Renewal of UK Passport using Key Visa Thailand Company

[vibration]

I am a British Citizen retired and living in Udonthani, Thailand and my UK passport expires in June 2024.

 

To avoid having to go to Bangkok for renewal of my passport I am considering using Key Visa Thailand Company next month after my 1 year extension to expedite the renewal for a fee of 5000 THB not including the UK passport renewal costs.

 

I was wondering if any Members have any recent experience of using this Company for UK passport renewal.

 

 Many thanks in advance for any help.

Edited May 17, 2023 by vibration

[Ian47]

I also live in Udon Thani and used Key Visa's facilities about this time last year.

My Passport took an age to appear - something like 18 weeks - but the blame for that is fully on the UK Passport Office, not Key Visa.

 

 

Darren McGarry was very helpful in keeping me informed as far as was possible with the quite atrocious service that UK passport holders are supplied with. 

For example - VFS Global in Bangkok supply a reference number which is of zero use in actually trying to track where your passport is in the system.  Her Majesty's (in those days) Government took 4 weeks to extract the money from my bank account, but a further 10 weeks to tell me that my photographs were not acceptable. (rant over).

 

Unfortunately Darren passed away late last year. 

I certainly would have had no issue with highly recommending Key Visa if he was still alive.

[Lite Beer]

There is an agent in Udon who can do this.

PDC Visa Plus.

[NoshowJones]

17 minutes ago, Ian47 said:

I also live in Udon Thani and used Key Visa's facilities about this time last year.

My Passport took an age to appear - something like 18 weeks - but the blame for that is fully on the UK Passport Office, not Key Visa.

 

 

Darren McGarry was very helpful in keeping me informed as far as was possible with the quite atrocious service that UK passport holders are supplied with. 

For example - VFS Global in Bangkok supply a reference number which is of zero use in actually trying to track where your passport is in the system.  Her Majesty's (in those days) Government took 4 weeks to extract the money from my bank account, but a further 10 weeks to tell me that my photographs were not acceptable. (rant over).

 

Unfortunately Darren passed away late last year. 

I certainly would have had no issue with highly recommending Key Visa if he was still alive.

I disagree with that 100%.

[KannikaP]

18 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I disagree with that 100%.

Please explain why.

[brianthainess]

30 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I disagree with that 100%.

Do you work for the British PP office?

[NoshowJones]

25 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Please explain why.

PM on it's way.

[Lite Beer]

11 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

PM on it's way.

How about passing on your valuable knowledge to help other members.

I for one am renewing my passport this year and would be interested to see it.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Lite Beer

[stereolab]

Have you considered going to Chiang Mai and using the VFS service, they are based next to the Maya Shopping Mall, easy parking, plenty of hotels etc. Very efficient service.

[loong]

8 minutes ago, stereolab said:

Have you considered going to Chiang Mai and using the VFS service, they are based next to the Maya Shopping Mall, easy parking, plenty of hotels etc. Very efficient service.

If the OP has to go to Chiang Mai he may as well go to Bangkok and not pay an agents' fee.

[loong]

31 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

PM on it's way.

It is so annoying when people do this in a forum!

[Joe Farang]

1 hour ago, Ian47 said:

I also live in Udon Thani and used Key Visa's facilities about this time last year.

My Passport took an age to appear - something like 18 weeks - but the blame for that is fully on the UK Passport Office, not Key Visa.

 

 

Darren McGarry was very helpful in keeping me informed as far as was possible with the quite atrocious service that UK passport holders are supplied with. 

For example - VFS Global in Bangkok supply a reference number which is of zero use in actually trying to track where your passport is in the system.  Her Majesty's (in those days) Government took 4 weeks to extract the money from my bank account, but a further 10 weeks to tell me that my photographs were not acceptable. (rant over).

 

Unfortunately Darren passed away late last year. 

I certainly would have had no issue with highly recommending Key Visa if he was still alive.

If I were to spend 5000 bht on a Visa service. I would expect that they would ensure the photos were  correct as a mimimun.

[Doctor Tom]

1 hour ago, NoshowJones said:

I disagree with that 100%.

How about explaining that comment? 

[Doctor Tom]

3 minutes ago, Joe Farang said:

If I were to spend 5000 bht on a Visa service. I would expect that they would ensure the photos were  correct as a mimimun.

It will cost a lot more than 5,000, 

[Satcommlee]

Just make sure the agent sets an expectation, I used one that waited 6 weeks before even lodging the application, was probably trying to take a batch of passports to save money.

 

This 6 week delay on top of a further 3 month processing time, nearly ruined my plans.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Satcommlee

[brewsterbudgen]

2 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

It will cost a lot more than 5,000, 

Key Visa's fee is 5,000.  I agree that that should include checking that the photos are correctly sized!

[Phulublub]

4 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Key Visa's fee is 5,000.  I agree that that should include checking that the photos are correctly sized!

Sounds as though a friend of mine was not alone in having Key Visa fail to check things properly.

 

He used them to get a new passport for his daughter.  Application rejected because the photos were well out of date (a big difference from a two year old to a seven year old!).  Key Visa's excuse was "we do a lot of these so lose the personal touch".  What?  Isn't their knowledge and expertise part of what you are paying for?  Cannot imagine their service will have improved since Darren passed on.

