UK Passport issues during COVID-19

[OJAS]

On 7/31/2020 at 10:18 AM, Saltire said:

Unbeliveably the response was - sorry HMPO have not sent you the Jumbo one you requested and paid for.

"And this week's winner of the HMPO Brazen Incompetence Award goes to...."

[Eff1n2ret]

On 7/31/2020 at 10:18 AM, Saltire said:

 

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

 

That is my experience also, VFS aren't the problem. You will have a 12-hour drive to spend no more than 10 minutes going into Trendy House, up in the lift, receive your passport, down in the lift again and out, because of a stupid system and an uncaring and thoroughly incompetent government department.

[hotandsticky]

52 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

That is my experience also, VFS aren't the problem. You will have a 12-hour drive to spend no more than 10 minutes going into Trendy House, up in the lift, receive your passport, down in the lift again and out, because of a stupid system and an uncaring and thoroughly incompetent government department.

 

 

It has been appalling service from HMPO  (they WILL get better, they have done before).

 

 

But let's not make a drama out of a crisis.................there is no need for a 12 hour round trip - 1,000 Baht would secure the services of someone to collect the passport and send by EMS to the applicant's Thai address. 

[ImageDude]

12 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

It has been appalling service from HMPO  (they WILL get better, they have done before).

 

It makes one wonder how big a problem this really is. There have been a number of issues highlighted on this board, there are also problems which have not been posted here, because I have had requests via PM for information from others who are experiencing difficulties. We are a relatively small percentage of the actual numbers of passports that HMPO handle, so how deep does it go, is it just passport applications from overseas? I have received an answer to my complaint which I sent to Abi Tierney’s office, it basically states that all they could do is apologise and use cases like mine for future staff training so maybe @hotandsticky is right and things will get better. They also said, if I would like to submit receipts for any extra expenditure incurred, they will consider refunding me!

[Saltire]

15 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

It has been appalling service from HMPO  (they WILL get better, they have done before).

 

 

But let's not make a drama out of a crisis.................there is no need for a 12 hour round trip - 1,000 Baht would secure the services of someone to collect the passport and send by EMS to the applicant's Thai address. 

I am nowhere near any agent; they would have to drive the 6 hours here to get my old passport and a letter of authorisation. Not an option for me. And after all the problems it's not leaving my sight.

 

On the return trip I will go direct to the Kanchanaburi visa office (3 hours) to move my stamps and do a 90 day report with the new passport number, so I can get that over with same trip, then drive the rest of the way home.

 

I will also take advantage and do a big shop at Makro and BigC.

 

I had no objection doing 2 trips to Bangkok, but it's turned into 3 now. It's not a crisis it's a pain in the ar*e.

 

Edited August 2, 2020 by Saltire

[hotandsticky]

46 minutes ago, Saltire said:

I am nowhere near any agent; they would have to drive the 6 hours here to get my old passport and a letter of authorisation. Not an option for me. And after all the problems it's not leaving my sight.

 

On the return trip I will go direct to the Kanchanaburi visa office (3 hours) to move my stamps and do a 90 day report with the new passport number, so I can get that over with same trip, then drive the rest of the way home.

 

I will also take advantage and do a big shop at Makro and BigC.

 

I had no objection doing 2 trips to Bangkok, but it's turned into 3 now. It's not a crisis it's a pain in the ar*e.

 

 

 

All done by EMS post.

 

 

[pontious]

3 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

All done by EMS post.

 

 

I am sure that is an option. I expect posters @ImageDude and @Saltire worked, is working  on the theory that if anything else can go wrong - it will.!

[Saltire]

1 minute ago, pontious said:

I am sure that is an option. I expect posters @ImageDude and @Saltire worked, is working  on the theory that if anything else can go wrong - it will.!

You got that spot on ???? What can possibly go wrong tomorrow ????

 

I won't relax till I have the new one in my hands.

 

Then I have to deal with immigration, then my bank, then the DLT ???? to change the number.

 

Oh joy.

 

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, Saltire said:

I am nowhere near any agent; they would have to drive the 6 hours here to get my old passport and a letter of authorisation. Not an option for me. And after all the problems it's not leaving my sight.

 

On the return trip I will go direct to the Kanchanaburi visa office (3 hours) to move my stamps and do a 90 day report with the new passport number, so I can get that over with same trip, then drive the rest of the way home.

 

I will also take advantage and do a big shop at Makro and BigC.

