Passport expires in April Retirement visa expires in February

[dick turpin]

3 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

OP - via an agent otherwise it means me traveling to Bangkok and the risks with COVID and having to spend hours in a bus or train

The agent says that VFS is a cause known only to itself.

The truth is finally out, your "agent" will be holding your original passport,

Check your credit card account and you will see when payment for the

new passport was taken, usually a couple of days after receipt of the

application in the UK

[Sydebolle]

If you ask me - call your embassy. 

If you would have physically lost your passport, then a governmental body of your country would have to provide you with some sort of a passport in considerably less time than what you've been going through. Tell your embassy to put your issue into Gear 5 as the government's duty is to provide its (qualified) citizen with travelling documents without any hinderance. 

Good luck, Sir! 

[RocketDog]

15 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

It's is too late for the OP but for anyone else reading this thread in a similar position make sure you do your passport renewal well in advance, six months if necessary and also to ensure everything is done as fast as possible use an agent.

Slightly off topic, but close.

 

Americans can renew their passports with the American embassy in Bangkok via mail.

However, the old passport must be sent to the embassy by one way only : Thai Registered Mail with tracking.

 

I heard that as of Jan 01, 2022, the Thai post office was ending that service.

 

Anybody here know if that is true and if so, how should the passport be sent now?

 

Any input appreciated.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

Americans can renew their passports with the American embassy in Bangkok via mail.

However, the old passport must be sent to the embassy by one way only : Thai Registered Mail with tracking.

 

I heard that as of Jan 01, 2022, the Thai post office was ending that service.

You send it by EMS (express mail service) not registered mail. You will also send a 100 baht cashiers check with your passport for the return of it and your new passport by express mail.

 

[KC 71]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

From Australian info regarding passport renewal......

 

"While you can renew your passport at any time, doing it too early will mean you pay before you really need to".

 

I  have 4 years and plenty of pages left on my pp.

Going to obtain renewal this year as due to lot of travel it's looking sad and good time to renew with no international travel happening (for me)!

 

Was looking at my PP last night too.

I might renew mine just over a year early (in order to coincide with the yearly extensions)

[DrJack54]

Just now, KC 71 said:

Was looking at my PP last night too.

I might renew mine just over a year early (in order to coincide with the yearly extensions)

Sensible.

You wouldn't believe how many threads similar to this one come up.

Either.....," My passport is about to expire and I need......"

Or my favourite...."I only have half a page left in my pp and I need...."

[KC 71]

If i was to send off my passport to be processed for a new one ~

would they accept photo copies of my passport, when i do my 90 day reporting (Immigration) ?

[RocketDog]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

You send it by EMS (express mail service) not registered mail. You will also send a 100 baht cashiers check with your passport for the return of it and your new passport by express mail.

 

Thanks so much U Joe.

I know about the check and have one already.

The EMS detail I what I needed.

Your input is always appreciated.

 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

The EMS detail I what I needed.

Your no doubt aware that the EMS receipt comes with tracking code.

Nice to see it delivered. Works a treat.

Might be silly to mention, however your pp is required to be presented at post office.

Don't seal envelope prior to showing staff at PO. 

[RocketDog]

25 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Your no doubt aware that the EMS receipt comes with tracking code.

Nice to see it delivered. Works a treat.

Might be silly to mention, however your pp is required to be presented at post office.

Don't seal envelope prior to showing staff at PO. 

Ah, good tip. Saves some trouble no doubt!

Thanks DrJack.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

Ah, good tip. Saves some trouble no doubt!

Thanks DrJack.

Just in case you have never seen an example of tracking record.

Here is mine from last week.

It's pretty much always overnight even when I post from Koh Samet to Bkk immigration.

I would be fairly comfortable posting pp to embassy.

 

[Speedo1968]

14 hours ago, dick turpin said:

The truth is finally out, your "agent" will be holding your original passport,

Check your credit card account and you will see when payment for the

new passport was taken, usually a couple of days after receipt of the

application in the UK

OP - Thanks have checked credit card account yesterday and nothing taken so far.
Now I guess its waiting for action in the UK

[Speedo1968]

1 hour ago, KC 71 said:

Was looking at my PP last night too.

