VFS Chiang Mai UK Passport Renewal

[falang1969]

Has anyone applied for an adult UK passport renewal at CM VFS in the last few months?

 

If so, what was the turnaround time?

 

Deciding whether to renew here or in the UK, but don't really want to be stuck in the UK for months!

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

I went 2 weeks ago, they said 11 weeks but some people have got them within a month.

[Mahseer]

Submitted mine 6 weeks back and was quoted up to 12 weeks.
 

Your present passport is invalidated for international travel on application.

[blackshadow]

why not call the place and ask ???

[hotandsticky]

Be aware of the impact of the strike on processing..............it could cause delays in the UK, as well as processing through Thailand. 10 weeks is the advised processing time in the UK. You will need to see if they are accepting fasttrack applications:-

 

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently#:~:text=You can pay to get,to 3 weeks in advance.

 

Recent experiences of turnround times are:-

 

30th January, back on 25th February

20th February, back 3rd April.

28th March, still waiting

 

11 weeks is the current advised processing time. 

 

Overseas British passport applications

How long it takes

You’ll need to allow up to 11 weeks to get a new passport.

 

https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/overseas/information/thailand/renew/adult

[billd766]

Whereabouts is the VFS office ib Chiang Mai and is there nay parking very close to it.

 

I can manage to walk 25 or 30 metres and then I have to sit down for several minutes to get my breath back.

 

Fortunately my passport does not expire until June 17 2024 so I have plenty of time..

 

My marriage extension needs renewing in October this year and I understand will only get an extension until the date of my passport enquiry.

 

As for payment does VFS accept cash or a KBank debit card?

 

How about appointments.

 

I live in rural Kamphaeng Phet about half way between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

[roo860]

https://g.co/kgs/MQxxGV

There ya go.

Edited May 7, 2023 by roo860

[Upnotover]

25 minutes ago, billd766 said:

As for payment does VFS accept cash or a KBank debit card?

You don't pay VFS.  Payment is by card and is taken in the UK by HMPO.  Your card has to be valid for payments in the UK.  It does not have to be your own card, the payment form is submitted with the application.

 

25 minutes ago, billd766 said:

How about appointments.

All you need is here;

https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/overseas/information/thailand/renew/adult?

 

You don't actually have to attend yourself.  You could send someone, with an authorisation letter,  on your behalf both to submit the application and to collect the new passport.

[Dmaxdan]

13 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Whereabouts is the VFS office ib Chiang Mai and is there nay parking very close to it.

 

I can manage to walk 25 or 30 metres and then I have to sit down for several minutes to get my breath back.

 

Fortunately my passport does not expire until June 17 2024 so I have plenty of time..

 

My marriage extension needs renewing in October this year and I understand will only get an extension until the date of my passport enquiry.

 

As for payment does VFS accept cash or a KBank debit card?

 

How about appointments.

 

I live in rural Kamphaeng Phet about half way between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

The VFS office is located  more or less opposite the Maya shopping mall, which is easy to find on Google maps.

 

It is located on the top floor of an office building. They do have lifts so you don't have to worry about stairs. They have their own car park and when I went earlier this year there was plenty of spaces available.

 

I applied in March and I booked an appointment via email. I believe that they are only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I was quoted a 13 week delivery time.

 

For payment you have to download and to fill in the payment form from the UK government website.

I paid with a UK debit card. You can also download the application forms from the same site.

For renewals you don't need someone fill in countersignature section, at least that's what they told me after I went searching for someone to do it!

 

You need official proof of your Thai address in written in English.

I used my Thai driving license. You can't apply using a UK address.

You will also need colour photo copies of every page of your old passport. 

 

 

[billd766]

59 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

You don't pay VFS.  Payment is by card and is taken in the UK by HMPO.  Your card has to be valid for payments in the UK.  It does not have to be your own card, the payment form is submitted with the application.

 

All you need is here;

https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/overseas/information/thailand/renew/adult?

