Using an Agent to renew Australian Passport using an Agent

[Serenity_Now]

Hi

First can Australians use an agent to renew passport in Thailand
Any recomendations of reliable Please if its possible.
 

[Phantom57]

I just did it entirely online from home here. Quick visit to local photo shop for pictures then sent all online. Just make sure they don’t photoshop to enhance. Received new Passport in about 4 weeks. No need for Agent, only 1 page to fill out.

[Serenity_Now]

2 minutes ago, Phantom57 said:

Just make sure they don’t photoshop to enhance. Received new Passport in about 4 weeks. No need for Agent, only 1 page to fill out.

thankyou, yes the enhancement, I was not paying attention when I did mine and OMG 
For all of you who know red dwarf, I kid  you not they made me look like KRYTEN 
I thought for sure the passport office would not accept but they did ...:D

[CM4Me]

Earlier this month I completed an application 'On Line', and then printed it out. Had my photo taken at 2 places, the 1st one didn't conform to the stated requirements, and I believe is the main reason for rejection..

 

On the 7th of March the embassy had a previously announced 'outing' day here in CNX, for which I made an appointment, at which I submitted my application.

 

Believe it or not, but on Sunday the 23rd, some 16 days after my submission, my new passport was delivered to my door. Excellent service, and very easy procedure. 

 

 

[CM4Me]

The real problem here in Thailand is not the Australian Government, but its reporting a new passport to Thai Immigration (yesterday spent a good 5 hours at the CNX Office) and today spent about the same at Bangkok Bank.

Copies, copies, copies of everything, and then duplication. TIT 

I have yet to go to change my drivers licence, advise my internet provider, my hospital, my mobile network provider, and the list goes on. Save me!  

[Will27]

7 hours ago, CM4Me said:

The real problem here in Thailand is not the Australian Government, but its reporting a new passport to Thai Immigration (yesterday spent a good 5 hours at the CNX Office) and today spent about the same at Bangkok Bank.

Copies, copies, copies of everything, and then duplication. TIT 

I have yet to go to change my drivers licence, advise my internet provider, my hospital, my mobile network provider, and the list goes on. Save me!  

I think you're making it a bigger problem than it actually is TBH.

 

I've had several passports and it's never been that much of a hassle.

I know CM Immigration is meant to be a painfully slow.

 

But for the others, I can't see how you spent 5 hours in the bank.

It took me 30 minutes to get a new bankcard once my passport was updated.

 

Why update your driver's licence?

Just wait until it expires and do it then.

 

Same as the hospital, just do it when you next go.

Do you really need to update it for your ISP?

 

[GreasyFingers]

On 3/26/2025 at 6:11 PM, Phantom57 said:

I just did it entirely online from home here. Quick visit to local photo shop for pictures then sent all online. Just make sure they don’t photoshop to enhance. Received new Passport in about 4 weeks. No need for Agent, only 1 page to fill out.

" from home" do you mean through the Embassy here in Thailand with the passport sent to a Thai address or online in Oz and sent to an Australian address. I need to renew mine before the next extension so clarification would be much appreciated.

[Will27]

1 hour ago, GreasyFingers said:

" from home" do you mean through the Embassy here in Thailand with the passport sent to a Thai address or online in Oz and sent to an Australian address. I need to renew mine before the next extension so clarification would be much appreciated.

You can apply online and get it sent to your Thai address.

[GreasyFingers]

Maybe I would prefer that the government does not know I have a Thai address.

[Phantom57]

3 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

" from home" do you mean through the Embassy here in Thailand with the passport sent to a Thai address or online in Oz and sent to an Australian address. I need to renew mine before the next extension so clarification would be much appreciated.

My home is here is Isaan, the Embassy website had the online form which  I downloaded. Passport sent to my “ home”  address as Will27 stated.

You  can elect to pick up the new Passport from the Embassy if you wish.

[Will27]

1 hour ago, GreasyFingers said:

Maybe I would prefer that the government does not know I have a Thai address.