I might renew mine just over a year early (in order to coincide with the yearly extensions)

OP - yes a year in advance, even though you loose a few dollars of pages, it's well worth the stress and inconvenience.

[Speedo1968]

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You have to have at least 12 months remaining on your passport when you apply for a new extension of say (not a visa). If not they will only do the extension to the day your passport expires.

Not sure why immigration did not do your extension to the day your passport expires,

It seems they may of only given you a 60 day covid 19 extension when you applied in December.

Did you apply for your new passport yourself at VFS or did you use an agent. Your passport application should of been sent to the UK shortly after you applied if you did it yourself.

OP - used an agent, still trying to get agent to tell me when they sent to VFS, so far they have been unresponsive

[Speedo1968]

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You have to have at least 12 months remaining on your passport when you apply for a new extension of say (not a visa). If not they will only do the extension to the day your passport expires.

Not sure why immigration did not do your extension to the day your passport expires,

It seems they may of only given you a 60 day covid 19 extension when you applied in December.

Did you apply for your new passport yourself at VFS or did you use an agent. Your passport application should of been sent to the UK shortly after you applied if you did it yourself.

OP - they didn't tell me that at Khon Kaen Immigration when doing my 90 day reports

[thonglorjimmy]

Did your agent give you an explanation for the delay?

[Eff1n2ret]

1 hour ago, KC 71 said:

If i was to send off my passport to be processed for a new one ~

would they accept photo copies of my passport, when i do my 90 day reporting (Immigration) ?

They might, who knows? But if you're applying for a UK passport at VFS in Bangkok, you have to submit a colour photocopy of all pages and they give the passport back to you, so the problem only arises if you apply through an agent who keeps your passport until the new one arrives. They shouldn't do this, and anyone who uses an agent should insist on having their passport back after the agent has been to Bangkok to submit the application. In the OP's case one can not avoid the suspicion that the agent has been playing silly buggers.

[Speedo1968]

16 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

The UK used to add on up to 9 unexpired months to the new passport, but stopped that because the EU will not recognise passports that have more than 10 years validity. Apart from that, I'm not sure if there is any maximum. Frequent travellers may fill up their passports well before the expiry date.

OP - many years ago I had  2 UK passports as I was visiting different countries every month between UK and Australia and in between.
One passport was left in UK for visas and tickets whilst I traveled on the other.
The company I was with used a very good travel agent.

I had been freelance before and after working with this company and know what a hassle it could be.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

20 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

I was granted a stay until February as a new retirement visa is not normally issued when there is only 4 or 5 months left before passport expires.

Not quite correct immigration will issue an extension to the passport expiration date. However in your case there is a special 60 day extension available at the moment, immigration decided to issue that rather Ethan the slightly more complex, for them, abbreviated retirement extension.

 

17 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

From the OP......

 

"My current one year ended in December 2021 but my passport expires in April 2022"..

 

He means that his previous permission of stay ended sometime in December and he left applying for pp renewal till November.

Very poor organization. 

He was Fortunate that covid extension was available. 

That I believe to be incorrect as far as being lucky that the covid extension being available, had it not been available he would have received an extension until the passport expiration date in April.

 

As to poor organisation I completely agree, though many people do not know that an extension will not be longer than the passport validity. But it is the responsibility of the extension holder/applicant to know the rules.

 

16 hours ago, Bosse137 said:

My pp expires in may -23,and my extension is till June -22. Now I read,that it is possible to get an extension till the pp expires,and there after,when I get my new pp,I can get back to the original time of expire,ie June.

No. You will have to get a new extension.

[Speedo1968]

16 hours ago, ukrules said:

You're renewing a passport and VFS global sent your visa to the UK?

 

The above is clear as mud and it sounds like you've got the message mixed up.

 

Looking at the time periods it sounds like they have sent your new passport from the UK to Bangkok on Jan 16th, in which case you should have it next week.

