New Australian Passport

[brianthainess]

Just to clarify: I just received my new oz passport 7 weeks 4 days after application, returned by EMS in less than 24hrs. and 36 hrs after receiving Embassies Email that it was on its way.

I would like to correct a post that i made before, saying an agent can't collect it, as they said ''no agents'' It can be picked up by someone named in a letter from you giving them permission, and of course with their ID. if you don't want the old one cancelled and sent EMS. Be warned all appointments are getting booked out fast.

[giddyup]

Hypothetically, what happens if you're too old, and or sick, to make a trip to Bangkok to renew your passport?

[giddyup]

Why did it take 7 weeks to get? The last time I renewed 5 years ago, I reckon I had the new passport delivered within about 10 days from application.

[farmerjo]

Can you still get the 65 pages as an option with new 10 year passport?

Edited September 25, 2022 by farmerjo

[Lemsta69]

55 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Why did it take 7 weeks to get? The last time I renewed 5 years ago, I reckon I had the new passport delivered within about 10 days from application.

maybe they're making them in Oz and not Thailand. there's a backlog 'back home' because lots of people waited until the last minute to renew their passports. 

 

then they all wanted a new passport as soon as the travel restrictions were lifted.

[Sparktrader]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

Hypothetically, what happens if you're too old, and or sick, to make a trip to Bangkok to renew your passport?

Renew online if not expired.

[Sparktrader]

11 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

maybe they're making them in Oz and not Thailand. there's a backlog 'back home' because lots of people waited until the last minute to renew their passports. 

 

then they all wanted a new passport as soon as the travel restrictions were lifted.

All made in Oz i think except temporary ones.

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

Hypothetically, what happens if you're too old, and or sick, to make a trip to Bangkok to renew your passport?

Hi, well I made inquiries about that, as my friend at the time 'had' MND, not only that he 'was' unable to even sign his name, I was told that there are things in place and from what i understood they have to ask Canberra first, but things can change they said. You'd have to be very sick IMO as for old they do have wheelchairs. 

  Sadly my mate passed away the day I got back.

[brianthainess]

43 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Renew online if not expired.

BS mine was not expired, You HAVE to attend in person no ifs or buts.

[brianthainess]

56 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

maybe they're making them in Oz and not Thailand. there's a backlog 'back home' because lots of people waited until the last minute to renew their passports. 

 

then they all wanted a new passport as soon as the travel restrictions were lifted.

Yes made in Canberra, then sent back here. even here there are only morning appointments.

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

Why did it take 7 weeks to get? The last time I renewed 5 years ago, I reckon I had the new passport delivered within about 10 days from application.

that was before covid they now quote between 6 - 8 weeks and all processed in OZ.

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, farmerjo said:

Can you still get the 65 pages as an option with new 10 year passport?

sorry don't know but think you can. email them.

[brianthainess]

I forgot to add got mine back just Intime to do my 90 days. That's saved me 2000 baht fine.

Edited September 25, 2022 by brianthainess

[ozfarang]

All you need to know about obtaining/renewing an Australian passport can be found here,

 

https://www.passports.gov.au

[giddyup]

33 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

BS mine was not expired, You HAVE to attend in person no ifs or buts.

That's what I thought. Never heard of renewing online.

[brianthainess]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

That's what I thought. Never heard of renewing online.

you can download the form and fill it in before you go saving yourself 3 min lol

its a simple one page form. oh and you can only pay with a card no cash accepted.

[ozfarang]

6 minutes ago, giddyup said:

That's what I thought. Never heard of renewing online.

Can I lodge my application online?

Going online is the easiest way to complete your application, but you still have to lodge it in person.

[orchidfan]

Thanks for the post.

I need to renew mine due mid December 2023.

So, from what you've said @brianthainess  I should download and fill in the application form and submit in person to Oz Embassy (consulate ?) In Bangkok greater than 8 weeks prior to expiry date. 

48 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I forgot to add got mine back just Intime to do my 90 days. That's saved me 2000 baht fine.

