The answer depends on what type of Thai visa you hold. If you have a Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), no transfer is needed in order to travel: the DTV is an electronic visa, so you simply carry both passports, the old one containing the valid visa and entry stamp and the new one. The transfer happens at a natural touchpoint instead: get the entry stamp moved before your next 90-day filing. If you are handling it yourself, you can often sort it on an immigration visit; if Issa Compass is coordinating it at Chaengwattana, the stamp transfer is booked separately from the regular 90-day run. If you hold a Non-Immigrant visa (Non-B, Non-O, Non-OA, Non-ED, or similar), it depends on how that visa was issued. If it is a physical stamp in the book, which is typical when the visa was applied for or converted inside Thailand, get it formally transferred: under Thai immigration law, valid visas and entry or exit stamps sitting in the old book must be officially transferred into your newly issued passport [Thailand.go.th]. If it was issued as an e-visa, which is common for applications made from abroad and is always the case for the Non-OA, treat it like a DTV: the visa stays valid tied to your old passport number, no new visa application is needed, and you only transfer the Thailand entry or permission stamp if you renewed while in Thailand and that stamp lives only in the old book. In every case, carry both your old and new passport when you travel.
- DTV holders: No transfer is needed in order to travel. Carry both passports, the old one containing your valid visa and entry stamp and the new one, so officers can match your visa record and permission-to-stay stamps to the old book. Get the entry stamp moved before your next 90-day filing, not after it. If Issa Compass is coordinating the transfer at Chaengwattana, it is booked separately from the regular 90-day run.
- Non-Immigrant visa holders whose visa is a physical stamp (Non-B, Non-O, Non-ED and similar, typically applied for or converted inside Thailand): Go to an immigration office in person with both passports. Your visa stamp, your permission to stay and any re-entry permit are in the old book and must be formally transferred [legal.co.th].
- Non-Immigrant visa holders whose visa is an e-visa (common for applications made from abroad, and always the case for the Non-OA): No new visa application is needed. The visa remains valid tied to your old passport number, so carry both passports, and transfer the Thailand entry or permission stamps only if you renewed while in Thailand and those stamps are still only in the old book.
- A service fee applies when using Issa Compass to coordinate the stamp transfer at Chaengwattana (1,000 THB by bank transfer / 1,030 THB by card).
- The reporting trail matters just as much as the transfer. Your 90-day address report and TM30 registration are keyed to your passport number. A mismatch after renewal is a common cause of bounced online submissions.
- If your old passport was lost rather than renewed, that is a different and more involved case. Contact Issa Compass rather than improvising.
Does a DTV holder need to do anything when they get a new passport?
Nothing urgent, and nothing before you travel. The DTV itself is issued as a digital e-visa PDF through the Thai e-Visa system and has no physical sticker in your passport. What is physical is the entry stamp placed in your passport when you arrive in Thailand, and that stamp does not have to be moved before you can travel. Simply carry both passports: the old one containing the valid visa and entry stamp, and the new one.
The transfer happens at a natural touchpoint instead: line it up with your next 90-day filing. You do not need a transfer before you travel - carry both passports - but get the entry stamp moved before your next 90-day filing. If you are handling it yourself, you can often sort it on an immigration visit. If Issa Compass is coordinating it at Chaengwattana, the stamp transfer is booked separately from the regular 90-day run.
In short: the stamp transfer is needed before the next 90-day report if the stamp is only in the old passport.
This is why the old book still matters in the meantime: travel with both passports. Your entry stamp and your current permission-to-stay stamp are in the old passport. Your visa record references the old passport number. When you arrive at or depart from Thailand, a Thailand immigration officer may need to see the old book to verify your visa record and match it to your entry history. Do not leave the old passport at home.
If your old passport was clipped or cancelled at renewal (as many countries do), that is fine. The document still carries the relevant stamps and serves as your immigration evidence. Keep it with your travel documents as a package.
What do Non-Immigrant visa holders need to do?
