Just got my retirement extension renewal today. So another year until January 2025. I also realised that my UK passport expires in April 2025.

 

This got me thinking about when would be the best time to renew. I recall something about a passport needing six months validity for travel, and maybe this applies to renewing or applying for visas.

Bearing this in mind, and the time it might take to renew, Would it be best to do this around September 2024? Or could I leave it until after my next retirement extension in January 2025?

 

TIA.

Renew ASAP!

Immigration will only issue an extension as far as the expiry date of your passport, so you need to have at least 12 months validity when you do your next extension.

 

 

5 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Just got my retirement extension renewal today. So another year until January 2025. I also realised that my UK passport expires in April 2025.

 

This got me thinking about when would be the best time to renew. I recall something about a passport needing six months validity for travel, and maybe this applies to renewing or applying for visas.

Bearing this in mind, and the time it might take to renew, Would it be best to do this around September 2024? Or could I leave it until after my next retirement extension in January 2025?

 

TIA.

If you leave it until after your next Extension, you will only get an Extension until April 2025.

 

Absolutely, you should renew at least 6 months before expiry.

Sept 24 makes sense, gives plenty of time in case of delays. Def not 2025

10 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Absolutely, you should renew at least 6 months before expiry.

 

However, if the OP does so he'll lose six months' validity on his current passport, which isn't cheap.  (The UK no longer renews passports from the date of the previous passport's expiry.)

2 minutes ago, Foxx said:

 

However, if the OP does so he'll lose six months' validity on his current passport, which isn't cheap.  (The UK no longer renews passports from the date of the previous passport's expiry.)

 

6 months validity of his passport is worth £127.51/20 = £6.38.  How much lower than that does it have to be to become cheap?

24 minutes ago, Foxx said:

 

However, if the OP does so he'll lose six months' validity on his current passport, which isn't cheap.  (The UK no longer renews passports from the date of the previous passport's expiry.)

A ten year UK Passport costs 82.50 GBP ie 8.25 per year. Losing six months will cost him just over 4 quid. Cheap or not?

Don't forget if you want to go to the EU the passport must be less than 10years old from date of issue.

 

So if, like me, you renewed 9 months early and have to have 6 months of validity for the EU then you have to renew 15 months before your passport expires 

Do it in June 2024.

My passport will expire June 2025 so my plan is to either renew it on my next trip to the UK (May) or wait until after that trip & renew it when I get back. 
 

Either way I’ll be renewing it before my next extension is due (Sept).

 

It's says online it takes 6 weeks for processing outside of the UK.  Through I heard people waiting 12 weeks 

20 hours ago, phetphet said:

Just got my retirement extension renewal today. So another year until January 2025. I also realised that my UK passport expires in April 2025.

 

This got me thinking about when would be the best time to renew. I recall something about a passport needing six months validity for travel, and maybe this applies to renewing or applying for visas.

Bearing this in mind, and the time it might take to renew, Would it be best to do this around September 2024? Or could I leave it until after my next retirement extension in January 2025?

 

TIA.

You also need to factor in the renewal time, mine only took 3 weeks to get back but I know others have waited 3 months.

You are also not supposed to travel during the time your renewal application is being processed.

15 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

My passport will expire June 2025 so my plan is to either renew it on my next trip to the UK (May) or wait until after that trip & renew it when I get back. 
 

Either way I’ll be renewing it before my next extension is due (Sept).

 

I would think for you if that's the way you are thinking would be to renew in UK, easier to do, cheaper and easier to sort out any potential problems.

another way would be to obtain the next extension which will be issued for 10 months ( passport expiry date), then renew passport early 2025, before the new yearly renewal date in June, i am in the same boat as you, with a passport expiring in may 2025,( issued for longer than 10 years) with yearly extension renewal in early december. i am still thinking what to do, no trips out of the country planned.

Count backwards nine months from your passport expiry date in April 2025 to sometime in July 2024.

If you're planning a UK trip during those nine months, renew your passport during that trip (you can do a lot of the process online) using the one week Fast Track service.

It costs £155 whereas renewing from Thailand costs £127.51.  But it's one week, not four (or more) of waiting. And yes, you'll lose a few months of passport validity -  but you won't lose any sleep worrying about whether your passport will be returned on time. The older I get, the more I realise that peace of mind is *priceless*.

 

Carry your old passport with your new one. When you get back to Thailand, go to Immigration and apply for them to transfer the visa and extension stamps from your old passport to your new passport (form TM22). 

 

Just to be on the safe side, even though I'd had the stamps transferred, I continued to carry my old passport with me till the new extension and re-entry permits were stamped into it. 

 

 

 

 

 

22 hours ago, phetphet said:

Would it be best to do this around September 2024? Or could I leave it until after my next retirement extension in January 2025?

You can renew it any time there is no retriction on that.

Mine was due in July so I went back to UK in Sept and did it there, used the fast track method and got it in 5 days.

It is all about personal circumstances and what suits best.

I renewed my passport in the UK last month. I used the standard online service. Applied on a Monday, sent my old passport off on the Tuesday and had my new passport delivered on the Friday. Very surprised and impressed by the quick turnaround. 

1 minute ago, Keeps said:

I renewed my passport in the UK last month. I used the standard online service. Applied on a Monday, sent my old passport off on the Tuesday and had my new passport delivered on the Friday. Very surprised and impressed by the quick turnaround. 

 

Yes, for some it might be worth travelling back to the UK to do it.

Be careful, they don't extend the validity any more so you only get 10 years from the start of the new passport. I would plan carefully having lost nearly 1 year recently..

On 1/18/2024 at 10:30 AM, Foxx said:

 

However, if the OP does so he'll lose six months' validity on his current passport, which isn't cheap.  (The UK no longer renews passports from the date of the previous passport's expiry.)

For many of us, the loss of 6 months passport validity will probably be academic. How many of us expect to outlive or next passport?

I am finding it necessary to renew my passport about 4 years early, simply due to Thai immigration deciding to stamp as much room in the passport as they possibly can with visa extensions ! 

 

I was recently quoted 6 weeks by a Pattaya company, so for me will be get the yearly extension or 90 days stamp and get the company to do it for me - should be back well within the allotted time

 

 

On 1/19/2024 at 8:57 AM, sandyf said:

You can renew it any time there is no retriction on that.

Mine was due in July so I went back to UK in Sept and did it there, used the fast track method and got it in 5 days.

It is all about personal circumstances and what suits best.

Did you just send your passport to the Passport Office or make a prior appointment to visit and hand it over?

7 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Did you just send your passport to the Passport Office or make a prior appointment to visit and hand it over?

From  my post "used the fast track method"

That means you make and pay for appointment online at one of the various offices. You then complete an application form from the post office and attend appointment to make submission, new passport is guaranteed to  be delivered within 7 days.

There is also the "premium method" where you get new passport same day and 2 "standard methods" where you submit online or by post, delivery can be anywhere from 3 to 10 weeks.

Over and above the Thai requirements, might you be traveling to Europe on Holiday at any point.....

 

If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, follow the Schengen area passport requirements. Your passport must be: issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the 'date of issue')

 

I got nearly the maximum add on time when I last renewed but will have to renew more than a year and a half early to be on the safe side! (had a short stay land side at CDG  once due to an extended time of a flight connection)

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements