British Passport Renewal - Proof of address

[xtinabkk]

So I've got an appointment in Bangkok on Monday to renew my British passport as I'm on the last page. 

I see that a requirement is to show proof of address. 

I have a rental contract, however I'm not a "permanent" resident here in visa terms. Would this be sufficient enough?

All the bills etc are in my landlady's name. 

Could anyone confirm if a rental agreement is good enough?

Thankyou in advance!

[Jip99]

A rental agreement will usually suffice.

 

 

If you think about it, not everyone who needs to renew their passport staying here permanently. Additionally, HMPO in Liverpool are known to be helpful and will generally accept anything sensible. I would suggest that you write a covering letter explaining why the rental agreement is the only thing you have....... if you want to go belt and braces you could get your landlady to sign something to say that you are residing at said premises.

 

Note.... anything not English i.e. a Thai rental agreement, will need to be translated.

[Mark1066]

I used a rental agreement when I renewed my passport last year (a fictitious document really as I live with my wife in her house) and it was accepted.

Edited July 19, 2018 by Mark1066

[Tanoshi]

A copy of her Tabien Baan is acceptable and easier to translate.

[Mark1066]

1 minute ago, Tanoshi said:

A copy of her Tabien Baan is acceptable and easier to translate.

How does that prove you live there though?

[xtinabkk]

Thankyou. That's very helpful. I don't have a permanent U.K. address. The last place I resided at student accommodation, which I still use for my banking. So I'll take rental agreement, and print a bank statement as a back up in case.

[xtinabkk]

Oh and luckily the rental agreement is in English!

 

Should I expect them to question me about having a rental agreement, when I don't have a "proper" visa or is that none of their business?

[Mark1066]

1 minute ago, xtinabkk said:

Thankyou. That's very helpful. I don't have a permanent U.K. address. The last place I resided at student accommodation, which I still use for my banking. So I'll take rental agreement, and print a bank statement as a back up in case.

Bank statements are fine too, if they have your address on. I only created a rental agreement because my stupid bank refused to send statements or give me online banking access.

[Mark1066]

3 minutes ago, xtinabkk said:

Oh and luckily the rental agreement is in English!

 

Should I expect them to question me about having a rental agreement, when I don't have a "proper" visa or is that none of their business?

I am sure they won't care and it isn't any of their business but I don't work for them so don't take my word for it! Although come to think of it, I was on a tourist visa when I renewed my passport using the rental agreement so no, it doesn't matter. Don't get stressed about it ?

Edited July 19, 2018 by Mark1066

[Tanoshi]

6 minutes ago, Mark1066 said:

How does that prove you live there though?

How does a rental agreement prove you live there.

 

They just want a Thai address if you apply in Thailand.

[Mark1066]

3 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

How does a rental agreement prove you live there.

 

They just want a Thai address if you apply in Thailand.

It proves I live there in as much as it is a rental agreement with my name on, that is signed by me (and the owner of the property). A tabian baan has neither of those advantages. Submitting a Thai person's tabian baan seems quite spurious to me. It's no big deal though - just doesn't make sense to me.

Edited July 19, 2018 by Mark1066

[Tanoshi]

5 minutes ago, Mark1066 said:

It proves I live there in as much as it is a rental agreement with my name on, that is signed by me (and the owner of the property). A tabian baan has neither of those advantages. Submitting a Thai person's tabian baan seems quite spurious to me. It's no big deal though - just doesn't make sense to me.

And I can buy a blank rental agreement at any stationary store and complete it myself.

It doesn't prove you live there.

 

They just want a Thai address if you apply in Thailand and that comes direct from Liverpool.

[Mark1066]

5 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

And I can buy a blank rental agreement at any stationary store and complete it myself.

It doesn't prove you live there.

 

They just want a Thai address if you apply in Thailand and that comes direct from Liverpool.

Sure you can create a fraudulent document but what I am saying is that a rental agreement is a document that makes sense as proof of address, by its very nature. Someone else's tabian baan, without a mention of your name anywhere, seems like an odd document for them to accept as proof of address. You might as well submit a copy of someone else's driving licence or whatever. I'm not arguing with you, I'm saying it seems odd to me.

