Hi,

I have just received a new UK passport at trendy building. My old passport has a tourist visa which has been extended until 16th Feb.

Do I need to transfer the visa to my new passport (if so where?) or do I just present both passports when I plan to exit Thailand at the Nong Khai/Laos border on 16th Feb and the stamp transfer is done there.

Thank you in advance.

Your visa will not be transferred. They will only transfer your current entry/permit to stay stamp and then stamp you out the country in the new passport.

You can do it when you leave the country.

I did this once, they stamped me out on the old invalid passport and told me to use the new passport from now on.

I had a small overstay at this time which was recorded in the old passport, it was just a few days.

I enquired if the overstay will affect me returning to Thailand and he asked 'when are you coming back', I replied 'tomorrow', he laughed and said 'new passport - no problem'.

This was a couple of years ago as I last renewed my passport in 2012.

Update - So I turned up at the border crossing on Monday morning on the day that my visa expired and they told me that I needed to get the stamps transferred to my new passport at immigration in Nong Khai. They wont transfer the stamps at the land border crossing at Nong Khai.

When I arrived at immigration they insisted that to see the letter which came with the new passport which I didnt have with me. They gave me a number to call to get a copy of that letter and the passport office in Bangkok eventually sent a copy through by email and the stamps got transferred, albeit to late for me to submit my visa application Monday morning as I had planned.

Hi Gallstone thanks for your update, I am in exactly the same situation and was refused exit at NK. Do you still have the contact details for where you got the letter? Was it from the UK embassy or the Trendy building? What was the content of the letter? Many thanks in advance for any advice!

Another victim of Nong Khai crossing oddity. No other crossing would do that.

The letter comes from the UK embassy. Contact info: https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-bangkok

Thanks for the info ubonjoe - you imply this is a common problem so hopefully well known to the embassy who will know what docs need to be sent. I am just concerned as the immigration official at the bridge was asking for a form to be completed & stamped by the embassy about "transfer of stamps" to the new passport and I have read in a few threads on this forum that the UK embassy won't issue a letter for transfer of stamps. He also said to bring it back to the bridge rather than immigration in NK which is contrary to the OP's experience.

If the UK embassy won't give the "transfer of stamps" letter then perhaps it would be better to go to immigration in town as outlined by the OP?

By all reports the embassy does give the letter, you simply have to apply for it as you do not get it automatically.

By all reports the embassy does give the letter, you simply have to apply for it as you do not get it automatically.

not according this thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/536557-immigration-refused-to-transfer-my-visas-to-new-passport/

The OP here said that he was asked for a copy of the letter that came with the new passport. Just trying to understand if there are two procedures - one for countries who give the transfer of stamps letter and one for the UK who (apparently) do not.

Will know tomorrow I suppose (and it will change the week after )

Edited May 17, 201511 yr by chrisb

By all reports the embassy does give the letter, you simply have to apply for it as you do not get it automatically.

not according this thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/536557-immigration-refused-to-transfer-my-visas-to-new-passport/

The OP here said that he was asked for a copy of the letter that came with the new passport. Just trying to understand if there are two procedures - one for countries who give the transfer of stamps letter and one for the UK who (apparently) do not.

Will know tomorrow I suppose (and it will change the week after )

That thread appears to be old and outdated !

When collecting new British passport from Bangkok a blank proforma "stamp" transfer letter is is provided. This can be completed and taken to he British Embassy to be validated OR application can be made by email and the "letter" will be sent from the Embassy by EMS .

OK thanks all for replies & clarifications will post update tomorrow