My UK passport and Non-B based stay permit will expire on 8 April 2024. What should I do?

[Peter W]

My UK passport and my Non-B based stay permit will both expire on 8 April 2024. What should I do? Or, if you prefer, what are my options? I am also supposed to "notify my address again" on 25 March 2024. I live in south Thailand.

 

I just found out that allegedly it can take 11 (eleven) weeks for a UK passport to be renewed (processing time) at VFS in the Trendy Office Building in Bangkok. Also, it seems that international travel is prohibited during the time the application for the renewal of the passport is being processed.

 

What happens if my new passport is not ready by 8 April 2024? And what are the odds of that? I see now that I am a procrastinating idiot, and this is a case of "haste makes waste". I would greatly appreciate any advice or insight that anyone can give me.

 

I have only a UK passport. I'm an English teacher at a language centre in Thailand. I have a work permit and I am, I think (my employer, who is Thai, would be authoritative about details like this), still on a "Non B" visa from several years ago, having once a year, for several years now, had my stay permit renewed (or extended or whatever the right term is) with my employer's help. My employer is very helpful and flexible, by the way.

 

I have read (it took a long time for me to find it - Google is not promoting it, it seems) the excellent https://www.ajarn.com/blogs/bangkok-phil/renewing-a-uk-passport-in-bangkok together with some of the attached comments, so I think I know about the procedure at VFS in Trendy Building, although not every possible situation is covered by the article, and certainly not my situation.

 

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

 

[Upnotover]

It has been recently reported on here that a renewal from Thailand took only 3 weeks.  However, that is only one instance and cannot be taken as the norm.  Nor is there any way to influence or speed up the processing time.  If you apply through VFS you do retain your old passport and whilst you are not supposed to travel on it after applying in practice you could do so if really needed, although I'm not sure where you would want to go with it.  Your best option is of course to pop back to the UK and renew it there, can be done in a day if necessary.  

[geisha]

If you fly home and go to the passport office ? I applied online and picked up same day Express service or some such name.  Otherwise check with some of the Visa Service agencies and get advice and options. Why would you want to travel just when you are waiting for your passport ?? 

[NanLaew]

The OP has six-and-a-half weeks to do the renewal via VFS Trendy in Bangkok if he gets that application filed by this weekend. All this thread will do is attract all the bad news bears with irrelevant negative experiences from many years ago who probably were not in exactly the same situation.

 

So plenty of time if you get jiggy with it and can provide exactly what's required.

 

PS: You can do walk-in, no-appointment passport renewals at VFS Trendy. Now I know that may entail taking time off from work in Phuket so just in case it's seen as an option (school holidays, etc..).

[Peter W]

2 hours ago, geisha said:

If you fly home and go to the passport office ? I applied online and picked up same day Express service or some such name.  Otherwise check with some of the Visa Service agencies and get advice and options. Why would you want to travel just when you are waiting for your passport ?? 

I don't necessarily want to travel while waiting for my new passport, but I thought it might be useful if it was allowed. For example, and I am just speculating, if a country near Thailand (the UK is rather far), Malaysia, say,  allowed me to travel into it using my old passport, shortly before it expired, and was known to be more lenient with an Englishman who's passport expires soon after crossing the border, I could wait in a stress-free manner in that country until my passport was ready for being picked up at VFS in Bangkok, without paying the large overstay penalties/fees that I would (I speculate) likely get (or not?) in Thailand. Or if that is not allowed, maybe flying to the UK just before my passport expires, in the event that my passport has not arrived at Bangkok, would be a good idea, if not forbidden by the VHS/UK rules. Just a thought by a cretinous procrastinator who should know better by now.

[NanLaew]

50 minutes ago, Peter W said:

I don't necessarily want to travel while waiting for my new passport, but I thought it might be useful if it was allowed. For example, and I am just speculating, if a country near Thailand (the UK is rather far), Malaysia, say,  allowed me to travel into it using my old passport, shortly before it expired, and was known to be more lenient with an Englishman who's passport expires soon after crossing the border, I could wait in a stress-free manner in that country until my passport was ready for being picked up at VFS in Bangkok, without paying the large overstay penalties/fees that I would (I speculate) likely get (or not?) in Thailand. Or if that is not allowed, maybe flying to the UK just before my passport expires, in the event that my passport has not arrived at Bangkok, would be a good idea, if not forbidden by the VHS/UK rules. Just a thought by a cretinous procrastinator who should know better by now.

 

Keep in mind that some countries and most airlines have rules on the minimum validity remaining on a passport. You can only fly to your home country on an expired travel document which is OK if there's a non-stop service to UK (which there isn't) so airlines and airports that you will transit through may challenge your right to travel with/through them.

