I have been advised that, sadly,  Darren McGarry the owner of Key Visa, unexpectly passed away yesterday, he will be missed by many of his friends and of course his family.

 

No doubt the company have contingency plans in place for such an event, to ensure that the operation would continue with the minumum of interuption for visa and passport applications, I would however respectfully ask that the team at Key Visa are given some slack during this difficult time.

 

On a personal level I offer my condolencies to Darrens family, colleages and friends at this difficult time, may Darren RIP.

 

 

R. I. P. 

That's very sad.  By all accounts he had built up a good business with a good reputation amongst expats.

RIP

 

Pattaya visa guru dies suddenly

 

Darren McGarry, the British founder of the successful Pattaya-based visa company Key Visa, has died suddenly after a long battle with cancer. He established a business first in Bangkok and then in Pattaya almost 30 years ago and married a local lady in 2009.

 

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/pattaya-visa-guru-dies-suddenly-418690

4 hours ago, theoldgit said:

No doubt the company have contingency plans in place for such an event,

 

To be honest, this worries me, although I have completed my business with them.

 

I had a mate killed in the Phuket One-2-Die crash, his business just vanished and his wife had to go into hiding from his somewhat miffed clients (she knew nothing about the business).

 

RIP Darren, you did the job for me no problems.

R.I.P.

 

R.I.P. Darren.

Did business with him earlier in the year was very professional.

Used this company to renew my passport last year, very efficient and helpful throughout. Seemed a genuine gentleman on the phone, very easy to deal with. He will be missed, my condolences to his wife, family, friends and colleagues. I hope his company can continue his legacy.
RIP

What cancer did he have?

Been with him for nearly 9 years, he kept me in my beloved Thailand, through the regular as clockwork every two month changes to visa policy. Absolute professional, he will be sorely missed, by both me and the wider Pattaya ex pat community.

 

Irreplaceable.

 

????????????

On 12/9/2022 at 1:08 PM, theoldgit said:

I would however respectfully ask that the team at Key Visa are given some slack during this difficult time.

I have just sent them a personal message of condolences via the "Ask us a question about renewing your passport" facility on their website:

 

https://www.keyvisathailand.com/services/renewing-uk-passport-thailand/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrYrUjr3C1gIVzhdoCh2zRgGFEAAYASAAEgLfwvD_BwE

 

On 12/10/2022 at 5:57 PM, BahnTH said:

Been with him for nearly 9 years, he kept me in my beloved Thailand, through the regular as clockwork every two month changes to visa policy. Absolute professional, he will be sorely missed, by both me and the wider Pattaya ex pat community.

 

Irreplaceable.

 

????????????

There has never been a regular 2 month changes to visa policy

The future of Darrens business is currently unclear, no doubt the team there are still in shock

 

For those who have applications for passports and/or visas pending, you might want to contact Key Visa themselves, or maybe a local agent in Pattaya registered with OISC, Thai Visa Express is the only agency registered that I'm aware of, but there may be more, though it's not a legal requirement to be registered here in Thailand.

 

To be able to assist current clients, agents would need access to current applications from Key Visa, which may be difficult for the time being.

 

Please don't discuss various agencies that bribe Immigration Officers to obtain extensions of stay in Thailand, where the financial requirements can't be met, whilst it's seemingly a common practice, it isn't legal.

5 hours ago, theoldgit said:

For those who have applications for passports and/or visas pending, you might want to contact Key Visa themselves

Or, in the case of passports, submit an online enquiry to HMPO explaining their predicament (to which they should receive a reply within 72 hours if the GOV.UK website is to be believed):

 

https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outreach/Passport_Enquiries.ofml?_ga=2.171280867.2124134922.1626837669-1983836778.1623461427

 

Or alternatively, if they have the time and patience to do so, call the Passport Adviceline in the UK on +44 300 222 0000

 

According to an email which I received last week regarding the collection of my new passport from VFS, they will only release replacement passports to a third-party on production of:

· The document receipt checklist (issued to Key Visa at the application stage).
· The previous passport for cancellation (likely also languishing in some Key Visa pigeonhole).
· A copy of the ID/passport of the person who authorized (presumably the new agent's).
· A signed letter giving the third-party authorization from you stating their name and that you are content for them to collect the passport on your behalf.

 

Strongly suspect that these requirements have been imposed on VFS at HMPO's insistence, so not sure whether any direct approach to VFS would likely prove fruitful in any event.

 

A further important point which those with outstanding passport applications with Key Visa should bear in mind is that VFS will return replacement passports to HMPO which have not been collected after 30 days.

 

50 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Or, in the case of passports, submit an online enquiry to HMPO explaining their predicament (to which they should receive a reply within 72 hours if the GOV.UK website is to be believed):

 

https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outreach/Passport_Enquiries.ofml?_ga=2.171280867.2124134922.1626837669-1983836778.1623461427

 

Or alternatively, if they have the time and patience to do so, call the Passport Adviceline in the UK on +44 300 222 0000

 

According to an email which I received last week regarding the collection of my new passport from VFS, they will only release replacement passports to a third-party on production of:

· The document receipt checklist (issued to Key Visa at the application stage).
· The previous passport for cancellation (likely also languishing in some Key Visa pigeonhole).
· A copy of the ID/passport of the person who authorized (presumably the new agent's).
· A signed letter giving the third-party authorization from you stating their name and that you are content for them to collect the passport on your behalf.

 

Strongly suspect that these requirements have been imposed on VFS at HMPO's insistence, so not sure whether any direct approach to VFS would likely prove fruitful in any event.

