Transfer visa to new passport - yes or no?

[vi2004]

From reading on thavisa.com I was under the impression that a visa is not being transferred into your new passport.

But I am getting different information from friends and from the embassy's website.

 

I have a Non Immigrant O Visa multiple entry based on being married to a Thai. The visa was issued in May 2017 in Savannakhet, Laos.

Since then I have been in and out the country a couple of times.

Now my passport almost ran out of free pages so I will go to the embassy in Bangkok to apply for a new passport.

 

I was under the impression that a visa is not being transferred into the new passport but that you have to present both passports to Thai immigration every time you are entering "within the validity of the visa in your old passport".

 

Now friends are telling me that this is not possible but that the visa indeed has to be transferred to the new passport.
Furthermore the embassy of my home country offers the service of providing me with a statement that I have to take to Thai immigration so that Thai immigration can "transfer visa or entry stamp" (quoted from the embassy's website).

 

So now I am confused.

What do I have to do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[anon789561]

"Now my passport almost ran out of free pages so I will go to the embassy in Bangkok to apply for a new passport"

 

IF British the embassy don't issue them, will take around 2 weeks from VFS services from Bangkok at Trendy Building near Asok, easy since you still have your old passport, book your appointment online now if that's the case. If not British then do what you have to do for your country

 

Your old visa remains valid and when using the visa you will show both passports to immo when entering or exiting and they'll stamp up the new one. no need to go immo to transfer.

 

Thats how it works as far as i know. Let the others confirm

 

BTW, from now on if in BKK and need a visa run for another entry it has been recommended to use the visa run service from On Nut Tesco at 4am to myanmar NOT cambodia. it doesn't use up whole pages of passports for the mynanmar visa, only a few small stamps, 2k baht all in and back around 13.30

Edited March 19, 2018 by Happy enough

[elviajero]

2 hours ago, vi2004 said:

was under the impression that a visa is not being transferred into the new passport but that you have to present both passports to Thai immigration every time you are entering "within the validity of the visa in your old passport".

 

Now friends are telling me that this is not possible but that the visa indeed has to be transferred to the new passport.

Your understanding is correct, and your friends advice is wrong.

 

Immigration will not transfer visas, they only transfer the stamps giving you permission to stay.

 

2 hours ago, vi2004 said:

Furthermore the embassy of my home country offers the service of providing me with a statement that I have to take to Thai immigration so that Thai immigration can "transfer visa or entry stamp" (quoted from the embassy's website).

You have a 90 day (short term) permit to stay so you don’t need to transfer the entry stamp. When you next exit the IO, at the border, will transfer the entry stamp to the new passport, and stamp you out in the new passport. When you re-enter you need to show both passports if you want to use the visa.

 

If you had a long term extension of stay immigration would transfer the permt to stay (not the original visa), at the issuing office, and would probably want the letter from your embassy as part of that process.

Edited March 19, 2018 by elviajero

[vi2004]

12 hours ago, elviajero said:

You have a 90 day (short term) permit to stay so you don’t need to transfer the entry stamp. When you next exit the IO, at the border, will transfer the entry stamp to the new passport, and stamp you out in the new passport. When you re-enter you need to show both passports if you want to use the visa.

And this is possible at all border checkpoints without problems? By air and by land?
I like to cross over to Savannakhet and turn around from there since Mukdahan is near to where I have family. Or should I fly out from Suvarnabuhmi Airport to get my entry stamp transferred?

So I guess the wording on the embassy's website is simply wrong - "transfer visa or entry stamp" - since a visa is never transferred.

 

One more question:

I have three of 32 pages left in my passport.

A trip to Laos would take away 1,5 pages. That's ok, since I know that my new passport is coming soon.

But are there countries where I can get a problem having only that little pages (1-3) left?

Does not sound likely to me. Just asking.

Not sure about the last page. It has a special remark on it "This passport contains 32 numbered pages". I guess it is a normal page for stamps though.

 

[lemonjelly]

Go over the border, get your 90 day stamp, then apply for new passport (I’d recommend using an agent if you’re not in BKK, Keyvisaco are currently sorting mine out, definitely worth the small fee they charge)...


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[JackThompson]

29 minutes ago, vi2004 said:

And this is possible at all border checkpoints without problems? By air and by land?
I like to cross over to Savannakhet and turn around from there since Mukdahan is near to where I have family. Or should I fly out from Suvarnabuhmi Airport to get my entry stamp transferred?

