Early UK passport renewal - unexpired months no longer added?

[Moonlover]

6 minutes ago, thonglorjimmy said:

Well I'm concerned for one, it's not a theoretical loss it's a real one, I applied for my new passport a week or so ago and the the HMPO website then said that up to nine months of validity would be carried over to my new passport, they quietly dropped that from their website and it wasn't.

OK the chances are that it won't affect me in ten years time as no doubt the new one will be full well before the expiry date, but I object to the mean spirited way it was imposed?

 

OJAS - I can't answer your question, but are you aware that Thai passports are soon going to be issued with a ten year validity, if they're being done so already. 

Well jimmy, there's no point in pursuing this topic any further as you have already negated your own objection.

 

What this all comes down to is, in my opinion is nothing more than  'sour grapes'.

Edited September 14, 2018 by Moonlover

[OJAS]

23 minutes ago, thonglorjimmy said:

Well I'm concerned for one, it's not a theoretical loss it's a real one, I applied for my new passport a week or so ago and the the HMPO website then said that up to nine months of validity would be carried over to my new passport, they quietly dropped that from their website and it wasn't.

OK the chances are that it won't affect me in ten years time as no doubt the new one will be full well before the expiry date, but I object to the mean spirited way it was imposed?

 

OJAS - I can't answer your question, but are you aware that Thai passports are soon going to be issued with a ten year validity, if they're being done so already. 

No, I wasn't aware that Thailand was moving towards issuing passports with a 10-year validity, so thanks for this info.

 

And I definitely agree with you and others (with the notable exception of @Moonlover, of course, who is clearly of the view that we should all be singing the praises of this particular change to the highest heavens as if it was the best thing since sliced bread) about the sneaky and stealthy way in which this change was annouced and imposed on us by HMPO. Unfortunately HMPO have a track record of making sneaky and stealthy announcements on passport-related issues, as was evident from the manner in which the current renewal procedures from Thailand were abruptly imposed on us in March 2014, for example:-

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-british-passport-services-in-thailand-2

 

No convincing explanation was provided then as to why we were required to make a couple of awkward physical trips (or have these trips made on our behalf) to Bangkok, and none has been provided ever since, to the best of my knowledge. But at least they have had the good grace to tell us that the change being discussed on this thread was due to ICAO requirements and a fundamentally-flawed Schengen rule - so I suppose that we should be grateful for tender mercies!

 

 

 

[7by7]

28 minutes ago, OJAS said:

No convincing explanation was provided then as to why we were required to make a couple of awkward physical trips (or have these trips made on our behalf) to Bangkok, and none has been provided ever since, to the best of my knowledge

The UK is not the only country to impose such on their ex pat citizens.

 

Thais living in the UK  have to travel to the RTE in London to renew their passports; as do Thais living in the Republic of Ireland!

 

I would suggest that travelling from the island of Ireland, Roi or Northern Ireland,  to London is more 'awkward' than your travelling from Rayong to Bangkok.

Edited September 14, 2018 by 7by7

[OJAS]

23 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

The UK is not the only country to impose such on their ex pat citizens.

 

Thais living in the UK  have to travel to the RTE in London to renew their passports; as do Thais living in the Republic of Ireland!

 

I would suggest that travelling from the island of Ireland, Roi or Northern Ireland,  to London is more 'awkward' than your travelling from Rayong to Bangkok.

When I last renewed my passport in 2013, the furthest that I needed to travel was to my local post office - which is considerably nearer to where I live than is the VFS office in Bangkok! So, on that basis, it would, indeed, be a far more awkward journey for me (if, heaven forbid, the current luddite procedures for those of us renewing from Thailand were still in force in 2023), would you not agree?

 

It might also be worth noting in this connection that their local post office is still the furthest that the majority of our American cousins need to travel at passport renewal time:-

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/passport-by-mail-service-adult-renew/

 

 

 

[sanemax]

7 minutes ago, OJAS said:

When I last renewed my passport in 2013, the furthest that I needed to travel was to my local post office - which is considerably nearer to where I live than is the VFS office in Bangkok! So, on that basis, it would, indeed, be a far more awkward journey for me (if, heaven forbid, the current luddite procedures for those of us renewing from Thailand were still in force in 2023), would you not agree?

