US Passport Renewal in Chiang Mai

[connda]

Can you still renew a US Passport at the US Embassy in Chiang Mai in person?  It would be my peference to renew in person.  Too many things can go wrong renewing by mail.

And, any idea when you can renew before your expiration date.  My passport renewal and visa extension happen in the same month.  I don't know if that will cause problems are not. 
Thanks!

 

[CMBob]

I was told that you cannot renew a US passport at either the CM Consulate or the Bkk Embassy absent special circumstances (emergency, name change, etc.) It generally all has to be done by mail now and it's real easy in my opinion.  Did it in December, passport and required stuff went by DHL on a Monday morning and I had the new passport (and old one punched) in the mail 11 days later.  

For requirements, simply google the US Thai Embassy and citizen services section will lead you to the appropriate place.

As for timing, you can get a new US passport anytime.  I renewed mine (which still had 5 years until expiration) because I had the smaller passport book and had only half a page remaining for stamps.

If you don't get a new passport before your extension, your next annual extension will only go until the expiration date of your passport.....so I'd recommend going for the new passport at least a couple months before your extension date (and, of course, get your current stamps transferred to the new passport before you grab your next extension).

[Dante99]

Renew early, a passport with less than 6 months before expiration is refused for entry many places.  You never know when you might want to get on a plane so best to always have more than 6 months on the pp.

[flare]

4 hours ago, CMBob said:

I was told that you cannot renew a US passport at either the CM Consulate or the Bkk Embassy absent special circumstances (emergency, name change, etc.) It generally all has to be done by mail now and it's real easy in my opinion.  Did it in December, passport and required stuff went by DHL on a Monday morning and I had the new passport (and old one punched) in the mail 11 days later.  

For requirements, simply google the US Thai Embassy and citizen services section will lead you to the appropriate place.

As for timing, you can get a new US passport anytime.  I renewed mine (which still had 5 years until expiration) because I had the smaller passport book and had only half a page remaining for stamps.

If you don't get a new passport before your extension, your next annual extension will only go until the expiration date of your passport.....so I'd recommend going for the new passport at least a couple months before your extension date (and, of course, get your current stamps transferred to the new passport before you grab your next extension).

This was exactly my experience last year- it was very easy and fast.  You can get a passport card as well, which, while it doesn't replace the book, counts as a 'Real ID' (if you don't already have one), which will eventually be required for domestic travel in the US (see link below- a passport book will work as well, but the card fits in your wallet and is easier to carry around and keep track of)- you can get a combination Real ID/driver's license, but you have to do it in person at a DMV in the US (unlike a standard drivers license, which can be renewed by mail)- the passport card can be done by mail the same time as your passport book.

 

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/news/2021/04/27/dhs-announces-extension-real-id-full-enforcement-deadline

[Pib]

I very recently completed renewal of my U.S. passport via mail.  I live in Bangkok and mailed the application to the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok.   From me mailing it via EMS and getting it back via EMS, "it took a total of 18 days" which includes all mailing time going and coming back. And that time included a U.S. holiday and a Thai holiday that might have added a few days.

 

Just as FYI, when your passport renewal application arrives at your servicing U.S. Embassy they electronically transmit the application to a  U.S. Passport Center back in homeland who issues/makes the new passport and mails it back to the embassy/consulate via U.S. postal system mail.  When the embassy/consulate receives the new passport they then re-mail it to you via Thai Postal System EMS along with your old passport, a letter for Thai immigration asking for the transfer of visa/extension stamps from the old to new passport, and some receipts for issue of the new passport....and they precede that mailing with an email to you giving the Thai Postal System EMS tracking number.   

 

AND you can get a status of your passport issue from below U.S. State Dept passport/travel website....it will show when a U.S. Passport Center processed/mailed your new passport back to the requesting embassy/consulate.  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/status.html.   Once it arrives back the embassy, as mentioned earlier they will then re-mail the new passport back to you along with the other docs previously mentioned.

 

Use of the Thai Postal System EMS to mail your application to the embassy only costs around Bt40 (or at least within Bangkok that's what it costs), is safe, fast, and you can track it....it should arrive the embassy within 1 to 4 days depending on how far away you live from the embassy.  When I mailed my application on a Friday afternoon to the Bangkok embassy they received it in 2 days/on a Sunday....although the embassy is closed for normal business on weekends they still accept mail deliveries on the weekends.  And in their return EMS mailing of the new passport it took 1 day to get back to me.

