New Passport and Immigration
It is already 5 years ago that I received a passport for the first time, which was issued by the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok.
Apart from the fact that I have become 5 years older, I did not mind having to replace that passport with a new one, because the passport number, which consisted of numbers and letters mixed together, was impossible to remember. If I needed it for any purpose, I always had to get my passport.
Embassy
So I went to Bangkok to apply for a new passport. Before I entered the consular section, I had passport photos taken at the office across the street from the embassy. I was also presented with a stamped reply envelope. Neat service!
The service at the embassy counter was certainly no less. There was hardly any waiting time and I was helped by a very friendly and charming lady. Fingerprinting took most of my time, but after about 10 – 15 minutes I was outside again. I thought I had read that an iris scan would also be made, but that did not happen. The lady told me that I could expect the new passport at home in about 4 to 5 weeks.
10 years
The new passport is now valid for 10 instead of 5 years. I was very thoughtfully asked if I wanted a regular passport or an extra thick one with more pages. For the necessary visas and other stamps you might think that the number of pages in an ordinary passport could not be sufficient for 10 years. I took an ordinary passport and when I checked it later at home, it turned out to be the right choice. In my expired passport I used up 5 pages in 12 years, while 16 were still empty. I have no special travel plans, so the regular new passport will also be sufficient for the necessary visa stamps.
Anecdote
Just an anecdote in between. In my working life I have always had an extra thick passport, necessary for the many stamps during my business and private trips. The first time I applied for such a passport, I still had to state my profession. I filled in “office clerk”, which surprised the civil servant. What is an office clerk supposed to do with an extra thick passport? I explained to him that I was supposed to travel a lot, but the good man was not convinced. Eventually I did get the extra thick passport.
I have never been so title-hungry, I never told friends and acquaintances what my position was called, I just said “I work for …….” When I later had a higher management position and someone asked what I did, I told , which, among other things, I visited customers abroad to sell machines and carry out large projects. A smart friend then said: "Oh, so you are a representative". “Yes, I said, “that's right!”
New passport
When the lady at the embassy told me the delivery time of the new passport, I calculated that I would have the new passport right on time by the expiration date of my “retirement visa”. Fortunately the passport came much earlier, I was careful to wait only two weeks for it and now it had a nice and easy to remember number. The citizen service number, which was next to the date of birth, has now been moved to the back. So on to Immigration to have the visa transferred from the old to the new passport.
Immigration
Five years ago it was a piece of cake, the stamps were transferred easily and free of charge. I had already read on this blog that that procedure had changed and that you actually have to redo the entire renewal procedure. I went to Immigration with both passports, a new income statement from the Austrian Consulate, a new bank letter, passport photo and application form.
The Retirement Visa branch in Soi 5 Jomtien has been well adapted over the years. Once there was only 1 man who had to handle everything, now the same man is still there, but assisted by 3 young ladies, who also know the ins and outs. There was hardly any waiting time.
But the new passport meant a double procedure. On the spot I had to fill in a form, which contained a request for the transfer of the visa. Everything approved, but come back tomorrow. No sooner said than done and the next day my actual request for an extension of the retirement visa was processed. Also approved again and so come back again the next day.
The next day I picked up my new passport with the retirement visa, which allows me to stay in Thailand for another year. I could now also complete my 90-day check across the desk and then have a credit card reduction of passport and visa made in the desk next to Immigration.
Finally
As described above, the handling at Immigration in Jomtien was fast, adequate and efficient. Reading the stories on this blog from other Immigration offices in Thailand, Pattaya/Jomtien is perhaps the best in Thailand that one can deal with.
About this blogger
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Bert Gringhuis (1945), born and raised in Almelo in the beautiful Twente. Later lived for many years in Amsterdam and Alkmaar, working in export for various companies. I first came to Thailand in 1980 and immediately fell in love with the country. Been back many times since then and moved to Thailand after my (early) retirement as a widower. I have been living there for 22 years now with my somewhat younger Thai lady Poopae.
My first experiences in Thailand as a kind of newsletter sent to family, friends and acquaintances, which later appeared under the name Gringo on Thailandblog. Many, many articles followed those first stories and that has grown into an almost daily hobby.
In the Netherlands still an avid footballer and football referee, but the years are starting to tell and in Thailand still avid, but the pool billiards is really of inferior quality, ha ha!
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I also had to renew, but that was done in Jomtien in 2 days with the help of a very helpful young man who also speaks Dutch. He is there especially to help in difficult cases.
Here in amnatcharoen I finished in 25 minutes. Income statement, copy of my marriage and passport photos. Only the passport photos still had to be made (100) bath and just fill in my address here. That's all
Dear Gringo,
Previously, the new passport stated that this passport replaces the old passport with number xxxx. This was enough to transfer your visa to the new passport.
Now the website of the embassy talks about a “Declaration of confirmation of new Dutch passport for Thai Immigration” costs 30 euros.
How was that arranged with your application?
Greetings Hans
A question about the same subject as follows, I'm going to the Netherlands at the beginning of December to obtain a new passport (can't wait 4 weeks in Thailand nl).
Can I simply travel back to Thailand from the Netherlands and transfer my Visa extension there or does this have to be done in the Netherlands?
even if this is possible in Thailand what is the maximum time you can wait to transfer this?
Regards John V
You must return to Thailand with both passports, old and new.
Your period of stay will be stamped in your new passport upon entry. This on the basis of the "extension" in your old passport, if that "extension" is still valid of course. So hand over both passports at immigration at the airport.
Afterwards, when you are at your place of residence, you must go to the immigration office responsible for your place of residence with both passports. There your "extension", and some other information about your original visa, will be transferred from your old to your new passport. Is there an application form for.
You don't have to do that right away, but it's best not to let it drag on, and of course before your "extension" expires.
