How do I renew my US passport and transfer my visa while in Thailand?

US Citizen Passport Renewal Visa Transfer Thai Immigration US Embassy Passport Processing NON-O Visa

Jul 24, 2023

a year ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

I'm a US citizen running out of pages in my passport.  The US embassy website says they prefer you to mail your passport in when getting a new one, but I don't feel comfortable with that so I'm going to make an appointment and go in person.

Couple questions.  Will the Embassy take my current passport while I wait for my new one?  And once I receive my new one, how do I get my current visa transferred from the old passport (which they will presumably keep and destroy) to the new one?

Any details you can supply for how the US embassy handles this would be appreciated.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A US citizen in Thailand is inquiring about the process of renewing their passport and transferring their visa. They express discomfort with mailing their passport to the embassy for renewal and plan to visit in person. Responses clarify that while the embassy typically prefers passport mail-in renewals, it is indeed possible to renew in person. Most users confirm that the embassy will take the old passport and mail back both the new and old passport, which will contain the visa stamp. Several commenters suggest keeping digital copies of important passport pages as a precaution.

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Mike ********

And it takes about 5 weeks..

a year ago

Linda ***********

Use mail method. Most people do.. I have used & simple/ no problems. Once passports received take both to immigration and they transfer visa info. Easy/peasy!

a year ago

Josh *********

Yes, they take passport. They will only mail the new one. Thai immigration will give new visa stamp.

a year ago

Josh *********

Yes, you can turn in your old passport at the US Consulate, while waiting two to four weeks for the new one to come in the mail (along with your cancelled old one).

Then you take the new one to your usual Thai immigration office (Laksi?), wait on line and queue for the section that will stamp your valid visa in your new passport. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

a year ago

Craig ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Josh ********

this contradicts what several others have said. Other people say you get both back to take to immigration for the stamp transfer.

a year ago

Reply to

Craig ********

Jeremy ********

Welcome to the Post Covid World, this is how you renew your passport now...once you send it in you will be passport less until a new is issued to you

a year ago

Frank **********

When I applied for a new passport while I was still in the states I also had to mail them my old passport which they retuwith holes in it. So pretty much the same procedure. Like someone else said take pictures.of your old passport.

a year ago

Steve **********

I did the mail renewal. It took less than 2 weeks and was insanely simple to complete.

a year ago

Brandon ************

Yes they will take your passport while you're waiting for the new one. They're also going to mail your new passport and old passport to you, you cannot pick it up from the embassy. So regardless of what you do, your passport is going in the mail.

a year ago

Jackie ***********

Keep photos on your phone of all important pages, latest visa, entry stamp, admitted until stamp, 90 day report, tm30. Send it in immediately after your next 90 day report. Ain't nobody gonna hassle you while you're waiting for a passport renewal. Once you get the new and old back, you go to immigration and they transfer the visa and stamps

a year ago

Jackie ***********

Just mail it in. You don't get faster service showing up in person. It will take 5-6 weeks. You get the old passport back

*****************************************************************************

a year ago

Lynnette *******

Why would you not be comfortable with this? It's what most people do. Perfectly safe. I'm not sure you can get an appointment to renew, but maybe that's changed since last year.

a year ago

Reply to

Lynnette *******

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Will my Thai visa remain valid if I renew my passport in the US before re-entering Thailand?

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