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Can my daughter travel back to Thailand with a passport expiring in less than 6 months?
Visa RulesPassport ValidityThailand Re-entryEmergency TravelBritish PassportAustralian PassportVisa Renewal Process
Dec 26, 2021
4 years ago
Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERMy daughter has her visa in her British passport, which expires in June 2022. We need to travel urgently for a family emergency (so she would return with less than 6 months validity on her British passport).
She also has a second passport - Australian - that expires October 2022.
Can someone advise what the best course of action is? Will Thailand accept her back into the country with less than 6 months passport validity? Or could she return on Australian passport? (I can see returning on Australian passport would make things very messy)
She also has a second passport - Australian - that expires October 2022.
Can someone advise what the best course of action is? Will Thailand accept her back into the country with less than 6 months passport validity? Or could she return on Australian passport? (I can see returning on Australian passport would make things very messy)
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is concerned about their daughter's ability to return to Thailand with a British passport that expires within 6 months, and is considering options involving an Australian passport. Comments provide insights on the entry rules for Thailand, emphasizing that while Thailand does not enforce a strict 6-month validity rule for entry, airlines may deny boarding based on this criterion. The discussion also touches on the complexities of using different passports, the challenges of obtaining a new passport, and potential travel back to the UK for an expedited application.
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Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERThanks all. Lots to think about here. No easy solution. Please feel free to add other thoughts, suggestions, possible solutions
Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERLooks like the best option is to just return on Australian passport ad deal with the visa hell upon return. Can't see any other clear way around this with passport validity, Thai Pass etc. Starting the visa process all over again is not the end of the world
Andrew *********
@Anneliese ***
Just be careful because starting the visa again will only go up to where the passport expires. You are better off coming back with a new passport..David ***********
She can get a new Australian passport while in Australia. There is also an expedited service there if required.
Reply to
David ***********
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Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERUK passport not accepted by system as less than 6 months validity.
Hannah ****
@Anneliese ***
my UK passport is due to expire in April 2022 and was accepted by Thai pass test and go. I've got a new passport whilst visiting the UK and will be travelling in on my new one, with my reentry and visa in my now 'old' one. I'm nervous but this is what I was told to do by the authorities before I applied for Thai pass.Basically, I was approved on Thai pass with my passport due to expire within 6 months.
Reply to
Hannah ****
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John **********
@Anneliese ***
or apply for Thai pass using UK passport?Reply to
John **********
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Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERWe have an appointment tomorrow at Trendy for British passport application (unfortunately just getting this appointment took 6 weeks and passport delivery can take another 7-12 weeks. It's a terrible "service" at the moment)
Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERYes, that's an option - if we head to UK mid week
Andrew *********
@Anneliese ***
You can't just walk-in , ( Swansea ) it's done by an appointment ( to obtain in the UK)John **********
@Anneliese ***
I think it takes a week though. Plus the Phuket sandbox week, plus travel time. You're probably looking at 3 weeks being optimisticReply to
John **********
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Tod *********
I think there is an expedited passport service IF you're in the UK (it costs a premium) but it's FAST.
although that doesn't help you much here
although that doesn't help you much here
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Tod *********
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Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERThe only other option is to fly to the UK on Tuesday or Wednesday, get an emergency appointment and then fly back through the Phuket sandbox
John **********
@Anneliese ***
not sure how that helps if you have to fly to Oz urgently?Reply to
John **********
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Tod *********
okay so the real question is CAN you daughter enter the country on the passport she has the ED extension in when there is less than 6 months left on it.
The answer is THAILAND has no rule about it and she only needs enough time on her current passport as she'll get stamped in for (which she will have)
BUT some airlines won't let her board with a passport with less than six months left on it.
What is her estimated return date? I mean is she gonna be right near the end of the extension / passport expiration or what?
The answer is THAILAND has no rule about it and she only needs enough time on her current passport as she'll get stamped in for (which she will have)
BUT some airlines won't let her board with a passport with less than six months left on it.
What is her estimated return date? I mean is she gonna be right near the end of the extension / passport expiration or what?
Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERand, as an Australian citizen, she has to enter and leave Australia on her Australian passport. So the airline should let her board. They may ask for an onwards ticket though?
Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERWe have Thai pass already - but with Australian Passport as the system would not accept her British passport - I guess I could email them and ask them to change that?
Tod *********
@Anneliese ***
and how is she gonna show up here with a thai pass saying she's comin in on an auzzie pasrport and hand then a brit passport when she goes to stamp in?I mean obviously she'll have both with her, but I haven't heard of anyone doing that. (getting a thai pass with one country passport and then handing passport control another one to stamp in on when you land here)
Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTER@Tod ********
No idea. Honestly it's an utter sh** show. We tried to get British passport renewed but had to wait 6 weeks just for the appointment. We are just screwed by the current circumstances. Just trying to find a way around thisEllie *******
@Anneliese ***
, You should be able to apply for a Thailand pass for a British passport as a British national, not Auzie with a British passport. And you should show both passports and explain upon your return flight (to Thailand) check-in.
Maybe better to check with the Thailand Pass contact and your airline in advance.
Reply to
Ellie *******
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Tod *********
@Anneliese ***
BUT she needs to get the Thai pass approved with the passport she's going to stamp IN on which is the brit one with the extension in it, NOT the aussie one.Reply to
Tod *********
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Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERNo, we'll return late February, so she will still have about 4 months left
Tod *********
@Anneliese ***
I'd say you should be okay, and as I said she won't have ANY problem once she lands here IF she can check in / board her flight to get here. It's totally the airline that is gonna cause the grief on this.
Reply to
Tod *********
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Tod *********
@Anneliese ***
will she be in the country where she's going long enough to renew her brit passport? Then she'd just show BOTH passports when she flies back inReply to
Tod *********
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Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERShe's on ED visa - and travelling to Australia
Tod *********
If she comes in on the austrailian passport the visa in the other passport isn't gonna help her and she'd need to start the whole process of getting the visa/extension all over again. (meaning a visa/extension in one passport doesn't do anything for you if you enter on ANOTHER country's passport 🙁 )
Kevin *********
@Tod ********
Merry Christmas firstly Tod. If you are dual national can you swap a stamp into your other passport?Benjamin ******
Kevin Thomson you will have to leave the country by air on ONE passports and return to Thailand by air on another passport
Reply to
Benjamin ******
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Tod *********
What visa/extension is your daughter on now,
does both her current extension and her passport expire in June 2022?
does both her current extension and her passport expire in June 2022?
Anneliese ****
ORIGINAL POSTERED visa. Her passport expires June 25 2022 and extension expires June 17 2022
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Anneliese ****
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