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How can I apply for a Thai tourist visa using a different passport while in Thailand?

visa application Thai tourist visa dual citizenship immigration border crossing passport switching Thailand expat advice visa extension

Feb 7, 2018

7 years ago

Ewelina *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

I would like to find out some information from people who travel using 2 passports.  I am finding it difficult to simply swap them at the boarder, as immigration officers always tell me it's not possible.Once I 'check out' from one country they need to 'check me in' to another country next to the stamp I just got.I am based in Thailand.  Ideally ,next time,  I would like to apply for Thai tourist visa with passport number 2. Where should I go? How to do it? Is it possible at all? 

Many thanks for any input.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user seeks information on applying for a Thai tourist visa with a different passport while based in Thailand. Responses indicate challenges when switching passports at land borders, recommending airports for such actions. Some users share experiences and suggest going to Malaysia for visa applications, while others emphasize that both visas and extensions must be processed using the same passport linked to the original entry.

Chris ********

Hi, I did post a couple of time ago the way to make it and switching passport on the easiest way by going to Penang in Malaysia. They did not required any stamp out at all from any country and then I did my Tourist visa at Jim’s Place in Penang very easy. Try to search from my previous posts on this group by my name and you will find it with accurate info on the process. If you cannot find it, let me know and I will try to find myself.

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Chris ********

Here you find my post about switching passport at Penang airport ;-)

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Chris ********

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%20TOURIST%20VISA%20AND%20SWITCHING%20PASSPORT%20AT%20PENANG

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3/search/?query=THAI%20TOURIST%20VISA%20AND%20SWITCHING%20PASSPORT%20AT%20PENANG

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Chris ********

Actually easy to find even with phone, just make a search with my name Helfer on the main page and you will see my previous posts in the group and the one that is of your interest.

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Chris ********

@Ewelina ************

just saying you can do it at airport it’s wrong, I did it at Vientiane and they required the stamp out of Thailand, so no way to switch passport. Only way I found was by going to Penang, there they don’t care about you to have a stamp out from the previous country and they will stamp in your other passport without any problem and then you can do the visa without any issue. I will try to find my previous post when I’ll reach my office. Will let you know. Say hi to Jim 😉

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Ewelina *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

I wish I found this post earlier! Strangely enough I am in Penang doing my visa at Jimmy's.But even he told me I can only do a visa in a passport that have an entry stamp in. Anyways, I will search for it now. Thank you for your reply.

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Ewelina *************

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Ron *******

I would say there is zero chance of that happening and a good chance of being refused entry totally if you attempted to use it.You need to report that other passport damaged and get the letter to enable you to get the entry's transferred to your second passport.

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Ron *******

I take it there's no Thai embassy or consulates where you are?

Perhaps you can let us know the outcome as I cannot remember coming across this one where it involved 2 passports.

Thanks

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Nick *******

i will get my wife to do that today . Cheers

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Ron *******

Then again, your passports will be linked when you use the second passport and they will see you have a visa when they look at there screen. To be honest I'm now not sure how you need to play it. I'm just pretty convinced they won't accept photo copies of a damaged and unreadable passport. Might be worth a call to Thai immigration before you travel?

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Nick *******

im not very optimistic to be honest, I still have 6 months left on my visa and it's gonna be a pain in the ass to go through the rigmarole of getting a brand new one

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Ron *******

I've never come across this in the past so cannot give a solid answer of how Thai immigration will view it. They don't tend to be too understanding at times though.

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Ron *******

If you simply used your second passport as a visa exempt entry then yes, they wouldn't know. I just wouldn't go the other route of attempting to use photo copys of your previous passport and visa.

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Nick *******

Or should I say my 2nd passport

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Nick *******

unfortunately I'm in Papua New Guinea working.. surely they can't refuse me entry if I present my new passport and accept a 30 day waiver stamp

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Ron *******

If your in the UK then it would be either peterboro or Liverpool passport office.

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Nick *******

Who can I report it to ?

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Nick *******

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Nick *******

I'm a holder of 2 current UK passports , one has my retirement visa and multi entry stamp in it and one is totally untouched .. my passport with the visa was quite badly damaged by floodwater rendering the pages unreadable . Luckily I have photo copies showing the pages that contain the visa .. my question is .. when I land at swampy next month can I present both passports and the photo copy to immigration and get them to stamp me in on my other passport rather than the damaged one ...

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Terary **********

They never put the stamps next the other stamps.. Those guys are willy-nilly stamp, stamp stamp.

But seriously, I had a visa put in my passport today and discovered my passport has a blank page in between used pages... That page is still good?

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Ivan ************

It will be no problem, they will stamp anywhere it will fit. I have got them to stamp in very small places before.

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Terary **********

Thanks -- I am going start trying to get the IO's to use it- maybe I will get lucky

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Michael ********

If you can convince the IO to use it...it is good...some don't like going backwards in a passport....