Edited July 19, 2018 by Mark1066

[Tanoshi]

We don't all have rental contracts.

 

Personally I'd use a Thai driving licence as it's photo ID, name, passport number and easy to translate the Thai address from the rear.

[Jip99]

57 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

How does a rental agreement prove you live there.

 

They just want a Thai address if you apply in Thailand.

 

 

Nothing proves you live there.....

 

My Thai driving licence had the wrong address on for 2 years.

 

They need to tick a box , and the irrelevance of it (because of personal collection) has been done to death. 

 

A rental agreement fits the bill, as would a letter signed by the landlord confirming he lives there, as would a signed copy of a GF’s ID card with a statement that he lived with her at xyz address. An explanatory letter setting why that is the only available evidence knits it all together.

[OJAS]

BTW what happens to the proof of address which you take along with you to your initial appointment? Do VFS send it to the UK along with your application + other supporting docs, and, if so, does it end up on an HMPO file there never to see the light of day again, in all probability? Probably not an issue with a certified translation (unless you need this for another purpose), but could be a problem in the case of (e.g.) the OP's English-language rental agreement if it means that he can kiss goodbye to any chance of ever seeing it again.

[lemonjelly]

I renewed my UK passport recently; proof of address was not required.

[Jeremy50]

It's almost worth taking a trip to London and using the excellent 24 hour express service in Victoria. I prefer to do that, plus spend a couple of days browsing some art galleries, and shopping for items with are hard to find in Thailand such as books. Each to his own.

[brewsterbudgen]

It's almost worth taking a trip to London and using the excellent 24 hour express service in Victoria. I prefer to do that, plus spend a couple of days browsing some art galleries, and shopping for items with are hard to find in Thailand such as books. Each to his own.

Rather excessive if you're living in Thailand. The service here is really very straightforward and quick. I used a letter from my employer stating my Thai address, but a rental agreement, utility bill, bank statement or driving licence will do. You can also use a 90 day report receipt.

Sent from my SM-A500F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Mattd]

2 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

I renewed my UK passport recently; proof of address was not required.

Correct, it is not a requirement to show any proof of address and this same question comes up on TV often.

The requirements in the group 2 supporting document guidance are really quite clear and nowhere does it state you MUST show an address in Thailand, it is one of the suggested documents, but it is certainly not one of the required documents.

What they do want you to prove is that you have legal status to stay in Thailand at the time of the application, this can be done by the permission to stay stamp / visa / extension etc. etc. it would be advisable that the permission to stay period is longer than the period that the passport office quote for renewing the passport.

This is exactly why is it states and/or in the below taken from the supporting documents guidance.

 

All applicants must provide one document showing photo identity and one document as evidence of name and address and/or residency dated within the last year.

 

Photo evidence Please provide one of the following:

• your British passport (if you are renewing)

• non-British uncancelled passport

• national identity card or equivalent (or colour photocopy)

• driving licence

• any government or local government produced document which includes a photograph as part of the document.

 

Name and address and/or residency evidence Please provide one of the following:

• visa or resident permit (or colour photocopy)

• tax record eg a letter from a tax authority

• educational record eg school report

• employment record eg official letter from your employer

• letter sent to you from a central, regional or local government department

• medical/health card

• voter’s card

• immigration documents

 

[Tanoshi]

24 minutes ago, Mattd said:

The requirements in the group 2 supporting document guidance are really quite clear and nowhere does it state you MUST show an address in Thailand, it is one of the suggested documents, but it is certainly not one of the required documents.

Tell Liverpool that!

 

Just 6 weeks ago I helped a friend with a UK passport application because his printer/scanner gave up the ghost.

He supplied all the documents listed including proof of his UK address.

However the Passport office in Liverpool e-mailed him to state they couldn't process his application because they needed a Thai address as he submitted the application in Thailand.

He rang Liverpool for advice.

He doesn't have a rental agreement. They said a copy of his wife's Tabien Baan and translation attached to a return e-mail was all he needed.

 

I assume, they take the view because you apply in Thailand your resident there, so they want your Thai residential address.

The address is never checked, passports have to be collected in person.

[lemonjelly]

12 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Tell Liverpool that!

 

Just 6 weeks ago I helped a friend with a UK passport application because his printer/scanner gave up the ghost.