 

I had no objection doing 2 trips to Bangkok, but it's turned into 3 now. It's not a crisis it's a pain in the ar*e.

 

If you have internet and a postal address, the agent is only as far way as your letterbox.

 

You DO have a letterbox I assume?

[ImageDude]

48 minutes ago, Saltire said:

You got that spot on ???? What can possibly go wrong tomorrow ????

 

I won't relax till I have the new one in my hands.

 

Then I have to deal with immigration, then my bank, then the DLT ???? to change the number.

 

Oh joy.

 

I hope you have more success than me, but Immigration would not transfer my stamps, nor would they give me a Residency Certificate or a 60 day extension for being married to a Thai. All because my permission to stay had expired on May 30th. The fact that I had no passport until the 3rd of July and the borders were closed at that time anyway had no relevance as far as they were concerned. Also my Visa was valid until August 2nd. According to the lady officer I had the misfortune to deal with, the amnesty means NO PAY FINE, everything else YOU OVERSTAY. However, extending my stay for one year by reason of sufficient funds in the bank was okay. My passport renewal from the start was nothing short of a nightmare! As, has already been said, thank goodness it is only once every 10 years!

[Saltire]

17 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

If you have internet and a postal address, the agent is only as far way as your letterbox.

 

You DO have a letterbox I assume?

Yes I do, and a small Thai Post office (house) a short walk. My passport is going nowhere by post at this stage, or ever unless its DHL or similar.

[Saltire]

15 minutes ago, ImageDude said:

I hope you have more success than me, but Immigration would not transfer my stamps, nor would they give me a Residency Certificate or a 60 day extension for being married to a Thai. All because my permission to stay had expired on May 30th. The fact that I had no passport until the 3rd of July and the borders were closed at that time anyway had no relevance as far as they were concerned. Also my Visa was valid until August 2nd. According to the lady officer I had the misfortune to deal with, the amnesty means NO PAY FINE, everything else YOU OVERSTAY. However, extending my stay for one year by reason of sufficient funds in the bank was okay. My passport renewal from the start was nothing short of a nightmare! As, has already been said, thank goodness it is only once every 10 years!

I should be OK I think.

 

My IO has never provided a certificate of residence - twice I have had to go to Bangkok (again) to the British Embassy for that for driving licences. My local DLT also insist it's from the embassy so even if I could obtain one from immigration they do not accept it. Lucky I renewed 5 year in February, don't expect to be driving in 5 years.

 

I am on a valid extension of stay till 28 November (retirement/money in bank) and will renew around end October.

 

I do my 90 days for the last 3 years online and it's due now. My latest concern is online has proved problematic for some with new passport, so I am hoping doing this one in person tomorrow will avoid any future online report issues.

 

 

 

[hotandsticky]

5 minutes ago, Saltire said:

Yes I do, and a small Thai Post office (house) a short walk. My passport is going nowhere by post at this stage, or ever unless its DHL or similar.

 

 

Then, with respect Saltire, because you have suffered badly) you are the architect of your own obstacles. Go to Bangkok if you wish and do not complain about the length of the trip.

 

If you don't want to travel then the option for 3rd party collection and reliable, insured EMS post is the answer.

 

I am indirectly involved in handling circa 50 British passports per year and EMS haven't lost one yet.

 

 

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, Saltire said:

Yes I do, and a small Thai Post office (house) a short walk. My passport is going nowhere by post at this stage, or ever unless its DHL or similar.

That's entirely up to you but Thailand Post EMS is very good, secure and reliable.

[Eff1n2ret]

5 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Then, with respect Saltire, because you have suffered badly) you are the architect of your own obstacles. Go to Bangkok if you wish and do not complain about the length of the trip.

 

If you don't want to travel then the option for 3rd party collection and reliable, insured EMS post is the answer.

 

I am indirectly involved in handling circa 50 British passports per year and EMS haven't lost one yet.

 

 

I'm sure you're right about the EMS service, but the alleged rationale behind the current procedure inflicted on applicants of having to go twice to Bangkok or pay an agent to do it for you is that foreigners are supposed to keep their passports with them at all times. We all know that is not required in practice, but it's the law, and it is rather negated by putting your passport in the post to a third party.

