UK passport renewal from Thailand

[Mattd]

37 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I don't know why the VFS, effectively a branch of the UK government, would be interested or care if you were legally in Thailand or not. That is the Thai government's concern, not the UK's.

VFS are a private company (Indian) contracted by the UK government / passport office to provide the service to collect and deliver passports. 

The UK will not issue passports to anyone unless you can prove that you are legally allowed to be in the country you are applying from, nowadays they should also issue a letter requesting that Thai immigration change any relevant immigration status to the new passport if applicable.

If the UK government did not care whether you were legally in Thailand (or anywhere outside of UK) or not, then they simply would not ask for any documentation for residency evidence in Table A of the supporting documents to apply for a passport outside of the UK.

Personally I think resident a bad use of words, as it infers long term.

Edited April 3, 2018 by Mattd

[pontious]

[Eff1n2ret]

37 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I don't know why the VFS, effectively a branch of the UK government, would be interested or care if you were legally in Thailand or not. That is the Thai government's concern, not the UK's.

The UK's concern is that you are the rightful holder of the passport which you are seeking to replace, and they are willing to accept Thai Immigration's endorsement of the document as evidence of that, combined with the checks that HMPO can make on the record of the previous issue. 

Hence all an applicant needs is an extra copy of the page with his current visa or extension.

[fifelad55]

I renewed my UK passport  a few years ago. (i think I used my internet bill to prove my address( and found the people at Trendy to be extremely efficient.Somewhat surprising maybe but can't complain about the service I received.

 

Alan

[Bangkok Barry]

I found the same in the last month, although their command of English in two or three e-mail exchanges left quite a bit to be desired. But then, it is Thailand.

[bluesofa]

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

 

I'd agree with you on that. I assumed I was more decrepit than I'd imagined and my memory was playing tricks on me.

     

BTW, I have already emailed HMPO asking if there is a date already decided when the burgundy passports will be replaced by 'blue'.

(It says they will respond within 15 working days, so don't get too excited yet.)

 

Further to my post above HMPO have just replied to my email - in less than 24 hours - that's great!

See below:

 

(quote) We will be introducing a new blue and gold passport for all UK citizens once we have left the European Union.

 

Leaving the European Union means that British passports will no longer have to conform to the standard EU common format passport criteria, and this gives us the opportunity to introduce a new, unique travel document.

 

To save the taxpayer money, the newly designed passports will be introduced in a phased approach, starting from October 2019. We anticipate that from 1 January 2020, all UK passports will be blue.

 

There is no need for British passport holders to do anything ahead of their current passport renewal date – existing passports remain valid. Upon application, the standard renewal fees will apply. (unquote)

 

This is basically the same as someone else who posted a page from the gov.uk website a couple of hours ago.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by bluesofa

[Jip99]

On 01/04/2018 at 9:37 AM, Happy enough said:

how long ago was that. only reason i ask is because i 'heard', don't know for sure, that now they all had to be done in person?

 

 

Incorrect.

 

A third party can be appointed to submit, and collect, your application/Passport.

[anon789561]

14 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

Incorrect.

 

A third party can be appointed to submit, and collect, your application/Passport.

ok. already got that

[OJAS]

On 4/2/2018 at 12:25 PM, darrendsd said:

I really don't understand the problem, you fill in the application form which is YOUR responsibility  to ensure is correct, supply the very minimal supporting documents, go to apply then go to pick up your new PP

 

If you are doing everything correctly then the need to speak to the VFS staff is non existent

 

If you have a issue then you contact the Passport advice line in the UK, the VFS staff are NOT there to assist you with issues, that's what the Passport advice line is for, they are there to process your application, nothing more

 

I have applied for a new PP twice in the last 3 years, no issues whatsoever, if you have issues then you really need to be questioning yourself on what you are doing wrong or questioning yourself on why you don't understand what the VFS staff are actually there to do

You clearly have an issue with those who don't share your view that the current UK passport renewal procedures are the best thing since sliced bread.

[Jip99]

13 minutes ago, OJAS said:

You clearly have an issue with those who don't share your view that the current UK passport renewal procedures are the best thing since sliced bread.

 

 

Best set thing since sliced bread? No.

 

Straight forward procedure and easy to follow? Yes.

[darrendsd]

21 minutes ago, OJAS said:

You clearly have an issue with those who don't share your view that the current UK passport renewal procedures are the best thing since sliced bread.

No I simply stated that I have renewed my PP twice in the last 3 years and have had no issues whatsoever, if you are renewing and not applying for your first PP then the process is simple and you really shouldn't have any issues, if you do you really need to be questioning yourself on why you are having issues

 

Isn't it you who is forever complaining on these type of threads that you have to go to BKK twice in order to apply and pick up your PP? That's the real reason of your complaint isn't it, after that you just find another reason to complain because your peed off about the 2 trips

 

If you have all the documents they require the process really couldn't be any simpler, if you don't ring the Passport advice line for help, the clue is in the word advice

 

The above poster sums it up perfectly

[OJAS]

6 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

The UK's concern is that you are the rightful holder of the passport which you are seeking to replace, and they are willing to accept Thai Immigration's endorsement of the document as evidence of that, combined with the checks that HMPO can make on the record of the previous issue. 

Hence all an applicant needs is an extra copy of the page with his current visa or extension.

If the passport about to be renewed contains a consecutive run of up to 10 annual extension stamps, might it not be prudent to provide extra copies of the pages containing these stamps as well? That would indicate to HMPO that, despite his official non-immigrant status here, the applicant was, to all intents and purposes, a permanent resident of Thailand throughout their combined period and was able to comply with Thai Immigration's extension of stay requirements on an ongoing basis.

 

Conversely, in the case of a passport about to be renewed which only contained 1 extension stamp (and that on the back of a 90-day single-entry non-O visa or non-O conversion), might it not be advisable for the applicant to provide evidence of his Thai address as well on a "just in case" basis?

Edited April 3, 2018 by OJAS

[Eff1n2ret]

44 minutes ago, OJAS said:

If the passport about to be renewed contains a consecutive run of up to 10 annual extension stamps, might it not be prudent to provide extra copies of the pages containing these stamps as well? That would indicate to HMPO that, despite his official non-immigrant status here, the applicant was, to all intents and purposes, a permanent resident of Thailand throughout their combined period and was able to comply with Thai Immigration's extension of stay requirements on an ongoing basis.

 

Conversely, in the case of a passport about to be renewed which only contained 1 extension stamp (and that on the back of a 90-day single-entry non-O visa or non-O conversion), might it not be advisable for the applicant to provide evidence of his Thai address as well on a "just in case" basis?

I can't see why you need to provide anything other than exactly what they ask for.

[bkkfree]

Any advice welcome,if passport comeback and you are up to 7 days overstay can you clear at immigration 3500 baht

 

[sanemax]

1 minute ago, bkkfree said:

Any advice welcome,if passport comeback and you are up to 7 days overstay can you clear at immigration 3500 baht

 

You can still use the "old" PP to go and get a new visa and not have to overstay

[bkkfree]

No pages left and already submitted,i hope it will arrive back before mid may,i have been told 3 weeks

[sanemax]

17 minutes ago, bkkfree said:

No pages left and already submitted,i hope it will arrive back before mid may,i have been told 3 weeks

Its usually back in 2 weeks , but you may have been caught up in the Easter holidays

[bkkfree]

Thanks for superfast replies,i hope 2 weeks or even 3 will be fine

Cheers