Transfering Visas To New Passport

[calista]

Hi,

I just got a non-imm B visa but I am starting to run out of pages in my passport. Being a Belgian citizen, we only get 32 pages (which fills up in a year if you travel a lot for work) and we do not have the option of having extra pages added. So, I need to apply for a new passport soon. Since it took me some effort of getting the non-imm B visa, I want to avoid having to reapply of course. I would be grateful if anyone could update me on how and where I can have valid visas in my current passport transfered to a new one.

I there anything I should do before I apply for a new passport?

Many thanks,

Calista

[Tywais]

After receiving your new passport your embassy/consulate should supply you with a letter to immigration. Take the old & new passport and the letter to immigration and they will transfer it. Usually very quick and no charge.

[calista]

After receiving your new passport your embassy/consulate should supply you with a letter to immigration. Take the old & new passport and the letter to immigration and they will transfer it. Usually very quick and no charge.

Thanks for your message Tywais. I guess this means I can only do it here from Thailand then. Since I am going home to Belgium for the holidays, I thought of applying for a new passport there but if they invalidate my current passport, Thai immigration may not let me back in. No worries, I will do it as soon as I get back to Bangkok. Thanks again.

[markg]

Yes i had a similar problem. The UK embassy in Bkk didnt give me a letter or anything - i also heard you were supposed to keep the receipt for your new passport (I didnt )

Anyway, immigration at Songkhla were "ok"

To be honest - it was as if they had never done it before. The stamped and wrote, and wrote and stamped over 3 pages. Because i have the new 32 page Biometric passport, i now only have 29 pages left.

The good thing was that it was free.

I would get your passport renewed here if you can, (mine took 28 days) then transfer the visa's over at immigration for free, then fly home.

Good luck, and bring us some decent chocolate back.

[xbusman]

FYI, you only get the remainder of your current 90 day entry on the Non immigrant B. So... If you have a new one year multi entry non immigrant B, you take the letter and both the new and old passport to immigrations and they notate in your new passport that you have X days remaining on your 90 day entry. Then, for the rest of the non B validity, you need to carry both passports through immigrations. They want to see the original non B and stamp you in for 90 days on your new passport. Yes, its a pain, but thats the story.

[calista]

FYI, you only get the remainder of your current 90 day entry on the Non immigrant B. So... If you have a new one year multi entry non immigrant B, you take the letter and both the new and old passport to immigrations and they notate in your new passport that you have X days remaining on your 90 day entry. Then, for the rest of the non B validity, you need to carry both passports through immigrations. They want to see the original non B and stamp you in for 90 days on your new passport. Yes, its a pain, but thats the story.

Hi Markg and Xbusman,

Thanks for the advice. I called the Belgian embassy this morning and they said they did not need to fill out any form and told me to go to the Immigration Office for the procedure. I will try and get in touch with Immigration and see if I can come without a form (like you Markg). In fact, I noticed under the slew of application forms for downloading from Thai Immigration, that there is a form called "Transfer stamp to a New Passport Form". It seems like a form that needs to be filled out by the applicant and it does not mention anything about the embassy. Maybe I can use that form?

My Non-Immigrant B is single-entry for 3 months (I have a multiple re-entry permit though) which will be extended by my employer after expiry. So it seems I will not need to be carrying both passports for a long time.

Happy Holidays,

Calista

[Tywais]

It seems like a form that needs to be filled out by the applicant and it does not mention anything about the embassy. Maybe I can use that form?

That form will be available at immigration and you can fill it out there. As for the letter, it was automatically supplied to me by the consulate for the three times I've gotten a new passport here. Sounds like it may not be necessary now from what others have said.

[lopburi3]

It seems some Embassies find it too much trouble to provide. The requirement is still listed on Immigration web site as can been seen below (just copied from web site).

Transfer of visa to new passport in case of expired or full passport

Relevant laws and regulations

1979 immigration act

Required documents

Expired or full passport

New passport

Request by Embassy to the Immigration Bureau to transfer the visa to the new passport

Procedure

In case of foreign national without application for extension of stay or residence in the Kingdom:

Contact sub-section 2, Bangkok Immigration Division, Immigration Bureau to write the request and fill in the relevant information, including name, surname, passport number, date of arrival, and flight number.

Check the details and the correctness of the information and the completeness of the new passport or other travel document.

Check the evidence of arrival in the Kingdom by computer or with the arrival card (TM. 6) to make sure the applicant has entered the Kingdom legally.

If there is evidence of legal entry to the Kingdom, the visa will be transferred to the new passport.

In case of foreign national with application for extension of stay or residence in the Kingdom:

Contact the respective sections according to the visa type or sub-section 1, Bangkok Immigration Division, Immigration Bureau, according to circumstances, in order to write the request to transfer the visa to a new passport. Proceed according to step 3.1.2 above.