 

Yea, don't sweat doing the renewal via mail....it works good.  I hand-walked a couple of  US/Thai (dual citizens) folks thru their U.S. passport renewal last year at different times and it took each about two to three weeks to get the new U.S. passports....closer to two weeks if I remember right....they had no issues/problems.  And as mentioned my very recent renewal via mail went OK....took 2 weeks and 4 days.   

 

Be sure to mail your passport renewal application to the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok vs the Chiang Mai Consulate per below U.S. Embassy-Bangkok announcement.  Mailing it to the consulate will result in significant delays to your renewal application.

 

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

 

 

Now as to how early can a person renew their U.S. passport book/passport card, well, you can do it as early as desired....at any time...years early if desired.   See below snapshot/weblink from the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok.   I renewed mine 9 months early....it was a good time as I had just completed my latest 90 days address report and I'm 5 months away from needing to renew my extension of stay.  

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passport-services-frequently-asked-questions/

 

 

 

 

[connda]

On 6/6/2022 at 4:54 PM, flare said:

This was exactly my experience last year- it was very easy and fast.  You can get a passport card as well, which, while it doesn't replace the book, counts as a 'Real ID' (if you don't already have one), which will eventually be required for domestic travel in the US (see link below- a passport book will work as well, but the card fits in your wallet and is easier to carry around and keep track of)- you can get a combination Real ID/driver's license, but you have to do it in person at a DMV in the US (unlike a standard drivers license, which can be renewed by mail)- the passport card can be done by mail the same time as your passport book.

 

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/news/2021/04/27/dhs-announces-extension-real-id-full-enforcement-deadline

I'm out on DMV.  Haven't been back to the US in 13 years.  I anchor my residency by voting in my home state.

[connda]

On 6/7/2022 at 12:18 AM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Ok

 

I had to do this in Cm as i was so caught up in thai pass and the BS getting back in on Nov 2021 i didnt realize my passport exp within 4 months when i flew out of USA..i was wigging out!

 

the gal at BKK Immig noticed and I said i was going to get a new one asap....

So i went to Cm consulate to beg them too..NO DICE--total waste of time with them..blah

 

But--i was nervous as well about using thai mail system...Worked fine!!! 3 weeks i think--had to mail it to BKK --got a tracking # and the print out has all the details--info--No problems

 

I had no other options and just gotta suck it up--then when you get it--u have to go to CM immig and copy EVERY page of the OLD PP (ugh) and they will transfer visa/stamp to NEW PP..

 

Is simple and easy----if u wanna waste a day at the Consulate be my guest--they were useless and i had to wait weeks to get in for it......all for the guy to hand me the same forms.....sigh

 

The thai post worked fine----just check your forms and make sure of addresses--(tracking#)

 

As noted mine took about 3 weeks to get back with the old and new pp to my apt in CM

That's just me - I'm nervous about the Mail System.  But?
EMS and DHL seem reliable.  Better than the same options in the US imho.

Sooooo, I seems that I'll do it by mail the year before it expires. 

[connda]

20 hours ago, Pib said:

I very recently completed renewal of my U.S. passport via mail.  I live in Bangkok and mailed the application to the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok.   From me mailing it via EMS and getting it back via EMS, "it took a total of 18 days" which includes all mailing time going and coming back. And that time included a U.S. holiday and a Thai holiday that might have added a few days.

 

Just as FYI, when your passport renewal application arrives at your servicing U.S. Embassy they electronically transmit the application to a  U.S. Passport Center back in homeland who issues/makes the new passport and mails it back to the embassy/consulate via U.S. postal system mail.  When the embassy/consulate receives the new passport they then re-mail it to you via Thai Postal System EMS along with your old passport, a letter for Thai immigration asking for the transfer of visa/extension stamps from the old to new passport, and some receipts for issue of the new passport....and they precede that mailing with an email to you giving the Thai Postal System EMS tracking number.   

 

AND you can get a status of your passport issue from below U.S. State Dept passport/travel website....it will show when a U.S. Passport Center processed/mailed your new passport back to the requesting embassy/consulate.  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/status.html.   Once it arrives back the embassy, as mentioned earlier they will then re-mail the new passport back to you along with the other docs previously mentioned.

 

Use of the Thai Postal System EMS to mail your application to the embassy only costs around Bt40 (or at least within Bangkok that's what it costs), is safe, fast, and you can track it....it should arrive the embassy within 1 to 4 days depending on how far away you live from the embassy.  When I mailed my application on a Friday afternoon to the Bangkok embassy they received it in 2 days/on a Sunday....although the embassy is closed for normal business on weekends they still accept mail deliveries on the weekends.  And in their return EMS mailing of the new passport it took 1 day to get back to me.

