Answered4 years ago

Do I need to carry both my old and new passport when exiting Thailand with a visa exemption?

Visa Exemption British Passport Immigration Thai Visa Rules Passport Renewal Border Control

Yogesh *******

asked Oct 21, 2022

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I’m on a 45 day visa exemption. My British passport has almost ran out of pages and I’m applying for a new one at VFS. They’ll give me back my old passport, albeit with corner cut off, whilst British passport office prints out a new, blue passport for me. 

Do I have to carry both passports through immigration at the airport when I leave, or, do I need to get the thai visa moved to my new passport?

Answer summary

If you are on a 45-day visa exemption and are in the process of getting a new British passport, you can exit Thailand by carrying both your old passport (with the visa exemption stamp) and the new one. It's recommended to show both passports at the airport. However, if you manage to extend your stay with a 30-day extension and you have your new passport, in theory, you should transfer your visa stamp to the new passport.

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Tod *********

you got about an 11 week wait to get a new passport from VFS global (that's their stated wait time right now)

As long as you're not gonna get an extension on this 45 day entry stamp you have you can just show both passports when you fly out

IF you get a 30 day extension on this entry stamp and you get a new passport IN THEORY you are supposed to go move the stamp(s) BUT you could probably get away with just showing them both at the airport as well

4 years ago

Yogesh *******

@Tod ********

I’m likely to get a 30 day extension.

I renewed my passport a few years ago in Saigon, again they stated 2-3 month wait for a new passport. It came in 10 days.

4 years ago

Tod *********

@Yogesh ******

yeah this ain't Saigon pre-covid shit show 😮.

the fastest I've seen VFS get a brit passport back here in thailand is 8 weeks from the reports people are making.

Good luck with it, you can get the 30 day extension, then when you get your new passport I will leave it up to you to decide IF you move the stamps or just leave.

Also remember you can't use the passport you have no for international travel once you started the renewal process. What I mean is you can't bounce out and back to get a new entry stamp IF it takes more than the time you have on your current stamp plus the 30 day extension) you just run on overstay. 😕

Good luck with it (y)

Richard *******

That is correct Tod.

Tod *********

they didn't cut your corner of your passport yet did they? They usually do that when you GO BACK to pick up the new one

4 years ago

Yogesh *******

@Ellie ******

thank you. It seems like a catch 22 situation.

4 years ago

Ellie *******

@Yogesh ******

You cannot apply for an extension with a 'cut-off' passport. IF you get new passport, it's not a difficult or lengthy process to transfer your stamp.

4 years ago

Tod *********

@Yogesh ******

they won't move the exempt entry stamp only an extension, you go to the office where you got the 30 day extension with both passports and the paper that HMPS/VFS gives you saying you got a new passport in country and you get the stamps moved

4 years ago

Yogesh *******

@Tod ********

I know about the travel restrictions on a cut passport. Does immigration office move the “visa exempt “ to my new passport easily or is there a lengthy process?

4 years ago