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Can I enter Thailand with a passport that has less than 6 months validity?

Thailand visa rules passport validity border run immigration advice expat travel concerns Thai border crossing

Mar 23, 2023

3 years ago

Michèle ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi everyone, has anyone recently entered Thailand with less than 6 months valid on their passport? 

We are in Thailand and want to stay an additional month until end of May, we already have the one month extension and will need to do a border run in April. The passport expires end of September 2023. 

Any advice is appreciated! Thank you :)

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The discussion revolves around whether someone with less than 6 months validity on their passport can enter Thailand. Most responses indicate that while entry into Thailand might not be an issue, neighboring countries usually require at least 6 months of passport validity for entry. Many contributors advise obtaining a new passport before attempting to do a border run, as this could prevent issues upon returning to Thailand.

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Stephen *********

A guy in front of me at the land border point from Cambodia had the same issue. They refused him into Thailand. He wasn't happy! You can find yourself stuck.

3 years ago

Tod *********

@Stephen ********

that is quite strange because unless I'm mistaken thailand has no official rule about getting in on a passport with less than 6 month validity on it. Shouldn't matter if you enter by air or land, that rule just says when you enter without a visa you need as much time as you'll get stamped in for

3 years ago

Stephen *********

I believe you need six months when applying for a tourist visa. They probably applied that rule.

3 years ago

Stephen *********

@Tod ********

it was at Poipet. They go by their iwn standard there. But, he was turned away. Told to get a new passport in Phnom Penh.

3 years ago

Tod *********

@Stephen ********

anyone that bounces at poipet is just asking for trouble. It was a bad land crossing before covid and it's only gotten worse since it re-opened

NO ONE SHOULD BOUNCE THERE, there's just no guarantee you'll get back in

3 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

Lotta ******************

3 years ago, I was in a similar situation. I had 5.5 months left on my passport. I needed to do a boarder bounce before applying for a new passport in bangkok. I flew to Hong Kong (they only red 1 month left) for the day.

Before I left bangkok, I double checked with the check in counter and they checked with immigration. I had no issues coming back to thailand.

3 years ago

Lotta ******************

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3 years ago

Reply to

Lotta ******************

Michael ********

You need a new passport. Although it seems not to be an official rule, you will have issues while trying to return to Thailand with less than 6 months on your passport. I experienced this myself in the past.

3 years ago

Jason ***********

You won’t be able to do a border run to a surrounding country. Get a new passport.

3 years ago

Robert *******

All neighbor countries of Thailand has the rule of minimum 6 months validity of passport to enter the country, so back to Thailand is no problem but you can not leave by land.

Only option is fly back home, get a new passport and come back into Thailand.

3 years ago

Ellie *******

You can enter Thailand with a passport with less than 6 months of validity. BUT AFAIK, there is no other Asian country you can enter with that passport without a proper visa to that country. You need to choose carefully where you fly to because just-border-bounce-by-land would not be available for you,

The worst case is you need to fly back to your passport country.

3 years ago

James ********

That should not be a problem for Thai Immigration Officers at land border crossing entries...

BUT could be a problem with the neighbor country you are trying to enter to do a BORDER BOUNCE.

Suggest you ask an experienced border run service company if they will take you for a BORDER BOUNCE... Be sure to tell them your PASSPORT NATION and its EXPIRATION DATE.

3 years ago

Reply to

James ********

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