British Embassy Changes Service Charge

[Mario2008]

The British Embassy will change the cost they charge as of 8 March. They will now use an exchange rate of 52 baht for 1 pound.

The new prices can be checked here: http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for...rvices-fee-new/

The fee can only be paid in Thai baht.

[chiang mai]

They were quick off the mark on that weren't they, spot rate is only 1.5146 today so it seems they've gone into competition with the banks on currency exchange, sad, really sad.

[syd barrett]

When I got my passport renewed the true rate was 1 GBP=66 baht.

They were still using a 1 GBP=75 baht rate.

It's no good arguing or they won't hand over your new passport.

However the embassy does have a free mineral water drinks dispenser, so I helped myself to 2 litres of the stuff.

[pontious]

Had to renew my passport (and wifes) so asked by email if Bht 100 was for EMS for both passports or Bht100 each - no reply as yet -36 working days!

Checked with Barry (British Consul in Jomtien) - he said it goes on weight so Bht100 each. Sent Baht200 -recieved all 4 passports back -total EMS postage cost Baht 47 -Ho Hum!!!!

P

[Guest]

Although fees are only payable in Baht, they do also accept credit cards.

[theoldgit]

It's worth noting that if you need to renew your passport overseas it will now cost 34% more than if you did so in the UK, a 48 page passport will now cost 8788B, including the DHL costs to Hong Kong, as opposed to 6500B in the UK.

Certainly worth renewing in the UK if time permits.

[Guest]

Interestingly, you don't need to send your old passport to HK, only a photocopy.

[theoldgit]

Interestingly, you don't need to send your old passport to HK, only a photocopy.

That is interesting and solves my concern about being in Thailand without a passport.

[Soutpeel]

Interestingly, you don't need to send your old passport to HK, only a photocopy.

That is interesting and solves my concern about being in Thailand without a passport.

Certainly is interesting, imagine only sending a copy of you PP in the UK to renew and what would happen ??, guess this is a knee jerk response as the penny has dropped in the British gov that its technically illegal to send you passport over international borders without the person concerned accompanying it...

[chiang mai]

Interestingly, you don't need to send your old passport to HK, only a photocopy.

That is interesting and solves my concern about being in Thailand without a passport.

Certainly is interesting, imagine only sending a copy of you PP in the UK to renew and what would happen ??, guess this is a knee jerk response as the penny has dropped in the British gov that its technically illegal to send you passport over international borders without the person concerned accompanying it...

Get's my vote for the best observation this month, well spotted.

[theoldgit]

Certainly is interesting, imagine only sending a copy of you PP in the UK to renew and what would happen ??, guess this is a knee jerk response as the penny has dropped in the British gov that its technically illegal to send you passport over international borders without the person concerned accompanying it...

Bit more than technically, I emailed London asking if I could send my passport to the UK for renewal, they replied that it was not permissible to post it overseas - I thought they would catch on in the end.

[lopburi3]

its technically illegal to send you passport over international borders without the person concerned accompanying it.

There is no such rule and passports are sent across borders every day of the year and legally so (to obtain visas for countries with no Consulates).

What is not legal is for your passport to pick up border stamps without you.

I believe the new UK passport trip is by diplomatic pouch from Bangkok Embassy and return to Embassy where your old passport is void. But have not seen any first hand reports.

[theoldgit]

its technically illegal to send you passport over international borders without the person concerned accompanying it.

There is no such rule and passports are sent across borders every day of the year and legally so (to obtain visas for countries with no Consulates).

What is not legal is for your passport to pick up border stamps without you.

I believe the new UK passport trip is by diplomatic pouch from Bangkok Embassy and return to Embassy where your old passport is void. But have not seen any first hand reports.

That may well be the case, but I asked the UK Passport Agency if I could send my passport the the UK for renewal and they replied:

Only applicant's residing in the UK can submit their application forms in the UK. You cannot send your passport to an office outside the the country you are residing in for security reasons.

