Will my family be allowed entry into Thailand with less than 6-months passport validity?

Oct 15, 2019
5 years ago
Ralph ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello, would appreciate your valuable insight on this: I will be travelling with my two young sons on 26th Oct to Bangkok Don Mueang from Bali (where we live) for a one week stay. We hold Swiss passports and will therefore get visa exemption on arrival. But : my sons passports' validity both expire on 19 Feb 2020 and mine on 12 Apr 2020, i.e. all our passports have less than 6-months validity. Do you know whether this will be a problem at immigration, would they not allow us entry in Thailand? If so, I would have the possibility to get temporary passports for all of us which I believe would be valid for a year. Could I successfully enter Thailand with those? Thanks for your help.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The inquiry discusses potential passport validity issues for a Swiss family traveling to Thailand. They hold passports expiring within six months of their entry date. The community responds that while Thai immigration might permit entry, many airlines enforce a stricter six-month validity rule for boarding. It is advised to obtain new passports to avoid issues and ensure smooth travel.
James ********
Save yourself possible grief and troubles. Get new passports. Enjoy your holidays.

Commenting closed.
@Ron ******
sent me this message:

"Just on that passport thread that was closed. The UK no longer issue temporary travel documents to enter Thailand. No whether that is a UK thing or Thailand no longer allow emergency passport entry, I have no idea."
Robert *******
Thailand would let you in, but you understand that if Indonesia enforce this rule you can not go back, your visa will run out and your only option will be back to the Swiss for new passports.
Ralph ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Indeed Robert, thanks.
Tod *********
Good point (y)
Ralph ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you Kathy ๐Ÿ™
Kathy ********************
A few years ago I had a similar issue. And after much digging (not on the first or second page) the TAT confirmed that you needed 6 months min in your passport from the date of entry. And the airline was the one that put up the first road block to getting to Thailand
Tod *********
The actual THAI rule is that you need at least as much time on your passport as you will get stamped in to the country for. Meaning you do NOT need 6 months validity on the passports to enter thailand.

BUT

There is a rule that air carriers follow that state you need at least 6 months validity to check in and board the aircraft.

As far as can you get a temp passport, can you travel to thailand on them, etc Those are questions you need to be asking the Swiss consulate NOT the visa group. :/
Ralph ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks Tod for the return, I was anticipating that catch-22 situation with the air carrier... Regarding the temporary passport though, allow me to still consider it is not an irrelevant question for your group as it doesn't entail to get confirmation from one's citizenship diplomatic representation (in my case the Swiss consulate doesn't know which countries allow entry or not to travelers with temporary passports) but rather from Thai immigration policy. Some countries, like Singapore I believe, will not allow entry at all to temporary passport holders, some countries will allow if the traveler can prove he/she is in transit, en route to his/her mother land, and some countries allow entry if the passport is valid for more than 6 months. Thus, my wish to know where Thailand stands re entry in the country with temp passports.
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