Renewing UK Passport.... 11 WEEKS Waiting Time!!

[OnTheLash]

I have found myself in a bit of a pickle!!

I have 2 passports for work, this is normal for offshore workers. I used VFS when applying. I sent copies of every page of both passports with the application on the 12 April.

Called today. No exaggeration I was on the phone in total for 3 hours. Every time I called I was passed on twice. Long holds in between with the usual soft music.

Nobody knows the status of the application. I was told it was checked on the 20th May and that was it. They promised me a call back which they don't normally do overseas, they never did call.

I have had 2 passports for years.

They can't tell me if the old passport has been cancelled. I am due back in the middle east in a week.

My Thai visa is in the passport I applied for and will be cancelled at some point. It is 5 years old and nearly full, hence the application for a new one.

I applied straight after my last trip hoping to get it in 10 weeks.

I applied for both my kids passports 4 months ago in exactly the same way and got them back in 6 weeks later so I thought I would be safe.

Not sure if immigration will move my Thai visa across to my other passport or do i gamble and travel on the other passport and hope it's not cancelled.

I think (hope) my application has just gone missing. They have taken the money from my account.

This has nothing to do with VFS. I spoke to about 15 people today in HMPO and although some were sympathetic most were completely clueless and just passed me on.

They gave me a reference number today over the phone. It doesn't work online.

I realize mine is an unusual case.

 

 

 

[JoseThailand]

Hahaha, try to renew a Russian passport, you will need to wait in the queue 3 months, then another 3 months for the passport.

[OnTheLash]

1 hour ago, OnTheLash said:

I have found myself in a bit of a pickle!!

I have 2 passports for work, this is normal for offshore workers. I used VFS when applying. I sent copies of every page of both passports with the application on the 12 April.

Called today. No exaggeration I was on the phone in total for 3 hours. Every time I called I was passed on twice. Long holds in between with the usual soft music.

Nobody knows the status of the application. I was told it was checked on the 20th May and that was it. They promised me a call back which they don't normally do overseas, they never did call.

I have had 2 passports for years.

They can't tell me if the old passport has been cancelled. I am due back in the middle east in a week.

My Thai visa is in the passport I applied for and will be cancelled at some point. It is 5 years old and nearly full, hence the application for a new one.

I applied straight after my last trip hoping to get it in 10 weeks.

I applied for both my kids passports 4 months ago in exactly the same way and got them back in 6 weeks later so I thought I would be safe.

Not sure if immigration will move my Thai visa across to my other passport or do i gamble and travel on the other passport and hope it's not cancelled.

I think (hope) my application has just gone missing. They have taken the money from my account.

This has nothing to do with VFS. I spoke to about 15 people today in HMPO and although some were sympathetic most were completely clueless and just passed me on.

They gave me a reference number today over the phone. It doesn't work online.

I realize mine is an unusual case.

 

 

 

I forgot to mention. One of the individuals I spoke to today told me I have 3 x valid passports??

I renewed both my passports previously in Newport, Wales in 2017. I handed them both over and they snipped the edges and allegedly cancelled them. This was done in 1 day. I went there at 9am in person and picked up 2 x new passports at 1pm.

Apparently one of the snipped passports is still active. She told me to report it stolen (bad advice). I said OK give me the passport number, she said she can't release that info over the phone. She told me this may be the problem but to be honest she never had a clue and was quite rude in the end.

Another guy told me to apply for an emergency passport!! Lol. Why would I have to do that?

In all my years I can honestly say this is the worst/most incompetent service I have ever received in my life, in any industry. They are overwhelmed, blaming Brexit and Covid. 

Good luck to anybody applying from abroad now. As I previously said my kids passports were back in 6 weeks with no problems.

Luck of the draw I guess!!!??

 

 

 

[OJAS]

On 6/12/2022 at 10:45 AM, mancub said:

No, why ? What's so difficult about it ?

So would I be correct in inferring that you live in Bangkok. - or maybe even in 1 of the residential units in With-It Tower itself?

 

[OJAS]

On 6/12/2022 at 10:47 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

HMPO deal with passport renewals in the UK.  VFS in Thailand just check the documents and send them to HMPO in Liverpool.  The delays are purely the fault of HMPO.

Yes, it was HMPO rather than VFS that I had in mind.

