New British Passport Application.

[Paul Laycock1]

I have asked my wife to collect a new passport application form, easy or not.

She tells me that an appointment would be required, True or false?

Is it really that difficult or is she pulling a fast one. I have just returned from Savannaket yesterday where I got my new one year extension and only have two and a half pages left. Ok for a couple of trips for my 90 day runs then big problems.

 

I am disabled so getting from where I live to Ubon Ratchathani involves asking my sister in law driving to the airport, her and myself flying to Bangkok, checking into a hotel, next day applying for said passport and returning.

I’m thinking this would take three day’s.

 

Using an agent as far as I’m concerned is not an option.

 

what are your thoughts. Sensible answers appreciated.

 

Paul.

[macahoom]

The bad news: After going to Bangkok to apply for the passport, you must then return a few weeks later to pick it up.

 

The good news, although you say this is not an option: From all reports, the agent method seems to work well.

Edited November 23, 2018 by macahoom

[Paul Laycock1]

macaroon, thanks, I thought they could send it snail mail for a fee.

Just looking at my options that seem limited.

[macahoom]

7 minutes ago, Paul Laycock1 said:

macaroon, thanks, I thought they could send it snail mail for a fee.

Just looking at my options that seem limited.

 

No, they will not send it to you.

 

You have to pick it up personally, or you can nominate/authorise someone to pick it up on your behalf.

[OJAS]

50 minutes ago, macahoom said:

 

No, they will not send it to you.

 

You have to pick it up personally, or you can nominate/authorise someone to pick it up on your behalf.

Yep, the sole purpose of this second trip, as I understand it, is to enable the VFS crowd to wield a pair of scissors in order to snip off the top and bottom corners of the front cover of your old passport - a task which HMPO, in their infinite wisdom, consider too onerous for us to perform ourselves these days.

[Paul Laycock1]

Thanks guy’s, I’m sure I have seen on this forum threads about a template about the application form. If you can point me in the right direction it would be appreciated. I don’t have a printer myself but I’m sure my sister in law would take me to an Internet cafe. The annoying thing is my wife works and lives in Bangkok.

 

[OJAS]

14 minutes ago, Paul Laycock1 said:

Thanks guy’s, I’m sure I have seen on this forum threads about a template about the application form. If you can point me in the right direction it would be appreciated. I don’t have a printer myself but I’m sure my sister in law would take me to an Internet cafe. The annoying thing is my wife works and lives in Bangkok.

 

You can download this form by clicking on the following link:-

 

https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/overseas/information/thailand/renew/adult

 

For ease of reference, the form itself can be found at:-

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/462278/OS_Form_010.pdf

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by OJAS

[wgdanson]

25 minutes ago, Paul Laycock1 said:

I don’t have a printer myself

https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/inkjet-printers/canon/pixma-ip2870s-inkjet-printer-p033997/

[evadgib]

PM sent

[Stoker58]

  I find myself in the same boat. Also living in Ubon Rat.. It is insane that in 2018 you can’t renew a passport online, but instead have to make either two long road trips or four flights, with overnight stays in Bangkok just to get a new passport.

  Like some of you I’m not as agile as I once was and two air trips to Bangkok, taxis, walking, arriving in time for appointments would be something of a challenge.

 Please join me in emailing [email protected] and complaining loudly about this state of affairs.

  Also message any Green organisations you know in the UK to complain about the carbon footprint of doing that amount of travel to collect a small paper booklet.

[lemonjelly]

I used KeyVisa last year, just had to download and fill out form from embassy website, post them together with my passport, they checked documents, I wired them 5,000 baht plus passport fee, waited 2 weeks and my passport arrived ems.... sweet.

[Paul Laycock1]

Stoker58,

From the information I have been sent it would appear for an extra fee a courier service is available, this is information sent by Thai Visa members.

As I will be applying fora jumbo passport I don’t want to waste my time and money.

[samsensam]

 

apply on line easy.

 

https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport

[macahoom]

35 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

apply on line easy.

 

https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport

 

You still have to go to Bangkok, or use an agent.

Edited November 26, 2018 by macahoom

[Paul Laycock1]

OK but when your disabled it just adds to the grief.

Flights taxi and all that.

[lemonjelly]

1 hour ago, Paul Laycock1 said:

Stoker58,

From the information I have been sent it would appear for an extra fee a courier service is available, this is information sent by Thai Visa members.

As I will be applying fora jumbo passport I don’t want to waste my time and money.

I also applied for and received a “jumbo” passport via an agent, it was cheaper and a lot less hassle than doing trips to BKK.

