New Arrangements For British Passport Services Overseas

[george]

New arrangements for British passport services overseas

Starting in March, UK passport applications in Thailand are to be processed in Hong Kong

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is reorganising the way it deals with passport applications as part of a plan to make the way British passports are issued more efficient and secure. The reorganisation is aimed at keeping down the cost of a new passport.

An important part of the change is that, all applications for passports will be processed by regional Passport Processing Centres, so applicants will need to allow some extra time for applications to be sent to and from the Processing Centre.

From 8 March 2010, passports for British Nationals will no longer be processed in Bangkok.

In some countries, applicants will still be able to hand in their application and pay at their local British Embassy/High Commission/Consulate. In others, the application should be sent direct to the regional Processing Centre.

Details of how the new system is set up country-by-country can be found on the FCO website:

www.ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk

The FCO will still aim to issue at least 90% of all straightforward passport applications within 10 working days of receipt of the correct documents and fee, although this will exclude the time taken for delivery.

British Embassy/High Commission/Consulates will continue to issue travel documents for applicants who need to travel in an emergency.

British Ambassador to Thailand, Quinton Quayle, said “The British Embassy is working to ensure that the introduction of the new arrangements runs smoothly. Further information about the forthcoming changes can be found on the Embassy website, which we hope will help to answer any queries at this stage. We can assure customers that we will continue to offer the best service possible. ”

The British passport is trusted as a secure document the world over. We want to keep it that way so that British travellers continue to enjoy the convenience and benefits of a travel document which is known to be difficult to forge or obtain fraudulently. Limiting the number of locations where we print passports reduces the risk of them falling into the wrong hands. The new processing centres will be staffed by teams specialised in passport examination, fraud detection and secure document technology.

Background

In order to keep costs covered, the UK Government is committed to looking for opportunities to reduce administration, centralise excellence and deliver beneficial economies of scale. These are the parameters we have set ourselves as we introduce more sophisticated measures to safeguard personal identity, reduce opportunities for passport fraud and protect UK borders.

This change is part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Passport Rationalisation Project set up in May 2008 to deliver a more streamlined and efficient passport operation for British Nationals abroad, to achieve immediate financial benefits to the FCO, to UK taxpayers and to establish a sustainable operating platform for the future.

The FCO is committed to supporting the UK Government’s aims of:

* Help secure our borders and tackle illegal immigration;

* Prevent identity fraud.

* Become a key defence in the fight against crime and terrorism.

* Enhance checks as part of safeguarding for the vulnerable.

* Improve customer service.

Process for passports is changing

What is changing and how does it affect me?

From 8 March 2010, passports for British Nationals will no longer be processed in Bangkok. They will be processed and printed centrally in a Regional Passport Processing Centre. Further details will be published soon.

Until that date, you can continue to submit your passport applications here in British Embassy Bangkok. We will update this website with further instructions from that date.

Why is this happening?

These changes are part of a global initiative to streamline the overseas passport operation; to reduce administration costs while improving security and maintaining a high quality of customer service.

How long will it take?

The Passport Processing Centre aims to issue all new passports within 10 working days after receiving the correct documentation and fee. You should however ensure that you allow time for delivery at both ends of the process as defined above.

Should you need to travel urgently the British Embassy will still be able to issue a travel document for emergency purposes.

Does it work?

From a recent customer surveys in the Nordic network we have received the following feedback:

Very user friendly, No problems very smooth, Quicker than anticipated.

In parts of the world where this service has been introduced, it has been a great success. Washington is producing passports for the whole of the Americas and Wellington covers all of Australasia with excellent results. Over 6000 passports produced per month with 90% of them in a 10 day period.

Overall Cost

If you apply for a British passport overseas you can expect to pay:

• for your passport (the fee is the same worldwide).

• The cost of sending your application to us (as you would in the UK)

• For the secure return of your passport and documents.

If you have a general, non urgent enquiry - email us. We will respond within 20 working days.

