Renewed USA Passport Timeline

[gk10012001]

FYI.  I mailed in my USA Passport renewal, requesting the extra page size.  It arrived at my house 6 weeks later.  All in order.  My old passport was returned in a separate envelope with holes punched in it.  All in all, an acceptable timeline.  Now waiting for Thailand to sort things out.  I had always planned to head there for my semi retirement of 6 months of each year when I got to this point of my age and finishing up work.

[NancyL]

Hubby renewed his U.S. passport from Chiang Mai using Thai Post a few weeks ago.  It was mailed to the Bangkok Embassy and his new one arrived about three weeks later.  Always seem to get faster service here in Thailand.  Good, because it can be tricky sometimes to be without a passport since the old one has to be mailed with the application.  

[gk10012001]

On 7/12/2021 at 1:21 AM, NancyL said:

Hubby renewed his U.S. passport from Chiang Mai using Thai Post a few weeks ago.  It was mailed to the Bangkok Embassy and his new one arrived about three weeks later.  Always seem to get faster service here in Thailand.  Good, because it can be tricky sometimes to be without a passport since the old one has to be mailed with the application.  

That is fast.  And yes, mailing in a passport while traveling or away from home is a dicey proposition.  It makes little sense why one can't keep some sort of usable or copy of a still valid passport/paper while sending in the expiring passport.

[NancyL]

14 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

That is fast.  And yes, mailing in a passport while traveling or away from home is a dicey proposition.  It makes little sense why one can't keep some sort of usable or copy of a still valid passport/paper while sending in the expiring passport.

Yes, that's what we do -- make a copy of relevant pages, but for some transactions you need the "real" passport.  For example, at our bank it says the original passport is needed for transactions, not a copy.

 

[Pib]

Helped my neighbor renew her U.S. passport by mail about a month ago.  Took about 2.5 weeks from mailing to U.S. Bangkok Embassy and receiving the new & old passports back to her Bangkok address.   Renewing my mail within Thailand is fast...still only takes 2 to 3 weeks including all mailing time.

[gk10012001]

13 hours ago, NancyL said:

Yes, that's what we do -- make a copy of relevant pages, but for some transactions you need the "real" passport.  For example, at our bank it says the original passport is needed for transactions, not a copy.

 

I scan and make PDF copies of all my important documents and email it to myself to each of my different email accounts.  I put a password on the PDF file.  Weak security but will keep the average email account hacker from opening it.  This way, if I lose all paper, get robbed, hotel burns down, safe is stolen, whatever, I can most likely access all the important stuff, get to the Embassy, get home, or do whatever else I need to do to get things sorted out

[LungKen]

I renewed my passport  by mail 06/07/2021  with CM and recieved it all finnished 15/07/2021 and quite happy with the service recieved , just need to do some paper work w/ the bank and  immigration now to renew my "O" visa 90 day, and get new "O" visa long stay This is an accomplishment  I am feeling much better with now .

 

 

[mtls2005]

Received this email yesterday, so can pay with a credit card, and no more local bank drafts.

 

The Department of State is pleased to announce that U.S. Embassy Bangkok has been selected as a pilot location for payment of DS-82 passport renewal fees online.  Beginning July 19, 2021, passport applicants wishing to pay for their DS-82 renewal application online may visit https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/adult-passport-renew/ to determine eligibility to use this option.  If eligible, applicants may then submit payment via U.S. or international credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer from a U.S.-based bank account, Amazon Pay, or Pay Pal. 

 

For questions about this online fee payment option please contact the American Citizen Services unit at [email protected]. 

Best regards, 

American Citizen Services 

U.S. Embassy Bangkok 

 

[ubonjoe]

49 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Received this email yesterday, so can pay with a credit card, and no more local bank drafts.

Still nothing about it on their website. Maybe on Monday they will have some more info.

[mtls2005]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Still nothing about it on their website. Maybe on Monday they will have some more info.

That was the entire text of the email.

 

Came in on the [email protected] email. (also got an email on the [email protected] email this morning: SCG HQ vaccinations).

 

Nothing about this on their Twitter feed, @USEmbassyBKK

 

I enrolled in STEP, finally, and then started receiving these types of emails.

 

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by mtls2005

[gk10012001]

4 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Received this email yesterday, so can pay with a credit card, and no more local bank drafts.

 

The Department of State is pleased to announce that U.S. Embassy Bangkok has been selected as a pilot location for payment of DS-82 passport renewal fees online.  Beginning July 19, 2021, passport applicants wishing to pay for their DS-82 renewal application online may visit https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/adult-passport-renew/ to determine eligibility to use this option.  If eligible, applicants may then submit payment via U.S. or international credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer from a U.S.-based bank account, Amazon Pay, or Pay Pal. 

 

For questions about this online fee payment option please contact the American Citizen Services unit at [email protected]. 

Best regards, 

American Citizen Services 

U.S. Embassy Bangkok 

 

Interesting because stateside, we have to mail in a check.  There is no way to pay online.  I guess the state department can't coordinate an online payment with paper application mailed in materials... yet.

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

That was the entire text of the email.

I the got the step emails as well. Been getting them for a long time now.

I checked the embassy website yesterday for more info paying for the passport online but none was there.

There was a tweet done by the embassy this morning about the vaccinations.

[mtls2005]

13 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I checked the embassy website yesterday for more info paying for the passport online but none was there.

 

The email mentioned a specific date: 

 

5 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Beginning July 19, 2021

so not sure why you're fixated on what the website say today?

 

I can forward the email to you if you want.

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

so not sure why you're fixated on what the website say today?

Not fixated. Just curious for more details. I read the email I got.

[JimGant]

Not that big a deal -- will just preclude having to go to the bank for bankdrafts to pay for new passport plus EMS postage from embassy/consulate to your address for new/returned old passports. So, now, just one trip involved, i.e., that to the post office to send in application.

My recent turnaround time in CM was two weeks. If in the States, according to recent news, you could wait over 12 weeks for a renewal! Just think: In the States, where you would now have two jabs (unless you're a Republican), you'd be alive and well, when your new passport reached  you in 12 weeks. Here in Thailand, your new passport would arrive in two weeks -- but you'd be dead due to lack of vaccinations. Sigh.

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, JimGant said:

Not that big a deal -- will just preclude having to go to the bank for bankdrafts to pay for new passport plus EMS postage from embassy/consulate to your address for new/returned old passports.

You still have to get a 100 baht bank draft for the return envelope. 

[Pib]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You still have to get a 100 baht bank draft for the return envelope. 

Yeap...sure enough.   But at least I'll be able to use my 2% cash back credit card to shave a few dollars off the basic passport fee of $110.  

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/faq-on-line-payment/

Quote

Q: After a successful payment is made via Pay.gov for my passport renewal, where should I mail the email confirmation and completed DS-82 application?
A: Please mail your electronic payment confirmation, current passport, a bank draft for a return envelope fee, passport photo, and signed DS-82 application to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.

 

[JimGant]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

You still have to get a 100 baht bank draft for the return envelope. 

So, in terms of effort, nothing has changed. State Dept, please refrain from any kudos. Nevertheless, I still admire your turnaround time for renewals for expats, especially compared to renewals from within the US.

[Pib]

I expect the reason they don't allow the Bt100 return/EMS mail fee to be paid electronically is because the U.S. Embassy needs that money to pay the Thailand Post Office for the mailing while the basic $110 passport fee which can be paid electronically goes directly into a HQ State Dept account which the US Embassy can't touch for funding/paying bills.  Budgeting bureaucracy..