Answered9 years ago
Do I need to transfer my tourist visa to my new passport before leaving Thailand?
// Transfer a tourist visa to a new passport //
Hi guys,
This morning, I picked up my new passport at the Honorary Consulate of France in Chiang Mai. They gave me a letter in English to ask for the transfer of my tourist visa to my new passport at Immigration.
I’ve got a tourist visa, that I extended at the end of December. The extension expires on 24th of January. I’ve got a flight to KL on the 25th (so 1 day of overstay).
But at Immigration, they told me I didn’t need to transfer my tourist visa to my new passport because it’s a tourist visa and I’m leaving soon. They said that the immigration officer at the airport will just put a stamp on my new passport…
I insisted because at the French Consulate in Bangkok and the Honorary Consulate in Chiang Mai, they told me to do the transfer.
But Immigration says that I’m losing my time and 2 pages on my new passport for nothing…
What do you think?
Do you think I may have an issue at the airport next week?
Thanks for your help!
Hi guys,
This morning, I picked up my new passport at the Honorary Consulate of France in Chiang Mai. They gave me a letter in English to ask for the transfer of my tourist visa to my new passport at Immigration.
I’ve got a tourist visa, that I extended at the end of December. The extension expires on 24th of January. I’ve got a flight to KL on the 25th (so 1 day of overstay).
But at Immigration, they told me I didn’t need to transfer my tourist visa to my new passport because it’s a tourist visa and I’m leaving soon. They said that the immigration officer at the airport will just put a stamp on my new passport…
I insisted because at the French Consulate in Bangkok and the Honorary Consulate in Chiang Mai, they told me to do the transfer.
But Immigration says that I’m losing my time and 2 pages on my new passport for nothing…
What do you think?
Do you think I may have an issue at the airport next week?
Thanks for your help!
Answer summary
The user inquires about transferring their tourist visa from an old passport to a new one after receiving conflicting information from the French consulate and Thai immigration. While immigration states that tourist visas do not need to be transferred and recommends carrying both passports, comments from other users confirm that it is common practice to show both passports during exit without the need for an official transfer.
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Pui *****
I absolutely can confirm from personal experience that immigration just told me to carry both the old and new passports together and that they don't transfer visa stickers from one passport to the other. People always get confused as Visa Exempt stamps must be transferred to new passports but not actual visas.
Johnsuma ******
no problem. (french are not reliable for infos)
Kurt ********
yep.. very rarely are stamps transferred.. just carry both passports.
Phil ******
I would transfer it . .
Dori *******
@Tod ********
thank you!Tod *********
@Do**
, carrying both will be be fine.Dori *******
@Tod ********
i am in a similar situation. I have my multiple entry visa in my passport (german) that currently only has 6 month left on it. I already have my new passport with me but have not used it yet. The METV expired 12th of march , and I wanted to do another border run to get my last 60 days. I m going back to the UK beginning of may for a while. Anyway, in march I will only have 4 month left on my old passport with the visa in it. So is it ok if I carry both passports with me and they will stamp it or would I have to get my multiple entry tourist visa transferred to the new passport before I exit and re-enter Thailand? Thank you!
Lucie *********
OP@Tod ********
Thanks a lot!Tod *********
@Lucie ********
nope, just show up with both passports when you fly outLucie *********
OPThanks
@Tod ********
But I extended the Thai Visa (that I previously got in Spain). I've got 2 months PLUS 30 days. So, in that case, I don't need to transfer the visa (and the extension) neither?Tod *********
You'd just carry both passports until the "enter before" date on the visa in the old one.
Tod *********
@Kurt *******
right because as I said it's a VISA that you got at a thai consulate and no immigration office can tranfer a VISA.Tod *********
@Ku**
, right which is why I told them that the immigration office was right and they don't transfer tourist visas (or short term extension stamps) to a new passport. His consulate is wrong.Kurt ********
my multi non o wasn't transferred.. I just carried both passports when I entered.
Kurt ********
@Tod ********
have a re read.. hes on a tourist visaTod *********
no, that's not quite correct. If you have a valid long term extension of stay (that you get from the immigration office for 1900baht) you go and they transfer that to the new passport along with any valid re-entry permit, BUT if you are on a valid VISA <- that you got at a thai consulate in another country, they do NOT transfer them or the arrival stamps and you carry both passports.
Tod *********
Nope, the immigration office is right. A tourist visa is never transferred to the new passport. Show both passports when you stamp out and they will stamp you out on the new one
Phil ******
It needs to be transferred . . . Do not leave the country without this
Cheryl **********
@Tod ********
No, the US Embassy didn't know about that. I didn't actually get the Non-O until five months later, as I had some travel planned out of the country, and decided to wait until I returned from that.Tod *********
@Che***
, ahh, wait that makes sense :/ (sort of) They might have wanted to show all in one passport the history of you having held a tourist visa that you converted it to a 90 day Non-O visa and then got the yearly extension on.
Cheryl **********
@Tod ********
Yes, tourist visa at that time. Got the new passport in prep for Over 50 Extension of Stay, as I only had 13 months left before passport expired.Come to think of it, a friend did something in Samui that was free service, maybe Change of Address, and also got charged 500 baht. 😒
Tod *********
@Che***
, and at that time were you on a tourist visa or on a long term extension of stay? I think they just tell everyone that and some offices (like Samui) charge for it even though it is a free service :/Cheryl **********
Seriously? The US Embassy told me to do this and gave me a letter for immigration, so I went to Samui and they transferred it and charged me 500 baht! Grr.
(this was a year ago so i'm over it) 😂
(this was a year ago so i'm over it) 😂
Jeremy ********
Just bring both passports with and if they ask show them...happens all the time
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