 

[OJAS]

On 6/12/2022 at 11:09 AM, samtam said:

My old passport expires on 30 April 2023, so as my new Extension of Stay is up until then, I hope I shall get it back before that....???? 

All being well, you should get your new passport back before it expires.

 

[OJAS]

On 6/12/2022 at 2:04 PM, sungod said:

You think government departments are anymore efficient? ????????????

In HMPO's case most definitely not!

 

[OJAS]

On 6/13/2022 at 1:55 PM, brianthainess said:

Slightly of topic but; If you have duel nationality OZ & UK and your Extension is in your OZ passport can you 'Enter' the UK on an expired UK passport ?

Yes

[OJAS]

On 6/13/2022 at 5:16 PM, Satcommlee said:

For anyone struggling with UK passport at the moment, we all know there are severe delays but if you apply from Thailand they cannot even trace your application as you don't get an application number.

Don't even waste hours on the phone or filling in online forms where they say they will get back to you in 72 hours..

 

I eventually got a reply after a week from a mail I sent to [email protected], which is where VFS told me they sent the application to.

 

 

Yet another example of just how fundamentally-flawed the dreaded With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience is, I think. If those bloody cretins at HMPO are totally incapable of undertaking what should be a straightforwardly simple task of providing you with an application number at passport renewal time, then what hope is there for them (and you)?

 

[it is what it is]

this is a much publicised, long term problem, it's up to everyone, especially those who rely on their passport, to take responsibility and plan ahead.

[OJAS]

4 hours ago, OnTheLash said:

I forgot to mention. One of the individuals I spoke to today told me I have 3 x valid passports??

I renewed both my passports previously in Newport, Wales in 2017. I handed them both over and they snipped the edges and allegedly cancelled them. This was done in 1 day. I went there at 9am in person and picked up 2 x new passports at 1pm.

Apparently one of the snipped passports is still active. She told me to report it stolen (bad advice). I said OK give me the passport number, she said she can't release that info over the phone. She told me this may be the problem but to be honest she never had a clue and was quite rude in the end.

Another guy told me to apply for an emergency passport!! Lol. Why would I have to do that?

In all my years I can honestly say this is the worst/most incompetent service I have ever received in my life, in any industry. They are overwhelmed, blaming Brexit and Covid. 

Good luck to anybody applying from abroad now. As I previously said my kids passports were back in 6 weeks with no problems.

Luck of the draw I guess!!!??

 

 

 

Oh dear, HMPO's bungling incompetence and ineptitude really does know no bounds based on your experiences, does it?

 

 

[OJAS]

4 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

this is a much publicised, long term problem, it's up to everyone, especially those who rely on their passport, to take responsibility and plan ahead.

We can only take responsibility to the limited extent that those masters of bungling incompetence and ineptitude at HMPO permit it, of course.

[scubascuba3]

6 hours ago, OnTheLash said:

I forgot to mention. One of the individuals I spoke to today told me I have 3 x valid passports??

I renewed both my passports previously in Newport, Wales in 2017. I handed them both over and they snipped the edges and allegedly cancelled them. This was done in 1 day. I went there at 9am in person and picked up 2 x new passports at 1pm.

Apparently one of the snipped passports is still active. She told me to report it stolen (bad advice). I said OK give me the passport number, she said she can't release that info over the phone. She told me this may be the problem but to be honest she never had a clue and was quite rude in the end.

Another guy told me to apply for an emergency passport!! Lol. Why would I have to do that?

In all my years I can honestly say this is the worst/most incompetent service I have ever received in my life, in any industry. They are overwhelmed, blaming Brexit and Covid. 

Good luck to anybody applying from abroad now. As I previously said my kids passports were back in 6 weeks with no problems.

Luck of the draw I guess!!!??

 

 

 

Problem is they are all working from home aka doing laundry, cooking, taking care kids, completing passport applications is just an inconvenience for them. Hopefully your passport will just turn up like it has for others, just delayed

[jacko45k]

I saw 13 week mentioned on a news report recently. 

[NanLaew]

11 hours ago, OnTheLash said:

I forgot to mention. One of the individuals I spoke to today told me I have 3 x valid passports??

I renewed both my passports previously in Newport, Wales in 2017. I handed them both over and they snipped the edges and allegedly cancelled them. This was done in 1 day. I went there at 9am in person and picked up 2 x new passports at 1pm.

