Has anyone received a new UK passport recently?

[Crossy]

7 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

There was a post earlier suggesting to ring HMPO back in the UK. I did just that after 12 weeks and the guy who took the call said he'd do what he could to get it printed asap. It was back in Thailand within a week. Staff on the help desk are as helpful as they can be but we'll aware the current waiting times are absolutely shocking.

 

Yeah, looks like I'll be calling them soon ???? 

 

[brianthainess]

On 10/5/2022 at 5:46 PM, CharlieH said:

Would it be worth having it held at local Post Office fof you to collect ? Go get it when you can.

If they can find it, years ago I found mine sitting on a table in the corner of the sorting room, before they could track it on their computer. 

[CharlieH]

47 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

If they can find it, years ago I found mine sitting on a table in the corner of the sorting room, before they could track it on their computer. 

That may well be true to your particular office, but as with all things in Thailand, it varies by office and even by person on the day. In my experience they are generally very good and extremely helpful when asked, but thats my office.

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Yeah, looks like I'll be calling them soon ???? 

 

Fell at the first hurdle, can't use Skype as it appears as a "withheld number" ???? 

 

I suppose I'd better load up my mobile credit ???? 

 

[Crossy]

2 hours ago, edwinchester said:

There was a post earlier suggesting to ring HMPO back in the UK. I did just that after 12 weeks and the guy who took the call said he'd do what he could to get it printed asap. It was back in Thailand within a week. Staff on the help desk are as helpful as they can be but we'll aware the current waiting times are absolutely shocking.

 

Which number did you use and how did you get to speak to an actual person. I only have the VFS reference which doesn't work with the automagic system.

 

I'm evidently missing something here.

 

EDIT Well I got to a person using the "anything else" options, he took details and "transferred" me, at which point the call dropped.

EDIT 2 Finally got a human again. Net result "We cannot deal with this you have to contact VFS!" Grrr.

 

[scubascuba3]

34 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Fell at the first hurdle, can't use Skype as it appears as a "withheld number" ???? 

 

I suppose I'd better load up my mobile credit ???? 

 

Can't you update your Skype account with a number? i use my UK mobile number. I think it's under settings, ID, haven't done it for a while. Number won't be withheld

Edited October 19, 2022 by scubascuba3

[Crossy]

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

Can't you update your Skype account with a number? i use my UK mobile number

 

Of this I'm not sure, it's been aeons since I used Skype-Out to call a real phone.

 

I did actually get to talk to a person. Story in the post above yours.

 

[scubascuba3]

5 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Of this I'm not sure, it's been aeons since I used Skype-Out to call a real phone.

 

I did actually get to talk to a person. Story in the post above yours.

 

Ah ok, anyway if you need to do it so your number appears on their phone it's under Settings, Calling, then Caller ID

[Crossy]

9 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Ah ok, anyway if you need to do it so your number appears on their phone it's under Settings, Calling, then Caller ID

 

Perfect! Used my Thai mobile number. Got to be handy in future.

[howerde]

When you call HMPO you actually speak to someone working for a third party  'teleperformance' (french company  and due data protection they can not see your details or anything on the HMPO system, all they can do is email HMPO, on your behalf  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/28/company-behind-passport-call-centre-chaos-reprimanded-home-office/

Edited October 19, 2022 by howerde
missing text

[edwinchester]

53 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Which number did you use and how did you get to speak to an actual person. I only have the VFS reference which doesn't work with the automagic system.

 

I'm evidently missing something here.

 

EDIT Well I got to a person using the "anything else" options, he took details and "transferred" me, at which point the call dropped.

EDIT 2 Finally got a human again. Net result "We cannot deal with this you have to contact VFS!" Grrr.

 

I used the passport advice line on the receipt from VFS.

If you use True 006 will give you a reasonably cheap rate. About 50 bht for 10 minutes from memory.

I first got through to their front desk after going for the option to speak with a service rep. The lady answering put me straight through to a rep after hearing how long I'd been waiting.

[edwinchester]

2 minutes ago, howerde said:

When you call HMPO you actually speak to someone working for a third party  'teleperformance' (french company  and due data protection the can not see your details or anything on the HMPO system all they can do is email HMPO, on your behalf  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/28/company-behind-passport-call-centre-chaos-reprimanded-home-office/

When I called HMPO they had all my daughter's details at hand on the screen in front of them.

[Crossy]

7 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

I used the passport advice line on the receipt from VFS.