Thanks for the post.

I need to renew mine due mid December 2023.

So, from what you've said @brianthainess  I should download and fill in the application form and submit in person to Oz Embassy (consulate ?) In Bangkok greater than 8 weeks prior to expiry date. 

[Will27]

On 9/25/2022 at 3:48 PM, brianthainess said:

BS mine was not expired, You HAVE to attend in person no ifs or buts.

Unless I've read this incorrectly, you can apply online.

 

https://thailand.embassy.gov.au/bkok/Mailed_in_passport_applications.html

[orchidfan]

35 minutes ago, Will27 said:

Unless I've read this incorrectly, you can apply online.

 

https://thailand.embassy.gov.au/bkok/Mailed_in_passport_applications.html

Thanks for that link Will.

It means saving 2 long trips to the Embassy for the new passport later this year and more urgently, a certified copy of my (current) passport now being required by my Australian bank to "confirm my ID" (after having and operated the account for over 17 years !)

[The Fugitive]

45 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

and more urgently, a certified copy of my (current) passport now being required by my Australian bank to "confirm my ID" (after having and operated the account for over 17 years !)

Same problem with several of my U.K. financial 'institutions'. So far, I have successfully refused to supply any with the translated and certified documents they requested. Most did nothing and my service continued as normal. The odd one suspended my internet access. I managed without until I returned to U.K. for a visit and advised them I was 'resident' so why was there a problem? They then reinstated my internet access.   

[4MyEgo]

On 9/25/2022 at 2:21 PM, brianthainess said:

Be warned all appointments are getting booked out fast.

Unbelievable, wife has dual citizenships, renewed her Thai passport and it went like this, went in on a Monday, it was received in the mail by Friday, go figure.

 

Ok, it's not Australia issuing it, but fair suck of the sav, 7 weeks and 4 days, what a joke, looks like Thailand has got it's sheet together when it comes to passport renewals. 

[orchidfan]

1 minute ago, The Fugitive said:

Same problem with several of my U.K. financial 'institutions'. So far, I have successfully refused to supply any with the translated and certified documents they requested. Most did nothing and my service continued as normal. The odd one suspended my internet access. I managed without until I returned to U.K. for a visit and advised them I was 'resident' so why was there a problem? They then reinstated my internet access.   

This Oz bank made it quite clear in their email.that IF I didn't provide the requested "proof of ID", but Oct 20th, all services (internet,  mobile app, ATM etc) would be suspended (except inward deposits and loan repayments !).

My fortnightly pension goes into this account and I transfer it via WISE to my thai bank.

 

I gave them a call this morning to point out that I couldn't "pop in" to my local branch, and that of the list of acceptable persons they list for overseas customers, basically ONLY the Embassy /Consulate notorial would work.

 

Also getting this done (let alone the costs) and sending to them by EMS or Registered mail by Oct 20th was probably impossible. 

 

They have kindly given me an extension until Nov. 5th.

Big of them!

 

No form of electronic submissions are accepted ((email attachments etc).

[still kicking]

On 9/25/2022 at 2:53 PM, giddyup said:

Why did it take 7 weeks to get? The last time I renewed 5 years ago, I reckon I had the new passport delivered within about 10 days from application.

I guess you haven't been in Australia for a long time people in Australia waited for about 6 months and could not travel overseas

[orchidfan]

3 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Unbelievable, wife has dual citizenships, renewed her Thai passport and it went like this, went in on a Monday, it was received in the mail by Friday, go figure.

 

Ok, it's not Australia issuing it, but fair suck of the sav, 7 weeks and 4 days, what a joke, looks like Thailand has got it's sheet together when it comes to passport renewals. 

Thanks, I'll try the mail in option 2 or so months before expiry. 

My 2023 extension of stay (marriage) will also terminate same day as my passport expires....from what I understand. 

So I need to have the new one.in hand to transfer the stamps and/submit everything for the next extension. 