-- The Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2010-01-27

***************

Notes for Editors

In order to keep costs covered, the UK Government is committed to looking for opportunities to reduce administration, centralise excellence and deliver beneficial economies of scale.

* Our aim is to reduce operational costs without compromising the security of our systems and processes or affecting our public commitment to issue 90% of passports within ten working days.

* Customers will incur additional costs in sending applications to the PPC? and also for the secure return of their new passport and documents.

* Where these arrangements already exist, they work well. Service delivery times have not been affected. In Europe, our Embassy in Madrid processes applications from Portugal and Paris is now processing applications from Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Italy and Malta.

The next three to four years will see significant changes to the way we issue passports overseas. These changes are all about maintaining good customer service and value for money (including to customers and UK Taxpayers), whilst meeting the need for greater document security. We believe that improving arrangements will put us in a stronger position to deliver further enhancements to our application process and systems, including the development of more easily accessible online services and a more secure emergency travel document for those who need one.

[BlueSmurf]

Funny one of their aims is to stop illegal immigration! Too late they have let them all in legally!

[Hanimal]

Anything more than this? What will the price rise to now? How many extra days will it take to process? What additional informatrion will need to be provided (if any)?

[dick turpin]

Funny...I always thought I was a citizen of the UK, now according to dear

Quinton we are all "customers", nice one.

Edited January 28, 2010 by dick turpin

[Artamus]

Contains the phrases "more efficient and secure" and "allow extra time". How exactly is allowing more time "efficient".

"keeping down the cost of new passports". A classic!

[paulbrun]

Having just gone through the usual nightmare, of trying to get a new second passport, and having to deal with the usual 'civil' (oxymoron..?) servant-type over the phone, any changes they make one hopes will be for the better..?

Forget about 10 working days. They held the passport for almost 3 weeks, even though I paid 'double' postage to get it sent EMS to my home. They said there was a 'mis-understanding', and they thought I was going to pick it up..

And then when they did finally post it, they forgot to include my surname in the address on the envelope, and the local postman understandably became a little confused, and it took a couple more days. before I finally received it..!

I have had similar problems in the past, and not just in Thailand. My other passport was issued in Indonesia, and there were similar delays there. The cost is another matter - 150 gbp for a new passport which still has 7 years left..!

European passports are, I believe, extended by simply adding more pages, and if a replacement is needed, they're issued for about 50 euros, or thereabouts. But not the UK. We pay full price, every time. How do they justify this..?

There, I've got that off my chest..!

[Thormaturge]

"customers" ???

Is the Embassy selling tee-shirts now? souvenir mugs maybe?

[Artamus]

European passports are, I believe, extended by simply adding more pages, and if a replacement is needed, they're issued for about 50 euros, or thereabouts. But not the UK. We pay full price, every time. How do they justify this..?

Too right. I get through a passport in 2-3 years and have to renew it overseas at the highly inflated prices charged by overseas embassies. The max. passport size available is 50 pages and is far too small for a heavy traveller.

[seri thai]

"customers" ???

Is the Embassy selling tee-shirts now? souvenir mugs maybe?

Edited January 28, 2010 by seri thai

[cmsally]

reduce administration, centralise excellence and deliver beneficial economies of scale.

aka slash jobs, collect the few useful brains together ... what on earth does the last bit mean ???!!!

[leozaza]

That web address for further information is again? Or did I miss something?

Not a bad article, provided good balance. So much so that I have no idea what it's saying.

Should my country, Australia, also be doing something like this?

[cmsally]

A quick search turned up these little gems!

Economies of scale and outsourcing

OK so we are being outsourced, now we get it.

Oh dear, experience from the Americas - not a happy "customer"

British expat forum - passport renewal

[laocowboy2]

Funny one of their aims is to stop illegal immigration! Too late they have let them all in legally!

Note that all the trial countries are (a) developed, ( in Europe and © have reliable postal services. I see disaster looming.