 

It might also be worth noting in this connection that their local post office is still the furthest that the majority of our American cousins need to travel at passport renewal time:-

Yes, they really need to open a UK passport renewing office in Rayong , save people living in Rayong needing to travel to Bangkok to renew their UK PP

[OJAS]

13 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Yes, they really need to open a UK passport renewing office in Rayong , save people living in Rayong needing to travel to Bangkok to renew their UK PP

No need to go to those lengths, surely - a post office trip would do just fine.

[sanemax]

18 minutes ago, OJAS said:

No need to go to those lengths, surely - a post office trip would do just fine.

Just be thankful that you dont need to go back to the UK to do it

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Not at all, the concerns in this thread seem to be that previously if you needed to renew your passport early the HMPO would add up to nine months of any unexpired validity onto the new passport, they will no longer do so.

A mate of mine is in the process of renewing his passport as it's full up, it expires in four years time, he will no longer get the "extra" nine months, I'm in a similar position as I'll need to renew mine in the new year with five years remaining - so no, it's not "hyped up sensationalism over nothing".

 

They have not always done so, I renewed in 2014 with 7 years remaining and never got any extra time. Having had to wait over 11 weeks to get my passport back I was not going to query it.

 

It is my understanding that the government have pushed this through as they have just woken up to the fact that in March the UK will become a non EU country and all non EU citizens entering the Schengen area are subject to passport checks. Many could fall foul of the 10 year validity rule.

When we landed at Tenerife in 2015, my wife was one the 4 passengers that had to go through immigration, after March it could be the whole aircraft.

[brewsterbudgen]

Did you read the OP? 
The HO is reported in the first link as saying the change was: "to follow recommendations set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation", and also as saying: "This will ensure that people travelling abroad will be compliant with border entry requirements around the world." nothing about preparation for a no-deal Brexit which almost all agree is still agree is very unlikely. The fact that the The Independent ascribes the emotive word 'bizarre' to the first statement does not in fact mean it is bizarre, it just shows the Indy's intent to hang this on Brexit in some way. 

I wrote the OP!!

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[brewsterbudgen]

Not at all, the concerns in this thread seem to be that previously if you needed to renew your passport early the HMPO would add up to nine months of any unexpired validity onto the new passport, they will no longer do so.
A mate of mine is in the process of renewing his passport as it's full up, it expires in four years time, he will no longer get the "extra" nine months, I'm in a similar position as I'll need to renew mine in the new year with five years remaining - so no, it's not "hyped up sensationalism over nothing".
 

I'm in the same position. I wonder when the passport renewal website information will be updated?

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[pontious]

It probably has been updated - I  can't find any reference to the ' 9 ' months anywhere. They can, and have changed the rules - it would have been polite to inform us beforehand.  3 days after it started is not good enough.

Someone who applied at Trendy on 7 Sept might be p####d off. And rightly so.

Edited September 14, 2018 by pontious
add

[brewsterbudgen]

It probably has been updated - I  can't find any reference to the ' 9 ' months anywhere. They can, and have changed the rules - it would have been polite to inform us beforehand.  3 days after it started is not good enough.
Someone who applied at Trendy on 7 Sept might be p####d off. And rightly so.

I printed out the pages a few days ago and it still said 9 months would be added (my passport expires in 2021 but is full).

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[Moonlover]

8 hours ago, OJAS said:

No convincing explanation was provided then as to why we were required to make a couple of awkward physical trips (or have these trips made on our behalf) to Bangkok, and none has been provided ever since, to the best of my knowledge. But at least they have had the good grace to tell us that the change being discussed on this thread was due to ICAO requirements and a fundamentally-flawed Schengen rule - so I suppose that we should be grateful for tender mercies!

1. Thailand is a known hotspot for the theft and fraudulent production of passports. The FCO are therefore concerned about passports being sent through the postal system as is done some other countries.