The new arrangements involve only sending a photocopy of the biometric page to the Regional Passort Centre in Hong Kong, not use of the diplomatic pouch.

[lopburi3]

No way is any government going to issue a passport on the basis of a photo copy and mail back without verification. Am very sure you will have to use the Embassy for this in some way or other.

[theoldgit]

No way is any government going to issue a passport on the basis of a photo copy and mail back without verification. Am very sure you will have to use the Embassy for this in some way or other.

I'm sorry but appears the UK Government will, this is the relevent instruction from their web site, I am sure they can check the validity of the old passport:

In addition to your completed application form, photos and fee, you will need to submit a clear photocopy of the data page of your previous passport. The passport being renewed will be electronically cancelled and is therefore not valid for use from the moment you submit your application. On receipt of your new passport you must physically cancel your old passport by cutting the corners of the front and back covers. Failure to do so may leave your replaced passport open to abuse.

And to prove I'm not making it up, this is the link to the relevent page on their website, it's on section 4.

http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for...ssport-renewals

[lopburi3]

So all I have to do is make a copy of your passport and send an application to Hong Kong with the small payment to cause you a great deal of trouble (your passport in invalid on receipt of application) and someone, at the address I put for return, gets a new UK passport. They seem to believe signed for receipt means something - in my experience it only means a body signed - not the person it was addressed to.

I still can not believe my eyes. Or all the old UK passports that will be available to counterfeiters from the trash bins.

I must be missing something. I must be missing something.

[theoldgit]

So all I have to do is make a copy of your passport and send an application to Hong Kong with the small payment to cause you a great deal of trouble (your passport in invalid on receipt of application) and someone, at the address I put for return, gets a new UK passport. They seem to believe signed for receipt means something - in my experience it only means a body signed - not the person it was addressed to.

I still can not believe my eyes. Or all the old UK passports that will be available to counterfeiters from the trash bins.

I must be missing something. I must be missing something.

I share your amazement, but it's not just the trash bins is it, how many times are you asked for a copy of your passport? banks, checking into hotels, car hire and even the Jet-ski guy in Pattaya, as you indicate all a criminal needs is a copy of your passport and they can get a shiny new one sent to them by post, and the first time you know there is a problem is when you go to use your old one that has been cancelled. I am sure they have thought this through, maybe the photos submitted with the application that will be checked more rigorously, I really don't know, but I am sure that if the passport isn't used to evade border controls there will be increased cases of identity theft.

[lopburi3]

My trash bin comment was for the old passport that gets thrown away in prime condition - a forger then has prime property to use for his handicraft.

Yes the copy could be made anywhere. We must be missing something?

[alantheembalmer]

The British Government talks a lot about security, but seems to be completely inept at applying the most basic security measures. For anyone interested, just look at the cock-up they did with Land Registry!

[Soutpeel]

That may well be the case, but I asked the UK Passport Agency if I could send my passport the the UK for renewal and they replied:

Only applicant's residing in the UK can submit their application forms in the UK. You cannot send your passport to an office outside the the country you are residing in for security reasons.

Agreed this is the way I always understood it, granted I was most likely wrong saying it was illegal, but the fact remains the UK PP agency frowns upon sending unaccompanied passports out of country...

Going to agree with Lopburi, that I cant believe they say sending a photocopy is ok, as suggested in my previous post this requirement is a knee jerk reaction and once again our friends in the UK gov havent thought things through...

Oh well so much for the biometric security features in passports which they advertised, for OUR benefit, charged accordingly and now its ok to send a photocopy...the mind boggles...

Edited March 9, 2010 by Soutpeel

[Guest]

No way is any government going to issue a passport on the basis of a photo copy and mail back without verification. Am very sure you will have to use the Embassy for this in some way or other.

A rather late reply by me to this, but apart from what it says on the embassy website, I have this in writing also from a Vice-Consul.