UK Passport issues during COVID-19

[pontious]

37 minutes ago, Saltire said:

They asked me to email confirming I no longer require a second passport and someone would get back to me with instructions on what I need to do.

Now you have to wait again. They could have said 'if you no longer require a second passport do the following.-- a. b. c. Why do they make things so difficult. They should have asked 'someone' and sent you the damn instructions.

[Saltire]

4 minutes ago, pontious said:

Now you have to wait again. They could have said 'if you no longer require a second passport do the following.-- a. b. c. Why do they make things so difficult. They should have asked 'someone' and sent you the damn instructions.

Agree, I am not waiting past Thursday - I will go to Bangkok on Friday at least I will know they have it in their posession.

 

I did get the impression the people I spoke too had never dealt with a second passport, maybe it's not so common.

 

[dabhand]

1 hour ago, Saltire said:

Agree, I am not waiting past Thursday - I will go to Bangkok on Friday at least I will know they have it in their posession.

 

I did get the impression the people I spoke too had never dealt with a second passport, maybe it's not so common.

 

I am very thankful to you for relating all the steps you are having to take in dealing with this issue. My situation is similar as my two UK passports (one full and the other containing my current Thai stamps)  expire next year and, like you, I will only be needing one going forward. They both expire in October 2021 and, with my extension expiring in May, I have been cogitating on when would be best to start the passport renewal process. Without having your ongoing experience as a guide I would possibly have cut it too fine (for the extension renewal) due to entering the HMPO rabbit hole, with many clueless responses from all involved.

 

It does beggar belief that, for such a simple process, HMPO do not appear to have a playbook that covers these kind of situations. Or, it may just be the lack of training, as has been clearly evidenced within this thread on other passport renewal issues. 

 

I guess, from my perspective, I am hoping that the end of your journey will give a clear indication as to what is required at the application stage for those transiting from two to one passport. But, if not, at least your experience should indicate an escape route should the initial step lead to a cul de sac.

 

Good luck and many thanks again.

[Saltire]

3 minutes ago, dabhand said:

I am very thankful to you for relating all the steps you are having to take in dealing with this issue. My situation is similar as my two UK passports (one full and the other containing my current Thai stamps)  expire next year and, like you, I will only be needing one going forward. They both expire in October 2021 and, with my extension expiring in May, I have been cogitating on when would be best to start the passport renewal process. Without having your ongoing experience as a guide I would possibly have cut it too fine (for the extension renewal) due to entering the HMPO rabbit hole, with many clueless responses from all involved.

 

It does beggar belief that, for such a simple process, HMPO do not appear to have a playbook that covers these kind of situations. Or, it may just be the lack of training, as has been clearly evidenced within this thread on other passport renewal issues. 

 

I guess, from my perspective, I am hoping that the end of your journey will give a clear indication as to what is required at the application stage for those transiting from two to one passport. But, if not, at least your experience should indicate an escape route should the initial step lead to a cul de sac.

 

Good luck and many thanks again.

Thank you I will continue to update here till I get the new one in my hand,

 

In hindsight if I had known this would cause probems I would have contacted HMPO and offered to return/cancel the additional passport ages ago. Not sure how they would do that, the next few days may answer that question. However if you are in Bangkok or at least closer then I am I suspect you could take it to VFS to have it voided under instruction from HMPO. Then when your renewal comes up you will only have the one passport on record so the process should be easy - he says optimistically ????

 

 

[pontious]

@Saltire  Out of curiosity in the application form section 3 did you put 2 passports and take both your passports and 2 color  copies to show / give VFS.?  

Or did you just put the 1 for the one you want renewing.?

[Saltire]

1 hour ago, pontious said:

@Saltire  Out of curiosity in the application form section 3 did you put 2 passports and take both your passports and 2 color  copies to show / give VFS.?  

Or did you just put the 1 for the one you want renewing.?

Just the one that's almost full and if I don't renew it now, Immigration will only stamp me in for 9 months. It expires Aug next year but my extension is due in Nov.

 

My additional one expires December and I wrongly assumed I could just let it lapse.

 

 

[pontious]

1 hour ago, Saltire said:

Just the one that's almost full and if I don't renew it now, Immigration will only stamp me in for 9 months. It expires Aug next year but my extension is due in Nov.

 

My additional one expires December and I wrongly assumed I could just let it lapse.

