Important News For U K Passport Holders

[astral]

It sounds like the Embassy in Bangkok has copped out of the responsibility.

Here in the Middle East the embassy will still accept the applications and forward them to Paris

for processing. Direct applications will not be accepted at the cente in Paris.

To submit your passport application you should come to the Consular Section of the British Embassy in Beirut.

Postal applications sent directly to the PPC in Paris will not be accepted and might result in them being delayed or lost.

The PPC cannot be held responsible for any cash or packages being lost in transit.

http://ukinlebanon.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/apply-passport-lebanon08

This sounds like a much safer option.

I am not sure I want to trust my passport to a courier,

never mind the costs involved.

[Farang0tang]

What if somebody was picked up by immigration whilst there passport was out of the country?

I thought ir was illegal to send you Passport outside of Thailand ? but reading 'F1fanatic'

I expected the worst (forms returned because I'd completed something incorrectly, they wouldn't understand that I couldn't send them my original passport as I had to 'sign in' at Immigration, or missed out some 'vital' step in the renewal process) - but was pleasantly suprised to receive my new passport a week later! As it turned out, the postal process was far easier than having to take a trip to Bangkok!

For info:

I use DHL and send my UK passport out of Thailand frequently (and is sent back to me in Thailand) - so as to obtain visas for certain countries.

But I have 2 UK passports, so one of them always stays with me.

[Rinrada]

Always look on the brightside....da da da da......

As the sage once said only 2 things that you can be sure of in life....and PP prices are in the second group..

anyway...silver lining...

Free UK /EU Passports

Qualifying for a free passport

If you were born on or before 2 September 1929 and are a British national, you could be eligible for a free passport.

You will need a full ten-year passport if you want to travel abroad, even if it is for a day.

About your free passport

If you are a British national born on or before 2 September 1929 you can apply for a free ten year passport from the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) - formerly the UK Passport Service.

This passport will be free whether it is a renewal of an existing passport or your first one.

If you have applied for a passport since 19 May 2004 and you are eligible for a free passport, you can apply for a refund of the standard passport fee.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/TravelAndLeisure/TravellingAtHomeAndAbroad/DG_10026847

[7by7]

It sounds like the Embassy in Bangkok has copped out of the responsibility.

The embassy have not copped out of anything; they had no choice.

Here in the Middle East the embassy will still accept the applications and forward them to Paris

for processing. Direct applications will not be accepted at the cente in Paris.

This system is being rolled out worldwide; expect that in due course you will have to submit renewals direct to Paris, or wherever the regional centre is to be.

[Shrubbery]

You don't send the old passport.

From Passport renewals

4 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 photo page and the front and back covers. Failure to do so may leave your replaced passport open to abuse. Alternatively you should visit the British Embassy to have your replaced passport physically cancelled.

So you will still have the old passport to show Thai immigration, or whoever, if required. Although you could not use it to leave Thailand and so could not do so until you received the new one.

It seems that there is conflicting information on the Consulates web site:

Renewing your passport or changing information in your passport

"If you are applying to renew your passport or change information in it, in addition to the documents, you must also provide:

your current passport or

your old passport - the passport that has expired"

Documents

[ignis]

your current passport or

your old passport - the passport that has expired.

The passport that has expired ? could you send your old Passport that expired 10 years before ?

My old Passport Issued in Portugal in 1991 ? or even the passport before issued in Berlin 1981 ? still have both

[buddy]

is there any point at all in having an embassy anymore!

whos pulling the strings in bangkok? her majesties government or quentin.

first they change the system, having to renew the passport overseas (hong kong) now they arent going to process applications. close the bloody place at the first of trouble in the capital and take an extended vacation at our expense.

i thought the whole purpose of having an embassy was to help out the citizens/nationals of that particular country. seems now they are more concerned with milking them, rather than provide a service. <deleted> typical

This is where most peoples perception of an Embassy is incorrect.

It is staffed by Civil Servants, so the first thing they look after is themselves.

The second thing they look after is the Country's interests.

and thirdly they will look after its Citizens.

So as a British Citizen you are not top of the list of priorities, this lack of understanding is what creates most frustration when using Embassys.

[phazey]

Would this also apply to persons who wish to get a second UK Passport ?

[DLock]

I did mine in Chiang Mai last week because I have only a few pages left.

Visited the Consulate and she checked the forms and made me redo my photos - my head was too small aparently. Go figure.

Then went to DHL in town and they knew exactly how to send it all to Hong Kong and have it couriered back to my house. Easy.

Did not send my passport, only a photocopy of the ID pages, so I can use it for the month they quote to have a new one sent. Convenient.

Seriously, if you plan a little ahead, for me it was easier than making the trip to Bangkok and it took about 1 hour of my time. No queues.

Overall, no complaints here.

[7by7]

You don't send the old passport.

From Passport renewals

4 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 photo page and the front and back covers. Failure to do so may leave your replaced passport open to abuse. Alternatively you should visit the British Embassy to have your replaced passport physically cancelled.