 

Have you checked out the only two websites you should be looking at with regard to your passport renewal, namely: 1 ) the UK's own passport renewal advice, and 2 ) VFS's ?

Edited February 21 by NanLaew

[bigt3116]

15 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

You can only fly to your home country on an expired travel document which is OK if there's a non-stop service to UK (which there isn't)

 

Both Thai and Eva do direct flights to UK

 

https://www.skyscanner.co.th/transport/flights/bkk/lond/240227/240305/?adults=1&adultsv2=1&cabinclass=economy&children=0&childrenv2=&inboundaltsenabled=false&infants=0&outboundaltsenabled=false&preferdirects=true&ref=home&rtn=1

[NanLaew]

49 minutes ago, bigt3116 said:

 

Both Thai and Eva do direct flights to UK

 

 

I stand corrected, thanks.

[Liquorice]

Get your new passport application submitted asap at the VFS Bangkok.

Current processing times are between 3–6 weeks.

6 hours ago, Peter W said:

For example, and I am just speculating, if a country near Thailand (the UK is rather far), Malaysia, say,  allowed me to travel into it using my old passport, shortly before it expired, and was known to be more lenient with an Englishman who's passport expires soon after crossing the border, I could wait in a stress-free manner in that country until my passport was ready for being picked up at VFS in Bangkok, without paying the large overstay penalties/fees that I would (I speculate) likely get (or not?) in Thailand.

Duh! No!

If your old passport expired whilst in another Country, you wouldn't be allowed to re-enter Thailand to pick up your new passport. Your only option then would be to fly back to the UK.

I'm sure your new passport will arrive before your old one expires, but my option would be to stay in the event it wasn't in time, and pay any overstay fine.
Then fly out locally, return VE, apply Non Imm at Immigration, then 1-year extension again.

[DrJoy]

9 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Then fly out locally, return VE, apply Non Imm at Immigration, then 1-year extension again.

He is on a Non B extension + work permit, coming on VE will invalidate his work permit

[Liquorice]

9 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

He is on a Non B extension + work permit, coming on VE will invalidate his work permit

That's the least of his problems if his passport expires before obtaining a new one.
His extension based on Non B also expires, and he'd have to start from scratch again.

[brewsterbudgen]

Hopefully the OP has read all the comments and is already winging his way to BKK to submit his passport renewal application!  There is still time.

[hotandsticky]

14 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Hopefully the OP has read all the comments and is already winging his way to BKK to submit his passport renewal application!  There is still time.

 

I am surprised that no has berated the OP for his tardiness with the passport renewal.

 

That should have been at the forefront of his mind since approval of the previous extension.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

12 hours ago, geisha said:

If you fly home and go to the passport office ? I applied online and picked up same day Express service or some such name.  Otherwise check with some of the Visa Service agencies and get advice and options. Why would you want to travel just when you are waiting for your passport ?? 

I used an agency to renew, just before Christmas and it took 2 weeks, that was from the time I dropped it off to the time i got the new one back!

[dddave]

11 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

I used an agency to renew, just before Christmas and it took 2 weeks, that was from the time I dropped it off to the time i got the new one back!

This would seem to be the OPs best option.

[Seppius]

Why have you left it so late? you can do up to 9 months in advance, had you applied in January you would have back by now probably, two trips to Bangkok a bit of a pain from the south I admit

[Upnotover]

2 minutes ago, Seppius said:

Why have you left it so late?

 

14 hours ago, Peter W said:

I am a procrastinating idiot

 

[ThaiFelix]

Panic!

[arick]

Become a Canadian citizen and get your passport  done in a week nothing.

[Peter W]

7 hours ago, Liquorice said:

Get your new passport application submitted asap at the VFS Bangkok.

Current processing times are between 3–6 weeks.

Duh! No!

If your old passport expired whilst in another Country, you wouldn't be allowed to re-enter Thailand to pick up your new passport. Your only option then would be to fly back to the UK.

I'm sure your new passport will arrive before your old one expires, but my option would be to stay in the event it wasn't in time, and pay any overstay fine.
Then fly out locally, return VE, apply Non Imm at Immigration, then 1-year extension again.

Could you please explain what the last sentence means? Google says "VE" means "value engineering", but I don't suppose that's what you meant. Sorry for my ignorance.

[Upnotover]

7 minutes ago, Peter W said:

Could you please explain what the last sentence means? Google says "VE" means "value engineering", but I don't suppose that's what you meant. Sorry for my ignorance.

Visa Exempt.

