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Renewal of British Passport when living in Thailand


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I am a British Citizen living in Udonthani and have some questions regarding renewal of a British Citizen Passport:

 

  1. When the new Passport has been issued is there a specific time limit for the transfer of relevant stamps from the old Passport into the new Passport?
  2. Can one leave Thailand and return to Thailand with the old cancelled (corner cut off) Passport and the new Passport without having the stamps transferred from the old Passport into the new Passport or does one have to get the stamps transferred before leaving.

 

Many thanks in advance for any help.

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3 minutes ago, colinchaffers said:

A related question, do they keep your old passport during the renewal process? (4 weeks+)


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

No, you keep your passport during the application. Once you have your new passport, you cut the corners yourself.

 

Please note that you have to get a letter from the British embassy to state that your new passport is genuine to enable you to transfer the stamps from old to new passport. Thai immigration won't do it without this letter.

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A related question, do they keep your old passport during the renewal process? (4 weeks+)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

No, you do, although they advise you that it cannot be used for international travel (just for ID), once it's been cancelled by HMPO in Liverpool.

 

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

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

No, you keep your passport during the application. Once you have your new passport, you cut the corners yourself.

 

Please note that you have to get a letter from the British embassy to state that your new passport is genuine to enable you to transfer the stamps from old to new passport. Thai immigration won't do it without this letter.

How much does that cost ? Which British Embassy , Bangkok ?  That is one hell of a trip and more expense for people who live up North and down South .

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Just now, NE1 said:

How much does that cost ? Which British Embassy , Bangkok ?  That is one hell of a trip and more expense for people who live up North and down South .

Sorry, can't remember cost. You can book an appointment at the British embassy on the same day you pick up your new passport from the Trendy building. I believe you can also get the letter via email. The embassy will post it to you.

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2 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Wrong on two counts!

 

You DO NOT cut the corner off yourself. It is cut by the staff at Trendy when you collect your new one.

 

You DO NOT have to get a letter from the British embassy. The required letter is issued to by, once again, by the staff at Trendy.

 

Got that?

Calm down! You'll blow a blood vessel.

OK, things have changed since 2015 which was when I got my new passport.

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7 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Wrong on two counts!

 

You DO NOT cut the corner off yourself. It is cut off by the staff at Trendy when you collect your new one.

 

You DO NOT have to get a letter from the British embassy. The required letter is issued to by, once again, by the staff at Trendy.

 

Got that?

I believe when I went to Trendy they cut the PP corner off at the time of application, not when the new one was issued..

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7 minutes ago, transam said:

I believe when I went to Trendy they cut the PP corner off at the time of application, not when the new one was issued..

Doesn't that invalidate the passport ?

 

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12 minutes ago, transam said:

I believe when I went to Trendy they cut the PP corner off at the time of application, not when the new one was issued..

So what? There's enough disinformation on this thread already, one more won't really matter!

 

10 minutes ago, transam said:

Most if not all need the letter which I think is downloadable...

How can a personalised letter possibly be downloaded?

 

As I've already said, it issued at Trendy with you new passport.

Edited by Moonlover
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2 hours ago, Crossy said:

No additional cost.

Definitely none for the letter proforma itself. But I can recall reports on here of a handful of immigration offices levying unofficial charges for a stamps transfer.

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2 hours ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Sorry, can't remember cost. You can book an appointment at the British embassy on the same day you pick up your new passport from the Trendy building. I believe you can also get the letter via email. The embassy will post it to you.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand#transferring-your-thai-visa-for-replacement-passports

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Once the corner is cut off the passport is invalid and cannot be used.  Don't try to leave or enter with a cut passport as you will be refused.  Last year, I went to Singapore using a new Canadian passport.  No trouble, however upon return I mistakenly handed over my old U.K. passport.  Immigration at DM correctly refused me entry and I wondered why until I saw I had provided the wrong passport.  Problem solved.

 

Same thing happened with the U.K. passport I had prior to the on mentioned here.  That was in China and was refused exit until I remembered I had provided the wrong passport.

'nuf sed.

 

 

Edited by wotsdermatter
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Are you totally confused yet @vibration?

 

With the amount of contradictory information here, I wouldn't be surprised. May I suggest that you visit: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

 

There you will find the detailed and correct instructions for renewing your passport. Two tips for you

 

1. Make sure that you comply with the requirements regarding payment. Thai debits have been rejected. Far safer to use a UK based card if you can.

 

2. As you live in Udon Thani, you might like to consider using an agent. I did mine from there a couple of years ago and the total cost for the two trips to Trendy came to about 4,500 THB. Agents charge around 5,000 THB. I would consider that good value for a hassle free renewal.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Moonlover
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5 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Are you totally confused yet @vibration?

 

With the amount of contradictory information here, I wouldn't be surprised. May I suggest that you visit: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

 

There you will the detailed and correct instructions for renewing your passport. Two tips for you

 

1. Make sure that you comply with the requirements regarding payment. Thai debits have been rejected. Far safer to use a UK based card if you can.

 

2. As you live in Udon Thani, you might like to consider using an agent. I did mine from there a couple of years ago and the total cost for the two trips to Trendy came to about 4,500 THB. Agents charge around 5,000 THB. I would consider that good value for a hassle free renewal.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks Moonlover and all others for all help and yes it is confusing however I dont want to criticise anybody for using there freewill and time to help.

 

I will use the Agent option as I have been informed by Thai Elite Visa (I have a PE Visa) that when I get my new Passport I have to first get the last entry stamp transferred into my new Passport at the same Immigration Office that I do my 90 day report which will be in Udonthani.

 

After this is done I have to book an appointment with Thai Elite Visa staff to get my PE Visa transferred into my new Passport at Chang Wattana.

 

One potential issue here is that one needs a TM30 receipt from Udonthani and the Immigration Office here have informed my wife two times after she tried to apply that they only issue these if you permanently change address. My wife has last week applied online to do the TM30 application and the last email states that a Username and Password will be provided within 7 working days from Udonthani Immigration Office.

 

I will update this post later with hopefully positive news.

 

Good luck to all with all Visa issues.

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4 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

My understanding is that you now get the letter (proforma, fill in the blanks job) from Trendy when you pick up the new PP.

 

No additional cost.

 

 

That has been the case for a While Now,That's the way they did it when I renewed mine in 2017.....You Do NOT Have to go to the British Embassy for the letter,They're NOT Interested in us Brits Anyway....

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1 hour ago, OJAS said:

Definitely none for the letter proforma itself. But I can recall reports on here of a handful of immigration offices levying unofficial charges for a stamps transfer.

I Had my Stamps Transfered at Mukdahan Immigration,Absolutely NO Charge & Done with a SMILE !!!

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5 hours ago, colinchaffers said:

A related question, do they keep your old passport during the renewal process? (4 weeks+)


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

no not when I did mine last Oct....2018......but you have to take old one when receiving new passport.....

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