British passport renewal

[daron]

I will be applying to renew my my UK passport this week, first time in Thailand to do, appointment at trendy house already. The passport application form is giving me a pain. What address do I put on the application?  My address in UK or address in Thailand. Delivery of passport will be to trendy house but really unsure what address to put on the form.

 

Thank you

[Phuket Man]

Thai Address 

[Snow Leopard]

It depends on the type of visa you have in Thailand as to which address is needed. 

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, Snow Leopard said:

It depends on the type of visa you have in Thailand as to which address is needed. 

Your visa type makes no difference. A address for Thailand is to prove you can apply while here.

There was a recent report of a person putting a UK address on the application and then having notify the UK passport office of the one here,

[Snow Leopard]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

Your visa type makes no difference. A address for Thailand is to prove you can apply while here.

There was a recent report of a person putting a UK address on the application and then having notify the UK passport office of the one here,

So you can apply for a new UK passport on a 30 day tourist visa Joe?

 

For all other passport applications, you must provide from the list below: • at least one document with photo identity; and • one document as evidence of name and address and/or residency within the last year

• Your British passport (if you are renewing)
• Non-British uncancelled passport
• National identity card or equivalent (or colour photocopy)
• Visa or residence 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

 

That's what i have always understood Joe in the past. Old un-canelled passport along with the proof of residency. 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Snow Leopard said:

So you can apply for a new UK passport on a 30 day tourist visa Joe?

Yes it can be done with a 30 day visa exempt entry or the 30 day extension of it. All that is needed is proof you are present here in Thailand. A entry stamp is enough to prove that. Many people have applied for a passport with one without a problem.

[Snow Leopard]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes it can be done with a 30 day visa exempt entry or the 30 day extension of it. All that is needed is proof you are present here in Thailand. A entry stamp is enough to prove that. Many people have applied for a passport with one without a problem.

Okay good to know.

[daron]

Thanks for all the replies, will put the thai address on the form

[PhoSai]

If you have someone reliable back home then do an online application as if you were in the UK. I did it a few months ago and went like this :

 

• Applied/paid online as if I was still back home
• Used my father's home address
• Sent my passport from Thailand to his address
• He sent the passport to the passport office
• 4 days later sent back to him
• He sent it back to me

 

Now at the time I was worried that they would see I wasnt in the UK and thus maybe a problem but obviously this wasnt the case. Whether its because they didnt check or they did and it wasnt a problem I cant be a 100% sure. Logically I dont see why being outside of the country would matter assuming they are returning the book to a UK address. I know one other Brit in Pattaya who has also done the same.

 

If you need anymore info then PM me. 

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, PhoSai said:

If you have someone reliable back home then do an online application as if you were in the UK. I did it a few months ago and went like this :

What would you of done if you had needed your passport while it was in the UK or in transit to there or on the way back?

Or it never arrived. Or both got lost on the way back to here.

IMO what you did was a very risky thing to to do avoid applying here for it.

[brewsterbudgen]

What would you of done if you had needed your passport while it was in the UK or in transit to there or on the way back?
Or it never arrived. Or both got lost on the way back to here.
IMO what you did was a very risky thing to to do avoid applying here for it.

Especially when renewing a UK passport in Thailand is easy and quick.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[PhoSai]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

What would you of done if you had needed your passport while it was in the UK or in transit to there or on the way back?

Or it never arrived. Or both got lost on the way back to here.

IMO what you did was a very risky thing to to do avoid applying here for it.

Technically correct questions but very low risk of any of that being a problem. My visa was in order, I had copies of photo page and stamps in case. Passport was always sent DHL with tracking and insurance. The whole thing from send to coming back was 10 days. Very very unlikely anything drastic was going to happen in those 10 days. 

 

And besides I just preferred to sit at home without doing any silly interviews. There is always risk but very low if you do everything well.

 

 

[PhoSai]

2 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Especially when renewing a UK passport in Thailand is easy and quick.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Easier than me never leaving my house in Ubon and getting it back in 10 days ?! Dont think so. Cheaper maybe but not easier.