 

There's no way VFS global sit on a passport application for 2 months before sending it off - it's processed instantly - then it takes 2 months in the UK - then they mail the new passport to Bangkok - if I applied in November I would be expecting the new passport to arrive right around now which lines up with your dates here but this talk of 'visa sent to the uk' adds confusion.

 

When I renewed my passport last year the above sequence of events happened exactly in the timescales you have and I got my passport about 7 weeks after VFS global processed the application.

OP - I have notification ( with reference number ) from VFS Global dated 13 January 2022 that states my passport was forwarded to HMPO on that date i.e. 13/01/22.

I have asked the agent twice already to provide me with details as to when they sent / took my passport application to VFS as they ( agent ) had already received my passport some weeks before.
I won't name agent at this time.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

That I believe to be incorrect..............

The OP stated ...."my current one year ended in Dec.."

He is referring to his previous extension. That's why his 60 day covid extension is expiring Feb. 

 

He applied for new pp one month approx prior to expiry of his permission of stay.

Which part is incorrect. 

The OP messed up. It happens.

[Speedo1968]

16 hours ago, Chris.B said:

Sounds logical, full marks for spotting that! ???? 

 

OP - I sent my passport to an agent in November and VFS Global notified me that they sent my new  passport application to HMPO on 13 January 2022.
It means agent sat and did nothing for all that time.
I have been checking my credit card account and no payment has at yet been made to HMPO.

[sometimewoodworker]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The OP stated ...."my current one year ended in Dec.."

He is referring to his previous extension. That's why his 60 day covid extension is expiring Feb. 

 

He applied for new pp one month approx prior to expiry of his permission of stay.

Which part is incorrect. 

The incorrect part is that he was lucky to receive a 60 covid day extension. 

Had he been completely aware of the rules he was entitled to a retirement extension from the expiration date in Dec. of his previous extension until April when his passport expires. 
 

So he was unlucky, though as you and I say he messed up.
 

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by sometimewoodworker

[Eff1n2ret]

1 minute ago, sometimewoodworker said:

So he was unlucky

- or badly advised by the same agent who allegedly sat on his passport application for several weeks

[sometimewoodworker]

11 minutes ago, Speedo1968 said:

I won't name agent at this time.

I strongly suggest that you never post the agents name as Thai deformation law is quite nasty and that what you say is true is no defence.
 

The agent is able to win a deformation case if you cause damage to their reputation however true .

[sometimewoodworker]

3 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

- or badly advised by the same agent who allegedly sat on his passport application for several weeks

If the agent was involved with the extension application, yes. But if they weren’t then no as far as the extension is concerned.

[MikeN]

16 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

From Australian info regarding passport renewal......

 

"While you can renew your passport at any time, doing it too early will mean you pay before you really need to".

 

I  have 4 years and plenty of pages left on my pp.

Going to obtain renewal this year as due to lot of travel it's looking sad and good time to renew with no international travel happening (for me)!

 

My Australian passport expires in Feb 2023, but my permission to stay expires in May this year, so I either sacrifice at least  9 months on my passport or some of my next extension. Even at the exorbitant fees charged I think I will be getting the passport early.

 Doing preliminary research I see they have a new system where you have to register with the “myPassport” government site and you should get your new passport within 6 weeks, but I wouldn’t be holding my hopes up too high.

 Last time it took 3 months and a phone call to their complaints line to renew it. Although to give them credit, I complained on a Friday afternoon and they rang back first thing Monday ....they found my file in the desk  of a woman who went on maternity leave !

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, MikeN said:

Even at the exorbitant fees charged I think I will be getting the passport early.

The way to go 100%

[RocketDog]

59 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Just in case you have never seen an example of tracking record.

Here is mine from last week.

It's pretty much always overnight even when I post from Koh Samet to Bkk immigration.

I would be fairly comfortable posting pp to embassy.

 

Very useful, thanks.

This will be the first time I've done it, but several forum posts report ease and success.

 

Then I'll be good for ten more years, or perhaps the rest of my life as the fates would have it.

[Colabamumbai]

New passport now.