Well best fly back to Australia and get it done there🙄

[Serenity_Now]

hi
 

Thanks for replies after filtering good info especially them coming to CM 
one very important Question I forgot to ask

@Phantom57 @CM4Me

When changing visa to new passport (retirement) does one have to show the bank book with 800k balance ?

[Phantom57]

2 minutes ago, Serenity_Now said:

When changing visa to new passport (retirement) does one have to show the bank book with 800k balance ?

I didn’t do the swap to the new passport until I had to do my next extension, about 4 months. SCB first, took 10 min so new bank docs had the new number. In Korat, they elected to do transfer and extension all at once, really no dramas.

[GreasyFingers]

1 hour ago, Will27 said:

Well best fly back to Australia and get it done there🙄

That has always been an option 1. Thank you for enlightening me on the possibility.

[CM4Me]

10 hours ago, Serenity_Now said:

When changing visa to new passport (retirement) does one have to show the bank book with 800k balance ?

 

NO

 

16 hours ago, Will27 said:

I've had several passports and it's never been that much of a hassle.

I know CM Immigration is meant to be a painfully slow.

 

But for the others, I can't see how you spent 5 hours in the bank.

It took me 30 minutes to get a new bankcard once my passport was updated.

 

Why update your driver's licence?

Just wait until it expires and do it then.

 

Same as the hospital, just do it when you next go.

Do you really need to update it for your ISP?

You obviously don't know the procedure here in CNX. For example, at arrival at their Airport Office location one reports to a little office where they advise you where to go for your requirements, and they give you a Q number.

So one then goes to the next office (where they check your documents) and wait for one's number to be called, there must have been at least 50 others waiting. Finally, my Q number is called where I was politely told by IO that I need photocopies of every page of my old and new passports, yes, I queried the lass about every page to which she replied to the affiliative. There is no notice anywhere re their requirements for transferring data from one passport to another. 

So then I have to line up to get the required photocopies.

Then needed another Q number to return to the check documents window, and the wait.

Eventually documents were checked to which I was issued with a new Q number and told to report to window no. 2 in the main building. Again, the place was packed, and the wait. When my new number was called the lady again checked my documents and was told to sit and wait whilst they did the transcribing. 5 hours - easy

 

I could go on about your other comments, but its not worth the energy. 

 

[Will27]

6 hours ago, CM4Me said:

 

NO

 

You obviously don't know the procedure here in CNX. For example, at arrival at their Airport Office location one reports to a little office where they advise you where to go for your requirements, and they give you a Q number.

So one then goes to the next office (where they check your documents) and wait for one's number to be called, there must have been at least 50 others waiting. Finally, my Q number is called where I was politely told by IO that I need photocopies of every page of my old and new passports, yes, I queried the lass about every page to which she replied to the affiliative. There is no notice anywhere re their requirements for transferring data from one passport to another. 

So then I have to line up to get the required photocopies.

Then needed another Q number to return to the check documents window, and the wait.

Eventually documents were checked to which I was issued with a new Q number and told to report to window no. 2 in the main building. Again, the place was packed, and the wait. When my new number was called the lady again checked my documents and was told to sit and wait whilst they did the transcribing. 5 hours - easy

 

I could go on about your other comments, but its not worth the energy. 

 

LOL

 

If you read my reply properly, I said I didn't know much about CM Immigrations process but did say I heard it was onerous.

 

I was commenting on all of your other gripes.

I don't believe for 1 minute it took you 5 hours in the bank to update your passport.

 

Again, why you would make a special trip to the hospital just to update your passport?

That seems strange.

Why not do that when you next visit?

 

Seems like you're making things harder than they have to be TBH.

[KhunHeineken]

On 3/28/2025 at 5:58 AM, Will27 said:

Well best fly back to Australia and get it done there🙄

Can it be picked up at the embassy in Bangkok? 

[KhunHeineken]

On 3/28/2025 at 7:55 AM, GreasyFingers said:

That has always been an option 1. Thank you for enlightening me on the possibility.

What about a short trip to Bangkok to pick it up in person?   

[Will27]

15 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Can it be picked up at the embassy in Bangkok? 

You can elect to have it posted to you or pick it up at the Embassy.

