I may/may not have a passport problem with an upcoming trip

[Sprucegoose]

Which guys? Paying who?

Immigration. The payoffs increase as you near or exceed payday!!

Generally no problems for a few weeks after pay day

 

[Sprucegoose]

You've been watching too many movies.:shock:

Lol I wish I had the time Mark!!

Just lived and worked in Asia for sometime. Went through a number of 64 page passports !!

 

[Sprucegoose]

So I've spent today on the phone to the passport office and to VA. VA were absolutely useless...the supervisor thought Indonesia and Thailand were the same country and didn't believe me when I kept saying he was discussing the wrong country and to get his facts straight!! (New Zealand call centre, I asked to be put through to Australia after that)
The passport office said I would have no problems, Virgin said it's not up to them, Passport office said it was Virgin's decision to board me or not, Virgin said it was up to immigration.
Anyway, decided to get a priority passport done, however passport office is not processing any priority passports until next Monday, of which it wouldn't be ready until next Thurs/Fri (their words)...so I am screwed either way now. I'll either be spending a coughpy week in Perth alone or I won't.

Pick a female immigration officer. Chances are you will be fine

 

[Happy Trails]

Pick a female immigration officer. Chances are you will be fine

It's always best to pick a female at BKK immigration. They typically process the pax at twice the speed of the men.
A bit like supermarket check-outs in Aus.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I'm very frustrated . the check-in staff with refer to TIMATIC alone. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BOARD

 

[straitman]

I'm very frustrated . the check-in staff with refer to TIMATIC alone. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BOARD

dazz81,

No need to be frustrated. You know what you know but others are more cautious.

Unfortunately, or otherwise, smartraveller.gov.au also says: "Thai authorities require all travellers to have at least six months validity remaining on their passports. You may be refused entry to Thailand, or may not be permitted to board your Thailand-bound flight, if your passport has less than six months validity."

 

[Hvr]

It's always best to pick a female at BKK immigration. They typically process the pax at twice the speed of the men.
A bit like supermarket check-outs in Aus.

I seem to have a different experience at BKK, the women seem to gaze upon my awesome handsomeness just a little longer than the men.

 

[dot]

So I've spent today on the phone to the passport office and to VA. VA were absolutely useless...the supervisor thought Indonesia and Thailand were the same country and didn't believe me when I kept saying he was discussing the wrong country and to get his facts straight!! (New Zealand call centre, I asked to be put through to Australia after that)
The passport office said I would have no problems, Virgin said it's not up to them, Passport office said it was Virgin's decision to board me or not, Virgin said it was up to immigration.
Anyway, decided to get a priority passport done, however passport office is not processing any priority passports until next Monday, of which it wouldn't be ready until next Thurs/Fri (their words)...so I am screwed either way now. I'll either be spending a coughpy week in Perth alone or I won't.

Hi Mella,

You can get an Australian passport much quicker than 2 days if you head into Melbourne office (cnr Spring and Lonsdale streets) of the passport office. I was able to get a replacement passport for a lost passport in about 4 hours if you go there in person with all your documentation/photos etc in hand. As far as I know, they're still there and still able to do rush passports.

Dot

 

[flyingfan]

No need to be frustrated. You know what you know but others are more cautious.

Unfortunately, or otherwise, smartraveller.gov.au also says: "Thai authorities require all travellers to have at least six months validity remaining on their passports. You may be refused entry to Thailand, or may not be permitted to board your Thailand-bound flight, if your passport has less than six months validity."

Well said (as usual )

AFAIK the onus (and financial hit) is on the airline to check if you comply with entry requirements before allowing you to board - the QF agent at the international transfer desk at MEL (when I was going MEL-SYD-NAN) checked my passport, started to panic that I didn't have sufficient validity and was visibly relieved when she calculated I had enough left, by one day.
Joining my friend who was checking in at SYD for the same FJ flight to NAN, my friend had even less validity left and should have been denied boarding if the same rules had been applied, but she wasn't, and we proceeded with our flight. (I can't remember who does check-in at SYD for the FJ.)

 

[mella2007]

Hi Dot, Unfortunately I can't otherwise I would have gone in direct today. Their processing department is closed until Monday, they are only accepting applications today/tomorrow, so I wouldn't get a new one in time by Wednesday. I was quite annoyed as I questioned what about if it was for compassionate leave and she said I would have to have documentation and even there they wouldn't start on them until Monday or Wed next week due to the holiday period.