 

You don't actually have to attend yourself.  You could send someone, with an authorisation letter,  on your behalf both to submit the application and to collect the new passport.

Thank you for that information.

 

The last time I renewed my passport was through Hong Kong (before VFS came along) but the Passport Office would not accept my KBank debit card.

 

I rang a friend in the UK and used her card and transferred the money through normal banking and that worked very well. This time I might ask my son and transfer the money through my Wise UK account.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Dmaxdan said:

The VFS office is located  more or less opposite the Maya shopping mall, which is easy to find on Google maps.

 

It is located on the top floor of an office building. They do have lifts so you don't have to worry about stairs. They have their own car park and when I went earlier this year there was plenty of spaces available.

 

I applied in March and I booked an appointment via email. I believe that they are only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I was quoted a 13 week delivery time.

 

For payment you have to download and to fill in the payment form from the UK government website.

I paid with a UK debit card. You can also download the application forms from the same site.

For renewals you don't need someone fill in countersignature section, at least that's what they told me after I went searching for someone to do it!

 

You need official proof of your Thai address in written in English.

I used my Thai driving license. You can't apply using a UK address.

You will also need colour photo copies of every page of your old passport. 

 

 

Thank you also for your help and information.

 

It was over 9 years ago I last applied.

[brommers]

Used my visa agent, OS. They did all the paperwork so all I had to do was sign, pay and wait 13 weeks, and they also got all my Immigration stamps transferred from the old to the new passport. This was done late last year so with the strike it could easily take longer.

[falang1969]

10 hours ago, blackshadow said:

why not call the place and ask ???

Because they will just quote the standard UK Passport Office response...."up to 11 weeks", when in reality Visa's and Passports are often quicker in real life...that's why!

[JBChiangRai]

The website says open Tuesdays & Thursdays, but they are open everyday except Sunday, you need to pay a lot extra for a Saturday appointment.

[Raindancer]

14 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

The VFS office is located  more or less opposite the Maya shopping mall, which is easy to find on Google maps.

 

It is located on the top floor of an office building. They do have lifts so you don't have to worry about stairs. They have their own car park and when I went earlier this year there was plenty of spaces available.

 

I applied in March and I booked an appointment via email. I believe that they are only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I was quoted a 13 week delivery time.

 

For payment you have to download and to fill in the payment form from the UK government website.

I paid with a UK debit card. You can also download the application forms from the same site.

For renewals you don't need someone fill in countersignature section, at least that's what they told me after I went searching for someone to do it!

 

You need official proof of your Thai address in written in English.

I used my Thai driving license. You can't apply using a UK address.

You will also need colour photo copies of every page of your old passport. 

 

 

How did you manage to use your Thai driving licence as proof of address, if they need it in English?

Thai driving licence has Thai language address.

[Dmaxdan]

26 minutes ago, Raindancer said:

How did you manage to use your Thai driving licence as proof of address, if they need it in English?

Thai driving licence has Thai language address.

Mine has my address in English and Thai written on the back.

I presume that this is normal for driving licenses issued to foreigners. 

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

Mine has my address in English and Thai written on the back.

I presume that this is normal for driving licenses issued to foreigners. 

My previous 5y Thai license had Thai only. 

My new 5y Thai license (from March) has Thai and English. 

[Raindancer]

23 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

Mine has my address in English and Thai written on the back.

I presume that this is normal for driving licenses issued to foreigners. 

Many thanks

[billd766]

8 hours ago, brommers said:

Used my visa agent, OS. They did all the paperwork so all I had to do was sign, pay and wait 13 weeks, and they also got all my Immigration stamps transferred from the old to the new passport. This was done late last year so with the strike it could easily take longer.

I don't have a visa agent and the IO in Kamphaeng Phet doesn't deal with any either.

 

7 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

wrong post, again. Sorry

 

 

[billd766]

2 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Mine has my address in English and Thai written on the back.

I presume that this is normal for driving licenses issued to foreigners. 

