UK Passport Renewal in Bangkok

[samtam]

The latest information I can find is this link from Richard Barrow:

 

https://www.richardbarrow.com/2019/06/a-quick-guide-to-renewing-your-british-passport-in-bangkok/

 

Can anyone who has done this recently, is this still current?

 

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

Go through the steps here to get the official info for applying here. https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

[Moonlover]

Yes it is. Start here and follow the instructions.

 

You might prefer to use an agent depending on your location in Thailand.

[Ombra]

I used the two websites mentioned above, plus this one:

Renewing a UK passport in Bangkok by Bangkok Phil (ajarn.com)

Bangkok Phil seemed to add some useful extra information.

[coppywriter]

Can now be done online. 

www.gov.uk

Easy to follow instructions, got mine in 2 weeks.. 

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, coppywriter said:

Can now be done online. 

www.gov.uk

Easy to follow instructions, got mine in 2 weeks.. 

Only if you are living in certain countries and Thailand is not one of them.

[sandyf]

On 3/18/2022 at 3:16 PM, samtam said:

Can anyone who has done this recently, is this still current?

 

Hope you are not in a hurry, website saying 11 weeks at the moment.

I was at Trendy last week, wife was told 6-8 weeks for her visitor visa, which used to be 2-3 weeks.

 

How long it takes

You’ll need to allow up to 11 weeks to get a new passport.

You may have to attend an interview.

Applications will take longer if:

• HM Passport Office need to ask you for more information or documents
• the photographs you send are rejected

[coppywriter]

31 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Only if you are living in certain countries and Thailand is not one of them.

I just checked and Thailand is there

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, coppywriter said:

I just checked and Thailand is there

I went through all the steps here https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport and it took me to this page that states you have to apply at VFS here,

https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/overseas/information/thailand/renew/adult

[Brick Top]

1 hour ago, coppywriter said:

I just checked and Thailand is there

Has Ubon Joe stated a UK passport cant be

renewed on line in Thailand , you have to apply in person in Bangkok 

Edited March 19, 2022 by Brick Top
Missing word

[Upnotover]

14 minutes ago, Brick Top said:

Has Ubon Joe stated a UK passport cant be

renewed on line in Thailand , you have to apply in person in Bangkok 

Indeed correct.  It is worth noting however that when they say "in person" what they actually mean is "by a person", i.e. not by mail.  So the person can be anybody the applicant chooses and provides with the relevant authorisation; wife, friend, taxi driver or indeed the ever popular (on this forum anyway) "agent".

[misterphil]

Anyone have any agent contacts for this please?

[blackshadow]

17 minutes ago, misterphil said:

Anyone have any agent contacts for this please?

depends where you are.....

In patts use KEY VISA .........

[PJ71]

1 hour ago, blackshadow said:

depends where you are.....

In patts use KEY VISA .........

comes with mixed reports....

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, coppywriter said:

I just checked and Thailand is there

So your NOT in Thailand ????????????

[samtam]

19 hours ago, sandyf said:

Hope you are not in a hurry, website saying 11 weeks at the moment.

I was at Trendy last week, wife was told 6-8 weeks for her visitor visa, which used to be 2-3 weeks.

 

How long it takes

You’ll need to allow up to 11 weeks to get a new passport.

You may have to attend an interview.

Applications will take longer if:

• HM Passport Office need to ask you for more information or documents
• the photographs you send are rejected

I was hoping to do it now ahead of my Extension of Stay due 25 May 2022. The passport expires 30 April 2023. But my agent (who does my EoS) said apply with the old and apply for a new passport later on in the year. So I'll get an EoS only until 30 April 2023, 3 weeks less than a year. But it's safer than worrying whether the new passport will come within 11 weeks, (or longer). [Stating the bloding obvious, why can my Japanese partner get his passport renewed within 1 day at the Japanese Embassy in Bangkok?] 

Edited March 20, 2022 by samtam

[sandyf]

21 hours ago, samtam said:

I was hoping to do it now ahead of my Extension of Stay due 25 May 2022. The passport expires 30 April 2023. But my agent (who does my EoS) said apply with the old and apply for a new passport later on in the year. So I'll get an EoS only until 30 April 2023, 3 weeks less than a year. But it's safer than worrying whether the new passport will come within 11 weeks, (or longer). [Stating the bloding obvious, why can my Japanese partner get his passport renewed within 1 day at the Japanese Embassy in Bangkok?] 

That would be the best approach, these days you lose unexpired time on a passport renewal so best left as long as possible within your circumstances.

Back in 2014 the UK with the usual lack of wisdom transferred overseas passports from the FCO to the Passport Office which comes under the Home Office and excludes any embassy involvement. All the embassy can do is make representation on your behalf, I had to resort to that during my renewal in 2014.

The HO works hand in glove with their money making machine known as VFS which is deliberately over bureaucratic so they can offer short cut services for some extortionate fee.

If you were to go back to the UK, you can get a passport renewed the same day at one of the main offices.

 

[OJAS]

On 3/19/2022 at 3:51 PM, sandyf said:

Hope you are not in a hurry, website saying 11 weeks at the moment.

Whereas those using the standard online service from the UK (which, as already said, we are not permitted to use from Thailand, for some ridiculous reason) can expect to receive their new passports within 5 weeks:-

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office/about-our-services

 

As @skatewash has explained in another recent thread, the US State Department prioritises passport renewal applications submitted by Americans living abroad over those living in the States. Quite the reverse of the shabby treatment meted out by HMPO to us Brits renewing our passports from Thailand in comparison to our compatriots living in the UK, of course! And no doubt HMPO will continue to milk the increasingly tiresome COVID-19 excuse for all that it's worth in justifying an 11-week wait for new passports in our case, in a pathetic attempt to mask their inherent bungling incompetence and ineptitude.