 

 

I am not being Mr Smarty Pants but they  require you to send colour copies of all uncancelled passports you have, even foreign ones, and show the real ones to VFS who then give them back to you. I suspect they started your renewal and someone in the chain then noticed you had another passport.  In hindsight if you had handed your 2nd passport to VFS and a letter saying you wanted it cancelled to go to HMPO that would have worked. Easy in hindsight, and you did not know you had to do that. Any delay is a PITA but you will still get your passport well in time for your next extension. They really should put something in the Guidance notes regarding 2nd passport holders. Good luck.

Edited July 8, 2020 by pontious

[Saltire]

15 hours ago, pontious said:

I am not being Mr Smarty Pants but they  require you to send colour copies of all uncancelled passports you have, even foreign ones, and show the real ones to VFS who then give them back to you. I suspect they started your renewal and someone in the chain then noticed you had another passport.  In hindsight if you had handed your 2nd passport to VFS and a letter saying you wanted it cancelled to go to HMPO that would have worked. Easy in hindsight, and you did not know you had to do that. Any delay is a PITA but you will still get your passport well in time for your next extension. They really should put something in the Guidance notes regarding 2nd passport holders. Good luck.

Yes I agree, there is virtually no information anywhere other than how to apply for a second passport, not how to cancel one. One operator told me she would tell me how to cancel it online but she never got to finish the conversation. Online it seems you can cancel a lost or stolen one but I couldnt find anything for a second passport.

 

For me the bottom line is no employer to provide letter, no second passport.

[pontious]

Why has VFS reduced to 3 working days. Mon, Wed, Fri.?

Someone suggested they have few visa requests. So what. I recently took my passport for renewal. Completely empty - and seen 4 hours early. 

Just applied for my wife,s renewal. Only given next Friday - seven days time.! The whole system, VFS and the Passport office, have been seen to be shown- out of date, no service really at all, and mostly totally incompetent and living in the dark ages. Thank goodness it is every 10 years or so. Rant over

 

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, pontious said:

Why has VFS reduced to 3 working days. Mon, Wed, Fri.?

Someone suggested they have few visa requests. So what. I recently took my passport for renewal. Completely empty - and seen 4 hours early. 

Just applied for my wife,s renewal. Only given next Friday - seven days time.! The whole system, VFS and the Passport office, have been seen to be shown- out of date, no service really at all, and mostly totally incompetent and living in the dark ages. Thank goodness it is every 10 years or so. Rant over

 

So, seeya again in 2030?

[Saltire]

So after being told by Liverpool that someone would get back to me with 'further instructions' on how to deal with my no longer required second passport but hearing nothing in 2 full days, I bit the bullet and did the 5 hour each way run to VFS with the original second passport and a covering letter, as well as the original letter showing what employer documents I would need if I wanted to keep 2 passports.

 

The reception guy had no clue what I was asking but gave me an Inquiry ticket and said to go to any manned window.

 

There were about 20 to 30 people inside, but probably some just waiting on their friend/partner so was not too busy and there were about 10 desks manned.

 

There were UK Visa interviews going on in the private offices, and several were there around 10 AM collecting their new passports so now you can certainly do this mornings (with an appointment).

 

As expected, it took a bit of explaining and the girl dealing with my inquiry did not understand why I had been asked to return the original passport and not just an every-page copy. I had taken a copy with me. After much scratching of heads and chats with supervisor I finally handed over my second passport and documents and forked out 1115 Baht for DHL delivery to the UK. Got a new tracking number and a receipt. It should be there by Monday.

 

Can't wait to see what happens, if anything, when they receive it on Monday. More scratching of heads perhaps.

 

By the way the car park the last time was free but I discovered this time it is only the first hour that is free, I was 7 minutes over and cost me 30 Baht so no big deal. Pretty cheap car park for the centre of Bangkok i thought.

 

 

 

[OJAS]

11 hours ago, NanLaew said:

So, seeya again in 2030?

He's no doubt hoping not. But, as Hon Life President of the Thaivisa With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience Fan Club with zero tolerance for anyone who has the temerity to disagree with said Fan Club's view that said Passport Renewal Experience only merits fulsome praise to the very highest heavens as being the best thing since sliced bread, you are no doubt hoping that he will.

[pontious]

2 hours ago, Saltire said:

I bit the bullet and did the 5 hour each way run to VFS

Thanks for the update. Did you make an appointment or just turn up.?

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

He's no doubt hoping not. But, as Hon Life President of the Thaivisa With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience Fan Club with zero tolerance for anyone who has the temerity to disagree with said Fan Club's view that said Passport Renewal Experience only merits fulsome praise to the very highest heavens as being the best thing since sliced bread, you are no doubt hoping that he will.

