Renewing Uk Passport

maiphedmaiaroi · June 10, 2011

Just a quickie.

Is it possible to apply to renew a UK passport via the UK not HK.

Purely because using the HK office it costs 130 quid. UK 71 quid.

Thanks in advance.

QED · June 10, 2011

Not unless you are in the UK at the time. Yes you could send it to friends/family but then you have no exit stamp from Thailand. You could crtoss the border and send it from Cambodia, still illegal but your entry stamps here will add up, even if they don't in Cambodia.

The beauty of HK is that you only need to send a copy, not the whole passport.

The problem for me is that I don't have a 4-6 week window to wait for it and be unable to travel - so it still sucks.

meatboy · June 10, 2011

my wifes uk passport is due for renewal and yes she has to send it to hk.i asked on another post why the diff.in cost.its for embassy staff trips,i wouldnt chance sending a passport through the post to the uk and hopeing to getting a new one returned,at least you dont have to send your passp.to hk.only photo copys and the courier service is very good[dhl] so i am afraid as they say we have to bite the bullet and pay up

puchooay · June 10, 2011

Not unless you are in the UK at the time. Yes you could send it to friends/family but then you have no exit stamp from Thailand. You could crtoss the border and send it from Cambodia, still illegal but your entry stamps here will add up, even if they don't in Cambodia.

The beauty of HK is that you only need to send a copy, not the whole passport.

The problem for me is that I don't have a 4-6 week window to wait for it and be unable to travel - so it still sucks.

You wouldn't need an exit stamp from Thailand. The old passport gets sent back with the new one. Go to immigration and get the stamps put in the new one.

I recently used the HK service and found it to be very good. Received in 12 days.

QED · June 10, 2011

Not unless you are in the UK at the time. Yes you could send it to friends/family but then you have no exit stamp from Thailand. You could crtoss the border and send it from Cambodia, still illegal but your entry stamps here will add up, even if they don't in Cambodia.

The beauty of HK is that you only need to send a copy, not the whole passport.

The problem for me is that I don't have a 4-6 week window to wait for it and be unable to travel - so it still sucks.

You wouldn't need an exit stamp from Thailand. The old passport gets sent back with the new one. Go to immigration and get the stamps put in the new one.

I recently used the HK service and found it to be very good. Received in 12 days.

I was thinking more about problems with the UKPA, if the passport is sent from the UK but you have no exit stamp from Thailand. I don't know, maybe I am giving them too much credit, but I think perhaps they have been told to look out for this to stop us expats playing the system.

ESB7 · June 10, 2011

Trips to Cambodia...extra postage...friends/family having to post etc...possible loss in post.......and all that to save 50 quid :lol: ...dont cry into your Chang too much

maiphedmaiaroi · June 10, 2011

Cheers to the guys that posted 2,3,4 & 5

As you only have to send a copy to HK i'll choose that one.

terak69 · June 12, 2011

I sent an email asking why the uk passport office was stealing from us reply below-

Thank you for your e-mail enquiry regarding the passport fee charged at Foreign and Commonwealth consular offices abroad.

It might help if I explain that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) are separate organisations with separate finances.

FCO provides consular assistance overseas to British Nationals. Their passport fee covers the full costs involved in the issuing and manufacturing of a British Passport. HM Treasury rules require FCO to recover the costs from fee income, not general taxation.

Their fee is necessary to ensure costs are fully recovered. Costs have increased as the consular network has had to expand to keep pace with the demands being placed upon it, by an ever-increasing number of British Nationals travelling and living overseas. This results in general cost movement and increase in staff numbers. In addition to this, the passport fee covers enhanced security world-wide to protect staff and customers.

I hope that this clarifies the situation.

Claire Hamer

Central Customer Service Team

Identity and Passport Service | Newport Regional Office | Olympia House | Upper Dock Street |

Newport | NP20 1XA

Soutpeel · June 12, 2011

I sent an email asking why the uk passport office was stealing from us reply below-

Thank you for your e-mail enquiry regarding the passport fee charged at Foreign and Commonwealth consular offices abroad.

It might help if I explain that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) are separate organisations with separate finances.

FCO provides consular assistance overseas to British Nationals. Their passport fee covers the full costs involved in the issuing and manufacturing of a British Passport. HM Treasury rules require FCO to recover the costs from fee income, not general taxation.

Their fee is necessary to ensure costs are fully recovered. Costs have increased as the consular network has had to expand to keep pace with the demands being placed upon it, by an ever-increasing number of British Nationals travelling and living overseas. This results in general cost movement and increase in staff numbers. In addition to this, the passport fee covers enhanced security world-wide to protect staff and customers.

I hope that this clarifies the situation.

Claire Hamer

Central Customer Service Team

Identity and Passport Service | Newport Regional Office | Olympia House | Upper Dock Street |

Newport | NP20 1XA

Strange how Claire never mentioned that your passport fee's also keep consular staff in Pimm's, Champagne cocktails and scottish smoked salmon.......

terak69 · June 12, 2011

I sent an email asking why the uk passport office was stealing from us reply below-

Thank you for your e-mail enquiry regarding the passport fee charged at Foreign and Commonwealth consular offices abroad.

