Renewing British Passport

[Kaopad999]

Hi, 

I currently reside in the north of Thailand and need to renew my British Passport. I'm aware that applications have to be made at the VFS office in Bangkok. However, I am wondering if it is at all possible to get a third party to hand in the application for me, and also pick up the passport once it arrives back?   (This would save me time and money travelling to Bangkok twice.)

Thank you.


 

[vogie]

My agency in Pattaya did mine for me. 

[UKresonant]

You can get someone to pick the new passport up at Trendy, if you have someone you trust with your passport, and they take the receipt (and your passport perhaps). But it's not just a matter of handing it in, you have to queue, once actually on the floor, with your appointment letter, and then go into the room and booth to submit your application. So hand-in NO.

[Lamkyong]

recently did mine i live upper n/e   used KEY VISA  ALL DONE BY POST  brilliant service  chap called D Darren  (manager)  11000 00 bht   inc door to door service  highly recommended  took about 2 weeks  check his web site

[baggies666]

The website says the fee is 5000thb is that fee out of date now?

[vogie]

1 minute ago, baggies666 said:

The website says the fee is 5000thb is that fee out of date now?

That is the agents fee, you still have to pay for the passport. Mine came to 10,000 baht in total.

[OJAS]

10 minutes ago, vogie said:

That is the agents fee, you still have to pay for the passport. Mine came to 10,000 baht in total.

And I gather that Key Visa can pay for the passport cost with their card if you don't have a suitable one yourself.

[vogie]

1 minute ago, OJAS said:

And I gather that Key Visa can pay for the passport cost with their card if you don't have a suitable one yourself.

I believe that is correct, but I did use my debit card. I got the standard passport, but passports with more pages will cost more.

[yodsak]

28 minutes ago, baggies666 said:

The website says the fee is 5000thb is that fee out of date now?

just done mine, 11,500 total, using his card.  took 3 weeks.  

[JaiLai]

44 minutes ago, yodsak said:

just done mine, 11,500 total, using his card.  took 3 weeks.  

Yeah, exactly the same as me.

 

Really good service.

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, yodsak said:

just done mine, 11,500 total, using his card.  took 3 weeks.  

But, unless I'm missing something, it doesn't appear to add up. From Thailand a standard passport costs £118.51 (= c.4,700 THB) and a jumbo one £128.51 (= c.5,000 THB).

 

So, in the case of a standard passport, it should be 5,000 KV fee + 4,700 passport cost + 100 KV EMS = 9,800 THB

 

And, for a jumbo passport, it should be 5,000 KV fee + 5,000 passport cost + 100 KV EMS = 10,100 THB

 

It's not clear to me how the apparent 1,700 or 1,400 discrepancy (depending on which type of replacement passport you were seeking) has arisen. It strikes me that this was the point which @baggies666 was making in post #5 above.

Edited February 8, 2019 by OJAS

[vogie]

1 minute ago, OJAS said:

But, unless I'm missing something, it doesn't appear to add up. From Thailand a standard passport costs £118.51 (= c.4,700 THB) and a jumbo one £128.51 (= c.5,000 THB).

 

So, in the case of a standard passport, it should be 5,000 KV fee + 4,700 passport cost + 100 KV EMS = 9,800 THB

 

And, for a jumbo passport, it should be 5,000 KV fee + 5,000 passport cost + 100 KV EMS = 10,100 THB

 

It's not clear to me how the apparent 1,700 or 1,400 discrepancy (depending on what type of replacement passport you were seeking) has arisen. It seems to me that this is the point which @baggies666 was making in post #5 above.

Are you including the postal costs to the posters who live up country?

[jacko45k]

I know someone who used Key Visa, they happened to be visiting the Pattaya area so could get things started, and KV were willing to send the new passport up when it arrived.

Edited February 8, 2019 by jacko45k

[OJAS]

5 minutes ago, vogie said:

Are you including the postal costs to the posters who live up country?

No, only the supposed Key Visa costs. But perhaps @Lamkyong and @yodsak could clarify whether their figures included these postal costs?

[Delight]

Darren of Keyvisa arranged mine. June 2017

There was some mistake and the new passport was sent to me directly -not via Darren.

Darren was holding my former passport. It was unclipped.

The new passport  'stamp' pages were all unused.

 The point that I am trying to make is that you will need your former passport to allow your local immigration to transfer relevant stamps to your new passport.

In my case my 2005 Non Immigrant 'O'visa and my last re-entry stamp  into Thailand -which was dated 2015.

Just something to bear in mind.

[Lamkyong]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

No, only the supposed Key Visa costs. But perhaps @Lamkyong and @yodsak could clarify whether their figures included these postal costs?

11.000 all inclusive  THE LOT  would have cost me that in travel alone

[bluesofa]

Can someone provide me with a link to the (wretched) VFS in Trendy Building regarding renewing a UK Passport?

 

I've searched and searched, all I can find about them is info about applying for a UK visa, nothing about renewing a UK passport.