Thanks for the long-overdue recognition but I don't wish ill will and bad luck on anyone.

 

My trouble free renewal of 4 UK passports and fulfilled application for 2 new UK passports at VFS in Bangok does make me an exceedingly happy camper though. I can only ponder what profound personal inadequacies make the 'unlucky' few on TV so noisome?

 

PS: This 'With-It' thingamabob you keep posting. Do you wear velvet flares and paisley pattern shirts with your cardy?

 

[Saltire]

28 minutes ago, pontious said:

Thanks for the update. Did you make an appointment or just turn up.?

I emailed first. They answered very quickly, unlike Liverpool, to say for submitting additional documents at the request of Liverpool I was OK to walk in without an appointment.

 

Their response also told me about them now only operating Mon/Wed/Fri which was very fortunate as if I had turned up on Thursday as I had originally planned, I would not have been happy!

 

 

[Saltire]

Unbelievably the saga goes on.

 

On Friday the 10th I took the reluctant second trip to VFS in Bangkok as requested and handed in my second passport which was DHL'd to Liverpool, arriving 13th.

 

Email today suggesting I send BOTH my passports to Liverpool, leaving me with no valid passport. I politely refused and have asked them, again politely, to complete my renewal.

 

Honestly losing the will to live now!

 

Today's email

 

Thank you for your email in regards to your application,

 

I have spoken to my manager and we have decided that the best option for you is that you forward both of the passports you hold now with a cover explaining that you no longer require an additional passport. We need them so we can cancel them on our system. Once this has been done we can then pass your application for issue and send your new passport to the VFS in Bangkok.

 

Please forward your passports to the addressee below

 

Kindest regards

 

 

<Name Redacted>

OVS UK 1

HMPO LIVERPOOL

101 OLD HALL STREET

L39BP

 

 

Edited July 19, 2020 by blackcab
Name edited out

[pontious]

33 minutes ago, Saltire said:

I have spoken to my manager and we have decided that the best option for you is that you forward both of the passports you hold now with a cover explaining that you no longer require an additional passport.

No it is not!!. His best option is to cancel the one he sent you and asked to cancel,  and  complete his other passport renewal of which he sent a complete copy i.a.w the rules for Thailand. Unbelievable.

[marsenal]

On 6/27/2020 at 2:59 PM, cheekysailor said:

Received an email from VFS yesterday stating that my passport was now ready for pick up.  A little over three weeks from start to finish.  Panic over!

I submitted an application for a new passport for my newborn on Monday. Wondering how long it's taking people at the moment to get it back?

Doesn't seem to be too many mentions of time periods. Anyone have any other recent experiences of time it took from application at VFS Bangkok to having passport in hands in Bangkok?

[pontious]

15 minutes ago, marsenal said:

Anyone have any other recent experiences of time it took from application at VFS Bangkok to having passport in hands in Bangkok?

Applied  at VFS Wed  1 July

Arrived HMPO  Friday  3 July

Money from card Mon 6 July

SMS from DHL  left HMPO Mon 13 July

Arrived  VFS  Wed   15 July

4 days in transit

5 working days to complete. Remarkable.

Pick it up tomorrow.

Be warned - when the passport gets back to VFS they will send an SMS to say you can collect from 9am to 2pm. Mon - Fri

 

They are only open Mon Wed  Fri !!

 

[OJAS]

On 7/15/2020 at 5:43 PM, pontious said:

No it is not!!. His best option is to cancel the one he sent you and asked to cancel,  and  complete his other passport renewal of which he sent a complete copy i.a.w the rules for Thailand. Unbelievable.

Indeed! Mr Bannon and his manager are clearly yet more moronic idiots in HMPO's Customer Services Department who are blissfully ignorant of HMPO's own particular requirements for renewing passports from Thailand. If @Saltire were to accede to this demand he could find himself in deep, deep doo-dah were the passport containing his Thai stamps to go MIA in HMPO's Liverpool Office as happened with @ImageDude and reported earlier in this thread.

[Saltire]

11 hours ago, OJAS said:

Indeed! Mr Bannon and his manager are clearly yet more moronic idiots in HMPO's Customer Services Department who are blissfully ignorant of HMPO's own particular requirements for renewing passports from Thailand. If @Saltire were to accede to this demand he could find himself in deep, deep doo-dah were the passport containing his Thai stamps to go MIA in HMPO's Liverpool Office as happened with @ImageDude and reported earlier in this thread.