I just checked my Thai D/L, and it is the same as yours in both Thai and English.

[hotandsticky]

2 hours ago, Raindancer said:

How did you manage to use your Thai driving licence as proof of address, if they need it in English?

Thai driving licence has Thai language address.

 

Be aware that Table A (regarding supporting documents) requires the address evidence to be dated within the last 12 months.

 

That said, UKPO are not looking to be obstructive and will accept a certification from a third party (wife or landlord) that your are living at the said address.

[billd766]

26 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Be aware that Table A (regarding supporting documents) requires the address evidence to be dated within the last 12 months.

 

That said, UKPO are not looking to be obstructive and will accept a certification from a third party (wife or landlord) that your are living at the said address.

I have my Thai D/L, my yellow house book plus a certificate of residence from the IO at KPP Immigration.

[JBChiangRai]

54 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Be aware that Table A (regarding supporting documents) requires the address evidence to be dated within the last 12 months.

 

That said, UKPO are not looking to be obstructive and will accept a certification from a third party (wife or landlord) that your are living at the said address.

I took my Thai ID Card & Yellow Foreigner House Book, also certified translations of them, none were dated in the last year and they accepted them.

 

I know you're not supposed to travel after applying for a new passport, but do you think you could?

[billd766]

8 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I took my Thai ID Card & Yellow Foreigner House Book, also certified translations of them, none were dated in the last year and they accepted them.

 

I know you're not supposed to travel after applying for a new passport, but do you think you could?

I forgot about my pink Thai ID card.

 

Personally I find travelling difficult nowadays even though my wife does the driving. It is the movement between the stops that I find hardest

 

My time for travelling overseas finished in 2009 when I retired back to Thailand.

 

I suspect that if I went back to the UK to see my son and his family I may not make it back alive again. I am 78 and bone weary. I have a back back and a problem walking more than 25 metres without a break to sit for a few minutes, relax and get my breath back.

 

The passport in my case will be for marriage extension use only.

[hotandsticky]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

I have my Thai D/L, my yellow house book plus a certificate of residence from the IO at KPP Immigration.

In theory, the Tabien Ban and Thai D/L could fall foul of the date requirement - the Residence Certificate obviously won't; I would just send that, only one valid document is required.

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

I took my Thai ID Card & Yellow Foreigner House Book, also certified translations of them, none were dated in the last year and they accepted them.

 

I know you're not supposed to travel after applying for a new passport, but do you think you could?

 

I went to Cambodia (land crossing) on my old passport AFTER I had received the new one. I could only do that because VfS omitted cutting the corner off my old one.

 

Personally, I think that you could travel, certainly within Asia. Remember that many countries require 6 month validity on a passport so that could be an issue. I certainly don't think Thai Immigration records are updated until you request the transfer of stamps to the new passport.

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

4 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

I went to Cambodia (land crossing) on my old passport AFTER I had received the new one. I could only do that because VfS omitted cutting the corner off my old one.

 

Personally, I think that you could travel, certainly within Asia. Remember that many countries require 6 month validity on a passport so that could be an issue. I certainly don't think Thai Immigration records are updated until you request the transfer of stamps to the new passport.

 

 

They didn't cut the corner off, I'll keep you posted in 3 weeks, traveling in Asia.

[stereolab]

5 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Mine has my address in English and Thai written on the back.

I presume that this is normal for driving licenses issued to foreigners. 

I used my Thai DL at VFS, I had plenty of other suitable documents, but the girl went straight to the DL. Address in English on reverse side.

[Mahseer]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

They didn't cut the corner off, I'll keep you posted in 3 weeks, traveling in Asia.

Corner is cut when you receive the new passport.

[hotandsticky]

3 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

They didn't cut the corner off, I'll keep you posted in 3 weeks, traveling in Asia.

I think you are slightly different JB..... I believe you have submitted the new application but have retained your passport. The corner gets cut when you collect the new passport. Whilst the websites say that your old passport is invalid for travel, I don't personally think that is the case.