He supplied all the documents listed including proof of his UK address.

However the Passport office in Liverpool e-mailed him to state they couldn't process his application because they needed a Thai address as he submitted the application in Thailand.

He rang Liverpool for advice.

He doesn't have a rental agreement. They said a copy of his wife's Tabien Baan and translation attached to a return e-mail was all he needed.

 

I assume, they take the view because you apply in Thailand your resident there, so they want your Thai residential address.

The address is never checked, passports have to be collected in person.

I applied in BKK (via an agent for convenience) and I also had to give an address; but not proof of. If the applicant was staying in a guesthouse, that address would probably suffice.

[Mattd]

4 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Tell Liverpool that!

 

Just 6 weeks ago I helped a friend with a UK passport application because his printer/scanner gave up the ghost.

He supplied all the documents listed including proof of his UK address.

However the Passport office in Liverpool e-mailed him to state they couldn't process his application because they needed a Thai address as he submitted the application in Thailand.

He rang Liverpool for advice.

He doesn't have a rental agreement. They said a copy of his wife's Tabien Baan and translation attached to a return e-mail was all he needed.

 

I assume, they take the view because you apply in Thailand your resident there, so they want your Thai residential address.

The address is never checked, passports have to be collected in person.

Then they were wrong and I would have told them that by politely pointing out their own requirements which are laid out in black and white.

 

There is nothing stopping any British citizen to apply for a new passport whilst in Thailand, regardless if on holiday, living here etc. etc. 

As I said the guidance IMO is very clear and the onus is to prove legal residency, whether that is by way of an address or immigration status is the applicants choice, obviously if you do live here and can provide an address, then fine, that is not what I am saying.

If you were to take the guidance literally, then a signed rental contract would not be sufficient, as the address proof is supposed to be a letter addressed to the applicant and sent by a Thai government department.

Under normal circumstance the passport office accept variations, as they make allowances for what is reasonably available to the applicant.

[Mattd]

11 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

I applied in BKK (via an agent for convenience) and I also had to give an address; but not proof of. If the applicant was staying in a guesthouse, that address would probably suffice.

Yes, it would be a requirement to provide an address, but not to prove that address, you could use any address.

 

Edit: So to clarify, to apply for a British passport whilst in Thailand, then the only things that 'should' be required are a full colour copy of the existing British passport and a Thai address (not proof of such). and apologies, as my use of the word 'show' in a previous post was an incorrect use, really it should have said 'prove'.

The passport technically covers both of the requirement for photo ID and residency status.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Mattd

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

However the Passport office in Liverpool e-mailed him to state they couldn't process his application because they needed a Thai address as he submitted the application in Thailand.

It seems he put his address for the UK on the application form. If he had put his address here it would not of been a problem.

[Tanoshi]

7 minutes ago, Mattd said:

Yes, it would be a requirement to provide an address, but not to prove that address, you could use any address.

He did supply an address and proof of it, however it was his UK address.

According to the Passport office they wanted his Thai address.

 

If your applying in Thailand the assumption is you live there.

Why would a genuine Tourist apply for a new passport in Thailand.

Much easier to do it back in the UK.

[Tanoshi]

13 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It seems he put his address for the UK on the application form. If he had put his address here it would not of been a problem.

Correct, although others have the view any address is sufficient.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Why would a genuine Tourist apply for a new passport in Thailand.

I can think of a few reasons.

Full passport. Less than 6 months validity. Lost or stolen passport. No plans on returning to the UK before it expires and staying here long enough to renew it.

[Tanoshi]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

I can think of a few reasons.

Full passport. Less than 6 months validity. Lost or stolen passport. No plans on returning to the UK before it expires and staying here long enough to renew it.

Then were back to the old argument of the 'definition' of a Tourist.

 

Lost or stolen passports I can accept.

Someone who can stay in Thailand on Tourist Visas to the extent he fills his passport, is not in the eyes of many a genuine tourist, but is circumventing the system to stay here indefinitely.

 

Tourist - a person who is travelling or visiting a place for pleasure.

[Mattd]

31 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

He did supply an address and proof of it, however it was his UK address.

According to the Passport office they wanted his Thai address.

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough, yes any THAI address, because you are applying from Thailand.