If you use True 006 will give you a reasonably cheap rate. About 50 bht for 10 minutes from memory.

I first got through to their front desk after going for the option to speak with a service rep. The lady answering put me straight through to a rep after hearing how long I'd been waiting.

 

Do you still have the number? I applied through an agent so don't have the actual VFS receipt ???? 

[howerde]

1 minute ago, edwinchester said:

When I called HMPO they had all my daughter's details at hand on the screen in front of them.

That is likely because you gave them your daughters name when you phoned them, and they told you what you wanted to hear, exaggerating what they can see, did they tell you they were a third party or did you believe you were talking to an HMPO employee, i dont think you can read the article unless you subscribe, but it is all in the article

[edwinchester]

42 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Do you still have the number? I applied through an agent so don't have the actual VFS receipt ???? 

044 300 222 0000

[Crossy]

6 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

044 300 222 0000

 

Yup, that's the number I have and got little joy with. I'll try again later and see if I get a different rep.

 

[edwinchester]

57 minutes ago, howerde said:

That is likely because you gave them your daughters name when you phoned them, and they told you what you wanted to hear, exaggerating what they can see, did they tell you they were a third party or did you believe you were talking to an HMPO employee, i dont think you can read the article unless you subscribe, but it is all in the article

That article, which I can read, is 6 months old, maybe there has been some improvement since.

They told me they were HMPO.

Definitely English, not French, the lady answering initially even had a scouse accent. The guy I was transferred to tried with the reference number supplied by VFS but when he realized I was in Thailand said it wouldn't be on his system so asked for my daughter's full name, I could hear him typing and that's when he found my daughter's details.

Edited October 19, 2022 by edwinchester

[edwinchester]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Yup, that's the number I have and got little joy with. I'll try again later and see if I get a different rep.

 

Ask them to try and locate using your name. I was told a reference number from Thailand doesn't show in their system.

[brianthainess]

17 hours ago, CharlieH said:

That may well be true to your particular office, but as with all things in Thailand, it varies by office and even by person on the day. In my experience they are generally very good and extremely helpful when asked, but thats my office.

the staff seem ok but since a new postman started about 2.5 years ago, he is too lazy to come up my small soi, he knows where my house is, after threatening to make a police report to head office 'no mail for 2 years' I got 6mths of mail delivered all at once.

[kinyara]

Received my email today that mine was ready for collection, 11 weeks and 2 days.

[theoldgit]

Troll post flaming another member removed, along with response.

[Crossy]

Finally got my email today ???? 

 

"Only" 14 weeks since they took the $$$ from my card ???? 

 

Totally appalling "service" and the inability to easily track overseas applications is just crazy. I wonder how long it will take in 10 years' time when this one expires.

 

Long, long ago (ok 2001, so this century) I had my PP stolen in Rome (the Italian one). I got a new PP the same day from the embassy! (I was at the gate, police report in hand, when they opened, otherwise it would have been next day)

 

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

Finally got my email today ???? 

 

"Only" 14 weeks since they took the $$$ from my card ???? 

 

Totally appalling "service" and the inability to easily track overseas applications is just crazy. I wonder how long it will take in 10 years' time when this one expires.

 

Long, long ago (ok 2001, so this century) I had my PP stolen in Rome (the Italian one). I got a new PP the same day from the embassy! (I was at the gate, police report in hand, when they opened, otherwise it would have been next day)

 

Backlog was caused by covid and the lazy work from homers, should be back to normal in a couple years

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Backlog was caused by covid and the lazy work from homers, should be back to normal in a couple years

 

Yeah, understand that (at least that's what we are told anyway...).

 

But by the time another renewal comes around the system will have been further "improved" and probably require a physical presence in the office and a stool sample.

 

Over the >40 odd years I've had and renewed my PP (mostly because full) each renewal has been further "streamlined"** which invariably slows it down. Last time I think it was done out of Hong Kong and was reasonably quick (4 weeks ish IIRC).

 

** The "streamlined" process is invariably less costly, unlike the passport itself.

[foreverlomsak]

On 10/19/2022 at 12:23 PM, brianthainess said:

On 9/17/2022 at 7:36 PM, Mac Mickmanus said:

Trendy send you an E-mail telling you  to go and collect your passport 

I thought if you use an agent like key visa, they posted it back to you.

By Trendy he does not mean an agent called Trendy, but the HMPO office in the Trendy Building. HMPO require you to collect it from them so they can cancel your old passport. At least that was my experience from a couple of years ago.