Australian Embassy: getting a letter of endorsement for a newly issued passport. What a circus!

[Sunderland]

Does anyone here work for the Australian Embassy?

 

A colleague of mine recently obtained a new passport from the Australian Embassy in Bangkok.

 

While trying to transfer his passport stamps at Bangkok's immigration department he was to get a letter from the Australian Embassy in Bangkok before they would transfer his stamps to the new passport.

 

He went back to the embassy and was told that a stamp in his old passport cancelling the passport was sufficient and that they DO NOT issue a letter endorsing the change from an old passport to a new one. 

 

He returned to Bangkok's immigration department and explained this to the immigration officer who would not budge and insisted on a letter.

Then he made a third trip to the embassy and insisted that he should have this letter to show immigration. Again, the embassy denied the need for the letter. However, this time he refused to leave unless a letter was provided. Ten minutes later he was given a photocopied letter (see attached file) which did not mention his name or passport number. It simply stated that the embassy only provides a stamp (see attached file) in the old passport that says that the passport has been cancelled sand replaced by passport number __________________.

 

This letter has existed since 2014. However, it was not given to my colleague on his previous visits to the embassy and he had to create a big fuss to get this photocopied letter to present to immigration. So this means that between 2014 and 2018 Bangkok immigration have not been made aware or understood that the Australian Embassy does not provide a letter of endorsement when a passport is cancelled unless it has been LOST, STOLEN or DAMAGED.

 

So, in the 4-year period between 2014 and 2018 am I right to think that the immigration department has never previously dealt with the situation where an Australian citizen has cancelled a full passport, obtained a new passport in Bangkok and then not been able to provide a letter of endorsement?

 

It seems highly unlikely that Thai immigration would not have received this letter previously, and therefore should have been AWARE that the stamp in the old passport confirming the new passport number to Thai immigration is the Australian Embassy's current and only procedure.

 

T.I.T.

 

 

 

 

[Hoppyone]

Geez you done well they accepted a copy not original Cheers

[ubonjoe]

It seems that your friend got a immigration officer that was not familiar with Australian passports having that stamp in them.

This was discussed on this forum before some time ago. I would of expected immigration to know about it by now.

[Spidey]

26 minutes ago, Hoppyone said:

Geez you done well they accepted a copy not original Cheers

I recently renewed my UK passport on a visit to the UK. Went to Jontien to get the stamps transferred over. Guy told me that I needed a letter from British Embassy authenticating that my passport had been cancelled. I showed him my old passport with the corner cut off and he said "Need letter". As I was totally confused he gave me a photocopy of a letter (actually a form) that had been filled in by someone previously. It asked the question, "Is your passport lost, stolen or damaged?". I told him that it was none of these, I renewed it because it was full. " Need letter" was his reply. I asked him if I needed to go to Bangkok for the letter. "Up to you, Key Visa can do, not expensive" was his reply.

 

I left empty handed and called in at Key Visa on my way home to see how much it would cost. Asked the girl at Key Visa how much it would cost and how long it would take. "150 baht, can do now" was the reply. She went out back and came back with a photocopy of the form with nothing filled in except the British Vice Consul's signature. I asked her how much of the 150 baht went to immigration. She just smiled.

 

Went straight back to immigration and asked the guy if he could help me fill it in as I didn't understand it. "No need", he said and took the blank form off me and filed my passport and paperwork for processing.

 

Just another little scam worked by Jontien immigration.

 

 

[LongTimeLurker]

You can 'phone the British Embassy and they will send the letter to your address by courier, free of charge.