If you have your new passport, and you leave by air, they will transfer your last entry-stamp (not visa) into your new passport, then stamp you out.

 

The same usually happens by land-border but, on occasion, some have been directed to the local immigration office nearest the border to do the stamp-transfer there first, then return to the border to stamp-out.  I recall a report of this bit of a run-around happening to someone at Nong Khai, but not Mukdahan.

 

Upon returning, show the valid (before "enter before" date) Visa sticker in the old passport and then present the IO with your new passport.  You will get a 90-day entry-stamp in your new passport.  Repeat this "show both" technique upon every entry until the old visa is no longer valid.

[elviajero]

11 hours ago, vi2004 said:

And this is possible at all border checkpoints without problems? By air and by land?

Yes.

 

11 hours ago, vi2004 said:

I like to cross over to Savannakhet and turn around from there since Mukdahan is near to where I have family. Or should I fly out from Suvarnabuhmi Airport to get my entry stamp transferred?

There should be no problem doing it a Mukdahan.

 

11 hours ago, vi2004 said:

But are there countries where I can get a problem having only that little pages (1-3) left?

Does not sound likely to me. Just asking

No. As long as you have room for the necessary visas and stamps there's no problem.

[AndrewHill]

Hi everyone,

 

I am a little confused. Last time I got my new passport, I had to go to Cheng Wattana which is like on the other side of the world, to get my visa transferred, not only the stamp. I will have to do the same again and now I read from some of you I do not have to do that? I ask some legal company and they said I have to do it and cannot be done a Suvarnabumi, I only in Chaeng Wattana if in Bangkok. Having two passports makes sense for many countries like the US or Bangladesh for example, so what some of you say would make sense, but then why did I have to do it before and legal services also tell me I have to transfer the visa.

 

Your advise is highly appreciated.

 

Andrew

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, AndrewHill said:

I am a little confused. Last time I got my new passport, I had to go to Cheng Wattana which is like on the other side of the world, to get my visa transferred, not only the stamp. I will have to do the same again and now I read from some of you I do not have to do that? I ask some legal company and they said I have to do it and cannot be done a Suvarnabumi, I only in Chaeng Wattana if in Bangkok. Having two passports makes sense for many countries like the US or Bangladesh for example, so what some of you say would make sense, but then why did I have to do it before and legal services also tell me I have to transfer the visa.

It depends upon what you have to transfer. 

If you just have an entry visa you can do it at the airport. Or if you have short extension for a tourist or visa entry.

If you you have a one year extension of stay it needs to be done at immigration. They might do a partial transfer when leaving the country which would still require having a complete transfer later at immigration.

[AndrewHill]

On 12/24/2018 at 7:21 PM, ubonjoe said:

It depends upon what you have to transfer. 

If you just have an entry visa you can do it at the airport. Or if you have short extension for a tourist or visa entry.

If you you have a one year extension of stay it needs to be done at immigration. They might do a partial transfer when leaving the country which would still require having a complete transfer later at immigration.

Thanks for the comment ubonjoe, I actually just so happened to come back from Chaengwattana where I was told I don't need to transfer my current stamp to the new passport if I was leaving from Suvarnabhumi. Then, when I asked about if I come back, they were more let say "Thai-ish". I respectfully insisted since that was what my Embassy had recommended but , no, they respectfully disagreed. Besides spending 4 hours on the other side of Earth, I was more worried about some stories I've heard of people not being let in after a long flight into Thailand. So I talked both the Sathorn immigration office and the Suvarnabhumi office and both confirmed, that you can do that (with both passports, the new one and the one with the visa), without a problem. I am pretty sure that (closely to) almost as anywhere, it is the case and you depend on his/her mood. I am certain you'll here from me again if this doesn't work out.  

[Isaan Alan]

Reason says if you obtained your new passport overseas (let's say your home country) that you cannot go to your local immigration office before entering Thailand with your new passport (unless you are a time traveller). You could only go to the Thai embassy in your home country. And I have never seen that requirement. Just as there is no requirement to be forced to obtain a new passport in Thailand.

 

This must happen thousands of times in a year - you are not unique.

 

I know farangs are frustrated with Thai immigration at times but in the end, they are reasonable, even if it takes multiple visits. "Tea money" is just for short-cuts or to fill holes in unmet requirements.

