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What challenges will I face when transferring my retirement visa to a new passport in Thailand?

Visa ExtensionRetirement VisaThailand ImmigrationNew PassportVisa Transfer ProcessExpat Guidance
May 10, 2023
2 years ago
Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
In July this year I will be having the pleasure of extending my “retirement” visa for another year. This will be my second time. Last year was fun and after being at the government building for almost a day, I finally got it completed.

This year will have an added complexity, in that I have to use a new passport because the current one associated with my current visa is quickly getting full. (I should point out that I’m a British Citizen who is lucky and allowed to hold two passports at the same time - for info purposes). What kind of additional complexities are there likely to be when I submit my application and supporting documentation using this new passport? Anyone been in a similar situation? Thanks in advance.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The post discusses the complexities of extending a retirement visa in Thailand while transitioning to a new passport. The author, a British citizen with two valid passports, shares their experience from the previous year and seeks advice on the potential challenges of submitting their visa extension application using a new passport. Commenters provide suggestions, including the need to transfer the visa stamp from the old passport to the new one and mention additional documentation like bank statements that may be unexpectedly required by immigration officials. There are warnings about the complexities of disclosing the existence of two passports and advice on how to navigate the application process.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
Rajiv *******
Do not under any circumstances let them know you have 2 passports. It will.cause immense confusion and indecision. Just tell them the UK authorities asked younto send back the old passport once visa was extended (but in their system its canceled).
2 years ago
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Gary *********
@Rajiv ******
 don't cut anymore
2 years ago
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Rajiv *******
@Gary ********
 that’s what i was trying to explain
2 years ago
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Rajiv *******
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John ********
@Rajiv ******
2 years ago
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John ********
@Rajiv ******
 rubbish

They will cut his old passport before they give him the new one so they will know his old passport is not any good

You don't know what you are talking about
2 years ago
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Rajiv *******
@John *******
 I have done it before soo I know what I am taking about. Take your rubbish input elsewhere #ithinkiknowitall
2 years ago
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John ********
@Rajiv ******
 blah blah blah
2 years ago
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John ********
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *******
 as I mentioned before John. I am allowed to retain 2 valid passports at the same time. So one won’t be cut.
2 years ago
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John ********
@Darren ********
 not in Thailand if the passport is from the UK

They will cut the old one

I tried to use the old one in the bank but they said they couldn't
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *******
 as I said John. Neither is an old one in that sense. I only need to cut one of mine once they are invalid past 10 years or if they are indeed full and one is being replaced.
2 years ago
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John ********
@Darren ********
 if you need it in plan English then your passport that will be cut is invalid ie no good for you to use in immigration
2 years ago
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John ********
@Darren ********
 you don't have any idea what you are talking about Good bye
2 years ago
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Rajiv *******
@John *******
 - ignore him he is an idiot
2 years ago
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Rajiv *******
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Rajiv ******
 ok. Understood. Good plan.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
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John ********
Ok I've just had that done with my old passport and new passport

Before you get the new retirement visa you will need to transfer the old stamp to the new passport you will have to fill in the forms from your embassy and the immigration will have a form for you to fill in and sign,

Also you will need a copy of the old passport and the new passport in colour

Now I have a surprise for you that I got upset with the immigration, because they will also ask you for your bank book and a bank statement for the year even though this is not on the list of things that we must have to show to them

I started to shout at the immigration officer and they said unless I get the bank statement they refused to transfer the stamp

You need to go to the bank and find out how long before you get the new statement, good luck
2 years ago
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Roger ********
@John *******
 what embassy forms?

It has been a while, but last time I did this, when I received the new passport in the post I just took old and new to the local Immigration where they filled in the first two pages of the new passport with details from the old. There were no documents from the embassy.
2 years ago
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Roger ********
I am interested to know what forms are required from the Embassy, which is no longer part of the passport renewal process.
2 years ago
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John ********
@Roger *******
 if your in Bangkok

You will need to make a appointment to go to give your passport form to them

The Trendy Office Building is in soi13 Sukhumvit Road
2 years ago
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Roger ********
@John *******
 Fortunately, I am not in Bankok. The local Korat immigration have always been most helpful and there's rarely a queue.
2 years ago
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Roger ********
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John ********
@Roger *******
 I ask you again did you get the new passport when you was in Thailand or the uk
2 years ago
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Roger ********
I will need to renew in Thailand.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Roger *******
 cannot. Can only submit the application through the venue in Soi 15 I think.
2 years ago
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Roger ********
@Darren ********
 I understand the system has changed, thank you.
2 years ago
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Roger ********
@John *******
 I did answer. I have not yet renewed my passport which is running out of pages. I must do so soon.
2 years ago
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John ********
@Roger *******
 ok then once you have gone to the new passport office with your form and paid for the passport

And your new passport has arrived you will be given a form from the passport office for the thai immigration and you will need one for the thai immigration office so that is two forms to fill in and you will need a copy of the old and new passport's to give the immigration.

