OJAS

Or, in the case of passports, submit an online enquiry to HMPO explaining their predicament (to which they should receive a reply within 72 hours if the GOV.UK website is to be believed): https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outreach/Passport_Enquiries.ofml?_ga=2.171280867.2124134922.1626837669-1983836778.1623461427 Or alternatively, if they have the time and patience to do so, call the Passport Adviceline in the UK on +44 300 222 0000 According to an email which I received last week regarding the collection of my new passport from VFS, they will only release replacement passports to a third-party on production of: · The document receipt checklist (issued to Key Visa at the application stage). · The previous passport for cancellation (likely also languishing in some Key Visa pigeonhole). · A copy of the ID/passport of the person who authorized (presumably the new agent's). · A signed letter giving the third-party authorization from you stating their name and that you are content for them to collect the passport on your behalf. Strongly suspect that these requirements have been imposed on VFS at HMPO's insistence, so not sure whether any direct approach to VFS would likely prove fruitful in any event. A further important point which those with outstanding passport applications with Key Visa should bear in mind is that VFS will return replacement passports to HMPO which have not been collected after 30 days.

So customers on annual extensions would presumably only be able to conduct in-branch business at the particular bank in question during an initial 3-month period of each extension!

I have just sent them a personal message of condolences via the "Ask us a question about renewing your passport" facility on their website: https://www.keyvisathailand.com/services/renewing-uk-passport-thailand/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrYrUjr3C1gIVzhdoCh2zRgGFEAAYASAAEgLfwvD_BwE

Were you asked for evidence of the foreign source(s) of the 800k as part of the non-O conversion process and, if so, what proof did you provide? And at which immigration office did you apply for your non-O conversion and subsequent retirement extension? Interesting that you were not asked for evidence of onward travel at LHR (which I assume was your UK airport of origin). They used to be pretty insistent on seeing onward tickets in the case of travellers intending to enter Thailand on the basis of visa exemptions.

In practice that is the case since 29 Jan 23 will count as Day 1 of the 90.

Like stripping Harry and Meghan of their remaining royal titles for starters. I am becoming heartily sick of the way in which this renegade pair is unashamedly dragging the name of the county in which I was born through the mud.

Given the unprincipled individuals that the Sacoolases appear to be, I can't see them taking any threat to their financial wellbeing lying down, unfortunately. They would in all probability engage lawyers to fight their corner at whatever expense for them this might entail. On the other hand, the Dunn family would almost certainly be forced to launch a GoFundMe campaign in the hope of covering the costs of responding in kind. Such is justice, I fear.

Contrast this with the way in which heaven and earth is being moved by others in the USA to get Julian Assange nabbed there! While I have little time for this particular individual personally, at least he is not being directly accused there of crimes involving the death of anyone else as far as I am aware. And, while Anne Sacoolas has remained scot free throughout this whole painful ordeal for the Dunn family, Assange has, on the other hand, found himself banged up in Belmarsh since being kicked out of the Ecuadorian embassy in 2019: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange

As graphically illustrated in this Sky News clip, I think, where her advice to the Dunn family was to "have a nice day": https://news.sky.com/story/anne-sacoolas-pressed-on-harry-dunn-sentencing-by-sky-news-reporter-12764250

Had the wife of a British diplomat commited a similar crime in the States and subsequently fled the country under the guise of diplomatic immunity, she would in all probability - and unhesitatingly and unquestionly at the British end - have been extradited back to the States to face the music. And, instead of being given a suspended prison sentence, might she right now be sitting on death row in some federal penitentiary?

I guess, then, that you are not a Brit who has ever had to fill out "garbage" in the form of a 4-page passport renewal application form - and in your own fair hand, to boot (there is no online facility for renewing British passports from Thailand)!

