What is the best way to renew an American passport while living in Thailand?

@Christine ******

Many people never have their existing valid visa transferred to their new passport (if this is even possible) and continue to use both passports for travel until the visa in the older passport has expired. That is the normal routine in my understanding.

Again, the situation is different for extensions of stay (inked into your passport by a Thai immigration office located within Thailand).

George Marinkovich Update: immigration rules change constantly best to visit Thai Immigration's website. ...you have to transfer your visa to the new passport at Thai immigration. It's free to do so. When your new passport is issued the old one is useless. Most countries won't allow you to enter unless you have 6 months remaining on the validity of the passport.

@Tom ********

a visa (paper obtained from a Thai embassy or consulate pasted into a full page of your passport) is not the same thing as an extension of stay (half-page stamp indicating your permission of stay due to receiving an extension of stay issued by an immigration office inside Thailand). Extensions of stay are transferred from old to new passports. Visas are not.

@George ************

This is direct from the U.S. Consulate and Embassy in Thailand website: "Thai immigration law requires entry/exit stamps and Thai visas be transferred into new passports. After receiving your new passport, please visit any Thai immigration office to have the visa transferred."

@Christine ******

"His actual visa is in his old passport *and* his new passport." First I've ever heard of Thai immigration transferring a visa (not an extension of stay) into a new passport.

A visa is generally a full-page sticker issued by a Thai embassy or consulate that is pasted into your passport. What about the visa has been transferred into your son's new passport?

Does your son need to travel with both of his passports (until the visa in the old one expires) or only with his latest passport?

@George ************

His original visa is a stamp, not a sticker. It appears that it was transferred to his new passport along with the date of transfer; that's what I can surmise, since most of it is in Thai. When you go to immigration, the sign over the window says "Visa Transfer," not "Extension of Stay Transfer." I've never heard of needing to keep both your old and new passports with you for travel. What would be the sense in having two half-working passports?

@Christine ******

I keep my old passport because it had my ten year visa for India and china

@Christine ******

I think you will find that many Thai immigration officers refer to extension of stays as visas as it is more convenient to say, but that doesn't alter the reality of what they are.

What I'm trying to prevent with this extended discussion is someone thinking that they need to transfer their visa to their new passport. They don't. In fact, they can't as immigration won't do it for them. Immigration will tell them they need both passports until the visa in the old passport expires. So if you stay in Thailand on a visa rather than an extension of stay, there's no reason for you to go to immigration to have your visa transferred to your new passport. It won't happen. It doesn't need to happen. It will save you an unnecessary trip to immigration.

The other situation I'm trying to prevent is someone standing in front of an immigration officer with their new passport and trying to gain entry into Thailand and wondering why the immigration officer is asking to see their still valid original paper sticker in their previous passport. That is why you carry both passports until your valid visa in your old passport expires. Without being able to show that visa, you won't be getting entry to Thailand on the basis and terms of that visa.

@Christine ******

Again, does your son travel with one or two passports? If one I can see that something was achieved in the transfer (although still doubt it is in fact possible to do). If he still has to travel with two passports then concerning the visa, I don't see what has been achieved.

Is it possible that you are confusing information about the visa, rather than the visa itself?

I'm looking at my new passport, specifically the first two pages. I had immigration transfer my extension of stay from the old to the new passport. In addition, there is a stamp stating when my last Thai visa was issued (years and years ago, not even close to being valid). Also, the entry stamp when I was admitted to Thailand under that long ago expired visa. My extension of stay, of course. And finally, the entry stamp when I was admitted to Thailand under that latest extension of stay.

If I wanted to actually use that visa (which of course, I could not as it expired many years ago) I would have had to travel with my previous passport which contained the original visa, but only while it was unexpired.

When a visa is issued it is put into your current passport and remains there. It does not get transferred to your new passport. While it is still valid you can use it in conjunction with your current passport. Once your visa expires, of course, you no longer need to carry your previous passport.

I think if your son (or anyone else for that matter) tried to use the visa that is referenced in your new passport rather than the actual visa that exists in your previous invalidated passport, he would not be successful. Immigration would demand to see the original visa in the previous passport. Therefore, he would need to carry both his previous and current passports. The notation in your son's new passport does not constitute a valid visa. That valid visa exists in his previous (invalidated) passport. The previous passport has been invalidated (e.g., punched or corner cut off), but any valid visas can still be used until they expire.

The extension of stay that was transferred to my new passport is in fact of equivalent status to my extension of stay in my old passport. In that sense, it can be said to be transferred. I do not need to carry my old passport to show anyone my original extension of stay. That is not the case with visas. With visas, you have to carry your old passport with a currently valid visa until that visa is no longer valid. It is not enough to carry your new passport if you are relying on an unexpired visa in your old passport.

@George ************

Both my son and I have travelled overseas using only new passports with transferred visas (or whatever they are).

@Christine ******

I don't think you are trying very hard to understand the useful distinction between a visa and an extension of stay. So, the best we can do is agree to disagree. Best wishes for your future travels and immigration adventures.

@George ************

Correct, all overseas passport applications automatically get the large book (but it's always worth checking that box anyway, just to be sure). And Laos does have an e-visa, but unfortunately it's not for every purpose and can only be used at a select few entry points 😞

@Jess **************

exactly this - had my US passport renewed in Oct. The mail in process required 4 weeks from the day I mailed it until the day I received it. It's always a bit disconcerting to not have physical possession of your passport but the renewal process worked very efficiently IMO.

@Lawrence ****

you’re welcome Ma’am 😂