Ian47

Sending a 'proof of life certificate' by post to a pensioner in Thailand shows just how far behind the times the UK Government departments are. One of my private pension providers just sent me a form, but attached was a letter that explained I could sign up for a phone Application that would do it electronically for me. 15 minutes later I had signed up & received an email acknowledgement that I was officially alive.. If Government officials in the UK believe that a completed proof of life form from Thailand is actually proof of life they are even more naive than I believed..

HMPO directly. Fortunately I was in the UK at the time so managed to get new photos to them the same day. My application can only have taken a maximum of 4 weeks to get from me to the Passport Office, as that was when they took the money out of my bank account. It was a further 10 weeks until I got the email saying that my photos were unacceptable. It think that pretty clearly shows where the delay was!!

I also live in Udon Thani and used Key Visa's facilities about this time last year. My Passport took an age to appear - something like 18 weeks - but the blame for that is fully on the UK Passport Office, not Key Visa. Darren McGarry was very helpful in keeping me informed as far as was possible with the quite atrocious service that UK passport holders are supplied with. For example - VFS Global in Bangkok supply a reference number which is of zero use in actually trying to track where your passport is in the system. Her Majesty's (in those days) Government took 4 weeks to extract the money from my bank account, but a further 10 weeks to tell me that my photographs were not acceptable. (rant over). Unfortunately Darren passed away late last year. I certainly would have had no issue with highly recommending Key Visa if he was still alive.

A friend of mine is staying in Thailand on a Canadian Passport with a permission to stay based on marriage active until November 2022. Unfortunately his Passport expires April 2023, so, my understanding is that he would only be given a new permission to stay until that date. He is not expecting to travel back to Canada until near the expiry date of his passport, while obtaining a new Canadian passport does not appear to be exactly easy for someone living in the North East of Thailand. To obtain a new passport while he is in Canada is a fairly painless & quick process. He has held a UK Passport & is still entitled to one now, although his current one is expired. A new UK Passport is fairly painless to obtain via an agent. So, the question is... Could be turn up at Udon Thani Immigration in November & extend his Marriage permission to stay for another 12 months by presenting a new UK Passport??