It depends on how your visa was issued, so check that first. Many Non-Immigrant visas (Non-B, Non-O, Non-ED and similar, typically when applied for or converted inside Thailand) are physical stamps affixed into the passport, and those do need a formal transfer. The visa stamp, your permission-to-stay stamp and any re-entry permit all sit in the old book, and they do not automatically carry over when a new passport is issued [legal.co.th].
Other Non-Immigrant visas, including the Non-OA and many applications made from abroad, are issued as e-visas instead. The physical-sticker mental model does not apply to those. The visa remains valid tied to your old passport number and no new visa application is needed. Keep both books handy, and move the Thailand entry or permission stamps only if they are still sitting in the old passport alone, which is what happens when you renewed your passport while you were in Thailand. If you are not sure which kind you hold, check whether the visa reached you as a PDF approval or as a sticker or stamp in the book.
Where stamps are involved, Thai immigration policy is clear: stamps in the old book must be formally transferred to the new passport [Thailand.go.th]. Until that transfer happens, presenting only your new passport at a check or inspection does not on its own prove your right to stay.
What you need to do if you have stamps to transfer:
- Go to an immigration office in person with both your old and new passport.
- Request a "Transfer Stamp to New Passport" and submit the required form along with the documents listed below.
- The transfer is typically completed on the spot or by the next business day, though this can vary by office and current workload [Thailand.go.th].
Until that transfer is complete, treat the old passport as a required travel document and carry both whenever you leave or return to Thailand. The same habit applies if your Non-Immigrant visa is an e-visa: there is nothing to reapply for, but the old book is what ties your visa record and entry stamp to you, so it travels with you.
What should I bring to the immigration office?
- Completed "Transfer Stamp to New Passport" form (obtain at the office)
- Your old passport with Thai entry stamp / visa stamp (original)
- Your new passport (original)
- TM30 for your current address
- TDAC for your latest entry
- Photocopies of the bio pages of both passports
- Photocopies of relevant stamps: your visa page, permission-to-stay stamp, and re-entry permit (if any)
DTV holders should get this done before their next 90-day filing rather than after it. If Issa Compass is coordinating the transfer at Chaengwattana, note that it is booked separately from the regular 90-day run. E-visa Non-Immigrant holders, including Non-OA, follow the same pattern with any entry or permission stamp that is still only in the old book. Non-Immigrant holders whose visa is a physical stamp should make a dedicated visit to complete the transfer. Requirements may vary by the specific immigration office handling your case. Confirm the exact document list with that office before you go.
A quick note on re-entry permits: if you have a re-entry permit stamped in your old passport, it needs to be transferred as well. If you travel before completing the transfer, carry both passports. Do not assume the re-entry permit record follows your new passport number automatically.
What does a passport change mean for 90-day reporting and TM30?
This is the part that actually catches people out. The transfer at the immigration office is straightforward. The reporting trail is where problems show up weeks later.
Your 90-day address report and your TM30 accommodation registration are both keyed to your passport number. When your passport number changes, any mismatch between the number on file and the number you submit with is a common reason online 90-day reports are bounced or rejected by the system.
Online filing for a 90-day report is only available if you meet all four of the following conditions:
- You have not left Thailand since your last 90-day report.
- You are residing at the same address as recorded in your last 90-day report.
- You're filing within the official window (from 15 days before your due date through 7 days after).
- You've already completed your first 90-day report in person.
On timing: you can file from 15 days before your due date up to 7 days after - not only before. After the due date you're still in a short grace window (late fees may apply). Once that window closes, you'll need to file in person at immigration. If you have Issa Compass file for you once the window has closed, an additional 1,000 THB applies on top of the standard fee (1,600 THB in total).
On the first-report rule: the fourth condition is the one people miss most often. Online submission only becomes available after your first 90-day report has been filed in person, and that resets every time you re-enter the country. After any re-entry, your first report must again be done in person at your local immigration office, even if you have filed online before.