 

Yea, don't sweat doing the renewal via mail....it works good.  I hand-walked a couple of  US/Thai (dual citizens) folks thru their U.S. passport renewal last year at different times and it took each about two to three weeks to get the new U.S. passports....closer to two weeks if I remember right....they had no issues/problems.  And as mentioned my very recent renewal via mail went OK....took 2 weeks and 4 days.   

 

Be sure to mail your passport renewal application to the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok vs the Chiang Mai Consulate per below U.S. Embassy-Bangkok announcement.  Mailing it to the consulate will result in significant delays to your renewal application.

 

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

 

 

Now as to how early can a person renew their U.S. passport book/passport card, well, you can do it as early as desired....at any time...years early if desired.   See below snapshot/weblink from the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok.   I renewed mine 9 months early....it was a good time as I had just completed my latest 90 days address report and I'm 5 months away from needing to renew my extension of stay.  

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passport-services-frequently-asked-questions/

 

 

 

 

I seem like waiting until I get my next annual extension stamp and then go for it via mail.  Given the new 90 day reporting seems to work like a champ, there seems to be no need to have a passport "on hand" so I'll just make digital and printed copies, fill out the paperwork, look like we can pay online, and just go for it. 

Thanks all for the suggestions!

[Bill97]

4 hours ago, connda said:

I seem like waiting until I get my next annual extension stamp and then go for it via mail.  Given the new 90 day reporting seems to work like a champ, there seems to be no need to have a passport "on hand" so I'll just make digital and printed copies, fill out the paperwork, look like we can pay online, and just go for it. 

Thanks all for the suggestions!

Extension will end when old pp expires, they do not extend beyond pp expiration.

 

Bob said it above.

 

Get your new pp first then extension will be a year.

[flare]

11 hours ago, connda said:

I'm out on DMV.  Haven't been back to the US in 13 years.  I anchor my residency by voting in my home state.

So do I, but a Real ID is going to be necessary to fly domestically in the US in 2023.  You can use your passport, but the card is easier to carry.  I was just pointing out that's this is an easy way to get one, as an enhanced drivers license needs to be applied for in person. 

 

From the TSA link I posted:

 

Beginning May 3, 2023, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or another TSA-acceptable form of identification at airport security checkpoints for domestic air travel.  

 

 

[JimGant]

On 6/8/2022 at 5:05 PM, connda said:

look like we can pay online, and just go for it. 

Yeah, they now allow you to pay your passport renewal fee by establishing an account with Pay.Gov, then directing a direct debit from your US bank account, debit or credit card, PayPal, Amazon -- maybe some others. I assume this works with no problems -- you just have to wait for the email receipt, which you include in your renewal application package. This would be a positive step forward if it precluded having to go to your bank for a bank draft......

 

..... but it doesn't. You still have to go to your bank and get a 100 baht bank draft to pay for the return postage of your new passport. Fortunately, you can still get the second bank draft to pay for your new passport (currently, 4550 baht) while you're there -- i.e, take an additional minute to get this second bank draft. Pay.

gov may be easy peasy. But why go a second payment avenue when a single one still works just fine.

 

Anyway, minor point, but one I stumbled on when I recently renewed my wife's US passport by mail.

 

Oh, this renew by mail (took me 17 days, over a long weekend a year ago) is about as efficient a government program as you can find. They even ensure you've crossed all the t's and dotted the i's-- by having you include in your renewal package a signed and dated checklist to, hopefully, preclude any stupid mistakes. And, reading another thread, where the Brits are having to wait three or more months for renewed passports, makes you proud that the US, in the 1700's, kicked b--- in having redcoat authority removed back overseas. ????

 

[CMBob]

2 hours ago, JimGant said:

.......Oh, this renew by mail (took me 17 days, over a long weekend a year ago) is about as efficient a government program as you can find. 

 

The US Consulate here held a zoom-type meeting here about November (?) and they explained that, while issuance of passports within the US has at times taken as long as 3-4 months, it's steadily been 3 weeks or less when doing it here in Thailand.  As I noted above, my paperwork went by DHL to the Bangkok embassy on a Monday morning and I received the new passport (and punched old one) back by mail (think it was EMS) 11 days later.  Very efficient.

