Hi Experts,

I'm currently on a 1 year, multi-entry, non-Imm O (marriage) visa. It will expire mid April this year.

Australian passport will expire January 2016, which means I will not have 18 months PP validity when I apply for a new 1 year non-Imm O soon.

So...questions in my mind.

1. Can I apply for PP renewal BEFORE current visa expires, while still here? If so, what happens to my current visa?

2. Would it be less complicated to go back to home country (NZ) in April, stay a while, apply for new PP, then apply for Thailand Visa?

One of the reasons I'm concerned is that my current visa was a lucky break, as I did not have all the documents (eg marriage cert, but the Thai Consul was happy to issue based on testimony and proof of stable, long term relationship). The fact of an existing non-Imm O (marriage) might help to obtain my next one if I apply at a different Consulate Office.

3. Is it unusual to be granted a marriage visa when an actual legal marriage never occurred but the visa official recognises a "common law (de-facto) marriage" since those types of relationship are recognised in the country where the application was made? Is the any Asian (closer than home) Consulates that might do the same again?

Cheers

Check your embassy webiste about applying for a new passport.

Your visa will remain valid, you just use your old passport to show the visa and get any new stamps in the new passport. You will show them together.

You did get a lucky break at the consulate, don't count on it you wil get another one in the region.

1. When you get a new passport a visa in the old passport remains valid until it expires. You use both passports until it expires.

2. I see no advantage of going back home to get the new passport.

3. You were very lucky to of gotten the visa. It is certainly not normally done.You will certainly not get one without a marriage certificate within the region.

Ubonjoe,

Is it not required to transfer all visas, extensions of stays, and re-entry permits to the new passport, or can they all be used to exit-enter country without affecting extension of stay status.

Also, slightly trickier, what if the new passport is issued outside Thailand, can all of the visa, stamps, extensions of stay remain valid until expiry as indicated in the old/cancelled passport?

1. When you get a new passport a visa in the old passport remains valid until it expires. You use both passports until it expires.

2. I see no advantage of going back home to get the new passport.

3. You were very lucky to of gotten the visa. It is certainly not normally done.You will certainly not get one without a marriage certificate within the region.

Visas are not transferred. You travel with both passports.

Immigration stamps are.

.

Ubonjoe,

Is it not required to transfer all visas, extensions of stays, and re-entry permits to the new passport, or can they all be used to exit-enter country without affecting extension of stay status.

Also, slightly trickier, what if the new passport is issued outside Thailand, can all of the visa, stamps, extensions of stay remain valid until expiry as indicated in the old/cancelled passport?

1. When you get a new passport a visa in the old passport remains valid until it expires. You use both passports until it expires.

2. I see no advantage of going back home to get the new passport.

3. You were very lucky to of gotten the visa. It is certainly not normally done.You will certainly not get one without a marriage certificate within the region.

Visas are not transferred. When you get a new passport they will do an annotation of the visa you had when you last entered the country and then they will stamp the entry permit to stay dates of that entry.

The most recent extension of stay will be transferred along with any valid re-entry permit.

If you do not do the transfer at immigration and have an extension of stay you can be stopped from leaving the country.

If you get a new passport outside the country and have an extension they will stamp you into the country in it based upon the re-entry permit in your old passport. Then you would have to go to the immigration office where you go your extension to have the stamps transferred.