[brewsterbudgen]

Easier than me never leaving my house in Ubon and getting it back in 10 days ?! Dont think so. Cheaper maybe but not easier.

Fair enough. Although a flight to Bangkok is cheap and quick! I'd always go with the legal option even if there might be some minor inconvenience.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Jip99]

12 minutes ago, PhoSai said:

Technically correct questions but very low risk of any of that being a problem. My visa was in order, I had copies of photo page and stamps in case. Passport was always sent DHL with tracking and insurance. The whole thing from send to coming back was 10 days. Very very unlikely anything drastic was going to happen in those 10 days. 

 

And besides I just preferred to sit at home without doing any silly interviews. There is always risk but very low if you do everything well.

 

 

 

 

I certainly understand the practicality, and cost saving/convenience, of doing that.

 

I wonder if it is actually legal.

 

I will drop my contact at HMPO, Liverpool a line to ask the legality question; if it just becomes a case of risk of not being able to produce the passport in Thailand then that risk may be worth considering.

[PhoSai]

Just now, brewsterbudgen said:

Fair enough. Although a flight to Bangkok is cheap and quick! I'd always go with the legal option even if there might be some minor inconvenience.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

The legal option ?! My passport is genuine thanks..lol . If what I did was illegal I doubt it would have escaped the passport office would it. I doubt they would of just let me off...ha ha. 

 

I did it, it worked, my passort is as genuine as any others. Its called thinking outside of the box. I never left my living room ?

[PhoSai]

2 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

I certainly understand the practicality, and cost saving/convenience, of doing that.

 

I wonder if it is actually legal.

Well there are 2 elements there I suppose :

 

Whether its legal in terms of the renewal

Whether its legal or not I didnt have my passport on me here for those 10 days.

 

Take it this way I wasnt planning on committing any crimes during those 10 days..lol. And I doubt very much the British passport office would have just missed the fact I wasnt physically there..if they checked at all........if it matters at all. 

 

 

[Jip99]

4 minutes ago, PhoSai said:

Well there are 2 elements there I suppose :

 

Whether its legal in terms of the renewal

Whether its legal or not I didnt have my passport on me here for those 10 days.

 

Take it this way I wasnt planning on committing any crimes during those 10 days..lol. And I doubt very much the British passport office would have just missed the fact I wasnt physically there..if they checked at all........if it matters at all. 

 

 

 

Had you told HMPO that you were in Thailand and your passport was in the UK they would not (IMO) have processed the renewal.

 

You lied to achieve the practical result - I am not condemning that - I simply want to understand the actual legal position.

 

If you think it doesn't matter to the UK authorities you are being naive or arrogant. As said, I like the practical approach to it but you may just have got lucky without understanding the possible consequences.

 

 

[PhoSai]

1 minute ago, Jip99 said:

 

Had you told HMPO that you were in Thailand and your passport was in the UK they would not (IMO) have processed the renewal.

 

You lied to achieve the practical result - I am not condemning that - I simply want to understand the actual legal position.

 

If you think it doesn't matter to the UK authorities you are being naive or arrogant. As said, I like the practical approach to it but you may just have got lucky without understanding the possible consequences.

Keyword being IMO in that ?

 

Fact is it worked and so far havent seen anything wrong with my passport. Just as good as yours fella ?

[Jip99]

1 minute ago, PhoSai said:

Keyword being IMO in that ?

 

Fact is it worked and so far havent seen anything wrong with my passport. Just as good as yours fella ?

 

 

Except that mine doesn't  show a lack of immigration stamps when I have claimed to be in the UK................?

[PhoSai]

8 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

Had you told HMPO that you were in Thailand and your passport was in the UK they would not (IMO) have processed the renewal.

 

You lied to achieve the practical result - I am not condemning that - I simply want to understand the actual legal position.

 

If you think it doesn't matter to the UK authorities you are being naive or arrogant. As said, I like the practical approach to it but you may just have got lucky without understanding the possible consequences.

Btw, given you went slightly personal with the naive line. 