[CMBob]

Just now, CMBob said:

The US Consulate here held a zoom-type meeting here about November (?) and they explained that, while issuance of passports within the US has at times taken as long as 3-4 months, it's steadily been 3 weeks or less when doing it here in Thailand.  As I noted above, my paperwork went by DHL to the Bangkok embassy on a Monday morning and I received the new passport (and punched old one) back by mail (think it was EMS) along with the standard Immigration letter 11 days later.  Very efficient.

 

[Rhys]

Thanks for the insight and heads up on the passport renewal and the 6 month lead time... I need to do this at the end of the month.. Cheers.

[MrBrad]

Last Thursday I sent my passport with application and bank drafts to the U. S. Embassy in Bangkok.  EMS got it there on Friday. 

 

Not knowing whom to make the drafts payable to, I checked online and found one .gov site that instructed renewals to be made payable to the U. S. Department of State.  That sounded pretty good to me.  Today, however, I received an email from the Embassy saying that they cannot accept the bank drafts (1 in the amount of 4680฿ for the new passport, and 100฿ for the return postage): "We cannot accept bank drafts with incorrect payee name."  "IMPORTANT: Please check for errors on the issued bank draft prior to leaving the bank.  Correct Draft

1. Draft only ( Cashier’s cheque , Manager’s cheque, Personal cheque etc. are not acceptable by the system )
2. Payee “AMERICAN EMBASSY BANGKOK”
3. Do not type or write anything else on the bank draft.

Your incorrect bank draft will be returned with your new passport in order to issue a refund with the bank.

Send your completed application package ONLY through the following couriers (Thailand Post and DHL), otherwise the package will be rejected; ensuring that you received a tracking number from the courier."

 

As expected, the bank asked me for my passport in order to issue new drafts.  I explained that it was in Bangkok.  This really could have been a game stopper, but fortunately, they accepted my driver's license as adequate ID.  They also said they'd refund the payments for the original drafts when I present them.

So tomorrow I will send the corrected drafts.  To be continued . . .

[CMBob]

38 minutes ago, MrBrad said:

Not knowing whom to make the drafts payable to, I checked online and found one .gov site that instructed renewals to be made payable to the U. S. Department of State. 

That's for renewals of passports within the US.  But, to be fair, they could print on their Checklist (which you're required to include) some very clear language that the payee on the bank drafts can only be American Embassy Bangkok. That bit of information can be found on the website associated with passport renewal (see attached) but you need an eagle eye to catch it.   Anyway, good luck, second time should be the charm.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 6/7/2022 at 8:04 PM, Pib said:

AND you can get a status of your passport issue from below U.S. State Dept passport/travel website....it will show when a U.S. Passport Center processed/mailed your new passport back to the requesting embassy/consulate.  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/status.html.   Once it arrives back the embassy, as mentioned earlier they will then re-mail the new passport back to you along with the other docs previously mentioned.

 

FYI, I mailed my new passport application to the U.S. Embassy BKK back on Aug. 15, with it arriving there the next day the 16th via EMS.

 

I kept checking the above State Department website periodically for about the first week or so after my submission to see if my application would show up in their system, but it never did during that initial first week period, so I gave up on it for a while at that point.

 

Today, at 15 days after my original submission, I want back to the above State Department website and now finally it shows the status of my application. And to my surprise, it indicated the U.S. folks sent my passport back to the U.S. Embassy BKK as of Aug. 23.

 

After that, the website's advice gets to be typically governmentally confusing. The website starts out saying I should receive my passport "on or around" Aug. 26 -- just three days after their mailing date (which makes no sense, considering they're in the U.S., I'm in Thailand, and it's going to get remailed along the way).

 

But after telling me that unlikely date, further down on the page, the website has a footnote saying that for those who applied at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad (such as us folks here), it may take up to 7 business days to get from the U.S. to the Embassy where you applied.

 

Which in my case, the 7th business day from my supposed Aug. 23 mailing date out of the U.S. would put the potential arrival date to the U.S. Embassy here as late as tomorrow, Sept. 1... And then some unspecified number of additional days to get remailed from the U.S. Embassy here onward to me in BKK.

 

In short, I was at 15 days post submission as of today/Wednesday, and tomorrow will be 16 days.... So I'm hoping the new passport book shows up either later this week or early next week... since Thai Immigration is beckoning me off on the horizon.

 

UPSHOT of my experience above -- don't expect the State Department tracking website to provide any information of the status of your new passport application for perhaps at least a week or so AFTER you've submitted it to the U.S. Embassy in BKK.

 

Anyone have any different, better, worse experience with that?