Normally, transferring the data/extension from the old to the new passport is free.
If you replace an old passport with a new one, the remaining period of your extension will be transferred to your new passport. Because that must then be extended. If there are less than 30 days left of your extension, you can immediately request a new year extension. In the other case you can just continue to use the remaining period and come back later for your “extension” (Just like HarryN) said.
In the Netherlands (or anywhere outside Thailand) you cannot have an extension transferred to your new passport.
This must always be done in an immigration office in Thailand.
It could be better Gringo. Here in Huahin, the transfer was indeed done with that one turnover form. Costs B.500 and less than half an hour later outside, so no coming back the next day and nothing of the entire retirement procedure again because the retirement visa only expired six months later.
HarryN it could be even better, in Rayong no costs were charged for transferring the current visa from the old Dutch passport to the new passport; nor was it necessary to extend the current visa early.
Nico B
I brought a new passport from Necerland and had my retirement visa in Korat transferred to my new paoort. Filled out the form with a request for transfer, but no further explanations. Got the new one right away and it was also free.
It took some time because my first non-o also had to be transferred.
Dutch nationals traveling via Schiphol can apply for a new passport there. You can make an appointment online and they are even available on weekends. Costs less than at the embassy and is ready within a week. Just check the website to see what is required for the application and point out the valid visa to the official responsible.
I also collected a passport from the Dutch Embassy a while ago, went to immigration in Bangkok the same day, transferred everything neatly for free.
Great, this story comes right on time… well… I have to do the same in Hua Hin soon…
Now I know how to do it without having to figure out how it works!
Awesome,
Thanks for the contribution!
I applied for a new passport in the Netherlands before I left for Thailand. The old passport still contained a valid retirement visa. At the town hall they invalidated all the pages in the old passport except the one with the retirement visa and I got a note in my new passport as follows:
“This passport has been issued to replace passport number ———-”
This did not really cheer me up, as that implies that you always have to have your old passport with you. And what my surprise when entering Thailand was asked for my old passport and of course the new one. The retirement visa has now been transferred.
Has the municipality acted in the right way here?
Fr.gr.
Jan
It is quite normal for a new passport to state that the new replaces the old.
Also at immigration, upon entry, it is normal that you have to show both passports. After all, your valid annual extension/re-entry is still in your old passport.
Once everything has been transferred to your new passport at immigration, you no longer need that old passport for anything.
The council acted in the right way. So you can be happy again….
That is not correct, at least not in Korat. Transferring everything went smoothly and free of charge, but I did realize that if I come for a new annual extension in six months, I still have to take that old passport with me. After that no more.
Once everything has been transferred, the old passport is of little use.
That is also the goal, because you would no longer need that old passport.
Anyway, if Korat asks this … there are more things that are still going on.
I think so too, but it was specifically said. Otherwise I would have thrown it away. Even the original non o 3 months has been transferred to the new passport.
Information about your Non-immigrant “O” MUST always be transferred when you have a new passport, even though the validity period of that visa has long expired.
That is the visa with which you entered Thailand and with which you then obtained a 90-day stay. All that follows are year extensions of those 90 days. That is why it is carried over into your new passport.
It is therefore never the visa that is extended, only the period of stay that you initially obtained. You can never extend a visa.
Also can't think of where they want your old passport t
see you again in Korat
The mysterious ways of immigration? 😉
Once everything has been transferred to your new passport at immigration, you no longer need that old passport for anything.
The above is incorrect. On my second entry to BKK, I was still asked for my old passport, while the year extension in the new passport had already been arranged on the first entry. So next time I will take my old passport with me.
Groet
Jan
It is quite normal that you also have to show the old passport when you first enter with a new passport.
After all, your old passport still contains your annual extension, re-entry and original visa details. You cannot have it transferred to a new passport outside Thailand, so you must enter that way the first time (old and new passport) and then go to your immigration office
But if I understand correctly:
In your case it was a second entry and after your first entry with that new passport you had already had everything transferred to your new passport at your immigration office before leaving for the Netherlands (or wherever).
When you came back in afterwards, the second time with that new passport, they asked again for your old passport.
Foreign.
Wonder what she actually wanted to see in your old passport? After all, everything was in your new passport.
As far as I know, this has not been reported anywhere. I'm going to look a bit further to see if I can find anything about this because it's the first time I've heard this from someone. .
In Udonthani I also find the immigration service very friendly and helpful.
About 2 months ago, as a Belgian, I did the same action as described by Gringo: new passport, new year extension and 90 days report.
No problem at all at the Belgian embassy in BKK: choice in which language I wanted to be served, Dutch or French. Completed the necessary documents. The passport photo is taken by the embassy itself. Fingerprints, electronic signature and payment of 75 Euro. I could make the choice: pick it up myself or have it delivered at home by registered EMS shipment. Since I chose to have it delivered at home: 100THB shipping costs. After 12 days I received an email that my new passport had arrived and the request to send the old passport, with a special self-addressed envelope (the kind with bubbles for sale everywhere in the post office). 2 days later I had everything at home: the new passport and the invalid (cut corners) old passport. Enclosed the document of "authentication". For Belgians it is now valid for 7 years and no longer 5 years. You can also opt for a passport with extra pages than the normal one.
At immigration in Chumphon, had the visa transferred to the new passport, made the annual extension and immediately reported the 90. No new documents, except for the visa transfer form, against another year extension: bank document, bank book and some copies of the previous and new passport…
We have been served neatly and correctly everywhere: both at the embassy and at immigration.
Firstly thank you for all this very helpful info. Has anyone done their “visa” transfer in Chiangmai? Is it the same there or is it much more complicated like all visa matters.
And is the note in the passport: to replace passport xxxxx sufficient or do you need a special form from the Embassy?