British Passport Renewal & Bankers Drafts

[simon43]

Just a warning to those who apply for British passports using the new, 'streamlined' procedure via the Hong Kong Consulate.

I recently applied to renew my British passport and obtained a bankers draft for the price of the passport and return DHL service. To obtain a bankers draft in any currency other than Thai baht is not easy 'upcountry', but Bangkok Bank in Phuket obliged.

I sent all documents by courier to Hong Kong, but received a phone call from them one week later. They were unable to cash the bankers draft because the typed words on that draft did not fit inside the template boxes of the blank draft. They sent me a scan of the draft by email and indeed, all the types words were printed 1 line too high.

So off I go to Bangkok Bank in Phuket and show them the scan.

'OK, that's no problem' said the bank manager

'Yes, it is a problem' said I - 'the embassy refuse to cash it'

'OK, we print you a new one' said the manager

... 5 minutes later ... new bankers draft ... printed incorrectly, exactly as before!

I explained to the manager that their printer was printing 1 line too high.

'They all print like that' said the manager 'all ok, no problem'

Try as I might, me and my Thai partner could not get this manager to admit that their printer was at fault.

What could we do?

The manager did agree to refund the cost of the old draft, when it was sent back to us from Hong Kong. But I needed a new passport very urgently. We tried all the other major bank branches in Phuket, and not one of them was able to supply a bankers draft in a currency other than Thai baht.

Finally, I had no other choice but to get on a plane and fly up to Bangkok, to pay the fee in person at the British Embassy. Return trip = 5,000 baht + 7,000 baht for the new passport = 12,000 baht for what is meant to be a simple, streamlined procedure.

Now all I have to do is to ensure that the bank manager keeps his promise to refund the cost of the bankers draft that was printed incorrectly.

Moral of the story - Refuse to accept bankers drafts where the typing is not on the correct line and the payment amount does not sit within the payment box border.

Simon

PS - The British Embassy in Bangkok seems to operate a security access system that is based on confusion and non-comprehension. Although I had a pre-arranged meeting in the Consular section, it took me 45 minutes to gain access to the embassy because no-one knew anything about my meeting and they had no intention of letting this Brit inside his own embassy.

The very nice Nepalese Gurkha security guard spoke to me in very nice Nepalese (I think), of which I did not understand one word. No-one in the security box seemed to speak a word of English or Thai.

[ThaiLife]

Hi simon sorry to hear of your troubles

When I needed to renew my British passport I had to make the trip to the British Embassy in BKK , I don't have a credit card and I had read that the bankers bankers draft was difficult to arrange , so I went and paid cash . At the Embassy security gate I had to hand over my mobile phone , and camera and was allowed straight through with out a problem, I had not made an appointment, just turned up. I was surprised that you managed to pay directly at the British Embassy as I sent an email to the embassy checking if they still accepted payments at the Embassy for passport renewals this is the Embassy email I received back ..

The last day the embassy was able to take straight forward renewals of a passport was until Friday August 6. Effective from Monday 9 August we accept first time applications, lost and stolen passports applications or damaged passport applications only.

I went to the embassy before the 6th .

so from their email after August the 6th you could no longer go to the embassy and hand in your passport renewal application and pay directly. How did you manage it ?

TL :jap:

[Rooo]

Further discussion here refer post # 11.

[personchester]

Obviously, when the time comes, all "Brits" have to go through the passport renewal procedure via Hong Kong, and many will not know exactly how the new process works.

Thus it might be beneficial to all Brits that those chaps that have gone through the renewal procedure outline the details that completed the new passport application successfully, together with some general information in terms of ...

* can one access the HK passport office 'online' (to they have a website)

* how does one obtain the application form

* how to contact & organise the courier service (DHL)

* can payment be made 'online' by credit card

* etc, etc ...

This knowledge would be very useful, therefore please inform your fellow Brits accordingly.

[simon43]

Thailife - indeed one cannot normally pay in cash at the Embassy to renew a passport - this facility is only intended for those with lost or damaged passports. However, the embassy made an exception in my case, because all my papers and payment were already in Hong Kong, and the unique circumstances of the bank refusing to accept that they were wrong in printing the draft incorrectly.

I can say that my phone conversations with the Consulate in Hong Kong, (who phoned me to advise of this problem), and with the officer at the British Embassy in Bangkok, were most courteous and helpful. Just remember to bring a Nepalsee phrasebook with you when trying to get into the embassy

Simon

[theoldgit]

can one access the HK passport office 'online' (to they have a website)

They do have a website http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/apply-from-se-asia/thailand/ which outlines the proceedures, though you cannot do it online and neither can you pay by credit card online.

When it comes to renewing myself I will need to ascertain is whether I can use my Kasikorn Virtual Credit Card as the only other card I have managed to get in Thailand is an Amex card, which they don't accept.

I might actually renew in the UK, where it's substantially cheaper, if I'm there long enough.