Note

The following information must be provided: Passport or travel document number, place and date of issue, visa type, port and mode of arrival, date of arrival (first date of arrival) and admission period, reason for changing passport or travel document and transferring visa stamp.

In case of foreign national with application for residence in the Kingdom, the date of application for residence as well as the consideration period must be given. If during the consideration period a re-entry permit was issued and the applicant has left and re-entered the country, evidence of the most recent arrival must be given.

[calista]

It seems some Embassies find it too much trouble to provide. The requirement is still listed on Immigration web site as can been seen below (just copied from web site).

Transfer of visa to new passport in case of expired or full passport

Relevant laws and regulations

1979 immigration act

Required documents

Expired or full passport

New passport

Request by Embassy to the Immigration Bureau to transfer the visa to the new passport

Procedure

In case of foreign national without application for extension of stay or residence in the Kingdom:

Contact sub-section 2, Bangkok Immigration Division, Immigration Bureau to write the request and fill in the relevant information, including name, surname, passport number, date of arrival, and flight number.

Check the details and the correctness of the information and the completeness of the new passport or other travel document.

Check the evidence of arrival in the Kingdom by computer or with the arrival card (TM. 6) to make sure the applicant has entered the Kingdom legally.

If there is evidence of legal entry to the Kingdom, the visa will be transferred to the new passport.

In case of foreign national with application for extension of stay or residence in the Kingdom:

Contact the respective sections according to the visa type or sub-section 1, Bangkok Immigration Division, Immigration Bureau, according to circumstances, in order to write the request to transfer the visa to a new passport. Proceed according to step 3.1.2 above.

Note

The following information must be provided: Passport or travel document number, place and date of issue, visa type, port and mode of arrival, date of arrival (first date of arrival) and admission period, reason for changing passport or travel document and transferring visa stamp.

In case of foreign national with application for residence in the Kingdom, the date of application for residence as well as the consideration period must be given. If during the consideration period a re-entry permit was issued and the applicant has left and re-entered the country, evidence of the most recent arrival must be given.

Indeed Lopburi3, I found this section as well on the website and have sent it to my embassy to support my request.

Thanks!

[dsfbrit]

My UK passport is nearly full. Is a good time to renew the passport when I go to get my one year extension based on marriage. So that if say:

- My 1 year extension runs out on August 30th.

- I renew my British Passport at Bangkok around August 25th.

- Then start the process for the new extension with my new passport.

Seems easy - suspect there is a problem I have missed though??

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Guest mascot]

Can anyone confirm that you have to be in Thailand to get the visa and retirement extension transferred to your new passport or can it be done say in Sydney. Another thing is how long does it take to renew an Australian passport in Bangkok?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Can anyone confirm that you have to be in Thailand to get the visa and retirement extension transferred to your new passport or can it be done say in Sydney. Another thing is how long does it take to renew an Australian passport in Bangkok?

The extension or paperwork has to be done at an Immigration office in Thailand. The Sydney Thai Consulate has no jurisdiction at all in extensions. Phone the Oz Embassy about the passport issue. 02 344 6300

[Krub]

My UK passport is nearly full. Is a good time to renew the passport when I go to get my one year extension based on marriage. So that if say:

- My 1 year extension runs out on August 30th.

- I renew my British Passport at Bangkok around August 25th.

- Then start the process for the new extension with my new passport.

Seems easy - suspect there is a problem I have missed though??

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I was thinking of the same process. You might still need the letter from Embassy asking immigration to transfer to new passport

[dsfbrit]

My UK passport is nearly full. Is a good time to renew the passport when I go to get my one year extension based on marriage. So that if say:

- My 1 year extension runs out on August 30th.

- I renew my British Passport at Bangkok around August 25th.

- Then start the process for the new extension with my new passport.

Seems easy - suspect there is a problem I have missed though??

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I was thinking of the same process. You might still need the letter from Embassy asking immigration to transfer to new passport

It seems such an obvious thing to do. When I searched this forum to see if had been asked about before I could not find it - so thought it would be safer to ask.

I was planning to go to Bangkok - stay the night maybe - make a trip of it, renew the passport(the embassy should should give me the letter - shouldn't they?) and then head off to Pattaya Immigration a day later.

The trouble is with so many things to do with visas that seem 'simple' - there is often a 'sting in the tail' that makes it more complicated than first thought!

[mighty]

I was just wondering if anyone had been to Jomtien immigration recently and if so was the letter being talked about requested. I'm applying for a new UK passport this week and want to know if I need this letter from the embassy. I have heard people say the British embassy don't like giving the letter and try to tell you its not required.