I live in India. Mail failure rate approaches 90% so everyone has to use (far from relaiable) couriers domestically and (better) internationally - at considerable expense. While things may have changed since I left the Middle East, many courier companies then refused to carry passports (or were told not to by the host government).

Imagine bing in Congo Brazzaville and being told to post your passport to Pretoria for example!

Anticipate re-think after first 5,000 passports go missing - especially once those in the postal service know that what is going out from the regional centre is a shiny new document with 10 years validity left on it.

[captainhornblower]

Just over a year ago i had my passport stolen from my house in Samui.

With my Non immigrant B expiring some 8 days later i had to jump on a plane to Bangkok and make a very fast submission for a new Passport which i received on the 30th December at 16.00 hours and had it stamped by immigration for an extension of 7 days about 30 minutes before they all left for New Year. I then went down to Malaysia to renew my non-immigrant B in the first week of January.

It was a difficult, very stressful and expensive process.

What would someone in that situation do if the Passport Office is in Hong Kong? Absolute nightmare i should think.

[mrjohn]

"Funny...I always thought I was a citizen of the UK"

Well you never were a citizen.... only a subject. Part of the price we Brits pay for never having had a revolution....well not recently anyway

[mrjohn]

Sorry, that last remark came out rather loud.....it wasn't meant to be.

[earlbrownuk]

Not to worry for those moaning about costs.

There is a new system coming into place within the next 5-7 years, passports with pages will be extinct, and travel will be done on a identification type card, which allows travel. And can be revoked if needed.

This allows paperless travel to all countries, and all the revelant visas are stored on the chip and in the immigration computers.

Also when going through the manless immigration terminals, the system also checks to see if your wanted by the local police, interpol and your own police, if this is alerted, you will be locked in the immigration box, and took away to be processed further.

This is new technology, and could be out sooner if the terrorist continue to fight.

Also if you were arrested whilst on holiday, they would have immediate access to your criminal records back home.

Edited January 28, 2010 by earlbrownuk

[gwynt]

"customers" ???

Is the Embassy selling tee-shirts now? souvenir mugs maybe?

Every time I have been to the embassy in BK I am treated like am illegal, so maybe we are customers.

I obtained my second passport in Jeddah dropped in application on Wed collected by a driver on Sat, Fri being a day off.

Edited January 28, 2010 by gwynt

[astral]

This seems a strange tactic.

The Passport office in the UK very specifically states that passports cannot be sent overseas.

They do not even use the UK postal service as too many passports are lost.

Now we have a new system where we are going to have to send passports to a regional centre..............

I think someone has lost the plot.......

[PattayaParent]

How is it going to enhance document security when the passports will now be subject to the vagaries of the international postal system whereas before you could pick it up in your hands over the counter?

[Lannatyne]

Not to worry for those moaning about costs.

There is a new system coming into place within the next 5-7 years, passports with pages will be extinct, and travel will be done on a identification type card, which allows travel. And can be revoked if needed.

This allows paperless travel to all countries, and all the revelant visas are stored on the chip and in the immigration computers.

Also when going through the manless immigration terminals, the system also checks to see if your wanted by the local police, interpol and your own police, if this is alerted, you will be locked in the immigration box, and took away to be processed further.

This is new technology, and could be out sooner if the terrorist continue to fight.

Also if you were arrested whilst on holiday, they would have immediate access to your criminal records back home.

Rubbish!!

That would mean every official, at every point of local authority (eg police) in every country, would have to have online access to a card reader device. Here, in Thailand, they can't even supply card readers for their own national ID cards!

[earlbrownuk]

Not to worry for those moaning about costs.

There is a new system coming into place within the next 5-7 years, passports with pages will be extinct, and travel will be done on a identification type card, which allows travel. And can be revoked if needed.

This allows paperless travel to all countries, and all the revelant visas are stored on the chip and in the immigration computers.

