Renewing my British Passport at VFS Global - payment in cash?

[cliveshep]

Later in September or October I'll be paying for a British passport renewal at VFS Global in Bangkok. I'll be doing it in person. Guidance says they only accept payment in pounds sterling. My UK ban k debit card expires in June, they'll send a new one to my UK address where my daughter lives. She won't be coming here until November to bring it with her. Certainly not going to send it by courier as it would get "lost" on the way.

 

The UK bank gave me loads of heartache once before so I do not want to involve them. My question is as VFS Global want payment in pounds sterling can I for simplicity just go to a Bureau de Change, change baht to sterling and pay in cash?

[Upnotover]

It had to be paid by card. Payment is taken in the UK.  It doesn't have to be your card. Or your daughter could send you your new card details although you will likely have to activate it somehow.

[cliveshep]

Thanks for that. Just looked on Google and no cash accepted BUT, and here is the crazy bit, contrary to what it appears to mean on the UK help pages apparently VFS take the payment in the local currency in Bkk. I'll phone the buggers on Monday and ask. It is stupid all the contradictory information from these government websites. Naturally I have a Thai debit card so if google is right they'll accept that - or not! As sooner or later every British Expat is going to have to deal with this I'll post the answer. But as so many have already renewed there surely one of them can explain how they paid?

[Upnotover]

31 minutes ago, cliveshep said:

Thanks for that. Just looked on Google and no cash accepted BUT, and here is the crazy bit, contrary to what it appears to mean on the UK help pages apparently VFS take the payment in the local currency in Bkk. I'll phone the buggers on Monday and ask. It is stupid all the contradictory information from these government websites. Naturally I have a Thai debit card so if google is right they'll accept that - or not! As sooner or later every British Expat is going to have to deal with this I'll post the answer. But as so many have already renewed there surely one of them can explain how they paid?

I don't know where you are reading but on the main GOV website (https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/overseas/information/thailand/renew/adult) nothing has changed.  You still fill in the form and VFS then send it with the application to the UK.

 

The question with the Thai debit card is whether your bank will accept an overseas "cardholder not present" transaction.  HMPO will not have any problem if that is the case.

 

 

[Upnotover]

39 minutes ago, cliveshep said:

But as so many have already renewed there surely one of them can explain how they paid?

Oh, and yes, I am one of them.  Twice.  Paid as described above.

[Seppius]

Mine is due later this year, I read you can pay using your Wise account, that's what I am planning

[Andrew Dwyer]

You only need your U.K. bank debit card details, so your daughter can send you those.

You fill in a form downloaded from the internet.

VFS will send the payment form along with photocopy of every page of your existing passport and the application form ( all checked by VFS ) over to HMPO.

 You don’t pay directly to VFS and I don’t think there is an option to do that.

 

£23 for courier service on top of passport payment.

[steve187]

no cash at vfs, money is taken in the UK via the card details on the application form

use your new card details on the form, or some other persons card, or renew through an agent and they will use their card

[Upnotover]

3 hours ago, Seppius said:

Mine is due later this year, I read you can pay using your Wise account, that's what I am planning

Where did you read that?  You mean transferring from your Wise account, not simply using your Wise card? (which of course is possible).

[Gaccha]

In 2023, I used my Thai debit card. I just made sure to increase its transaction limits for international transactions  for the time they told me the debiting would take place. It went smoothly.

[Seppius]

3 hours ago, Upnotover said:

Where did you read that?  You mean transferring from your Wise account, not simply using your Wise card? (which of course is possible).

Sorry, looks like I was wrong about virtual card

 

"

You cannot directly use a Wise virtual card for online passport renewal for a UK passport. The UK government's passport renewal service requires payment via a credit or debit card, but it does not explicitly support virtual cards like those from Wise for online transactions. However, Wise virtual cards are designed for online transactions where they are accepted, so it might work if the system accepts virtual cards.

To ensure compatibility, you might want to contact the UK passport service to confirm if virtual cards are accepted. Alternatively, you could use a physical Wise debit card or another debit/credit card for the payment.