Apparently one of the snipped passports is still active. She told me to report it stolen (bad advice). I said OK give me the passport number, she said she can't release that info over the phone. She told me this may be the problem but to be honest she never had a clue and was quite rude in the end.

Another guy told me to apply for an emergency passport!! Lol. Why would I have to do that?

In all my years I can honestly say this is the worst/most incompetent service I have ever received in my life, in any industry. They are overwhelmed, blaming Brexit and Covid. 

Good luck to anybody applying from abroad now. As I previously said my kids passports were back in 6 weeks with no problems.

Luck of the draw I guess!!!??

 

 

 

In the days before VFS, the British Embassy in Washington DC omitted to cancel one of my stolen passports when I applied there for a replacement. I only discovered this about 6 months later when applying for a replacement for the other stolen passport at the British Embassy in Bangkok. The clerk said I had three 'live' passports instead of two and wouldn't give me the replacement until I proved otherwise. They accepted the HPD paperwork I had for the dual passport theft in Houston that Washington had previously accepted, corrected their database and gave me my new passport.

 

Since then, I've always stagger my passport renewals so as to avoid other people's cock-ups.

 

I also keep the passports separate at home and when traveling (one in the pocket and the other in the backpack).

[NanLaew]

7 hours ago, OJAS said:

the dreaded With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience is

That must be at least seven years that you've been mis-naming the place and mis-labeling the overall easy and efficient passport renewal service, no?

 

When are you due your next "torture" session BTW?

Edited June 15, 2022 by NanLaew

[Eff1n2ret]

54 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

That must be at least seven years that you've been mis-naming the place and mis-labeling the overall easy and efficient passport renewal service, no?

I found the actual experience at Trendy pretty straightforward, having done it twice in the last few years, once for my wife and again for myself. The irritation stems, for those of us not resident in Bangkok (or Chiang Mai) from having to go there twice or pay an agent or somebody to go for you, when residents in the Philippines, South Africa or Brazil, to name three countries at random, can apply online as they do in the UK and get their new passports posted to them.

[samtam]

On 6/13/2022 at 7:12 PM, 2long said:

I applied for my daughter's at VFS around the same day as you.

Payment came out of my bank account a couple of weeks ago, so I'm expecting an email any day, but it's not urgent.

Interesting. I just checked my credit card statement. My card was debited on 19 May, (8 days after I submitted). Not sure the debit date means anything.

[poohy]

On 6/12/2022 at 9:27 AM, OJAS said:

Unfortunately it would appear that such appointments are like gold dust at the present time.

Unless you can get such an appointment its a possible 14 week wait in UK at moment

Just come back from post office who do check and send option

[OJAS]

On 6/13/2022 at 7:07 AM, chilly07 said:

Renewed mine in Jan this year. Took 7 w via an agent (to avoid traveling to Bangkok twice). Nothing goes to the UK. VFS instructs Indian passport makers direct which explains why renewing your passport in Thailand is faster and more reliable than in the UK

You appear to be mixing up VFS's roles as regards the UK visa application process for Thai nationals and the dreaded With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience in the case of us Brits!

 

In the case of the former they refer visa applications to an office in New Delhi for approval.

 

In the case of the latter they perform a few tasks which are nowadays deemed by HMPO to be far too difficult for passport applicants in Thailand to undertake themselves, like placing application docs into an envelope, sealing said envelope as necessary and then sending it on its merry way to an HMPO office in the UK by courier.

 

[Upnotover]

On 6/15/2022 at 6:58 AM, samtam said:

Interesting. I just checked my credit card statement. My card was debited on 19 May, (8 days after I submitted). Not sure the debit date means anything.

It means that the application has been received in the UK.  First thing they do is take your money then put the application in a heap along with the others (unless it falls off the back of the desk in which case there could be some delay.

[BritTim]

On 6/13/2022 at 12:07 PM, chilly07 said:

Nothing goes to the UK. VFS instructs Indian passport makers direct which explains why renewing your passport in Thailand is faster and more reliable than in the UK

So, what is the courier fee used for? Do the VFS instructions to the Indian manufacturers of UK passports have to be sent to India individually for each applicant? Further, is it really ethical for these Indian manufacturers of UK passports to pretend to be calling from the UK Passport Office when they contact me because of a problem with the application? On the plus side, their English was totally fluent, without a hint of an Indian accent.