 

[MrBrad]

8 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

FYI, I mailed my new passport application to the U.S. Embassy BKK back on Aug. 15, with it arriving there the next day the 16th via EMS.

 

I kept checking the above State Department website periodically for about the first week or so after my submission to see if my application would show up in their system, but it never did during that initial first week period, so I gave up on it for a while at that point.

 

Today, at 15 days after my original submission, I want back to the above State Department website and now finally it shows the status of my application. And to my surprise, it indicated the U.S. folks sent my passport back to the U.S. Embassy BKK as of Aug. 23.

 

After that, the website's advice gets to be typically governmentally confusing. The website starts out saying I should receive my passport "on or around" Aug. 26 -- just three days after their mailing date (which makes no sense, considering they're in the U.S., I'm in Thailand, and it's going to get remailed along the way).

 

But after telling me that unlikely date, further down on the page, the website has a footnote saying that for those who applied at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad (such as us folks here), it may take up to 7 business days to get from the U.S. to the Embassy where you applied.

 

Which in my case, the 7th business day from my supposed Aug. 23 mailing date out of the U.S. would put the potential arrival date to the U.S. Embassy here as late as tomorrow, Sept. 1... And then some unspecified number of additional days to get remailed from the U.S. Embassy here onward to me in BKK.

 

In short, I was at 15 days post submission as of today/Wednesday, and tomorrow will be 16 days.... So I'm hoping the new passport book shows up either later this week or early next week... since Thai Immigration is beckoning me off on the horizon.

 

UPSHOT of my experience above -- don't expect the State Department tracking website to provide any information of the status of your new passport application for perhaps at least a week or so AFTER you've submitted it to the U.S. Embassy in BKK.

 

Anyone have any different, better, worse experience with that?

 

I had a similar, dragged-out experience in June.  The tracking website is worthless, something I'd think that the U. S. government would do better.  Thaipost eventually delivered my passport to my home here in Chiang Mai without anyone having to sign for it, which I found to be quite surprising and somewhat risky.

[Pib]

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

 

UPSHOT of my experience above -- don't expect the State Department tracking website to provide any information of the status of your new passport application for perhaps at least a week or so AFTER you've submitted it to the U.S. Embassy in BKK.

 

 

TG,

And don't expect any update on that St Dept website even months after you received the new passport.  As of today/1 Sep that website still shows 25 May for me although I received the new passport 7 Jun which the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok remailed to me on 6 Jun. 

 

But that St Dept website does say if your new passport was mailed back to the your embassy to handle the final leg of delivery (i.e., the embassy remails to you via EMS) then you have to check with the embassy for passport pickup info.  Summary: at least for passports being mailed from one of the U.S. Passport Centers back to an embassy the St Dept tracking/updates stop once they mail it back to your embassy.

 

Once the US Embassy-Bangkok receives the new passport from the Passport Center the embassy will send you an email saying they are mailing your passport and that email will include the Thailand Post EMS tracking number it's being mailed under.  Although that EMS number may not show the passport already mailed when you the email it should shortly after....within hours to a day. 

 

AND if your Thai Postal System EMS tracking turns out the same as mine the "Posting/Collection" date will reflect the "much earlier date" that is reflected on the St Dept site. Somehow the date the embassy remails your passport is backdated to the date the Passport Center mailed it to the embassy.   Like in my case the St Dept site said 25 May and that is the first date shown on the Thai Postal EMS tracking although tracking also shows 6 Jun is when the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok remailed it and I got it on 7 Jun.

 

 

 

[Pib]

2 hours ago, MrBrad said:

I had a similar, dragged-out experience in June.  The tracking website is worthless, something I'd think that the U. S. government would do better.  Thaipost eventually delivered my passport to my home here in Chiang Mai without anyone having to sign for it, which I found to be quite surprising and somewhat risky.

When my new passport was received I did have to sign for it since I happened to be standing in my driveway when the post mail pulled up...and it does reflect that signature in the EMS tracking.

 

But when I initially mailed my renewal package to the Bangkok Embassy via EMS and they received it on a Sunday there was no signature on the tracking.  It was probably dropped off at the guard shack and the guards are probably are not authorized to sign for deliveries. 

 

And from my experience is years upon years of mailing my 90 days address reports to CW/Bangkok Immigration the great, great, great majority of the time (say 90%) there was no delivery signature.   

 

Seems obtaining a signature for standard EMS is not a hard core requirement; more of preferred requirement....but I guess there is probably some option to "definitely require a signature" at some added cost.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, Pib said:

Once the US Embassy-Bangkok receives the new passport from the Passport Center the embassy will send you an email saying they are mailing your passport and that email will include the Thailand Post EMS tracking number it's being mailed under. 