Wise virtual cards are generally accepted for online payments, but their acceptance can vary depending on the specific merchant or service provider

".

[OJAS]

18 hours ago, cliveshep said:

BUT, and here is the crazy bit, contrary to what it appears to mean on the UK help pages apparently VFS take the payment in the local currency in Bkk.

 

I think that VFS only accept THB payments for UK visa applications. Certainly no mention of this being possible in the case of passport renewals on the HMPO section of their website:

 

https://visa.vfsglobal.com/tha/en/gbr/hmpo

 

[OJAS]

20 hours ago, Upnotover said:

although you will likely have to activate it somehow.

 

Depends on the OP's UK bank, of course, but mine (Co-op) has never required me to activate replacement debit and credit cards which they send to my Thai address. Indeed, the 16-digit numbers remain the same, the only things changing are the 3-digit CVC on the back of the card plus, of course, the validity dates.

 

But even if this were also the case for @cliveshep, I would still strongly advise him to initiate a token payment with his replacement card in due course (perhaps in the form of a Wise transfer?) so as to ensure that any potential problems with using it for his passport renewal payment were identified (and, hopefully, resolved) beforehand.

 

[Thingamabob]

Just ask your daughter to send your new card by courier.

[alanrchase]

On 3/9/2025 at 9:05 AM, OJAS said:

 

Depends on the OP's UK bank, of course, but mine (Co-op) has never required me to activate replacement debit and credit cards which they send to my Thai address. Indeed, the 16-digit numbers remain the same, the only things changing are the 3-digit CVC on the back of the card plus, of course, the validity dates.

 

But even if this were also the case for @cliveshep, I would still strongly advise him to initiate a token payment with his replacement card in due course (perhaps in the form of a Wise transfer?) so as to ensure that any potential problems with using it for his passport renewal payment were identified (and, hopefully, resolved) beforehand.

 

My bank never used to need the card to be activated until last year, and it can only be activated in a UK ATM for that bank (Lloyds). Didn't find out till after my sister had forwarded it to me. PIN numbers have also changed after being the same for 40 odd years. Had to cancel the card and get another one sent to her. She activated it and I told her to keep hold of the card this time. All the card details are on my bank app so don't really need the physical card with me.

[baansgr]

No problem with registered post, cost you about £10 to have it sent 

[Andycoops]

I've had my UK debit card and card reader sent to me in Thailand many times without incident, using only airmail.

If you want piece of mind use DHL, not cheap but probably 99.9% chance of it arriving and it's tracked very effectively.

[RegisteredUser]

I used Starling Virtual Card and funds were taken 3 days ago so I think all is fine.

 

At the VFS office, they placed the form in a separate envelope sealed with sellotape and I think we both signed across the seal, there might have been a stamp as well.

 

Just for reference:

5th March Appointment  

5th March Received Email Confirmation Application sent to UK

12th March Payment taken.

15th March Acknowledgement via SMS from HM Passport that they have got my application.

[BritTim]

On 3/8/2025 at 12:40 PM, cliveshep said:

Thanks for that. Just looked on Google and no cash accepted BUT, and here is the crazy bit, contrary to what it appears to mean on the UK help pages apparently VFS take the payment in the local currency in Bkk. I'll phone the buggers on Monday and ask. It is stupid all the contradictory information from these government websites. Naturally I have a Thai debit card so if google is right they'll accept that - or not! As sooner or later every British Expat is going to have to deal with this I'll post the answer. But as so many have already renewed there surely one of them can explain how they paid?

 

Unless the situation has changed (and if you are doing it in person, not using an agent) you can only pay by debit or credit card. A Thai card is OK, but, BIG BUT, there are frequent problems with Thai banks deciding a payment to "HOME OFFICE" looks dubious and rejecting the transaction. I have, in the past, succeeded, but once after six attempts to make the payment (including me telling my Thai bank to authorize the transaction) the UK Passport Office told me to find another way to pay, and I had my brother use his card.