for my wife in Thailand after our return. It's much easier taking a bus to Bangkok (from Pattaya) and making the application at the Philippine Embassy, than doing it in the Philippines. It takes a bit longer to get it, but that's no problem. As we live on a Visayan island we have to fly to Manila, spend a day at DFA and fork out for 2 night's hotel accommodation (the equivalent would be living in Phuket as far as flying distance is concerned). If you were stationed in Manila, then it would be a lot easier and cheap.