Well, I am still getting over the shock of having received 2 emails yesterday, one from VFS and the other from "HMPO Bangkok" (whoever they might be), informing me that my new passport was now ready for collection, a mere 7 weeks and 1 day after I had submitted my application in person!???? However the big unknown is whether this is indicative of some overall sustainable improvement in new passport waiting times, or whether current civil servant strikes could result in the clock being turned back in that regard. To the best of my knowledge, HMPO staff have not, so far, been specifically targeted by the PCS Union, but that, of course, could all change should they decide to ramp up their action in the New Year.

Since "tomorrow" has presumably now come and gone, how did things turn out with Immigration in the event? Also, which particular office are we talking about in this instance?

@ubonjoe or @Maestro - might be worth adding this Police Order to the pinned Laws, regulations, Police Orders, etc thread??

But I bet that @Jonathan Swift is now mighty relieved that he did!

Parts of the eastern side of Koh Samed can get pretty lively at times as I recall, but I can definitely recommend this particular resort on the western side of the island, based on personal experience of staying there albeit dating back several years - which, I think, should be up your ladies' street: https://aopraoresort.net/ I believe that this resort still operates its own ferry service from Ban Phe. Just beware, though, that, since Koh Samed is a national park, you will all be charged an entrance fee of 200 THB each. Presumably you and your party plan to head straight back to BKK Airport for their return flights home immediately after your stay. Ao Prao might be able to provide transport at an extra cost - although a bus or minvan from Ban Phe would probably prove cheaper. And possibly the good news from your viewpoint is that you would not need to go anywhere near Bangkok itself (which IMHO is an even more ghastly place than Pattaya!) when travelling to the airport (as, incidentally, you would not if you were coming from Koh Chang).

And did half the seats at your immigration office have X's placed on them? Personally speaking, it is supposedly being offered up as sacrificial lambs on the high altar of Social Distancing through being forced, despite seating being available but unusable, to stand on our feet for ages in crowded immigration offices, banks, etc, regardless of whatever physical disabilities we might be suffering from, that gets my goat far more than having to wear a mask in those particular establishments!

Now if only HMPO were prepared to work just as hard as their UKVI colleagues apparently are to get back to the service standard for issuing new passports in their case (4 weeks?). But in view of their long-established track record of bungling incompetence and ineptitude I am not holding my breath for this to happen any time soon.????

So precisely what do you mean by this ambiguous expression? A conversion of a visa-exempt or tourist visa entry into a real genuine McCoy 90-day non-immigrant visa of the "O" variety for retirement at your local immigration office? Or an annual extension of stay for retirement at said office? Proof of the foreign source of pension income is required in the case of the former as well as the latter for the 65k monthly transfer method, but not in the case of the latter for the 800k bank balance method

Indeed. I just wonder how many of those on here who are complaining bitterly about home visits from Immigration are also of the firm view that immigration officers back in their home countries are not doing enough in the form of home visits in order to check the credentials of Thai nationals and other foreigners who, in their view, have the audacity to want to darken the hallowed turf of their home country.

All I can say is thank goodness I don't need to have to get my head around the Bangkok public transport system in my daily life! I only just about managed to get my head around the London public transport system after living there for a total of nearly 40 years before moving out here!????

Not even sure that their marriage extension applications have to be referred to Divisional HQ for final approval - in which case they can be stamped for the full 365 days on the spot, with no need for a subsequent trip to Immigration after 30 days for the remaining 335 days, as in the case of their male counterparts. In the case of us British State Pensioners for example, though, how do DWP back in the UK know that the life certificates which they periodically require us to provide have been witnessed by real - as opposed to completely fictitious - individuals? The Thai government is far from alone across this great planet of ours in inflicting pointless unverifiable bureaucracy on us all (which, I think, is the point which @billsmart is making)!

Since TfL's number 3 bus route passes close to Parliament, maybe this assessment had been based on the route number displayed on a passing bus!????

The contract was apparently awarded to them controversially under EU procurement rules in 2018. The $64,000 question is when is this contract due to expire - sooner rather than later, hopefully, as the UK is, of course, now in a position to tell the EU where they can stick their procurement rules in tendering for a successor contract!

Yep, you definitely need to have an appointment, I'm afraid.