 

A further important point which those with outstanding passport applications with Key Visa should bear in mind is that VFS will return replacement passports to HMPO which have not been collected after 30 days.

 

Sounds like it's BAU at Key Visa so no need to panic just yet so talk to them

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

The previous passport for cancellation (likely also languishing in some Key Visa pigeonhole).

I’d assumed the whole idea of the passport debacle here in Thailand was that to comply with the apparent rule that foreigners passports should be made available for inspection on demand, and the VFS involvement allowed applicants to retain their passports following an an application for a new passport.

 

I understand that using an agent saves the applicant a round trip, or two, to Bangkok, but it seems to me that it rather defeats the object of ensuring the passport is available for inspection on demand, if the current passport is languishing in the agents office for a month or three.

7 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

I’d assumed the whole idea of the passport debacle here in Thailand was that to comply with the apparent rule that foreigners passports should be made available for inspection on demand, and the VFS involvement allowed applicants to retain their passports following an an application for a new passport.

 

I understand that using an agent saves the applicant a round trip, or two, to Bangkok, but it seems to me that it rather defeats the object of ensuring the passport is available for inspection on demand, if the current passport is languishing in the agents office for a month or three.

Unfortunately that is what they wanted me to do. I declined and did it myself.

On 12/12/2022 at 4:24 PM, theoldgit said:

I’d assumed the whole idea of the passport debacle here in Thailand was that to comply with the apparent rule that foreigners passports should be made available for inspection on demand, and the VFS involvement allowed applicants to retain their passports following an an application for a new passport.

 

I understand that using an agent saves the applicant a round trip, or two, to Bangkok, but it seems to me that it rather defeats the object of ensuring the passport is available for inspection on demand, if the current passport is languishing in the agents office for a month or three.

But the US State Department do not apparently see it as a problem for our American cousins here in Thailand to be unable to make their passports available for inspection on demand during their renewal process!

 

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

 

Which, I think, begs the question as to the justification for HMPO's apparently contrary view - and the whole cumbersome process which they have inflicted on us Brits here in Thailand at passport renewal time as a result.

 

On 12/12/2022 at 4:24 PM, theoldgit said:

I’d assumed the whole idea of the passport debacle here in Thailand was that to comply with the apparent rule that foreigners passports should be made available for inspection on demand, and the VFS involvement allowed applicants to retain their passports following an an application for a new passport.

 

I understand that using an agent saves the applicant a round trip, or two, to Bangkok, but it seems to me that it rather defeats the object of ensuring the passport is available for inspection on demand, if the current passport is languishing in the agents office for a month or three.

I think the only purpose of presenting the current passport to VfS is for identification purposes - and to check the photocopied pages. It is therefore logical to return the current passport to the presenter. 
 

Where an agent is involved the passport should be immediately retrievable by the applicants.

 

I am trying to recall the previous procedures for processing through Hong Kong - I can’t imagine that the current passport left the possession of the applicant. 

6 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

I am trying to recall the previous procedures for processing through Hong Kong - I can’t imagine that the current passport left the possession of the applicant. 

 

My last application was via Hong Kong, as I recall I didn't need to send my passport there so was able to retain it, a very efficient and speedy renewal.

3 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Where an agent is involved the passport should be immediately retrievable by the applicants.

Fine in theory, if you live close to the agent, otherwise it would require the agent posting it back to you, and then the reverse when the new passport is available for collection - and that still means you are without your passport for a few days. We all know that in practice that doesn't really matter, but as already pointed out, the requirement to be in possession of your passport at all times is the reason for the convoluted system by which we Brits have to apply.

Some time back I was wondering how it works in the rest of the world, and at random put in my country of residence on the HMPO website as Philippines, South Africa and Brazil respectively. In all those countries you can apply online, as you can in the UK. How it works with submitting your expiring passport I have no idea, but why Thailand (and from memory Cambodia) are singled out for this cumbersome process is beyond me.

When I applied at Trendy the VFS clerk didn't inspect the 48 pages of my passport at all, just counted them. I wonder what they do with all that paper. 

Gone right off topic.

 

RIP Darren and condolences to family.

17 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

Fine in theory, if you live close to the agent, otherwise it would require the agent posting it back to you, and then the reverse when the new passport is available for collection - and that still means you are without your passport for a few days. We all know that in practice that doesn't really matter, but as already pointed out, the requirement to be in possession of your passport at all times is the reason for the convoluted system by which we Brits have to apply.

Some time back I was wondering how it works in the rest of the world, and at random put in my country of residence on the HMPO website as Philippines, South Africa and Brazil respectively. In all those countries you can apply online, as you can in the UK. How it works with submitting your expiring passport I have no idea, but why Thailand (and from memory Cambodia) are singled out for this cumbersome process is beyond me.

When I applied at Trendy the VFS clerk didn't inspect the 48 pages of my passport at all, just counted them. I wonder what they do with all that paper. 

I understand your point, but in reality, with EMS, a passport can be retrieved within 48 hours. 

 

I know people in the Boonies who post their passport, and application, to agents.....it is often the best option available for them.

 

The risk of not getting the passport back in time for an extension renewal (or even a 90 day report) is of greater concern to most than not actually being in possession of the passport.

On 12/9/2022 at 1:08 PM, theoldgit said:

I would however respectfully ask that the team at Key Visa are given some slack during this difficult time.

And here was me cursing him for not replying to my LINE message a couple of weeks ago. 

RIP Darren, known for many years. 

Is it business as usual?

Very sad to hear the news.  I used Darren for many years.   He had always a solution that worked for me.  R.I.P.  

 

Business as usual, thanks KeyVisa.