How to renew passport? Processing time so high

[Hal65]

At the US embassy it takes 8 to 11 weeks of processing time to issue a new passport. That's not including the time to mail it in. Expedited service takes five to seven weeks but is not available to international residents. My tourist visa is coming up from a Vietnam trip in a week. Which I believe is 30 days plus another 30 days extension.

 

This long processing time has been a continuous frustration. Thailand has requirements for us to have our visa or passport with us for regular 90 day report stamps. And also extensions like above. How do you guys handle this?

Edited February 27, 2023 by Hal65

[Faltu]

1 hour ago, Hal65 said:

How do you guys handle this?

I went to the US and got a new passport. Of course, my mistake I did not check the number of pages (for a thick passport with more pages) and got a skinny one. I will get a new one in the near future. I don't travel as much as I used to. So not in big hurry. 

[TaoNow]

There have been several threads on renewal of a US passport while in Thailand.

 

It takes about 3 weeks.  I did mine last month, and it took 2.5 weeks from the time I went to the Embassy in Bangkok to hand in my old passport and form and pay the fee, until I received the new and old one by EMS post to my home in Bangkok.

 

Then, a quick trip to Immo/CW to get the visa/extension stamps transferred. 

 

The only hiccup for me was that I had to go to the bank in the morning to update my fixed account passbook, plus obtain a bank statement of the account for the past 12 months -- before heading to Immo.

 

Still, all in all, a very efficient process.

[ericthai]

Don't know how you can say "This long processing time has been a continuous frustration." since you only renew every 10 years, so it's not like a regular thing. 

 

From my experience and from what my friends have experienced the US embassy in BKK processes passports renewals typically within 3-4 weeks. 

 

[Dante99]

Best to renew about a year before it expires, then no problems about renewal time, visas or if a process crashes and must be begun again.

[Dante99]

6 hours ago, Hal65 said:

This long processing time has been a continuous frustration.

yeh right with renewal every 10 years it is a continuous frustration

[Pib]

US passport renewal takes 2 to 3 weeks based on my and friends recent experience.  This 2 to 3 weeks includes round trip mailing time.

[KhunLA]

Sept 2022, took less than 2 weeks, mailed in to received ????

[bamnutsak]

8 hours ago, Hal65 said:

At the US embassy it takes 8 to 11 weeks of processing time to issue a new passport.

Where did you get this "information"? That figure is for "routine" renewal service in the U.S.

 

Most people here report ~ 15 real, non-holiday, working days, door-to-door (EMS) via the Embassy in Bangkok.

 

In the U.S. 

 

Processing Times
Routine    8 to 11 weeks
Expedited    5 to 7 weeks

 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html

Edited February 28, 2023 by bamnutsak

[KhunLA]

15 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Where did you get this "information"? That figure is for "routine" renewal service in the U.S.

 

Most people here report ~ 15 real, non-holiday, working days, door-to-door (EMS) via the Embassy in Bangkok.

 

In the U.S. 

 

Processing Times
Routine    8 to 11 weeks
Expedited    5 to 7 weeks

 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html

BKK Embassy states a much longer period than needed.  Guess it avoids idiots of waiting till the last minute and not having when needed.   Most report < 3 week from mail in to received.

 

"the process may take up to four to five weeks from the date we receive"

[Pib]

The U.S. State Dept has recently increased its estimated processing time for a passport like renewing your passport.     See below 27 Feb 2023 article for more info.....but keep in mind the 8 to 11 week estimate is for obtaining a passport "in the U.S" using routine priority.   

https://www.travelmarketreport.com/News/articles/US-Passport-Renewal-Processing-Time-Now-8-to-11-Weeks#:~:text=Standard renewal is now at,that the passport is mailed.

 

A different (faster) process is used when applying overseas like submitting your application to the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok.  The routine processing is much faster than if submitting in the U.S.   Now, although the turnaround time has typically been in the 2 to 3 weeks time frame, the U.S. Embassy-Bangkok webpage now says it may take up to 4 to 5 weeks (their webpage use to say 2 to 3 weeks) 

 

So, maybe the good ol' State Dept has been doing some cost cutting which is also slowing down passport processing time whether applying in or outside the U.S. 

