New passport needed for ED visa 3 month stamp?

[ChomDo]

Can anyone tell me if if my passport needs to be valid for more than 6 months when I get a 3 month extension stamp for my ED visa at the immigration. The thing is that my current passport will expire in the beginning of October and my next 3 month extension is due in the end of April. If I can do my extensions with a passport that is valid less than 6 months then there is no point renewing my passport before October.

I know that when getting a new visa they require the passport to be valid for more than 6 months but not sure if thats the case for each 3 month extension stamp.

Thanks!

[nzexpat]

If your passport expires at the beginning of October then it needs replacing prior to its expiry. Why leave replacing the passport until the last possible minute thus risking "unforeseen" problems ?

There is no "6 month validity" requirement for extensions of stay but extensions will only be granted for the duration of a passports validity.

[ChomDo]

Ok thanks so I do not need to renew the passport before my extension in the end of April? Yes my passport expires in the beginning of October so if there was a 6 month validity requirement then I would have a problem at the immigration in the end of April.

A new passport for my country costs a ridiculous €140 (about THB5000) and is valid for only 5 years so I see no point renewing it 6 months earlier that required right. If it's like you said, that the 3 month stamp has no 6 month validity requirement for the passport, then I guess it's smart to renew the passport in September.

[nzexpat]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Ok thanks so I do not need to renew the passport before my extension in the end of April? Yes my passport expires in the beginning of October so if there was a 6 month validity requirement then I would have a problem at the immigration in the end of April.

A new passport for my country costs a ridiculous €140 (about THB5000) and is valid for only 5 years so I see no point renewing it 6 months earlier that required right. If it's like you said, that the 3 month stamp has no 6 month validity requirement for the passport, then I guess it's smart to renew the passport in September.

1000 Baht per year is cheap !

[ubonjoe]

You would get your extension without a problem but the one after that would only be valid until your passport expires. Best to get a new passport before then.

Also don't plan any trips to any nearby country with less than 6 months validity or you will not be able to enter it.

[ChomDo]

Yes actually that's true, I would have to do the new passport before the end of July in that case. My next extension after April should be in the end of July and that one would run till the end of October so the passport would have expired before that.

I don't plan to leave the country before October. By the way does that apply for Europe too? Would I be able to travel to Europe and back to Thailand with a passport that is valid for less than 6 months. In that case I would of course need to get a re-entry stamp etc but is this a problem for my return to Thailand?

I consider Nordic passports expensive ..well I don't know if there's a passport that costs more than €140.

[nzexpat]

A passport with less than 6 months validity will ,usually , only permit travel to the country which issued the passport.

[ubonjoe]

You could travel to your home country without a problem. For others it would depend upon their requirements. Enter the required info here to find out. http://www.staralliance.com/en/services/visa-and-health/

Thailand only requires a passport valid for the length of stay since you are from Europe.

[ChomDo]

Thanks that was a helpful link. I wouldn't be going to my home country but maybe another Schengen country (France/Spain). It said that my passport must be valid on arrival so shouldn't be a problem if I decide to travel in the summer.