Also when going through the manless immigration terminals, the system also checks to see if your wanted by the local police, interpol and your own police, if this is alerted, you will be locked in the immigration box, and took away to be processed further.

This is new technology, and could be out sooner if the terrorist continue to fight.

Also if you were arrested whilst on holiday, they would have immediate access to your criminal records back home.

Rubbish!!

That would mean every official, at every point of local authority (eg police) in every country, would have to have online access to a card reader device. Here, in Thailand, they can't even supply card readers for their own national ID cards!

This is what the american governments want and have submitted to congress for approval, usually they get all there ways.

[Callanbkk]

Funny one of their aims is to stop illegal immigration! Too late they have let them all in legally!

Haha...true!

[Colabamumbai]

Funny one of their aims is to stop illegal immigration! Too late they have let them all in legally!

They will be having a private agency issuing the passports. The Indian Embassy in Canada does the same for visas, the Embassy and Consulates do not process them, you go to a private company that they pay to handle this service. And they say that it will be more efficient, I highly doubt that, if anything there will be more fraud.

I remember the days in the 70's when you could replace the photo in a British Passport with your own and redo the steel dye stamp to cover your new photo and match it up to the existing piece of the stamp on the page surrounding the photo, with a dental tool. A boiled potato cut in half, pressed against any entry stamp (rubber stamp) in a passport could then be reproduced in the "new Passport" as the starch in the potato holds the ink from the rubber stamp. To show that you had entered a country with it, even though you had purchased it from some one. I had 6 passports and I did not know my real name. I was kind of proud of myself and my work.

[crocodilexp]

Contains the phrases "more efficient and secure" and "allow extra time". How exactly is allowing more time "efficient".

"keeping down the cost of new passports". A classic!

It is both more efficient (takes longer, could be lost), more secure (sent by post and handled by more people instead of being processed in a single place), and keeping down the cost (by taking longer to mail, and having more people handle it).

Welcome to "Government Speak 101" crash course.

The plan is probably to cut the cost by achieving economies of scale, perhaps outsourcing this to a private contractor. It will be at the expense of security, efficiency and reliability.

Edited January 28, 2010 by crocodilexp

[coolhandjoe]

reduce administration, centralise excellence and deliver beneficial economies of scale.

aka slash jobs, collect the few useful brains together ... what on earth does the last bit mean ???!!!

Translated from the civil sevice dictionary of phrases-"more paper shuffling mumbo jumbo, from my ivory tower."

[griz47]

reduce administration, centralise excellence and deliver beneficial economies of scale.

aka slash jobs, collect the few useful brains together ... what on earth does the last bit mean ???!!!

Bullshit baffles brains.

[StreetCowboy]

I had cause to renew my passport in another country and my residency visa in Thailand at the same time last year. I had to deal withe the British Embassy in Bangkok and the British Consulate in Dubai. In both cases the service was polite, friendly and efficient, and I was delighted with the service. I was disgruntled that Dubai could only issue a 32 page passport, which will probably last me only a couple of years, but had I had more time, they could offer an alternative solution.

No doubt the proposed changes will result in a poorer back-office service; you would think if they improved efficiency they could reduce the 10-day turnaround, and thus compensate for the courier delays; and by improviing efficiency, reduce the cost, and thus compensate for the courier cost.

Suffice to say, I have been consistently delighted with the embassy whenever I have had to deal with them

SC

[dick turpin]

"Funny...I always thought I was a citizen of the UK"

Well you never were a citizen.... only a subject. Part of the price we Brits pay for never having had a revolution....well not recently anyway

Thank you Citizen Robespierre....

[caf]

this part of the quote is interesting

"which is known to be difficult to forge or obtain fraudulently. Limiting the number of locations where we print passports reduces the risk of them falling into the wrong hands. The new processing centres will be staffed by teams specialised in passport examination, fraud detection and secure document technology."

Thailand not one of the possible countries considered then.

caf