Do I need to transfer my visa extension to a new passport before traveling to Malaysia for a visa exempt entry to Thailand?

Passport Visa Extension Immigration Thailand Border Run Visa Exempt Entry Employment Visa Chengwattana Immigration Office

December 21, 2022

2 years ago

Rafael ****************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hello everyone,

So I will be getting a new passport this week (old one run out of pages), and I'm on a extension of stay valid until 31/Dec (which I can't extend further because it's linked to my employment and I will only get a new contract in Mar/23).

To sort my stay in Thailand for now, I'm planning on flying to Malaysia next week and return on the same day to receive a visa exempt entry stamp (I should get 90 days free).

My questions are: Do I really need to go to Chengwattana to transfer my extension stamp, even tho it is almost finish anyway? (or can I just go to the airport with both passports and leave the country). Also, on the trip to Malaysia, just to confirm if it would be straightforward to get a visa exempt entry once I'm back in the same day (as in, I'm expecting that my current extension will be terminated once I leave the country, and when I'm back the immigration will just stamp me as a normal tourist). I've never done this sorts of border runs, but my visa history is pretty clean (albeit long).

Thank you very much in advance!

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user is due to receive a new passport and has questions about managing their visa status in Thailand. They plan to travel to Malaysia for a visa exempt entry stamp but seek clarification on whether they need to transfer their existing extension stamp to the new passport at the Chengwattana Immigration Office before leaving. Community responses emphasize the importance of transferring the stamp to avoid issues with a voided passport and suggest that while it is theoretically possible to return on the same day with a new stamp, a safer approach would be to extend the trip to avoid potential complications.

Álvaro **********

Go to Immigration to transfer your current stamp to the new passport, as in the moment you get the new one the old one is voided. In addition, new passport implies a new number, usually you can change passports in airports (leave with one, enter with another) but better to play in the safe side for this matter. And, it's possible that you have some issues on leaving on a voided passport because where will the exit stamp go?

To transfer the stamp is a fast task. It took me like 25 minutes in Chiang Mai a couple of months ago, not sure about the queues in BKK but usually there are at least one desk specifically for this task.

By the way, it doesn't matter if your extension is near to finish or still have 11 months on it: this is a kind of a binary thing, it is over or it is not over. "Almost over" is not a state for this matter.

Regarding that bounce... on theory it's possible, but again you would play it safer if you stay overnight in Malaysia. Just leave the airport, go for some shopping in KL or some food in Penang depending or your flight, and come back the next day, not need to hurry up and make immigration officers to wonder (I'd spend at least one week, both KL and Penang are worth that time, but I don't know your circunstances)

If you're going to have a new contract on March maybe your company can write a letter/pre-contract for you just in case the immigration officer queries you about why you were working and now come back as a tourist - but don't show it unless required.

2 years ago

Tod *********

@Álvaro *********

careful there with the this is what I did in Chiang Mai 😮 when the O/P is in Bangkok.

There ISN'T a desk that moves stamps 😕 , you go to the section where you got your extension issued to get it moved, AND you queue up with the zombie horde of people who are already waiting to get served by that section 😉

2 years ago

Rafael ****************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you

@Tod ********

and

@Álvaro *********

!

I don't actually know which section to go in Chengwattana as my employer did everything last time; but I'll be on vacation, so I'll have time to spend figuring it out :)

And well noted on the advice of spending an extra day just in case. I've been to Penang before, but will be fine to spend another day there 😬

2 years ago

Álvaro **********

@Tod ********

that's why I said "I don't know how it's in BKK but in CM..." 😉

Here there's a desk (well, a window) for "cancel extension and transfer stamp". I assumed in a way bigger office they would be even more organised 😅

2 years ago

Reply to

Álvaro **********

Rafael ****************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you very much

@Tod ********

! I'll check with my employer and plan for the transfer then.

And regarding the second question - leaving to Malaysia and coming back on the same day with an exempt stamp, would that be okay you think?

2 years ago

Tod *********

@Rafael ***************

that is between you and the border you pick and the person at passport control you face when you try to stamp back in. You might get out and back the same day OR you might be told to spend a day or more in Malaysia. There's no one that can give you that answer

2 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

My advice is get the stamps transferred to the new passport and cancel the extension.

remember stamping out on an extension does NOT officially cancel it, it just stamps you out 😕

so take documentation from your employer stating you stop work on xx date, go to the immigration office and cancel the current extension, and then leave.

2 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

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