And if its a retirement visa application then they will ask you for your savings book and the full years statement from the bank

But make sure that you know how long the bank will take to process it for you

This is what happened to me two weeks ago in Bangkok immigration office
2 years ago
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Roger ********
@John *******
 Thank you. These things never seem to get simpler.
2 years ago
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John ********
@Roger *******
 yes that I understand

I lost my tamper with the officer because the passbook and bank statement is not on the list of things that we must have
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *******
 they make up the rules as they go along!!
2 years ago
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John ********
@Darren ********
 unfortunately it's up to them

I was told that only the retirement visa application was made to show the bank statement even though its not on the list of things that we must show them
2 years ago
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John ********
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Roger ********
I need to do so soon. I actualy have about 4 years left on the passport but only two pages.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Roger *******
 same for me but luckily have the second passport for this kind of scenario.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
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John ********
If you have then the embassy would have given you the form for the immigration
2 years ago
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John ********
@Roger *******
 did you renew your passport in Thailand
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *******
 for a few years now you can’t renew your passport at the British Embassy in Thailand. It’s been a postal submission.
2 years ago
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Roger ********
@Darren ********
 Quite a few years ago I had to renew via Hong Kong, but I am aware that the system has changed. Taking at least 10 weeks to get a new passport apaprently.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Roger *******
 correct. Same process in most Asian countries now.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
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John ********
@Darren ********
 they can ask you for anything they want,

They also said that they only ask the retirement visa person for the bank information even though its not on the list of things
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *******
 ok. I can drop by the UK embassy in Sathorn next week. For bank statements, I don’t keep 800k in the bank, I use the monthly income mode. So do I have to print out 12 months of statements?
2 years ago
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John ********
@Darren ********
 they will ask you for your statement for the year to make sure that your money is correct for the year ie your monthly deposits are paid in full so yes they'll want to see it
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *******
 seems like they are getting ahead of the yearly submission but hay ho, most things appear made up and make no sense.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
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Gareth ********
I’m in the same position as you. What you need to do is: renew the passport with your current extension stamp, the new passport should have an accompanying letter stating it is a replacement for the one with the extension.

Then go to your local immigration office and ask for them to transfer the stamp to your new passport with said letter.

As far as I have been informed you can not transfer it to your second passport.

When you arrive next week make sure you use the passport with the extension in.
2 years ago
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Roger ********
@Gareth *******
 accompanying letter? From who?
2 years ago
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Roger ********
Good luck with that
2 years ago
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Gareth ********
@Roger *******
 from the passport office.
2 years ago
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Gareth ********
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Peter *********
Just show old and new passports not an issue
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Can they also do it at the airport when I re-enter Thailand next week and I have both passports with me?
2 years ago
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Bjorn ********
@Darren ********
 the IO had a stamp which he dated and signed and added the existing dates from the old passport stamp.

I did, however, have a letter from the (Norwegian) embassy declaring that the fresh passport was a replacement for my old passport. I don’t think the IO unfolded that letter, so he didn’t much look for that.

On the form, there is a spot where you have to declare the REASON for having your passport changed. Mine had songkran water damage and since I was near my embassy, I figured getting a replacement passport now was easier than doing it at home (in the US, where I need to go to Washington DC for the biometric recordings - annoying).

And now, the passport has Bangkok as the place of issuance, which is kind of cool. I thought. I please easily.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bjorn *******
 thanks. Will give it a try on Monday when I re-enter from Singapore.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
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Andy ******
@Darren ********
 airport only issue entry stamps and exit stamps ,they won't deal with transfer of visa from one passport to another ,go to proper immigration office get it done
2 years ago
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Graham ******
@Darren ********
 No, they will tell you to transfer it ASAP
2 years ago
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Bob **********
@Darren ********
 I’ve never heard of the airport doing this but it doesn’t hurt to ask them show both passports
2 years ago
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Bjorn ********
@Bob *********
 I had a similar transfer done last week at the airport.

You do have to fill out a Thai/English application form asking for a stamp transfer at a station behind the immigration line. There’s a good amount of computer entry that needs to be done by the IO but the transfer took about 10 minutes.

Obviously not a line for this service!

And no cost.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bjorn *******
 that’s useful to know Bjorn. So you were making the stamp appear in a new passport right?
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bob *********
 ok
2 years ago
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Darren *********
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Graham ******
@Peter ********
 The simple solution is transfer your extension stamp before you go to renew it
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Peter ********
 ok great. And then they will obviously stamp the new one I guess.
2 years ago
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Bob **********
@Darren ********
 they should have given the letter with your new passport but I’m sure they’ll still do it maybe jump through a few hoops no worries
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bob *********
 as I explained in my intro Bob. I already have a new passport. I’ve had it for a few years. I got it just before Covid. I have special dispensation to have 2 valid passports at any one time. I didn’t have a retirement visa back then when I received my second passport. I had an employment pass, so there would have been no need for a letter.
2 years ago
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Darren *********
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Bob **********
@Darren ********
 do you have the letter from your embassy asking them to transfer the extension??
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bob *********
 why would the UK embassy ask the Thai immigration to do this? Why can’t I ask them to do it if I have two valid passports?
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bob *********
 what? I have to go to my embassy to do something like this?
2 years ago
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Darren *********
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Peter *********
@Darren ********
 you need go immigration and get them to transfer retirement visa into new passport 1st
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Peter ********
 oh ok. Immigration at the airport or at Chaengwattana? Isn’t this, the latter, the same place to process my next one year visa?
2 years ago
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Peter *********
@Darren ********
 immigration office soon as you have new passport go do
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Peter ********
 ok. I have it already.
2 years ago
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Peter *********
@Darren ********
 ok mate go immigration office and ask them to transfer over to new passport and obviously as Thailand 🇹🇭 they will give you a form to fill in lol 😆
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Peter ********
 in English I hope!!
2 years ago
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Darren *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
So go to Chaengwattana?
2 years ago
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Peter *********
@Darren ********
 yes
2 years ago
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Peter *********
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