British Consulate notary service

[Ombra]

I wanted a notarized copy of my passport in order to do some banking business in Britain, but the Consulate has cancelled my appointment on the grounds that they 'are not identity experts.' Hundreds of thousands of people have their identity checked at British ports of entry each week, but the British Consulate cannot find one person capable of saying 'Yes, this passport belongs to the old bloke standing here.'

[proton]

so no more letters for new passports saying that they are genuine, even though it's obvious?

[MrJ2U]

Just use a notary in Thailand.

 

Plenty available and quicker than going to an embassy.

Edited July 5, 2022 by blackcab
Commercial link removed

[blackcab]

Moved to the British Consular forum.

[stubuzz]

22 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Just use a notary in Thailand.

 

Plenty available and quicker than going to an embassy.

 

https://g.co/kgs/LPKEqS

 

Here's a popular notary service in Bangkok. 

Can they certify a copy of a British passport before it is translated and given to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

[Ombra]

57 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Just use a notary in Thailand.

 

Plenty available and quicker than going to an embassy.

Yes, there is no alternative. Fortunately, the Bangkok sub-forum has a recommendation for a notary in the north-east of the city, which will be convenient for me when I am there.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Ombra said:

I wanted a notarized copy of my passport in order to do some banking business in Britain, but the Consulate has cancelled my appointment on the grounds that they 'are not identity experts.'

Somehow I suspect that there may be a little more to this than the OP is letting on about and that the title is not exactly accurate.   Providing a certified copy of a British passport is still one of the services offered according to .gov,uk

 

"...they 'are not identity experts".

A notarisation is just an official certification that confirms that a photocopy is a real copy of an original document that the notary has seen.   It is not confirmation of a person's identity.

Edited July 5, 2022 by Liverpool Lou

[MrJ2U]

3 hours ago, stubuzz said:

Can they certify a copy of a British passport before it is translated and given to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

They'll usually have the translation services there.

 

You'll need it translated in any case.

 

You'll probably need 24 -48 hours.

 

Best to call whichever service provider you'll be using.  

 

They do this all the time. 

[Eff1n2ret]

"Certified copy of a British passport

This service is available by post or by booking an appointment to attend the British Embassy Bangkok. It costs £25.

A postal service is not available for passport holders under 16 years of age. See certify a copy of your child’s passport.

You need to submit a valid and original British passport to obtain this service. We cannot accept copies or scans."

 

etc., etc....

Notarial and documentary services guide for Thailand - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Edited July 5, 2022 by Eff1n2ret

[Ombra]

4 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Somehow I suspect that there may be a little more to this than the OP is letting on about and that the title is not exactly accurate.   Providing a certified copy of a British passport is still one of the services offered according to .gov,uk

 

"...they 'are not identity experts".

A notarisation is just an official certification that confirms that a photocopy is a real copy of an original document that the notary has seen.   It is not confirmation of a person's identity.

'There is more to this than he letting on' seems to be a standard TV suspicion, but you should check the Consular website, not the British government website.

[Upnotover]

3 hours ago, Ombra said:

but you should check the Consular website

Where's that then, I can't find anything relevant other than gov.uk.

[OJAS]

16 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

"Certified copy of a British passport

This service is available by post or by booking an appointment to attend the British Embassy Bangkok. It costs £25.

A postal service is not available for passport holders under 16 years of age. See certify a copy of your child’s passport.

You need to submit a valid and original British passport to obtain this service. We cannot accept copies or scans."

 

etc., etc....

Notarial and documentary services guide for Thailand - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

So, if you are able to avail yourself of the postal service for certifying a passport, you are required to include your original passport with your application to the Embassy - and hence part company with it for as long as it takes the Embassy to mail you the necessary certification. Makes a complete mockery of HMPO's principal justification for subjecting us Brits to cumbersome and awkward procedures at passport renewal time, I think, which is that these enable us to retain our existing passports during the renewal process, consistent with what they perceive as being a legal requirement in Thailand for us to have passport ID on our person at all times!

 

[Liverpool Lou]

14 hours ago, Ombra said:

19 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Somehow I suspect that there may be a little more to this than the OP is letting on about and that the title is not exactly accurate.   Providing a certified copy of a British passport is still one of the services offered according to .gov,uk

 

"...they 'are not identity experts".

A notarisation is just an official certification that confirms that a photocopy is a real copy of an original document that the notary has seen.   It is not confirmation of a person's identity.

Expand  

'There is more to this than he letting on' seems to be a standard TV suspicion, but you should check the Consular website, not the British government website.

How does one find that "Consular website"?   

 

Consular services in Bangkok are provided by a section of the British Embassy and the embassy site is www.gov.uk.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand#how-to-apply-for-a-notarial-or-documentary-service

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

a legal requirement in Thailand for us to have passport ID on our person at all times!

It may, officially, be a legal requirement but it has been clarified, officially, many times by the RTP and others that visitors are not expected to have the physical passport on their person at all times.  As long as a reasonable copy is provided, that will suffice and no arrests will be made or other action taken.

[OJAS]

 

19 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It may, officially, be a legal requirement but it has been clarified, officially, many times by the RTP and others that visitors are not expected to have the physical passport on their person at all times.  As long as a reasonable copy is provided, that will suffice and no arrests will be made or other action taken.