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Michael ********

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David *******

What about thai passport to leave thailand, uk to enter Austrailia, then UK to leave Oz and Thai to enter thailand again?

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Michael ********

Oh right. Yes there should be no reason why you can't leave Thailand on a Thai passport and enter Australia on an UK passport with an E Visa and return the way you said....back to Thailand....as far as I know anyway.

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David *******

@Michael *******

simple questions , is the above doable or not?

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Michael ********

What about it??

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Michael ********

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Michael ********

Ewelina looks like your question is answered. Fly to Laos. Switch passports on the plane. Use that one for the new visa.

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Ewelina *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you

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Ewelina *************

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Kurt ********

I've traveled the last 20 years on two passports and routinely swap them out before crossing into Thailand.

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Pam ***********

when have you done that? i need to exit thailand with my italian passport and enter laos by land border with my swiss passport, can i do this?

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Laurence **********

Never ever been able to switch at a land border. Airports never a problem.

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Michael ********

When did you do this Kurt...?? Security and use of 2 passports has tightened up considerably in 2017. I tried in January 18 and was told that I can't do it so it has changed. It doesn't matter what you have done for the past 20 years....laws do change on occasions.

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Kurt ********

Hmmm. I exited Thailand on passport A, entered Loas on passport B, then exited Loas on Passport B, then entered Thailand on passport A during my last visa run to Savanakhet.

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Michael ********

I also have 2 passports and have swapped passports many times by air and at borders....but you can't do it at Thai borders specifically....I went last month and tried it...Cannot...!!

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Michael ********

Yes but you can't swap them at the border while doing a border bounce as the exit stamp, cambo visa and entry stamp must be in the same passport.. Which is what this thread is about.

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Laurence **********

Same it's easy. Never had a problem.

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Laurence **********

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Ron *******

I doubt immigration would stamp an extension into a passport which doesn't contain the visa.

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Paul **********

The only case where they do it is if it's a new passport (same country)

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Paul **********

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Michiko **********

If someone gets a visa on passport 1, enters and tries to get an extension in Thailand, does she have to do it using passport 1, or can she use passport 2?

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Michael ********

Passport 1

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Paul **********

The extension is linked to the Visa, so it has to be on the same passport. i.e. Passport 1

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Paul **********

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Paul **********

Dual citizenship passports can only be swapped at air borders.

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Michael ********

Yes I have 2 passports. Can't swap at a Thai border if border bouncing. Can send a 2nd passport for a visa while here though.

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Michael ********

If you fly to any countries you will not have any problems switching passports and applying for a visa.

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Ewelina *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Just been told, in Penang, I can only apply for a visa with the passport that has a stamp in to country. Where would you apply with no problems?

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Ewelina *************

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Ron *******

I'm not entirely sure if the OP is talking about 2 passports from the same country or duel citizen passports.

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Michael ********

1 reason is that you can double the life of 2 passports instead of using one all the time.

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Ewelina *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Many thanks

.

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Ron *******

I've no idea of your reason to do it but as I say, you can only do it at a Thai airport.

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Ewelina *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Duel citizenship

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Ewelina *************

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Oliver ********

I had the same issue trying to get into Laos on my other passport. But I've had no issues when flying into other countries like Myanmar and Cambodia

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Ron *******

You cannot swop passports at a Thai land border. Only at an airport.

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Ron *******

No idea why they stopped it at land borders but allow it at airports? They probably don't even know. It could of been when everything was being entered into the National immigration database. Land crossings were behind the airports getting it done and maybe they have never lifted the restrictions?

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Richard *******

Yep, As you say times have changed, I just do not understand why, If you have already stamped out of Thailand then why can you not use a different valid passport to stamp into another country ??

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Ron *******

You cannot swop at Thai land borders anymore. Only at Thai airports.

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Richard *******

I am not talking about a visa run, I have never actually done one of those. I flew into Thailand and then exited through the border crossing into Malaysia on my way to Singapore. The reason I used both my passports was due to work visa's I had for malaysia at the time, were in a different passport than my Thai visa.

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Ron *******

The 1980's you could send someone else to do a visa run for you! It's kind of changed these days.

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Richard *******

That is very interesting as I did this a couple of times when crossing from Thailand into Malaysia back in the 1980's with no problem at all. I had two UK passports. I guess from the comments here things have changed.

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Nick *******

You can go change passports at airports, but not at land borders.

is absolutely right!

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Ron *******

People travelling to there home country sometimes do it, such as the UK where we are not stamped in or out as UK citizens. A Thai for instance living in the UK will use there UK passport to leave the UK and use there Thai passport to enter Thailand. Then reverse the process when heading back to the UK. I'm not sure how it would work other than that.

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Ewelina *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Is it any airport?

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Ewelina *************

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