[Will27]

16 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Unbelievable, wife has dual citizenships, renewed her Thai passport and it went like this, went in on a Monday, it was received in the mail by Friday, go figure.

 

Ok, it's not Australia issuing it, but fair suck of the sav, 7 weeks and 4 days, what a joke, looks like Thailand has got it's sheet together when it comes to passport renewals. 

I'm pretty sure the passports are issued from Australia.

 

Covid has created a huge backlog where people weren't applying for passports because they couldn't travel.

 

Those 6 to 8 weeks waiting times are pretty standard for US and UK passports as well.

 

A mate of mine got his back in 4 weeks FWIW.

[The Fugitive]

37 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

This Oz bank made it quite clear in their email.that IF I didn't provide the requested "proof of ID", but Oct 20th, all services (internet,  mobile app, ATM etc) would be suspended (except inward deposits and loan repayments !).

My fortnightly pension goes into this account and I transfer it via WISE to my thai bank.

 

I gave them a call this morning to point out that I couldn't "pop in" to my local branch, and that of the list of acceptable persons they list for overseas customers, basically ONLY the Embassy /Consulate notorial would work.

 

Also getting this done (let alone the costs) and sending to them by EMS or Registered mail by Oct 20th was probably impossible. 

 

They have kindly given me an extension until Nov. 5th.

Big of them!

 

No form of electronic submissions are accepted ((email attachments etc).

Wow! That's tough and ridiculous too. Could depend upon who you speak to as well. One of mine offered setting up a free SECURE email account to send my scanned/photographed docs (no translations or certifications required). This I was happy to comply with but when I initially emailed to request the secure facility the agent replied that email isn't secure hence they couldn't do this. Obviously didn't know what was going on! Have you got an alternative bank you could use instead? 

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, Will27 said:

I'm pretty sure the passports are issued from Australia.

 

Covid has created a huge backlog where people weren't applying for passports because they couldn't travel.

 

Those 6 to 8 weeks waiting times are pretty standard for US and UK passports as well.

 

A mate of mine got his back in 4 weeks FWIW.

One would have to agree that Thailand has a population far larger than Australia and a lot of people here also weren't travelling or applying for their passports during Covid, but now lots are going overseas to work and some holiday, like my wife, that said, no backlog here to me means more employees to handle the workloads.

 

In my opinion the Australia governments in office over the decades culled most of it's workforce to save money and outsourced the work or sold it to private companies, and who ends up coping it in the end, yep, you guessed it.

 

Seriously, when you run a business and it's growing, you need to employ more people to cop with the volumes, oh that's right, no need, we are the government, let those citizens wait, we the government won't be the ones suffering, were in the business of culling employees to save money, while on the other hand throw it out the windows.

[4MyEgo]

On 9/25/2022 at 4:53 PM, giddyup said:

Why did it take 7 weeks to get? The last time I renewed 5 years ago, I reckon I had the new passport delivered within about 10 days from application.

Agree, I renewed our kids passports in Phuket and they sent them back to us by EMS under protest within 2 weeks. Reason given didn't want to send them by EMS was because they didn't trust the postal service, that's when I said, I am paying for the passports, they belong to me and I trust the mail here.

 

Seriously some pretty stupid people working in the governments lately, or has that been like that all the time 

[orchidfan]

20 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

Wow! That's tough and ridiculous too. Could depend upon who you speak to as well. One of mine offered setting up a free SECURE email account to send my scanned/photographed docs (no translations or certifications required). This I was happy to comply with but when I initially emailed to request the secure facility the agent replied that email isn't secure hence they couldn't do this. Obviously didn't know what was going on! Have you got an alternative bank you could use instead? 

My past experience setting up an Oz bank account for my Thai wife required all the same certified "proof of identity" .

Basically notarised  copy of her password done by the Australian Embassy in Bangkok. 

So don't think changing banks would help. 

 

So I'll just do the same with my passport and EMS it to Oz.

 

Funny thing is the mailing address given is a

"Reply paid *******,

Adelaide, 

Australia 5001"

 

I hope EMS can understand that address ???