So even more of a mockery of HMPO's case for the passport renewal procedures they've inflicted on us then. In these circumstances the big mystery is why my previous post saddened you so much.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

So even more of a mockery of HMPO's case for the passport renewal procedures they've inflicted on us then. In these circumstances the big mystery is why my previous post saddened you so much.

 

That the Embassy requires the original passport in order to certify a copy of it is perfectly rational, it does not "make a mockery of HMPO's procedures in any way.   

 

Making an appointment with the Embassy for that service does not require the passport to be out of the applicants hands at all.  If an applicant chooses to send the passport in by post for the same service that is their choice.

 

I clicked on "Sad", not because I was saddened but because I felt that it was sad of you to post the "mockery" sentiment that was not justified in my opinion, it is no "big mystery".   

[Liverpool Lou]

On 7/5/2022 at 1:46 PM, Ombra said:

I wanted a notarized copy of my passport in order to do some banking business in Britain, but the Consulate has cancelled my appointment on the grounds that they 'are not identity experts

How about providing the full story about your cancelled appointment before slagging off the Embassy?  Providing a certified copy of a passport is not a service that has been cancelled. 

 

I have now had three confirmations that the service still exists, by email, through the Embassy's Facebook account and in person with the Consular section on the phone.

[Liverpool Lou]

The title of this thread is completely false, the British Embassy's passport certification service has not been cancelled.

[blackcab]

Off topic posts have been removed.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 7/5/2022 at 1:53 PM, proton said:

so no more letters for new passports saying that they are genuine, even though it's obvious?

What?

[proton]

13 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What?

when getting a new passport in Thailand you have needed a letter from the Embassy to state it's real for immigration, getting one back in the UK was not needed.

[Liverpool Lou]

49 minutes ago, proton said:

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What?

when getting a new passport in Thailand you have needed a letter from the Embassy to state it's real for immigration, getting one back in the UK was not needed.

What?  Do you mean the letter that is issued requesting Immigration to transfer visas/extensions?   I got a new passport three years ago from HMPO at The Trendy and was not given a letter "stating that it was real".  I was given a letter to facilitate the extension transfer.

[proton]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What?  Do you mean the letter that is issued requesting Immigration to transfer visas/extensions?   I got a new passport three years ago from HMPO at The Trendy and was not given a letter "stating that it was real".  I was given a letter to facilitate the extension transfer.

which you do not need if the passport is issued in UK

Edited July 7, 2022 by proton

[Liverpool Lou]

3 minutes ago, proton said:

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What?  Do you mean the letter that is issued requesting Immigration to transfer visas/extensions?   I got a new passport three years ago from HMPO at The Trendy and was not given a letter "stating that it was real".  I was given a letter to facilitate the extension transfer.

Expand  

which you do not need if the passport is issued in UK

Ah, right, so the letter is not a requirement to confirm that the passport is real, as you claimed, it is just a letter requesting IB's cooperation with transferring the visa/extension to the new document.

 

Passports issued through HMPO, The Trendy, are issued in the UK ("Issued by: HMPO").  There is nothing on the passport to suggest to Immigration, or anyone else, that the passport was not issued in the UK.

 

 

[proton]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

Ah, right, so the letter is not a requirement to confirm that the passport is real, as you claimed, it is just a letter requesting IB's cooperation with transferring the visa/extension to the new document.

 

Passports issued through HMPO, The Trendy, are issued in the UK ("Issued by: HMPO").  There is nothing on the passport to suggest to Immigration, or anyone else, that the passport was not issued in the UK.

 

 

Why the letter if not to confirm the passport is genuine when not needed when you get new passport from the UK instead of Trendy House? Letter is not tied to transfer, if it was it would be needed for both.

[Liverpool Lou]

33 minutes ago, proton said:

36 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Ah, right, so the letter is not a requirement to confirm that the passport is real, as you claimed, it is just a letter requesting IB's cooperation with transferring the visa/extension to the new document.

 

Passports issued through HMPO, The Trendy, are issued in the UK ("Issued by: HMPO").  There is nothing on the passport to suggest to Immigration, or anyone else, that the passport was not issued in the UK.

 

 

Expand  

Why the letter if not to confirm the passport is genuine when not needed when you get new passport from the UK instead of Trendy House? Letter is not tied to transfer, if it was it would be needed for both.

Does the letter state that it confirms that the passport is real, as you claim?   If it doesn't why are you making that assertion?

 

New passports collected at HMPO, The Trendy are issued in, and come from, the UK.

Edited July 7, 2022 by Liverpool Lou

[Brickleberry]

On 7/5/2022 at 1:56 PM, MrJ2U said:

Just use a notary in Thailand.

 

Plenty available and quicker than going to an embassy.

Hi! I need to get several UK documents legalized & notarized by a British lawyer (FCDO approved), is this possible to do in Thailand?

[MrJ2U]

2 hours ago, Brickleberry said:

Hi! I need to get several UK documents legalized & notarized by a British lawyer (FCDO approved), is this possible to do in Thailand?

I used a lawyer in Pattaya.  Across from Big C.   However that was for insurance.   Might be different for your situation. 

 

 

[Brickleberry]

On 3/4/2023 at 4:18 PM, MrJ2U said:

I used a lawyer in Pattaya.  Across from Big C.   However that was for insurance.   Might be different for your situation.

Was this a Thai lawyer, or a British lawyer?

[MrJ2U]

11 hours ago, Brickleberry said:

Was this a Thai lawyer, or a British lawyer?

Thai. 

 

Very helpful.