 

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

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Pib

[NanLaew]

9 hours ago, Hal65 said:

At the US embassy it takes 8 to 11 weeks of processing time to issue a new passport. That's not including the time to mail it in. Expedited service takes five to seven weeks but is not available to international residents. My tourist visa is coming up from a Vietnam trip in a week. Which I believe is 30 days plus another 30 days extension.

 

This long processing time has been a continuous frustration. Thailand has requirements for us to have our visa or passport with us for regular 90 day report stamps. And also extensions like above. How do you guys handle this?

Apart from your misinformation regarding passport turnaround time at the US Embassy in Bangkok, I assume most folks who know how a calendar works handle their passport renewals without drama.

[bamnutsak]

5 hours ago, TaoNow said:

I did mine last month, and it took 2.5 weeks from the time I went to the Embassy in Bangkok to hand in my old passport and form and pay the fee

Can you elaborate on your experience?

 

You made an appointment?

 

You paid by credit card, or USD?

 

You paid 100 THB for the EMS? (Is there still a Thai Post EMS kiosk there?)

 

Has anyone successfully used the trial/beta credit card payment option (at Pay.gov) for a mail-in renewal?

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/faq-on-line-payment/

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by bamnutsak

[ubonjoe]

45 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Has anyone successfully used the trial/beta credit card payment option (at Pay.gov) for a mail-in renewal?

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/faq-on-line-payment/

 

 

I used it in June of last year.

I used PayPal and it was done within about a minute.

[TaoNow]

2 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

Can you elaborate on your experience?

 

You made an appointment?

 

You paid by credit card, or USD?

 

You paid 100 THB for the EMS? (Is there still a Thai Post EMS kiosk there?)

 

Has anyone successfully used the trial/beta credit card payment option (at Pay.gov) for a mail-in renewal?

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/faq-on-line-payment/

 

 

Last month, I first e-mailed the American Citizens Service (ACS) website to see if I could go to the Embassy to do the renewal. The ACS responded within 24 hours saying I could go in, but they preferred that people mail in their passport, form, and fee.  

 

So, I made an appointment, printed it out, and went to the Embassy around 9 a.m. on Jan. 17.  Turned in the renewal form, and then. 

 

I paid the $130 in US cash, but you can pay by baht cash.  If mailing it in, you have to buy a bank draft in the equivalent baht amount.

 

They have a branch of ThailandPost in the ACS compound, so it is easy to buy the return envelope there (100 baht).  (Copy down the EMS code so you can track the item when they mail it back.)

 

Then, you turn that in with your PP fee receipt, and that's it.   It took me about 1.5 hours as there were quite a few people in the ACS section.

 

In sum. it's no faster by going to the Embassy in person compared to mailing in your PP as they recommend on the Embassy website.

[skatewash]

Passport renewal at US Embassy Bangkok can be done entirely by Thai Post EMS and takes 2 to 3 weeks in my experience.  It's hard for me to imagine how it could be any easier or faster.

[CMBob]

Perhaps timing has changed but processing applications by mail for US passports has generally been well under 3 weeks.  I got a new US passport this past December, mailing the required items by DHL from Chiangmai to the Bangkok embassy on a Monday morning.  I received back my new passport, punched old one, and the Embassy letter to Immigration in my Chiangmai mail the following Thursday (i.e., 11 days later).  No complaints here.

[swm59nj]

I renewed my US passport last December before Christmas,  I mailed it to the embassy in Bangkok.  It took about three weeks 

[rwill]

Took less than 3 weeks total to get mine done by mail as explained on the embassy website.  That was in September of last year.  Paid using the online option provided.

[itsallmine68]

I recently renewed my passport and was worried that it , the passport would not be back before my next 90 reporting. Immigration said no problem jus xerox each page including empty ones and come see us that it is done properly . Then wait 

[DogNo1]

Is there any time limit for transferring stamps?  Can it be done three months after receiving the new passport when renewing extension of stay?

[Thingamabob]

11 hours ago, Dante99 said:

Best to renew about a year before it expires, then no problems about renewal time, visas or if a process crashes and must be begun again.

Well said.