 

2. In Thailand, it is a legal requirement that foreigners have their passports available at all times. Therefore sending passports by post is not an option anyway.

 

And I had to do the trip twice from Udon Thani whilst still recovering from a broken leg, so I am not being an apologist for the FCO. I'm not a fan of the system either!

Edited September 14, 2018 by Moonlover

[pontious]

H

14 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

1. Thailand is a known hotspot for the theft and fraudulent production of passports. The FCO are therefore concerned about passports being sent through the postal system as is done some other countries.

 

2. In Thailand, it is a legal requirement that foreigners have their passports available at all times. Therefore sending passports by post is not an option anyway.

 

And I had to do the trip twice from Udon Thani whilst still recovering from a broken leg, so I am not being an apologist for the FCO. I'm not a fan of the system either!

1. How do you think they arrive at Trendy - James Bond does not bring them so I assume some courier system. i.e. post.

 

2. We used to do it by post via Hong Kong - and keep our real passports.

 

3. You could have got someone else to pick it up for you.

[Lokie]

On 9/13/2018 at 11:18 AM, pontious said:

That is because it only started 10 Sep.

Doh!... Hang on? Lol, result for me then and tuff $ hit for you lot 555... ?

[Moonlover]

10 hours ago, pontious said:

1. How do you think they arrive at Trendy - James Bond does not bring them so I assume some courier system. i.e. post.

 

2. We used to do it by post via Hong Kong - and keep our real passports.

 

3. You could have got someone else to pick it up for you.

1.I don't think, I know that they are delivered to Trendy via DHL and the tracking number is sent to the client.

 

2. That was 'used to' before a more secure method (the current one) was set up.

 

3. No I could not. I knew no one who was available to do so. I still don't. And this before the agencies were set up, or I would gladly have used one of them.

 

End of!

 

[OJAS]

13 hours ago, Moonlover said:

1. Thailand is a known hotspot for the theft and fraudulent production of passports. The FCO are therefore concerned about passports being sent through the postal system as is done some other countries.

 

2. In Thailand, it is a legal requirement that foreigners have their passports available at all times. Therefore sending passports by post is not an option anyway.

1. Would be most interested to see any statistical evidence backing up the assertion of Thailand being a known hotspot for passport fraud - nothing meaningful was forthcoming from HMPO when I asked them for this in 2014. In any event, I would have thought that whatever incidences of passport fraud actually take place would more likely result from careless tourists who had the passports which they had obtained in the UK lost or stolen during their holidays in Thailand rather than from us rather more careful longstay non-immigrants!

 

2. The State Department clearly do not see the requirement for foreigners to have their passports on them at all times to be any bar to our American cousins being able to renew their passports by mail!

Edited September 15, 2018 by OJAS

[OJAS]

20 hours ago, sanemax said:

Just be thankful that you dont need to go back to the UK to do it

Might actually conjure up a trip to the UK for this and other purposes in 2023 (or more likely 2022 now).

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

1. Would be most interested to see any statistical evidence backing up the assertion of Thailand being a known hotspot for passport fraud - nothing meaningful was forthcoming from HMPO when I asked them for this in 2014. In any event, I would have thought that whatever incidences of passport fraud actually take place would more likely result from careless tourists who had the passports which they had obtained in the UK lost or stolen during their holidays in Thailand rather than from us rather more careful longstay non-immigrants!

 

2. The State Department clearly do not see the requirement for foreigners to have their passports on them at all times to be any bar to our American cousins being able to renew their passports by mail!

You may well be right on both counts. But what counts is not how we see, but how the FCO and its agencies see it.

[Agusts]

My UK passport only has a few pages left but expires in Sep 2021, I have to change it shortly (going for a 50-page large one this time), but will loose 3 years, damn, with all my travels should have bought the large one last time - no other option now..... ????????

 

Also will be in UK for something like 3 weeks and I may have to use the 1 week fast-track and pay even more.... 

 

They say it takes 3 weeks to deliver a new passport, but people get it in two weeks most of the time, not sure, a bit risky to miss my flight over it... !?