[steve187]

3 hours ago, Seppius said:

Why have you left it so late? you can do up to 9 months in advance, had you applied in January you would have back by now probably, two trips to Bangkok a bit of a pain from the south I admit

yoy can do it as early as you want no set time limit,

the 10 year validity starts for issue date, no time added as it was un the past

[Liquorice]

31 minutes ago, Peter W said:

Could you please explain what the last sentence means? Google says "VE" means "value engineering", but I don't suppose that's what you meant. Sorry for my ignorance.

VE is an acronym for Visa Exempt (entering without any type of visa).

Thailand projects itself as a Country for tourists and therefore allows nationals of some 64 Countries to enter for 30 days VE.

[sunflowerbkk22]

You need to stop dithering & get on with renewing your passport using the excellent guide below.

it’s may only take 2 weeks now but once the summer holidays starts, the queue will increase rapidly.

Last time my i did my daughters renewal it took 3 months+ due to the end of covid. 

 

Sorry to sound so unkind but you should never leave it this late. It’s your responsibility alone to keep track.

 

https://www.richardbarrow.com/2019/06/a-quick-guide-to-renewing-your-british-passport-in-bangkok/

[it is what it is]

I would greatly appreciate any advice or insight that anyone can give me.

 

not sure why you need to ask... get your passport renewed asap.

[Peter W]

6 hours ago, sunflowerbkk22 said:

You need to stop dithering & get on with renewing your passport using the excellent guide below.

it’s may only take 2 weeks now but once the summer holidays starts, the queue will increase rapidly.

Last time my i did my daughters renewal it took 3 months+ due to the end of covid. 

 

Sorry to sound so unkind but you should never leave it this late. It’s your responsibility alone to keep track.

 

https://www.richardbarrow.com/2019/06/a-quick-guide-to-renewing-your-british-passport-in-bangkok/

Thanks for the link. It is excellent, and contains some information that is not in the link in my OP. What a terrible job Google did. Even worse than Google's performance regarding the Bangkok Phil article, which Google did eventually show me, because Google did not show me *ever*.

I deserve much harsher words than yours. I think I was partly motivated by the idea of getting as much value out of the old passport as possible by using it as long as possible. Ridiculous. I hope I am a little wiser now.

[Georgealbert]

Current cost to renew a passport in Bangkok is £127.51.

 

£12.75 a year

 

£1.06 a month.

 

Why do people risk their extension of stay and cause themselves problems and stress, by waiting to the last minute to save less than 50 baht a month?

 

 

Edited February 22 by Georgealbert

[bigt3116]

14 hours ago, Seppius said:

Why have you left it so late? you can do up to 9 months in advance, had you applied in January you would have back by now probably, two trips to Bangkok a bit of a pain from the south I admit

 

You can actually apply whenever you like

[geisha]

On 2/21/2024 at 9:50 PM, Peter W said:

I don't necessarily want to travel while waiting for my new passport, but I thought it might be useful if it was allowed. For example, and I am just speculating, if a country near Thailand (the UK is rather far), Malaysia, say,  allowed me to travel into it using my old passport, shortly before it expired, and was known to be more lenient with an Englishman who's passport expires soon after crossing the border, I could wait in a stress-free manner in that country until my passport was ready for being picked up at VFS in Bangkok, without paying the large overstay penalties/fees that I would (I speculate) likely get (or not?) in Thailand. Or if that is not allowed, maybe flying to the UK just before my passport expires, in the event that my passport has not arrived at Bangkok, would be a good idea, if not forbidden by the VHS/UK rules. Just a thought by a cretinous procrastinator who should know better by now.

I must admit you had me bamboozled with the above!  For a moment I thought you’d been on the wacky backy .

[OJAS]

On 2/22/2024 at 3:50 AM, Peter W said:

For example, and I am just speculating, if a country near Thailand (the UK is rather far), Malaysia, say,  allowed me to travel into it using my old passport, shortly before it expired, and was known to be more lenient with an Englishman who's passport expires soon after crossing the border, I could wait in a stress-free manner in that country until my passport was ready for being picked up at VFS in Bangkok, without paying the large overstay penalties/fees that I would (I speculate) likely get (or not?) in Thailand.

 

If you were to travel to Malaysia before your existing passport expired, it might be possible for you to renew it from there using HMPO's online facility - an option which is denied to those renewing from Thailand for some ridiculous reason. Follow the step-by-step guide at https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports selecting Malaysia, rather than Thailand, as the country you live in.

 

Then upon your return to Thailand with a new passport it might then, in theory, be possible for you to convert your 30-day visa-exempt entry into a fresh non-B visa at your local immigration office - provided, of course, that you can, in practice, provide the mountain of paperwork seemingly required:

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/1.FOR-WORKING-IN-A-COMPANY-OR-LIMITED-PARTNERSHIP-NON-B.pdf