Received a very apologetic email last night telling me my new passport wil be at VFS within 7 to 10 days. Said the internal mail takes 3 days from arrival at the office to get to the desk of the addressee. Slick.

 

 

[evadgib]

UK Passport backlog reaches 400k due to virus

[OJAS]

17 hours ago, evadgib said:

UK Passport backlog reaches 400k due to virus

"As part of its contingency arrangements, HM Passport Office is rapidly increasing its capacity for processing passport applications, in line with public health guidance, which will help to ensure it continues to meet the travel needs of its customers."

 

????????????????

 

[evadgib]

Key phrase of interest to overseas applicants:

Quote

Overseas applicants who have an urgent need to travel will, as usual, be able to approach the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for an Emergency Travel Document (ETD). Where HMPO has had a passport application for 2 weeks longer than normal service standards, it will invite customers to contact us to arrange a refund of the cost of the ETD.

Her Majesty's Passport Office update on passport applications

[pontious]

On 7/17/2020 at 9:39 AM, Saltire said:

Received a very apologetic email last night telling me my new passport wil be at VFS within 7 to 10 days. Said the internal mail takes 3 days from arrival at the office to get to the desk of the addressee. Slick.

 

 

Has it arrived yet?

[Saltire]

1 minute ago, pontious said:

Has it arrived yet?

The saga continues.

 

It arrived in Bangkok on the 27th but as 27 and 28 were holidays did not get delivered till the 29th. I emailed on the 29th to request an appointment for Monday 3rd to collect.

 

Unbeliveably the response was - sorry HMPO have not sent you the Jumbo one you requested and paid for. Please send us proof of what you paid and if it was 128.51 (jumbo) we will return this and request a new larger one.

 

I am sick of this and so I told them NOT to return it I will live with the 32 page one, not the 50 page I asked for. The money difference is less then 10 quid but no offer to reimburse as yet.

 

I got a confirmation to go on Monday to VFS and collect. Who knows if it will be there!

 

I have a 6 hour drive each way to VFS so one more show of incompetence will be the last straw.

 

I have to say none of this problem lies with VFS, they do everything expected of them.

 

[pontious]

27 minutes ago, Saltire said:

The saga continues.

 

It arrived in Bangkok on the 27th but as 27 and 28 were holidays did not get delivered till the 29th. I emailed on the 29th to request an appointment for Monday 3rd to collect.

 

Unbeliveably the response was - sorry HMPO have not sent you the Jumbo one you requested and paid for. Please send us proof of what you paid and if it was 128.51 (jumbo) we will return this and request a new larger one.

 

I am sick of this and so I told them NOT to return it I will live with the 32 page one, not the 50 page I asked for. The money difference is less then 10 quid but no offer to reimburse as yet.

 

I got a confirmation to go on Monday to VFS and collect. Who knows if it will be there!

 

I have a 6 hour drive each way to VFS so one more show of incompetence will be the last straw.

 

I have to say none of this problem lies with VFS, they do everything expected of them.

 

Thanks. We are going Monday to pick up my wife's passport. I agree that the passport office is the problem. You are nearly there.   

[hotandsticky]

2 hours ago, Saltire said:

The saga continues.

 

It arrived in Bangkok on the 27th but as 27 and 28 were holidays did not get delivered till the 29th. I emailed on the 29th to request an appointment for Monday 3rd to collect.

 

Unbeliveably the response was - sorry HMPO have not sent you the Jumbo one you requested and paid for. Please send us proof of what you paid and if it was 128.51 (jumbo) we will return this and request a new larger one.

 

I am sick of this and so I told them NOT to return it I will live with the 32 page one, not the 50 page I asked for. The money difference is less then 10 quid but no offer to reimburse as yet.

 

I got a confirmation to go on Monday to VFS and collect. Who knows if it will be there!

 

I have a 6 hour drive each way to VFS so one more show of incompetence will be the last straw.

 

I have to say none of this problem lies with VFS, they do everything expected of them.

 

 

 

 

You don't have to drive 6 hours each way, you can appoint a third party to collect for you.

 

 

Easy to arrange.

[evadgib]

Thailand: Entry requirements

 

(Received overnight & presumably of interest to this board)

[marsenal]

On 7/27/2020 at 5:19 PM, evadgib said:

Key phrase of interest to overseas applicants:

Her Majesty's Passport Office update on passport applications

What are considered normal service standards?
In particular for a first child passport when applying from Thailand?

Edited July 31, 2020 by marsenal