[KhunHeineken]

6 hours ago, Will27 said:

You can elect to have it posted to you or pick it up at the Embassy.

If the member doesn't want it posted to him, picking it up at the embassy would be a better option than traveling back to Australia.

[Will27]

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

If the member doesn't want it posted to him, picking it up at the embassy would be a better option than traveling back to Australia.

I don't think anyone was seriously advocating going back to OZ.

 

It was about using an agent in Thailand.

[KhunHeineken]

On 4/23/2025 at 7:53 AM, Will27 said:

I don't think anyone was seriously advocating going back to OZ.

 

It was about using an agent in Thailand.

Sure, but even if the member lives in a village in Issan, what's wrong with some cheap flights and a couple of days in Bangkok?

[scorecard]

On 3/27/2025 at 12:14 AM, CM4Me said:

Earlier this month I completed an application 'On Line', and then printed it out. Had my photo taken at 2 places, the 1st one didn't conform to the stated requirements, and I believe is the main reason for rejection..

 

On the 7th of March the embassy had a previously announced 'outing' day here in CNX, for which I made an appointment, at which I submitted my application.

 

Believe it or not, but on Sunday the 23rd, some 16 days after my submission, my new passport was delivered to my door. Excellent service, and very easy procedure. 

 

 

Very interesting and thanks for sharing. I'm 80 years old, PR of Thailand for 28 years.

 

I've renewed my Oz passport 3 time before but then I lived in Bkk.

 

Need to renew it again mid February 2026, now full-time permanent resident in CNX, live in the Don Chan area, close to Big C Don Chan.

 

Any specific items to be careful of re renewal when resident in CNX?

 

Do I start with the online process regardless of where I'm resident in Thailand?

 

I've renewed my Australian birth certificate to the current format. Previously included a copy of the original birth certificate issued 80 years ago (1945). (For a different purpose I shared a copy of the 1945 issued original certificate but it was not accepted, apparently a mistake was made when the 1945 records were entered into the electronic database some 30? years ago.)

 

Should I now submit my new birth certificate issued in Sydney about 5 years? 

 

Any advise much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[scorecard]

Sorry, one more point.

 

Is it true that renewal of Oz passport for 10 years is now approx. 16,000Baht?

 

I've very doubtful I will ever travel out of Thailand again. Can I request a limited page passport on renewal or is the Australian passport one standard 72 page size? 

 

(I'm aware that older folks can renew for 5 years but prefer to stay with the 10 year issue.) 

[Lacessit]

The last time I renewed my passport in Thailand, it was with the Honorary Consul in Chiang Mai, Ronald Elliott. His mobile number is 091 857 6996.

 

I don't know if he is still serving in that role.

[Lacessit]

4 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Sorry, one more point.

Is it true that renewal of Oz for 10 years 16 now approx. 16,000Baht?

$596, including an overseas processing charge of $184.

 

I understand it's the world's most expensive passport.

[scorecard]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

$596, including an overseas processing charge of $184.

 

I understand it's the world's most expensive passport.

Thanks for sharing.

[dinsdale]

Complete online form. Make appointment Australian Embassy, Bangkok. Get "passport" photos following the requirements given. Go in for your appointment. Pay lots of money. Come back when they tell you to pick up your passport. An interesting fact is Australia has the most expensive passport in the world. Also have the most expensive cigarettes in the world.

[scorecard]

On 3/28/2025 at 2:55 PM, GreasyFingers said:

That has always been an option 1. Thank you for enlightening me on the possibility.

Fly first class, make it memorable. 

[DrJack54]

15 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Complete online form. Make appointment Australian Embassy, Bangkok. Get "passport" photos following the requirements given. Go in for your appointment. Pay lots of money. Come back when they tell you to pick up your passport.

Why on earth would anyone do that.

As pointed out previously.

Oz pp can be renewed  online. Yes you need to go to post office to post it to Oz embassy at Bangkok or CM.

The new pp will be sent to you mailing address.

No need to attend embassy and no need to send current pp.

In my case from posting to Bangkok embassy till receive new pp in mail was 20 days.