 

I got the US Embassy email this morning including an EMS tracking number showing the passport packet had been entered into the EMS system but not actually mailed out yet. I believe the email said I should receive the actual passport within 2-3 days of the email.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, Pib said:

But when I initially mailed my renewal package to the Bangkok Embassy via EMS and they received it on a Sunday there was no signature on the tracking.  It was probably dropped off at the guard shack and the guards are probably are not authorized to sign for deliveries. 

 

FWIW, on my recent mailed EMS submission to the US Embassy BKK, it arrived on a weekday and the EMS tracking website for my envelope did show an acceptance signature from some kind of a guard/guard gate staff there.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 9/1/2022 at 1:19 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I got the US Embassy email this morning including an EMS tracking number showing the passport packet had been entered into the EMS system but not actually mailed out yet. I believe the email said I should receive the actual passport within 2-3 days of the email.

 

 

Just a last update from me on this...

 

This morning, two days after getting the notification email from the US Embassy here, I got my EMS envelope delivered at home in BKK containing my new passport, new passport card and letter for TH Immigration -- all in the same lightly sealed paper envelope.

 

The EMS courier did get a signature from a neighbor downstairs (not me) after calling me to inform he was dropping off the envelope.

 

So from my original application package arriving at the U.S. Embassy in BKK on Aug. 16 until today's passport delivery, the entire process took 18 calendar days in my case.

 

Small note - because I ordered both a new passport book AND a passport card, they required me to make two 100 baht advance payments as part of the application process to cover two return mailing envelopes -- supposedly one each for the passport book and passport card, which the application materials said might be mailed separately.

 

But in my case, the book and the card arrived together in the same single envelope, which also included the second EMS postage stamped but otherwise empty return envelope inside. No refund for the unused 100 baht fee for the second, unused envelope.

 

[CMBob]

4 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

...So from my original application package arriving at the U.S. Embassy in BKK on Aug. 16 until today's passport delivery, the entire process took 18 calendar days in my case....

Not too bad, far better than I hear about from our UK friends.  As I noted earlier, my application packet went by DHL from here in Chiangmai to the US Embassy on a Monday morning and I got the new passport, old passport, and letter delivered the following Thursday (11 days later).  Incredible service in my book.  I didn't opt to get the passport card so didn't have to include the extra 100 baht bank draft.

[Pib]

OK....my total passport renewal time was 18 days....TallGuy's 18 days also...CMBob's 11 days.  18+`18+11 = 47 divided by 3 gives an average 16 day turn around time.  Pretty good.  

 

But I will have to say that around 10 years ago when the wife and I renewed at the same time the total turnaround time for both of us was around 12 days....for some reason some archived brain cells are saying the wife got her's in 9 days and me around 14 days. 

 

So, a little slower than a decade ago...but getting a total turnaround time of 2 to 3 weeks is good service considering after the embassy receives your package they upload it to a U.S. Passport Center....back in the U.S. a Passport Center prints and mails the new passport to your embassy...and then the embassy remails to you.   The embassy getting the passport from the Passport Center is the longest pole in the tent which occurs thru the U.S. mail system to the embassy Diplomatic Post Office  (DPO), but fortunately it's not too long.

[mudcat]

Received our passports and passport cards back yesterday via Thai Post, so 23-days since we dropped them off at our local post office and they got delivered yesterday - that time included 3-weekends and one holiday (Labor Day in the U.S.), so 16-working days.

 

The passports were the new style with a leading "A" number.  Our sequence was A....8216 and A....8218 separated by one digit - wonder who the lucky applicant was who snuck in between myself and my wife.  The passport cards were separated by two: C....299 and C...302.

 

I know that Passport Cards are not much use here, but because our California driver licenses are expiring and we don't want to give the Franchise Tax Board a reason to try and collect taxes they provide a wallet sized substitute for carrying one's passport and get you onto a plane and into a federal facility un the U.S. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just a side note on this re COVID vaccinations in TH...

 

I had a COVID booster shot the other day at a private hospital in BKK, and of course they wanted to see my passport, which now is a NEW one vs. the prior 10-year one that was linked to all my prior COVID vaccinations in TH via the MoPH.

 

So at the hospital, I explained to them that I now had a new passport number different than my prior record with the hospital and MoPH... And so they ended up updating my vaccination record in the MoPH database, so now all of my current and prior vaccination history is now associated with my new passport number.