I take it I need to pay online to the UK passport office for my passport renewal first, in order to then allow me to get an appointment at VFS?

 

I managed to find the VFS UK visa facebook page, there were quite a few comments (dated December 2018) about how the online system didn't work and others who waited for hours past their appointment time.

So far it's not looking too good.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Can someone provide me with a link to the (wretched) VFS in Trendy Building regarding renewing a UK Passport?

Go through the steps here and you will get the info you need. https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

 

[Christophers200]

15 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Can someone provide me with a link to the (wretched) VFS in Trendy Building regarding renewing a UK Passport?

 

I've searched and searched, all I can find about them is info about applying for a UK visa, nothing about renewing a UK passport.

I take it I need to pay online to the UK passport office for my passport renewal first, in order to then allow me to get an appointment at VFS?

 

I managed to find the VFS UK visa facebook page, there were quite a few comments (dated December 2018) about how the online system didn't work and others who waited for hours past their appointment time.

So far it's not looking too good.

Maybe you are looking in the wrong place. Open this link https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports and follow the instructions

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, Christophers200 said:

Maybe you are looking in the wrong place. Open this link https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports and follow the instructions

Yes, thanks.

Fancy me thinking I had to look for VFS when that's where I have to go to apply!

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2019 by bluesofa
grammar

[Christophers200]

1 minute ago, bluesofa said:

Yes, thanks.

Fancy me thinking I had to look for VFS when that's where I have go to apply!

 

 

 

You do not apply to VFS for a UK passport. The application is made to HMPO. VFS is just a checking and forwarding service contracted by HMPO

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, Christophers200 said:

9 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Yes, thanks.

Fancy me thinking I had to look for VFS when that's where I have go to apply!

You do not apply to VFS for a UK passport. The application is made to HMPO. VFS is just a checking and forwarding service contracted by HMPO

Right! I wasn't pedantic enough. I know most posters say they have to 'apply' at VFS.

 

I was aware that they have been contracted, but as it's the first time I will be using them, I wasn't aware of the details.

So although it's necessary to 'go' to VFS to submit the application, I still need to 'apply' to them for an appointment to do so.

 

It would be good if VFS themselves had a page somewhere explaining this, for the sake of clarity.

 

[Christophers200]

4 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Right! I wasn't pedantic enough. I know most posters say they have to 'apply' at VFS.

 

I was aware that they have been contracted, but as it's the first time I will be using them, I wasn't aware of the details.

So although it's necessary to 'go' to VFS to submit the application, I still need to 'apply' to them for an appointment to do so.

 

It would be good if VFS themselves had a page somewhere explaining this, for the sake of clarity.

 

Why not just say THANK YOU for the help you have received from the forum without which it is very doubtful you would ever have discovered how to apply to HMPO for a new passport. 

[yodsak]

On 2/8/2019 at 5:09 PM, OJAS said:

But, unless I'm missing something, it doesn't appear to add up. From Thailand a standard passport costs £118.51 (= c.4,700 THB) and a jumbo one £128.51 (= c.5,000 THB).

 

So, in the case of a standard passport, it should be 5,000 KV fee + 4,700 passport cost + 100 KV EMS = 9,800 THB

 

And, for a jumbo passport, it should be 5,000 KV fee + 5,000 passport cost + 100 KV EMS = 10,100 THB

 

It's not clear to me how the apparent 1,700 or 1,400 discrepancy (depending on which type of replacement passport you were seeking) has arisen. It strikes me that this was the point which @baggies666 was making in post #5 above.

Well spotted. I assumed 6,000 was for the passport.

  I dropped mine off and picked it up. so should have been 9,700.

So 1,300 in hidden fees. 

Still better than doing it your self though.

[Christophers200]

14 minutes ago, yodsak said:

Well spotted. I assumed 6,000 was for the passport.

  I dropped mine off and picked it up. so should have been 9,700.

So 1,300 in hidden fees. 

Still better than doing it your self though.

I have used KV's service and the numbers being quoted here are erroneous. For me, the service was cheaper than taking two return flights to Bankok  KV fee 5100 in addition to the cost of the passport 

[yodsak]

11 minutes ago, Christophers200 said:

I have used KV's service and the numbers being quoted here are erroneous. For me, the service was cheaper than taking two return flights to Bankok  KV fee 5100 in addition to the cost of the passport 

i paid 11,500 total ,he used his card

according to OJAS the passport costs 4,700.  a 1,300 difference if OJAS is correct

 

Edited February 15, 2019 by yodsak
more info

[bluesofa]

14 minutes ago, Christophers200 said:

Why not just say THANK YOU for the help you have received from the forum without which it is very doubtful you would ever have discovered how to apply to HMPO for a new passport. 

Err, I did say thanks in my first reply.

I assume I'm not allowed to explain in detail why I was searching for VFS for renewing my passport then?

There could well be others who read these posts and might be under same impression, if the last time they applied directly at the embassy. It may be of help to them.

 

Perhaps it was my use of 'pedantic' that offended you? I used it in the sense of being clear, not critical.