What should I do about my work permit and Non-B Visa if I need to apply for a new passport due to limited pages?

Dec 6, 2017
7 years ago
Sasha **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Good afternoon. My passport has only two pages left and I need to apply for a new one. What happens to my work permit and Non-B Visa? Thank you
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TLDR : Answer Summary
If your passport has only two pages remaining and you need to apply for a new one, you should contact your embassy. They will provide a letter to transfer your existing visa and work permit stamps to your new passport. Generally, you must take both your old and new passports, along with the embassy's letter, to the Thai Immigration office. While the process is typically free, some immigration offices may charge a nominal fee, such as 500 baht. It’s also important to ensure you are not counting the endorsement pages, as they do not count as visa pages. If you're on a yearly extension of stay, the process to transfer your visa should be straightforward.
Anna *********
I wonder if your company (if you're on a work permit) could assist you with the whole process once you get the letter from the embassy. I was in exactly the same position a couple of months ago. The worst thing was waiting for the new passport. It took ages ... and the transfer was done in a couple of days.
Michael *********
Last time my Passport expired they allowed me to keep old one. Don't know if that helps you or if they still do it now, But.....
Tod *********
When you do go to the immigration office and get your stamps transferred this is what it looks like. This makes a notation that I had a Non-O back in 2009 and on the next page it lists the yearly extensions I've had since then.
Michael *********
Get more pages added....
Richard *******
Even Americans cannot do that now !!
Adam *********
Side not: not sure of the answer to your question, but congrats on filling up your passport...#life goals...hope I need to ask similar questions in the future
Jason ******
I hope when you say "2 pages left", you are not counting the last 2 blank pages which says "Endorsements/Amendments" on the side. These free pages are NOT for Visa or stamps and you will get turned away at the border.
Sasha **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
hahah of course not, two pages i left for my visas stamps ;)
Tod *********
@Ale***
, then as other posters said when you get your new passport you take the old one and the new one (and the letter that your consulate gives you when you get a new passport overseas) to the immigration office. You go to the section where you got your extension of stay and they will transfer your stamps to the new passport.

As a rule it is 100% free to get this done BUT some immigration offices charge you. If they try to charge you ask for a receipt
Richard *******
Besides the consulate letter I believe there are two forms that Immigration require you to fill in.
Bob *********
I paid 500 baht for a residence statement. Asked for a receipt and only received a smile
Sasha **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
thank you very much :)
Tod *********
The question is are you on a year-long, muit-entry Non-B visa (the kind where you exit and re-enter the country every 90 days)

OR

are you on a yearly extension of stay that you got from the immigration office for 1900baht?
Sasha **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
what is your advice in my case?
Tod *********
Sasha **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Im on a yearly extension of stay :)
Jim *******
500 Baht? Free in Nakhon Ratchasima Immigration
Dylan ********
I was asked for 500 (its unofficial ;) ) I didn't pay it.
Marco *********
I paid 500 in Koh Samui.

They have unfriendly rules there
Marco *********
Your Embassy will give you a letter to transfer your visa on new passport. With that letter and both passports, go to Immigration office (fee 500 baht). No problem on your work permit
Bim *******
Thanks
@T**
. As far as I know this PE visa is only available in Thailand also.
Tod *********
@B**
, Sorry about that, I stand humbly corrected :/

You're right the thai elite visa is indeed a sticker stuck in your passport by the immigration dept. For all I know the diplomatic visa is a sticker too but I couldn't find an image of one.
Bim *******
Diplomatic and Thailand Elite are but two issued within the country. Just when you said all visas
@Tod ********
which isn't true.
Tod *********
@B**
, what visa do you have?

The ONLY one I can think of that they'd have a sticker for would be the Thai Elite visa.
Bim *******
They do because I have just done it 3 weeks ago. My new visa sticker is in my new passport
@Tod ********
I can assure you. It's not a stamp but a sticker. They had to do it that way because my visa has my passport number on it and I have a new passport. It is exactly the same as the sticker I'm my old passport and not a stamp. Of course you are correct that O and B visa is a stamp but wanted to correct you when you said all visas.
Marco *********
Not just a recommendation then, but a proper rule.

You are right Tod
Marco *********
Yes, I did it.
Tod *********
@Ma***
, You definitely would have needed to travel with BOTH passports until the visa in the old one expires.
Tod *********
@Bim ******
, unless I'm wrong Chaengwattana doesn't issue visa stickers. How about blanking out your personal data and postin a pic of it?

Every visa I've ever seen issued by Chaengwattana (and they only issue 90 day Non-Immigrant ones of all types) are stamps like these.
Bim *******
Sorry
@Tod ********
that is incorrect. I have just got a new UK passport and my visa sticker was applied to my new passport at Chang Wattana Bangkok. Non B however you are correct but not all visas. Means I no longer need my old passport at all.
Marco *********
Tod, I did it.

Visa sticker of course remain on old passport, but Immigration makes a stamp on new passport confirming you have a valid multi entry visa. And it is recommended to travel with both passports till when the visa is valid
Tod *********
No immigration office in the country will transfer a VISA to a new passport (other than a diplomatic visa or the thai elite visa).

For most people, a visa is a sticker you get from a thai consulate outside the country and they stay in the passport they're stuck in.

All the immigration office will do is transfer extensions of stays, re-entry permits and entry stamps.

If you are on a year-long, multi-entry visa and get a new passport you use BOTH passports exiting and entering the country until the visa in the old one is expired.
Tod *********
That is not correct :/
Jim *******
Your embassy will probably give you a letter to give to Thai Immigration, asking them to transfer your stamps to new passport. I did mine last week. US Embassy does, not sure what other embassies do.
Sasha **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jim ******
thank you.
Jim *******
Ask your Embassy
Sasha **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Im not a US citizen, im from Europe :) Thanks.
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