 

PH

[dick turpin]

1 hour ago, Ian47 said:

I also live in Udon Thani and used Key Visa's facilities about this time last year.

My Passport took an age to appear - something like 18 weeks - but the blame for that is fully on the UK Passport Office, not Key Visa.

 

 

Darren McGarry was very helpful in keeping me informed as far as was possible with the quite atrocious service that UK passport holders are supplied with. 

For example - VFS Global in Bangkok supply a reference number which is of zero use in actually trying to track where your passport is in the system.  Her Majesty's (in those days) Government took 4 weeks to extract the money from my bank account, but a further 10 weeks to tell me that my photographs were not acceptable. (rant over).

 

Unfortunately Darren passed away late last year. 

I certainly would have had no issue with highly recommending Key Visa if he was still alive.

HMPO will make payment deduction immediately on receipt

of application in the UK, which suggests delay in submitting 

to VFS at this end. Out of interest, who told you your photos

we're not acceptable HMPO, VFS or Key Visa.  

[actonion]

2 hours ago, Ian47 said:

I also live in Udon Thani and used Key Visa's facilities about this time last year.

My Passport took an age to appear - something like 18 weeks - but the blame for that is fully on the UK Passport Office, not Key Visa.

 

 

Darren McGarry was very helpful in keeping me informed as far as was possible with the quite atrocious service that UK passport holders are supplied with. 

For example - VFS Global in Bangkok supply a reference number which is of zero use in actually trying to track where your passport is in the system.  Her Majesty's (in those days) Government took 4 weeks to extract the money from my bank account, but a further 10 weeks to tell me that my photographs were not acceptable. (rant over).

 

Unfortunately Darren passed away late last year. 

I certainly would have had no issue with highly recommending Key Visa if he was still alive.

I hear Darren's wife is running the business now

 

[norbra]

Maybe try this agent

https://thaivisa-express.com

They have all credentials you might want

Edited May 18, 2023 by norbra

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, stereolab said:

Have you considered going to Chiang Mai and using the VFS service, they are based next to the Maya Shopping Mall, easy parking, plenty of hotels etc. Very efficient service.

It is easier to get from Udon Thani to Bangkok than it is to Chiang Mai. If one is going to use an agent, either use one locally or do it by mail.

 

I did make the trips myself from Udon Thani the last time round, but then there were no agents. I will certainly use one the next around. (if I'm still around that is!)

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Moonlover

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, Lite Beer said:

How about passing on your valuable knowledge to help other members.

I for one am renewing my passport this year and would be interested to see it.

It was a new passport acquired in the UK while I was on holiday there and my old passport with my re entry permit was not returned to me before I had to return to Thailand. I then had to enter Thailand on a visa exempt meaning I had to start my retirement extensions all over again and McGarry charged me almost double the original fee even though I had photo's of my re entry in my phone, he said immigration would not accept it. Maybe he was lying and maybe not.

There is even more to this so I had to be careful of the defamation law.

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, loong said:

It is so annoying when people do this in a forum!

That PM was sent to a poster who I know personally.

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, Doctor Tom said:

How about explaining that comment? 

I have explained part of to Lite Beer a few posts back.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

I disagree with that 100%.

I stand by what I said.

[Doctor Tom]

8 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

It was a new passport acquired in the UK while I was on holiday there and my old passport with my re entry permit was not returned to me before I had to return to Thailand. I then had to enter Thailand on a visa exempt meaning I had to start my retirement extensions all over again and McGarry charged me almost double the original fee even though I had photo's of my re entry in my phone, he said immigration would not accept it. Maybe he was lying and maybe not.

There is even more to this so I had to be careful of the defamation law.

Sounds like your fault, not there's. 6Ps 

[couchpotato]

12 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

It was a new passport acquired in the UK while I was on holiday there and my old passport with my re entry permit was not returned to me before I had to return to Thailand. I then had to enter Thailand on a visa exempt meaning I had to start my retirement extensions all over again and McGarry charged me almost double the original fee even though I had photo's of my re entry in my phone, he said immigration would not accept it. Maybe he was lying and maybe not.

There is even more to this so I had to be careful of the defamation law.

By not having your old passport, you forfeited your re-entry permit (so entirely your fault), so having to go through the process from scratch again is 100% correct. What he charged you is between you and him, and if you didn't agree with it, you should have gone to another agent, or done it yourself. 

[NoshowJones]

8 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

Sounds like your fault, not there's. 6Ps 

Absolute nonsense, don't make statements you know nothing about. I have only stated a part of what happened.

What is 6Ps?

[ArnieP]

There’s a recent update re Key Visa on YouTube:

 

[NoshowJones]

6 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

By not having your old passport, you forfeited your re-entry permit (so entirely your fault), so having to go through the process from scratch again is 100% correct. What he charged you is between you and him, and if you didn't agree with it, you should have gone to another agent, or done it yourself. 

Yes of course it was my fault that my old passport was not returned to me before I had to return to Thailand. Can't you understand plain English?