[Stoker58]

 Remember that nothing ever gets better unless you complain, and do so loudly. Anyone who has been living here for long enough has seen the services to British ex-pats steadily get worse. The local consulates have disappeared and now it looks like passports have been farmed out to a company based in India. 

  If you don’t want things to get even worse you need to complain, and not to the embassy. Complain directly to the relevant department in London. I’ve done this in the past and it works. If you have an MP back home, use that.

[vogie]

2 hours ago, Stoker58 said:

  I find myself in the same boat. Also living in Ubon Rat.. It is insane that in 2018 you can’t renew a passport online, but instead have to make either two long road trips or four flights, with overnight stays in Bangkok just to get a new passport.

  Like some of you I’m not as agile as I once was and two air trips to Bangkok, taxis, walking, arriving in time for appointments would be something of a challenge.

 Please join me in emailing [email protected] and complaining loudly about this state of affairs.

  Also message any Green organisations you know in the UK to complain about the carbon footprint of doing that amount of travel to collect a small paper booklet.

I have just renewed my British passport, used an agent, no hassle, no travelling, no hotels 10,000baht, worth every penny in my view.

[OJAS]

19 hours ago, Stoker58 said:

  I find myself in the same boat. Also living in Ubon Rat.. It is insane that in 2018 you can’t renew a passport online, but instead have to make either two long road trips or four flights, with overnight stays in Bangkok just to get a new passport.

  Like some of you I’m not as agile as I once was and two air trips to Bangkok, taxis, walking, arriving in time for appointments would be something of a challenge.

 Please join me in emailing [email protected] and complaining loudly about this state of affairs.

  Also message any Green organisations you know in the UK to complain about the carbon footprint of doing that amount of travel to collect a small paper booklet.

Sadly, that's the way it's been since 2014 - prior to which the furthest a renewal applicant needed to travel was to his nearest DHL depot or local post office to send his application to Hong Kong. But such, of course, is "progress", HMPO-style.

 

Although HMPO have never, as far as I can tell, provided any specific explanation of - or justification for - the change, it looks like their primary motivation related to passport security issues. But what's the betting that these issues arise principally from tourists losing their passports or having them stolen during their hols in LOS? Passports which, of course, they were able to renew or obtain in the UK without the need for a couple of potentially awkward trips to HMPO's main office near Victoria Station in London SW1!

[ThaiPauly]

Two things: It says on the literature that once you hand over your passport and the clip the end it is no longer a valid travel document.

 

That means if you flew down to get it renewed you are going to have to find an alternative method of getting back and returning to collect it as I understand you need a passport to fly in Thailand if you are a Farang.

 

Secondly, they have just increased the price for the 48 page one to 128.51 which includes the courier service to the UK. I am only posting this because Ajarn Phil did a wonderful article about renewing your passport but he had a different (lower of course) price quoted.

 

My agent quoted me 11.700 Baht to do the job, but I am in BK over Christmas so I got myself an appointment. I will be driving there and back so my only extra costing will be the cost of the return to collect it, I think otherwise I would have used the agent as by the time you have paid for 2 lots of flights to BK there is not that much difference in the cost as they will only give you a few days notice that it is ready for collection so you book at a higher price. A friend and I just flew down to BK from CM to buy him a car, booking the previous day the cost was 2,500 pp...not cheap!! But we had to do that to ensure we got the car.

[Jip99]

8 minutes ago, ThaiPauly said:

Two things: It says on the literature that once you hand over your passport and the clip the end it is no longer a valid travel document.

 

That means if you flew down to get it renewed you are going to have to find an alternative method of getting back and returning to collect it as I understand you need a passport to fly in Thailand if you are a Farang.

 

Secondly, they have just increased the price for the 48 page one to 128.51 which includes the courier service to the UK. I am only posting this because Ajarn Phil did a wonderful article about renewing your passport but he had a different (lower of course) price quoted.

 

My agent quoted me 11.700 Baht to do the job, but I am in BK over Christmas so I got myself an appointment. I will be driving there and back so my only extra costing will be the cost of the return to collect it, I think otherwise I would have used the agent as by the time you have paid for 2 lots of flights to BK there is not that much difference in the cost as they will only give you a few days notice that it is ready for collection so you book at a higher price. A friend and I just flew down to BK from CM to buy him a car, booking the previous day the cost was 2,500 pp...not cheap!! But we had to do that to ensure we got the car.

 

 

Only photo ID Is required for domestic flights so passport or driving license will suffice. I thought the PP was clipped on collection - but will stand corrected.

 

Slightly pedantic, but the fee includes courier FROM the UK. 

 

Most agents charge 5/6,000 Baht, with the UKPA fee on top.

Edited December 20, 2018 by Jip99

[BLACKJACK2]

Yes they only keep the photocopies.