 

3 hours ago, sandyf said:

If you were to go back to the UK, you can get a passport renewed the same day at one of the main offices.

Sadly that no appears to be the case. Even the Online Premium Service - supposedly the quickest method now - is a 2 days minimum process:-

 

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

 

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently/online-premium-service

 

But I agree 100% with the rest of your second post!

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by OJAS

[stereolab]

On 3/19/2022 at 5:18 PM, Brick Top said:

Has Ubon Joe stated a UK passport cant be

renewed on line in Thailand , you have to apply in person in Bangkok 

Service also available in Chiang Mai, went there last month, very efficient service.

[sandyf]

19 hours ago, OJAS said:

Sadly that no appears to be the case. Even the Online Premium Service - supposedly the quickest method now - is a 2 days minimum process:-

Yes it was an off hand comment on the way things were pre pandemic, whether they will ever go back to the same day service is anyone's guess.

Looks like not entirely out of the question for the desperate.

 

In order to guarantee that you will receive your passport within 24 hours, the following 5 steps must be completed:

https://www.ukpassportservices.co.uk/emergency-24-hour-british-passport/

 

I saw the not so pretty Patel speaking in the house when she said she would be putting more staff into the Visa Centres.   I don't think the politicians realise it is not her staff, they work for VFS and the shabby treatment will remain in place as long as that arrangement continues.

[samtam]

Just applied for my new UK passport in Bangkok, (at The Trendy Building). All went smoothly, except I did not have proof of my address in Bangkok, which I could not and still cannot find in the supporting documentary requirements. Problem solved by having a photo of a recent bank statement sent over via LINE, and printed at an adjacent office on 8/F. So...take proof of address.

[samtam]

 

Well, I think it's in Table A. I assumed the Extension of Stay would be proof of residency evidence, as they state a "visa", but perhaps they were being overzealous, and luckily it wasn't an insurmountable request.

 

 

 

[Eff1n2ret]

47 minutes ago, samtam said:

I assumed the Extension of Stay would be proof of residency evidence

It is. I bet if you'd printed an extra copy of the page carrying your most recent extension stamp and labelled it "Proof of residence", it would have been accepted.

[OJAS]

4 hours ago, samtam said:

Just applied for my new UK passport in Bangkok, (at The Trendy Building). All went smoothly, except I did not have proof of my address in Bangkok, which I could not and still cannot find in the supporting documentary requirements. Problem solved by having a photo of a recent bank statement sent over via LINE, and printed at an adjacent office on 8/F. So...take proof of address.

Typical pointless bureaucracy for purely typical bureaucracy's sake, of course, bearing in mind that HMPO aren't prepared to send your replacement passport to the address which they require you to provide proof of! IMHO HMPO are masters of completely pointless bureaucracy when it comes to their renewal procedures from Thailand and even surpass Immigration here in that regard by a country mile!

 

[misterphil]

On 5/11/2022 at 8:31 AM, samtam said:

Just applied for my new UK passport in Bangkok, (at The Trendy Building). All went smoothly, except I did not have proof of my address in Bangkok, which I could not and still cannot find in the supporting documentary requirements. Problem solved by having a photo of a recent bank statement sent over via LINE, and printed at an adjacent office on 8/F. So...take proof of address.

Have you received your new passport yet?

[samtam]

11 hours ago, misterphil said:

Have you received your new passport yet?

No.

[misterphil]

On 3/21/2022 at 2:12 AM, OJAS said:

Whereas those using the standard online service from the UK (which, as already said, we are not permitted to use from Thailand, for some ridiculous reason) can expect to receive their new passports within 5 weeks:-

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office/about-our-services

 

As @skatewash has explained in another recent thread, the US State Department prioritises passport renewal applications submitted by Americans living abroad over those living in the States. Quite the reverse of the shabby treatment meted out by HMPO to us Brits renewing our passports from Thailand in comparison to our compatriots living in the UK, of course! And no doubt HMPO will continue to milk the increasingly tiresome COVID-19 excuse for all that it's worth in justifying an 11-week wait for new passports in our case, in a pathetic attempt to mask their inherent bungling incompetence and ineptitude.

 

Sadly that no appears to be the case. Even the Online Premium Service - supposedly the quickest method now - is a 2 days minimum process:-

 

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

 

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently/online-premium-service

 

But I agree 100% with the rest of your second post!

 

Just tried to book one of these premium services and there's no slots available. From what I read on the Gov website you have to be in the UK too as it asks for a postcode to find the closest office to you for an appointment. 

Online Premium service

You’ll apply, pay and book an appointment online. The earliest you can get an appointment is 2 days from when you apply.

You’ll get your new passport at your appointment. Appointments can last up to 30 minutes.

 

Sorry, there are no available appointments

Due to high demand, there aren’t any appointments available at the moment.

Extra appointments are added each day, so check again later for availability.

[misterphil]

On 5/11/2022 at 8:31 AM, samtam said:

Just applied for my new UK passport in Bangkok, (at The Trendy Building). All went smoothly, except I did not have proof of my address in Bangkok, which I could not and still cannot find in the supporting documentary requirements. Problem solved by having a photo of a recent bank statement sent over via LINE, and printed at an adjacent office on 8/F. So...take proof of address.

Have you received your new passport yet?

[misterphil]

For anyone thinking about going to the UK for a passport Ive noticed that there is slots available at around 21:00 UK time. Ive been trying all day for a week now and found that if I check at 21:00 UK time it allows you to book an appointment. 
 

Just tried again at 23:30 and its saying no appointments available.  

[samtam]

6 hours ago, misterphil said:

Have you received your new passport yet?

Still no! But still less than 7 weeks, so within their prescribed 11 week wait.