Hi Mella,

You can get an Australian passport much quicker than 2 days if you head into Melbourne office (cnr Spring and Lonsdale streets) of the passport office. I was able to get a replacement passport for a lost passport in about 4 hours if you go there in person with all your documentation/photos etc in hand. As far as I know, they're still there and still able to do rush passports.

Dot

 

[straitman]

Hi Dot, Unfortunately I can't otherwise I would have gone in direct today. Their processing department is closed until Monday, they are only accepting applications today/tomorrow, so I wouldn't get a new one in time by Wednesday. I was quite annoyed as I questioned what about if it was for compassionate leave and she said I would have to have documentation and even there they wouldn't start on them until Monday or Wed next week due to the holiday period.

Have you tried using the old 'if you don't get the answer you want then ask again technique?'

From my understanding and experience and from what they have said you should be able get same day processing on Monday.

 

[mella2007]

Yes I rang and spoke to 3 different people. And they no longer guarantee same day processing...2 days is priority..which doesn't help me with Tues being the public holiday.

Have you tried using the old 'if you don't get the answer you want then ask again technique?'

From my understanding and experience and from what they have said you should be able get same day processing on Monday.

 

[ashleyn]

Yes I rang and spoke to 3 different people. And they no longer guarantee same day processing...2 days is priority..which doesn't help me with Tues being the public holiday.

dazz81 shakes his head in disbelief I'm sure. Hey Mella2007, if you don't want to listen to the answer, why ask the question in the first place ?

 

[ashleyn]

But then I'm probably just being rude again. Seriously this forum does my head in sometimes. There is such a wealth of information but people choose to ignore it and some threads just go on and on and around and around. Mods, is there a logical end to a thread ?

 

[amaroo]

dazz81 shakes his head in disbelief I'm sure. Hey Mella2007, if you don't want to listen to the answer, why ask the question in the first place ?

Thats a little tough.

IMO there is nothing wrong with the OP continuing to post - I'm sure the concern is legitimate & a little sympathy does no one any harm.

If we all stopped posting after getting an answer......it would be pretty boring!

 

[ashleyn]

I disagree. dazz81 has done this and passed on his personal experience but it seems the OP has chosen to ignore that advice. What is to be gained by continuing the thread ? In fact if we all stopped posting after getting an answer, AFF would be even better IMHO.

 

[straitman]

dazz81 shakes his head in disbelief I'm sure. Hey Mella2007, if you don't want to listen to the answer, why ask the question in the first place ?

Because different people have different opinions and the OP wants to hear all the answers not just one.

I disagree. dazz81 has done this and passed on his personal experience but it seems the OP has chosen to ignore that advice. What is to be gained by continuing the thread ?

.... and many here disagree with the advice offered as they are more cautious and are more prepared to follow the advice that is posted on the various government web sites. The throwaway cost of renewing (if actually possible) early is about $25 which is a small price to pay for a whole lot of peace of mind.

In fact if we all stopped posting after getting an answer, AFF would be even better IMHO.

.... and again many others disagree with you. This is a discussion forum and that is what people are doing.

 

[ashleyn]

Because different people have different opinions and the OP wants to hear all the answers not just one.

.... and many here disagree with the advice offered as they are more cautious and are more prepared to follow the advice that is posted on the various government web sites. The throwaway cost of renewing (if actually possible) early is about $25 which is a small price to pay for a whole lot of peace of mind.

Fair comment, to each his own.

 

[amaroo]

I disagree. dazz81 has done this and passed on his personal experience but it seems the OP has chosen to ignore that advice. What is to be gained by continuing the thread ? In fact if we all stopped posting after getting an answer, AFF would be even better IMHO.

No offence to dazz81.....how do you know he/she is correct?

Plenty of people have posted comments & it's turned out wrong or things have changed or they just made it up!

dazz81 - I'm not suggesting you are not legitimate, correct or a valuable member of AFF.

 

[kpc]

My comment on this thread is that it is up to the OP to weigh up all the advise given here and decide for themselves which option they take up; In the same situation, I personally would be making enquiries about getting an expedited renewal (a renewal will be needed upon return anyway), but if that is not possible, i will be confident that I could travel to Thailand, and I will certainly bring a printout of the Timatic advice with me to the airport.

When I asked earlier this year what to do about a passport that was running out of pages, I got differing advice, namely get a new passport vs there is still plenty of space left in my passport for the visas i needed. Weighing up all the advice given, I did not apply for a new passport after AFFers kindly posted photos of the various visa sizes....and I'm glad I didn't renew my passport early as I can now probably squeeze another year or so out of it (only issued in mid 2008) before the pages really do run out!

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ns/passport-running-out-pages-size-35660.html