So you will still have the old passport to show Thai immigration, or whoever, if required. Although you could not use it to leave Thailand and so could not do so until you received the new one.

It seems that there is conflicting information on the Consulates web site:

Renewing your passport or changing information in your passport

"If you are applying to renew your passport or change information in it, in addition to the documents, you must also provide:

your current passport or

your old passport - the passport that has expired"

Documents

That page has not been updated since Jan 2010; before the new system began to be phased in. Expect it to change on 9th August when it will no longer be possible to submit via the Bangkok embassy; or a consulate.

Obviously, though, if one is changing details on a valid passport, one will have to provide that passport and this will, I believe, still be done in Bangkok; it is only renewals that this change affects.

Phazey, as far as I'm aware this only affects renewals of existing passports.

[soap]

According to the Brithish Embassy Web site it states

They will not renew british passports after the 9th August,this was last updated 22nd July.

So if i send my 12 year old sons passport to the British embassy in Bangkok before the 9th August

are they duty bound to renew his passport without all this rigmourole and expence of sending the

passport to Hong kong

Thanks

[phutoie2]

I would not know where to look for the nearest DHL office to me, Bangkok I suppose!

Would you be able to send it from the Thai post office EMS, they send stuff off world wide?

Concerned Brit - whose Passport expires this time next year!

[theoldgit]

I would not know where to look for the nearest DHL office to me, Bangkok I suppose!

Would you be able to send it from the Thai post office EMS, they send stuff off world wide?

Look see http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/17274209/dhl-locations-thailand.pdf

[Digitalbanana]

You don't send the old passport.

So you will still have the old passport to show Thai immigration, or whoever, if required. Although you could not use it to leave Thailand and so could not do so until you received the new one.

So if the application could take up to FOUR weeks as in o/p one could end up unable to travel (stuck in Thailand) from work, business interests overseas and/or risking overstaying a 30 day exempt entry stamp to Thailand? Is there any fastrack option?

Can the application be mailed before arriving in Thailand to be ready on arrival?

Edited September 2, 2010 by Digitalbanana

[Willeyeam]

Such BS from the British Embassy:

passports for British nationals in Thailand will be issued at the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong. This is part of a global initiative to rationalise passport services and to help reduce administration costs whilst ensuring that the quality of service remains high.

Who writes this garbage? "Reduce administration costs" you would assume means that the cost to the end user might reduce, but the opposite happens. My partner, who is Japanese, renewed his passport here in Bangkok and it took 2 days. How sad we have become.

They should shut Quentin and his mates down, that would save us all a few bob, bloody parasites!

Time to end JOBS FOR THE BOYS - send the whole lot back, they are completely useless anyway, save the taxpayer rid Thailand of everyone with such a stupid name as Quentin!

Edited September 2, 2010 by Willeyeam

[electau]

Applying for or renewing a UK passport in Australia. There have been changes there also.

http://ukinnewzealand.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/applying-in-australia/

[electau]

For Thailand all latest information here.

http://ukinhongkong....ssport-renewals

Notice the difference in fees one for the UK and a much higher fee if applied for in a foreign country.

32 page 77.50 GBP in the UK.

Edited September 3, 2010 by electau

[billd766]

I am not surprised at the gouging by the UK FCO but this just took my breath away.

Call out fee in Hong Kong

There is a call out fee for issuing a temporary or emergency passport outside of office hours. You will need to add this fee (per hour or part of an hour) to the cost of the passport.

GBP: £131.70

HKD: $1,647

[ignis]

Cannot work out how to pay

Says... If paying for your passport/courier fees by International Bankers Draft (IBD), this must be made out in Hong Kong Dollars............... Asked at a branch of my Bank on Monday they looked mystified ? They said NO, but is simple can transfer money in Hong Kong Dollars

At Big C there is a branch of Standard Chartered Bank, can I go in there and get this International Bankers Draft ? or can they transfer to Standard Chartered Bank Hong Kong ?

Can another person other than the passport holder pay on there Visa card ?

There must be others that have a Debit Visa but this can only be used in person overseas

[astral]

There is a credit card authorisaton form that you can download.

http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/17274209/credit-card-authorisation.pdf

[nongmai07]

Thanks for all the advice it has been very helpfull, would like to ask if anybody can explain the following-i have to send my passport of to h/k next friday after getting a 30 day extension on my passport,ive read lots of information about obtaining a renewal passport as ive only got 1 page left in mine..i will have to go to my bank bangkok bank and get an international bankers draft made out in hk dollars but i cant find out anywhere how much i should add to the cost of my new passport in hk dollars for postage back to me here in thailand,ive contacted dhl in bangkok and they say i must pay an up front round trip fee of 952 baht.but according the british embassys hong kong advice page you must add the postage in hk dollars to the bankers draft(im a bit confussed to say the least) can anybody shed any light on this please...