[OJAS]

On 6/15/2022 at 5:25 AM, NanLaew said:

That must be at least seven years that you've been mis-naming the place and mis-labeling the overall easy and efficient passport renewal service, no?

 

When are you due your next "torture" session BTW?

High time you removed those rose-tinted specs you've been wearing for the last 7+ years then, I think. An "overall easy and efficient passport renewal service", really? Who are you trying to kid?? Not many on here, I think!!!

[BritTim]

On 6/14/2022 at 6:07 PM, NanLaew said:

Is the US unique in keeping a visa alive regardless of the passport's expiration? That was with their standard 10-year visa but my passports were always chock full and needed replacing after maybe 6 years so had tell HMPO not to cut the corners off the visa page and produce both passports when entering.

The US is not unique. In most first world countries, a visa (in addition to being a requirement for entry) is also your permission to stay. By convention, it is placed in your passport, but is effectively an independent document.

Edited June 17, 2022 by BritTim

[OJAS]

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

The US is not unique. In most first world countries, a visa (in addition to being a requirement for entry) is also your permission to stay. By convention, it is placed in your passport, but is effectively an independent document.

Equally true of Thailand as well, I think, even though a visa conferring a requirement for entry does not equal a permission to stay. If you renew a passport containing a visa which has not yet been fully used (in terms of its expiry date) to gain entries into the Kingdom, then you have to have both old and new passports on you when dealing with Immigration until it has been.

 

Edited June 17, 2022 by OJAS

[OJAS]

On 6/15/2022 at 6:27 AM, Eff1n2ret said:

The irritation stems, for those of us not resident in Bangkok (or Chiang Mai) from having to go there twice or pay an agent or somebody to go for you

Additional irritations:-

 

(1) The requirement to provide some proof of residency in Thailand. What on earth business is this of HMPO's?

 

(2) The requirement to provide copies of each and every page in your existing passport, even unused ones. What is HMPO's rationale for this colossal waste of paper?

 

(3) The lack of any tracking facility for applications submitted from Thailand as referred to by @Satcommlee

 

[samtam]

5 hours ago, OJAS said:

Additional irritations:-

 

(1) The requirement to provide some proof of residency in Thailand. What on earth business is this of HMPO's?

 

(2) The requirement to provide copies of each and every page in your existing passport, even unused ones. What is HMPO's rationale for this colossal waste of paper?

 

(3) The lack of any tracking facility for applications submitted from Thailand as referred to by @Satcommlee

 

I think 1) is for VFS, but not sure why, as you have to pick up the renewed passport in person at VKS in Sukhumvit. I omitted to read that section of the notes, and did not have proof of address. Luckily however, I rang home and my spouse photographed my latest bank statement, which I then took to a nearby shop on the same floor, and they colour copied it, which was accepted. The passport has your current Extension of Stay / or Visa and that alone should be proof of residency in Thailand. But hey, why not overkill with documentation.

[Eff1n2ret]

3 hours ago, samtam said:

The passport has your current Extension of Stay / or Visa and that alone should be proof of residency in Thailand

It is. An extra copy of that page of your passport labelled "Evidence of Residence" should suffice.

[edwinchester]

On 6/12/2022 at 2:18 PM, sanuk711 said:

My wife renewed her Thai passport last week-- so many people doing it they could only take 700 a day--- renewed it on Monday--sent to her registered post on Thursday.

 

She is just so happy that she lives in a backward third world country.........

Yes, renewing a Thai passport is a breeze. Wifey and our daughter both renewed theirs last Thursday afternoon on the 16th and received them by post this lunchtime the 18th. Very efficient, helpful and friendly staff. This was at the Southern Bus Terminal Passport Office.

[OJAS]

7 hours ago, samtam said:

I think 1) is for VFS, but not sure why, as you have to pick up the renewed passport in person at VKS in Sukhumvit. I omitted to read that section of the notes, and did not have proof of address. Luckily however, I rang home and my spouse photographed my latest bank statement, which I then took to a nearby shop on the same floor, and they colour copied it, which was accepted. The passport has your current Extension of Stay / or Visa and that alone should be proof of residency in Thailand. But hey, why not overkill with documentation.

Suspect that the official HMPO line is that your current permission to stay stamp should satisfy the proof of residency requirement, but that it is VFS who are insisting that it should be a document containing your address. If so, then it seems to me a clear case of VFS staff following the example of their brethren in immigration offices in making up local rules purely for the sake of it!