 

Check the renewal process if applying from Malaysia. Its application online ? So if you are correct that its illegal to be outside then why can u apply online from Malaysia. If your outside then your outside. 

 

 

oppss ! Good chatting with you though.

[PhoSai]

2 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

Except that mine doesn't  show a lack of immigration stamps when I have claimed to be in the UK................?

Oh dear. What stamps would they be then ? There wont be any stamps when you go home. My Thai stamps were transferred when i had both passports back. 

 

 

[Jip99]

1 minute ago, PhoSai said:

Btw, given you went slightly personal with the naive line. 

 

Check the renewal process if applying from Malaysia. Its application online ? So if you are correct that its illegal to be outside then why can u apply online from Malaysia. If your outside then your outside. 

 

 

oppss ! Good chatting with you though.

 

 

Don't misunderstand me - I want to understand the risk to established whether what you achieved is worth considering.

 

 

[PhoSai]

3 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

Don't misunderstand me - I want to understand the risk to established whether what you achieved is worth considering.

 

 

Well im not on an Interpol list yet for this awful high crime ?

[Jip99]

3 minutes ago, PhoSai said:

Oh dear. What stamps would they be then ? There wont be any stamps when you go home. My Thai stamps were transferred when i had both passports back. 

 

 

 

 

Oh dear! ?

 

Your permanent passport records show that you were in Thailand at the time you made an online application purporting to be in the UK.

 

I would also agree that the chances of that ever being an issue are probably remote.

[Jip99]

2 minutes ago, PhoSai said:

Well im not on an Interpol list yet for this awful high crime ?

 

 

This is not about you.... ?

 

 

You will not have been the first.

[PhoSai]

Just now, Jip99 said:

 

 

Oh dear! ?

 

Your permanent passport records show that you were in Thailand at the time you made an online application purporting to be in the UK.

 

I would also agree that the chances of that ever being an issue are probably remote.

So if thats the case I would not of got the passport renewal would I ?! If passport records show im outside. Unless of course you are now claiming the "passport office" doesnt have "passport records" or the staff just thought <deleted> it wont bother today...lol lol.

 

 

[PhoSai]

1 minute ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

This is not about you.... ?

 

 

You will not have been the first.

Surely thats a point in my favour isnt it. if im not the first person to do this and its illegal (as you say) then wouldnt they be checking ?! 

 

I know, ive got an idea for you. Maybe what they are doing is letting me think its all ok and then they will storm the plane with machine guns when i arrive at LHR ?! lol lol

 

 

[Mattd]

3 minutes ago, PhoSai said:

Keyword being IMO in that ?

 

Fact is it worked and so far havent seen anything wrong with my passport. Just as good as yours fella ?

You are not technically allowed to renew your passport via the UK if you are not physically present in the UK, the fact that you managed to do so doesn't make it legal, had HMPO checked, then the passport would not have been issued and they could have still have the right to revoke the one they have issued now and refuse to issue another.

You just got lucky, I certainly would not recommend others to use this route, it is far too risky and not worth that risk.

5 minutes ago, PhoSai said:

My Thai stamps were transferred when i had both passports back. 

You got lucky here as well, as you should have the request to do so from the British Embassy in Bangkok.

 

10 minutes ago, PhoSai said:

Check the renewal process if applying from Malaysia. Its application online ? So if you are correct that its illegal to be outside then why can u apply online from Malaysia. If your outside then your outside. 

This is a trial for online passport applications from Malaysia and you would have to put a Malaysian address in the application.

[Jip99]

6 minutes ago, PhoSai said:

Surely thats a point in my favour isnt it. if im not the first person to do this and its illegal (as you say) then wouldnt they be checking ?! 

 

I know, ive got an idea for you. Maybe what they are doing is letting me think its all ok and then they will storm the plane with machine guns when i arrive at LHR ?! lol lol

 

 

 

 

I didn't say it was illegal...... I was saying that I would seek clarification on whether it was - then, and only then, can I evaluate the risk.

 

If HMPO cannot come with a chapter and verse legal barrier then the only risk is not having possession of your passport in Thailand