[Hal65]

I run out of pages before years. I'm on my 4th passport in Thailand

 

  

1 hour ago, itsallmine68 said:

I recently renewed my passport and was worried that it , the passport would not be back before my next 90 reporting. Immigration said no problem jus xerox each page including empty ones and come see us that it is done properly . Then wait 

Will this also work with extensions?

 

[watthong]

10 hours ago, TaoNow said:

In sum. it's no faster by going to the Embassy in person compared to mailing in your PP as they recommend on the Embassy website.

I did mine by mail at the beginning of this month. At first I had thought of going in person like you did, but then got cold feet and decided to play by the embassy suggestion, ie do it by mail. Now I wish I had taken the initiative of contacting ACS and going in in person like you did, much surer and I'm sure quicker since the payment is transacted on the day it was made (as opposed to having an extra step of cashing the bankdraft). I also did notice how their instructions did not say outright "DO NOT" apply in person...

 

Anyway, doing it by mail turned out to be quite a hassle: of going to the bank for the bankdraft for return envelope, then going to DHL and paying 600 baht for the services. DHL delivered my package to the US Bkk embassy Feb 6 Monday, I then started to fret whether my photos were correct, etc. where as going in person I would have known whether they were ok on the spot. Last week I checked on the travel state gov page and learned that my new passport was mailed out (from the US passport center) on Feb 17 - so the old one went in the embassy on Feb 6 and the new one got sent out on Feb 17 (10 business days). Not bad. The update gave a tracking number and mentioned that in case of going via the embassy it might take up to 7 business days to get there. As of today I'm still in that window so I wonder how long at the last leg did it take yours to get from the embassy to you...(that is if you did track yours on the trave state gov website}?

 

[problemfarang]

12 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I used it in June of last year.

I used PayPal and it was done within about a minute.

i thought you cannot use paypal in thailand if its not a business account.

i have a friend who teaches online to chinese students and now he cannot do anything with paypal because he hasnt got business account paypal. so thailand blocked him. and he already lost 20K baht last month. now hes looking for a new option. Also paypal is not transferring his money to his new what ever hes using.

 

so can you still pay things or use paypal in such a way?

 

thanks

[ubonjoe]

8 hours ago, problemfarang said:

i thought you cannot use paypal in thailand if its not a business account.

i have a friend who teaches online to chinese students and now he cannot do anything with paypal because he hasnt got business account paypal. so thailand blocked him. and he already lost 20K baht last month. now hes looking for a new option. Also paypal is not transferring his money to his new what ever hes using.

so can you still pay things or use paypal in such a way?

thanks

That was in June of last year before Paypal did those changes.

I assume that some people still have active accounts. 

[OJAS]

23 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Apart from your misinformation regarding passport turnaround time at the US Embassy in Bangkok, I assume most folks who know how a calendar works handle their passport renewals without drama.

But it IS a drama in the case of us Brits, thanks mainly to those enforced 2 route marches from wherever live in LOS to a particular rundown office building in Bangkok or its Chiang Mai equivalent, regardless of our calendar-working capabilities (or otherwise)!

[OJAS]

20 hours ago, skatewash said:

Passport renewal at US Embassy Bangkok can be done entirely by Thai Post EMS and takes 2 to 3 weeks in my experience.  It's hard for me to imagine how it could be any easier or faster.

Indeed, when it comes down to ease and grace, American passport renewal procedures from Thailand IMHO knock spots off the cumbersome bureaucracy that we local Brits here are faced with at passport renewal time. In our case, unfortunately, the use of the excellent Thai Post EMS system is clearly considered far too technologically advanced by the Luddites back in the UK who are responsible for inflicting the nonsensical procedures which we Brits are required to endure on us!

Edited March 1, 2023 by OJAS

[patekatek]

On 2/28/2023 at 2:05 AM, Faltu said:

I went to the US and got a new passport. Of course, my mistake I did not check the number of pages (for a thick passport with more pages) and got a skinny one. I will get a new one in the near future. I don't travel as much as I used to. So not in big hurry. 

Are you able to request more pages at the time you apply for a new passport?  I would like to have one with additional pages if the option exists.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, patekatek said:

Are you able to request more pages at the time you apply for a new passport?  I would like to have one with additional pages if the option exists.

You can ask for a 24 page or a 48 page passport if applying in the US. If applying at the embassy they only issue one with 48 pages.