 

I messaged the Passport Office at the beginning of the year after I'd jumped through all the hoops to get a new passport, suggesting that the whole process would be a lot more efficient if we were treated the same as UK applicants and could apply online, with an uploaded copy of the expiring passport instead of a paper copy (what do they do with all that paper, it's inconceivable that they file it?!). The new passport could be sent to VFS, either for collection on production of the old passport, so one trip less than at present - or yes, you could EMS the old passport to VFS and they could EMS it back to you with the new one. So you'd be without a passport for very few days, much less time than using an agent.

 

I never had the courtesy of a reply.

[pontious]

On 7/31/2020 at 10:18 AM, Saltire said:

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

Whilst agreeing in general with that statement they are not without criticism. Two weeks ago when I picked up my passport I told them they were telling people by email / sms they could pick up new passports 8 am to 4 pm Mon to Fri. That is obviously incorrect. They are shut Tuesday and Thursday and the times are wrong as well.  They said they would change that. No they have not -I pick up my wife,s passport tomorrow and they sent the same email .Although the Home Office probably said they could reduce working days - why? At the end of the day some UK citizens  have been severely affected by the total incompetence of HMPO. This is not some visa agent from Nakhon Nowhere this is a  UK government department. 

[OJAS]

3 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

I'm sure you're right about the EMS service, but the alleged rationale behind the current procedure inflicted on applicants of having to go twice to Bangkok or pay an agent to do it for you is that foreigners are supposed to keep their passports with them at all times. We all know that is not required in practice, but it's the law, and it is rather negated by putting your passport in the post to a third party.

 

I messaged the Passport Office at the beginning of the year after I'd jumped through all the hoops to get a new passport, suggesting that the whole process would be a lot more efficient if we were treated the same as UK applicants and could apply online, with an uploaded copy of the expiring passport instead of a paper copy (what do they do with all that paper, it's inconceivable that they file it?!). The new passport could be sent to VFS, either for collection on production of the old passport, so one trip less than at present - or yes, you could EMS the old passport to VFS and they could EMS it back to you with the new one. So you'd be without a passport for very few days, much less time than using an agent.

 

I never had the courtesy of a reply.

What I have been left wondering is how much HMPO are paying VFS for providing a service which, as far as the renewal of UK passports from Thailand is concerned, appears to stretch to little more than (in the case of the first enforced trip, whether undertaken in person or by an agent) placing application docs into an envelope which they then seal before sending it on its merry way to the UK, and (in the case of the second enforced trip) wielding a pair of scissors in order to snip off the top and bottom corners of the front covers of the passport being renewed. Unfortunately, commercial confidentiality considerations probably mean that we shall never know the exact amount involved.

 

In connection with the perceived local requirement for foreigners to have their passports on them at all times, it might be worth noting that the State Department don't apparently have any problems with our American cousins being temporarily passport-less at renewal time, as will be evident from the following link which also clearly demonstrates just how smooth and easy the American passport renewal process from Thailand is when compared to the cumbersomely bureaucratic shambles which HMPO have inflicted on us Brits (as exacerbated, of course, by their inherent incompetence):-

 

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

 

Edited August 2, 2020 by OJAS

[Saltire]

I finally got my new passport yesterday on a trip to VFS in Bangkok.

 

It was the wrong size as expected, I didn't mention it (and neither did they) I just signed for it and left.

 

Incidentally on the way home I called into my Imm office in Kanchnaburi city and transferred the stamps (no charge). I had stopped n the way to get a copy of the new passport and one of the photo page of my now voided one, but Imm need a copy of every page of your old one.

 

I asked while I was there if 90 day online would still be ok (i've used it 3 years with no issues) I was told I may have to leave Thailand and come back for it to accept the new passport number. The agen told me just to use the old number till I made a trip abroad and it would be ok as she had the new one in her system.

 

I also asked if there was any change in the rule for a TM30 but unfortunately in this office even if you just go to another province you need to do a TM30 in 24 hours of your return.

 

Hopefully thats me hassle free for 90 days till my annual extension id due.

 

I have posted the complete process in a separate thread here.

 

 

[VocalNeal]

^ Roughly how long did it take?

[Saltire]

1 minute ago, VocalNeal said:

^ Roughly how long did it take?

It took a day short of 6 weeks, which is the maximum standard time for delivery promise. Was told 3 to 6 weeks.

 

 

[VocalNeal]

^ Cheers

 

Mines been expired about 10 years so i doubt it will be at the front of the queue!

 

Edited August 4, 2020 by VocalNeal

[Chloe1]

Dear guys, please share real contact details of Abi’s office as I have already lost any hope to reach the Home Office Visas and Immigration via open sources. Thanks!