Even when all four conditions are met, immigration may still reject an online filing at their discretion, in which case you would need to file in person. Immigration typically takes 2-3 business days to approve or reject an online submission, so leave room for that turnaround rather than filing at the last moment. A passport number change adds another variable to that process, so it is worth confirming your details are consistent before your next report is due.
The practical takeaway: treat a new passport as the moment to audit your reporting trail, not just your visa stamp. Make sure your next 90-day submission goes in against the correct updated details, and verify that your TM30 registration still reflects accurate information. The passport renewal is the easy part; a mismatch in your reporting records is what tends to create problems months later.
Issa Compass handles 90-day reporting and ongoing immigration compliance for clients in Bangkok. If you want to hand that process off, you can find out more at Issa Compass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to transfer my DTV entry stamp to my new passport?
Not in order to travel. The DTV approval itself is electronic and the entry stamp in your old passport remains valid, so you can travel by carrying both books: the old passport with the valid visa and entry stamp, and the new one. That way a Thailand immigration officer can match your record to the old book. The transfer is done at a natural touchpoint instead: get the entry stamp moved before your next 90-day filing. If you are handling it yourself, you can often sort it on an immigration visit; if Issa Compass is coordinating it at Chaengwattana, the stamp transfer is booked separately from the regular 90-day run.
Can I travel to Thailand with only my new passport?
For DTV holders: no transfer is needed before you travel, but do not travel on the new passport alone. Your visa record exists electronically while your entry stamp and permission to stay are in the old passport, so carry both. For Non-Immigrant visa holders whose visa is a physical stamp: do not travel on only the new passport until the stamp transfer is complete. For Non-Immigrant visa holders on an e-visa, including the Non-OA: the visa itself stays valid tied to your old passport number and there is nothing to reapply for, but the entry and permission stamps may still be in the old book. Either way, carry both passports.
What if I lost my old passport rather than renewed it?
This is a different and more involved situation. The procedure for a lost passport is not the same as a routine renewal transfer. Do not improvise. Reach out to Issa Compass for guidance specific to your visa type and circumstances.
Does my re-entry permit carry over automatically?
No. A re-entry permit is stamped into the physical passport. It must be formally transferred at the immigration office along with your visa stamp. If you travel before the transfer is done, carry both passports.
How long does the transfer take and does it cost anything?
The transfer is typically completed on the spot or by the next business day, though this can vary by office and current workload. When coordinating the stamp transfer through Issa Compass at Chaengwattana, a service fee of 1,000 THB (bank transfer) or 1,030 THB (card) applies. Confirm costs and timing with the specific immigration office or service provider handling your case.
Will a new passport affect my Thailand visa rules in 2026?
The underlying visa rules themselves do not change because you have a new passport. What changes is the administrative trail: your permission to stay, your 90-day reporting record, and your TM30 registration are all keyed to your passport number. A new passport number without updated records is the source of most post-renewal complications.
Does an expired passport with a valid visa cause problems at entry?
An expired passport that carries a valid visa stamp (or entry history relevant to your current stay) is still a required piece of your immigration paperwork. Many countries allow travel with both an expired passport valid visa page and a new one together [legal.co.th]. Thailand's immigration practice is consistent with this: carry both, and a Thailand immigration officer can use the old book to verify your record.
About Issa Compass
Issa Compass is a real-time visa platform providing guidance on Thai immigration matters for individuals and businesses. Its decision engine is trained on real-time embassy requirements, checking every application against current requirements before submission. The platform is backed by immigration consultants and a legal team. For pre-qualified applications that are not approved by immigration, Issa Compass provides a full refund of both the government fee and the service fee, or a free reapplication, under its terms and conditions. This guarantee applies on Full Service pre-qualified applications, where Issa Compass files on your behalf, and is subject to our terms and exclusions; the DIY Free and DIY Plus tiers are not covered.
The Issa Compass team handles the compliance trail so you do not have to track it yourself. Visit Issa Compass to get started.
