US Passport Renewal Hell - Thailand Edition May 2024

[connda]

Question:

When the US Embassy Bangkok receives your passport, do they notify you that they have received it?

[HerewardtheWake]

It seems to vary. Some correspondents on this string said that the embassy acknowledged the application. In my case, I heard nothing. I stumbled across this link eventually, which showed the status of my application by saying that the passport has been shipped. But I am not sure whether this link would report receiving the application or its status in the processing queue.

 

https://passportstatus.state.gov/

[connda]

On 6/7/2024 at 2:24 PM, connda said:

Question:

When the US Embassy Bangkok receives your passport, do they notify you that they have received it?

 

On 6/8/2024 at 12:12 PM, HerewardtheWake said:

It seems to vary. Some correspondents on this string said that the embassy acknowledged the application. In my case, I heard nothing. I stumbled across this link eventually, which showed the status of my application by saying that the passport has been shipped. But I am not sure whether this link would report receiving the application or its status in the processing queue.

 

https://passportstatus.state.gov/

Yeah - I haven't gotten any notifications.  Sent it via EMS.  It shows as "Delivered" but no signature, just a note on the EMS page (in Thai) that it was delivered to a "security guard at the US Embassy"  Check the passport status page but nothing yet.  So I've got notes in my calendar to start checking "two weeks" after it arrived. 

Patience is my friend I guess. 

[connda]

Well after getting my passport paperwork together, and pictures, and payments it was off to Thai Post to send it all off via EMS.  The EMS letter took 4 days to arrive at the US Embassy in Bangkok. Well at least it said it arrive. "Left with security guard - no signature"  That gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.

So now regarding checking Passport Status.  Just a hint - when the page comes back an tells you that you're probably not going to see anything for two weeks, they mean exactly two weeks to the day.  So obviously they got my EMS package.  From what I gathered "In Process" means they have checked your paperwork, processed the payment to Pay.gov and put it in a diplomatic pouch and set it to the USA.  Well - good enough.  Once you get "In Process" on the Passport Status page you get a "application locator number" and you can enter your email address and request updates.  Now for the wait.  My guess given this is the height of passport season in the US, probably the full 8 weeks from the date I sent the EMS.  We will see.  But?  At least it is in the system.

[HerewardtheWake]

Connada, I got my new passport delivered to me in  33 days after they received the application. You might get lucky and get yours sooner than eight weeks.

[connda]

Well color me surprised!  I received my new passport exactly three weeks and three days from the time that it reached the US Embassy in Bangkok.  24 days!  I'm impressed!  I never expected that in my wildest dreams.  Well - Kudos US State Department! 

Well - I'll write up my experience and lessons learned in the next couple of days.  Dang - surprise, surprise!

[sqwakvfr]

Consulate in CNX now says 6 to 8 weeks?  Seems like a long time to be without a passport? 

 

Don’t let your travel plans get delayed because of an expired passport! U.S. passport renewal is easy, convenient and takes only 6-8 weeks. Renew your passport now! More information can be found at Passports - U.S. Embassy & Consulate General in Thailand (usembassy.gov) 
https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/
 
#USConsularThailandTips 
________________________________
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[bamnutsak]

AFAIK, the six - eight-week estimate is the current status of a non-expedited renewal in the U.S.

 

For an expedited renewal, in the U.S., estimates are 2 - 3 weeks.

 

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

 

 

Based on first-hand reports here door-to-door is 3 - 4 weeks.

 

 

[connda]

17 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Consulate in CNX now says 6 to 8 weeks?  Seems like a long time to be without a passport?

That was my expectation too (from the note at the Consulate in CM) considering that the summer in the US is the time the US State Department processes a lot of passport applications.  So I was expecting to wait 6 to 8 weeks.  As I said above - I was really surprised to get it in the mail 3 1/2 weeks after it arrived at the US Embassy in Bangkok.
That was wayyyy more efficent than I expected, so I think they are just tempering expectations.  It could take 6 to 8 weeks, but it probably will show up sooner. 
Do what I did - just make color copies of all the pages in your passport which have stamps plus the first pages and take out your TM30 and 90 Day report slip and arrival card, put them all together in an envelop, and hope it arrives sooner than later.