What should I do if my family's passports were stolen and they need their Thai visas reissued?

Thai visa Foundation visa Non-O visa Emergency passport Visa extension Re-entry stamp US citizen in Thailand Consulate Services

Sep 3, 2019

5 years ago

Matt *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

I've got an interesting issue that I don't think has come up in this group. I've been in Surin for 12 years with a foundation visa. I'm American and married to an American. We have four American kids as well. 

-We came to the States in May to drop off our oldest child at college. In August, my wife and second daughter went to England. *They were robbed in Birmingham and lost their belongings and PASSPORTS.*

-They had to get emergency passports in London and will be applying for permanent American passports soon. We are scheduled to return to Thailand in January.

-My wife and kids are "followers" and their visas and re-entry stamps were in the stolen passports. We don't have copies of the old passports and re-entry stamps.

Does anybody have any suggestions for the process to get their visas again? When they show up at Suvarnabhumi, they will just be given tourist visas. Should I try to apply for a non-O visa at the Thai consulate in Chicago and then convert that visa into a follower visa? My visa (and my two sons) expires March 9, 2020

I'd love to avoid flying into Thailand and then leaving for Laos or PP.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

An expat in Thailand shares their dilemma about losing their family's passports, which contained important visa stamps, during a robbery in the UK. They are seeking advice on how to handle the situation upon returning to Thailand, including whether to apply for new Non-O visas or attempt to recover their previous visa extensions.

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Tod *********

For sure have them get police reports.

I wouldn't get new Non-O visas before coming back and seeing if the previous extensions can be recovered or not.

I'd say fly them in on 30 day visa exempt entry stamps. Then go to the immigration office where you got the year extensions and see if they can access the previous extension data and put the existing extensions into their passports.

I have seen this happen before but it's NOT common and some offices will just tell you to start all over. by going to get new Non-O visas and then new yearly extensions.

The thing is IF you get new Non-O visas before they come back, you're done,(as in there is no chance to recover the existing extensions) and will have to apply for a new yearly extension when they have 30 days or less left on that 90 day stamp.

5 years ago

Tod *********

@Matt ******

, I don't think you're gonna be able to get anything other than a 90 day single entry Non-O visa for either of them from the consulates back there.

There is no "follower visa" you'd be getting them Non-O visas and I'd bet they're just gonna issue a 90 day Non-O then you apply for the extension once they get back here at the immigration office

5 years ago

Matt *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

Or maybe I could request a follower visa from the consulate in Chicago that expires the same time as mine (March 9)?

5 years ago

Matt *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

The Surin immigration office has been “up and down” through the years. Some years they seem friendly and helpful and other years they would be happier if the foreigners just all went home. If my wife and daughter come in on a visa exempt 30-day stamp, I would be at the mercy of Surin immigration. I don’t think Surin immigration knows the meaning of “mercy.” I think the best bet would be to seek the 90 day visa from Chicago consulate and then find out how to convert that into a follower visa.

5 years ago

Reply to

Matt *******

Ricky *********

Sorry about the robbery but can't you go to the DC consulate and get whatever visa they were on added to their new passports? That's what I did.

5 years ago

Matt *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

Ha. I’m sending my kid to college in the US, that’s why I can’t afford a trip to Laos. Haha

5 years ago

Tod *********

@Cen ****

BUT once they get those visas there is no possibility to recover the existing extensions :/

However they could apply for new yearly extensions off those visas.

You're right, it's certainly an option and they have been here long enough to know how the yearly extension process works.

5 years ago

Ricky *********

@Tod ********

I'd think that's preferable to heading off to Laos. If he can send his kid to university in the USA, he can afford two new visas lol

5 years ago

Tod *********

they are on extensions of stays from inside the country and the consulate can't issue those. They'd have to buy new visas and start all over again.

5 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

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