 

I am about to do this and I will carry two passports until my current retirement visa expires. Long live reason.

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Isaan Alan said:

"Tea money" is just for short-cuts or to fill holes in unmet requirements.

If only that were true for all services in all offices.  But it isn't.

[Jim P]

I am about to apply for my Non immigrant O-A visa in the uk based on retirement. Its my first application and I understand I can use it for two years without showing funds if I leave the country and re-enter before the first year expires.

 

Now I have two questions, the first being about the funding. If I am to go down the income route I assume I will now have to start funding my account with a minimum 65,000 baht at the beginning of the second year to be eligible for my extension at the end of the year unlike before when I just required the affidavit letter.

 

Secondly my passport will expire about 3 months after the extension is granted, do I need to take any action about this?

 

Tia

[elviajero]

53 minutes ago, Jim P said:

If I am to go down the income route I assume I will now have to start funding my account with a minimum 65,000 baht at the beginning of the second year to be eligible for my extension at the end of the year unlike before when I just required the affidavit letter.

At this point in time I would say yes.

 

55 minutes ago, Jim P said:

Secondly my passport will expire about 3 months after the extension is granted, do I need to take any action about this?

Get a new passport before you apply for the extension. Otherwise you’ll only be given a 3 month extension, and will have to apply for another 1 year extension when you get the new passport.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, Jim P said:

I understand I can use it for two years without showing funds if I leave the country and re-enter before the first year expires.

Yes. However, to be clear, you need to make the second entry just before the visa expires, not the end of the first years permission to stay.

[jacko45k]

8 hours ago, Jim P said:

I am about to apply for my Non immigrant O-A visa in the uk based on retirement. Its my first application and I understand I can use it for two years without showing funds if I leave the country and re-enter before the first year expires.

 

Now I have two questions, the first being about the funding. If I am to go down the income route I assume I will now have to start funding my account with a minimum 65,000 baht at the beginning of the second year to be eligible for my extension at the end of the year unlike before when I just required the affidavit letter.

 

Secondly my passport will expire about 3 months after the extension is granted, do I need to take any action about this?

 

Tia

Although you never stated it I guess you are planning on an Extension after the 2nd year on the Non-Imm OA is nearly over?

 

Yes you will need to be able to show 12 months of 65,000+ transfers into your account from overseas the day you submit the application.

I believe they will only issue an extension valid until the passport expires, which isn't really practical. Renew your passport before  the permit of stay expires. Not sure if you need to transfer the permission to stay stamp though. 

 

[Jim P]

22 hours ago, elviajero said:

 

 

Get a new passport before you apply for the extension. Otherwise you’ll only be given a 3 month extension, and will have to apply for another 1 year extension when you get the new passport.

If I get a new passport is the original O-A visa transferable? If not I assume I will have  produce the two passports to the immigration office for the first extension, will this continue to be the case thereafter or will that extension stamp issued in the new passport suffice in the future.

 

[Jim P]

14 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Although you never stated it I guess you are planning on an Extension after the 2nd year on the Non-Imm OA is nearly over?

 

 

 

Yes that`s correct Jack

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, Jim P said:

If I get a new passport is the original O-A visa transferable? If not I assume I will have  produce the two passports to the immigration office for the first extension, will this continue to be the case thereafter or will that extension stamp issued in the new passport suffice in the future.

 

No. They never transfer visas. Unexpired/unused Visas remain valid in a passport even if the passport has expired. The visa holder would carry/show both passports until the visa has expired.

 

In your case the visa will have expired and you’ll have an extension of stay of the last entry made with the visa. They will transfer the extension (permit) stamp to the new passport and make a note of the expired ‘O-A’ visa. They note the ‘O-A’ so you are able to extend again in the future. Once that’s done you won’t need to show the old passport/visa again.

[Jim P]

17 hours ago, elviajero said:

No. They never transfer visas. Unexpired/unused Visas remain valid in a passport even if the passport has expired. The visa holder would carry/show both passports until the visa has expired.

 

In your case the visa will have expired and you’ll have an extension of stay of the last entry made with the visa. They will transfer the extension (permit) stamp to the new passport and make a note of the expired ‘O-A’ visa. They note the ‘O-A’ so you are able to extend again in the future. Once that’s done you won’t need to show the old passport/visa again.

Excellent elviajero, thats whats I was hoping, thank you.