It might help if I explain that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) are separate organisations with separate finances.

FCO provides consular assistance overseas to British Nationals. Their passport fee covers the full costs involved in the issuing and manufacturing of a British Passport. HM Treasury rules require FCO to recover the costs from fee income, not general taxation.

Their fee is necessary to ensure costs are fully recovered. Costs have increased as the consular network has had to expand to keep pace with the demands being placed upon it, by an ever-increasing number of British Nationals travelling and living overseas. This results in general cost movement and increase in staff numbers. In addition to this, the passport fee covers enhanced security world-wide to protect staff and customers.

I hope that this clarifies the situation.

Claire Hamer

Central Customer Service Team

Identity and Passport Service | Newport Regional Office | Olympia House | Upper Dock Street |

Newport | NP20 1XA

Strange how Claire never mentioned that your passport fee's also keep consular staff in Pimm's, Champagne cocktails and scottish smoked salmon.......

How true !!! it's just another angle for 'rip off uk' - Why the passports have to be sent to HK & then uk is beyond me - more chance of being lost !!

More Pimm's anyone

Debothai · June 12, 2011

so it is not possible to renew a uk passport in the uk embassy in bangkok???

terak69 · June 12, 2011

so it is not possible to renew a uk passport in the uk embassy in bangkok???

NO - that is too logical and uk cannot rip you off as much there. I might be mistaken but I seem to remember reading that you can have it checked in Bangkok and forwarded to Hong Kong and re-forwarded to the uk where it will be printed next to the other passports of the cheaper variety (ie uk persons - opps what are we ??) - probably all checked over and resent back to Thailand by an illegal immigrant

alantheembalmer · June 13, 2011

I sent an email asking why the uk passport office was stealing from us reply below- Thank you for your e-mail enquiry regarding the passport fee charged at Foreign and Commonwealth consular offices abroad. It might help if I explain that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) are separate organisations with separate finances. FCO provides consular assistance overseas to British Nationals. Their passport fee covers the full costs involved in the issuing and manufacturing of a British Passport. HM Treasury rules require FCO to recover the costs from fee income, not general taxation. Their fee is necessary to ensure costs are fully recovered. Costs have increased as the consular network has had to expand to keep pace with the demands being placed upon it, by an ever-increasing number of British Nationals travelling and living overseas. This results in general cost movement and increase in staff numbers. In addition to this, the passport fee covers enhanced security world-wide to protect staff and customers. I hope that this clarifies the situation. Claire Hamer Central Customer Service Team Identity and Passport Service | Newport Regional Office | Olympia House | Upper Dock Street | Newport | NP20 1XA

Flannel of the first order. I can see how she got her job.

Alan

farangbanok · June 15, 2011

Forgive me if I seem cynical but everyone here whinges on about how TH is biased against farang.

UK equally biased but in the opposite direction. The FCO motto appears to be "If you're Brit you're sh*t! "

Here a Bulagrian mafia member is arrested, has a considerable time in the Bangkok Hilton and gets nothing except extrdition.

In UK the Bulgarian criminal gets a house, plus support for an imaginary family of 15, all at the expense of the British tax payer! There are many (verified) instances of illegals (oops! sorry I meant 'asylum seekers') being given grants for cars after having had their driving lessons paid for.

So now we see why there are increases in FCO fees - they want us too poor to go back to UK to protest. Why are there not special rates for UK OAP's?

I have seen several instances, the Tsunami being the most high profile, where the FCO did SFA for British citizens. The Scandanavian and German consular officials managed to set up temporary shop in the worst hit areas.

UK, (when the Pimms had run out) announced that a relief flight would leave a few days later. All those wishing to fly must register at the British Embassy in BKK for the flight.

Yeah yeah. All money lost, legs and arms lost, but they must travel from Phuket or wherever to register. Well in the vernacular from where the Thai PM grew up "Worra bonch a wonkers!".

BOBBYTIN · June 17, 2011

Not unless you are in the UK at the time. Yes you could send it to friends/family but then you have no exit stamp from Thailand. You could crtoss the border and send it from Cambodia, still illegal but your entry stamps here will add up, even if they don't in Cambodia.

The beauty of HK is that you only need to send a copy, not the whole passport.

The problem for me is that I don't have a 4-6 week window to wait for it and be unable to travel - so it still sucks.

You wouldn't need an exit stamp from Thailand. The old passport gets sent back with the new one. Go to immigration and get the stamps put in the new one.

I recently used the HK service and found it to be very good. Received in 12 days.

I was thinking more about problems with the UKPA, if the passport is sent from the UK but you have no exit stamp from Thailand. I don't know, maybe I am giving them too much credit, but I think perhaps they have been told to look out for this to stop us expats playing the system.

i just got my and my daughters passports back from hong kong.we did not send any origanal documents,it is illegal to be in thailand without passport,on return,we went to immigration who for no extra charge stamped new passports up to date,you keep the old one as proof,no real drama.

QED · June 17, 2011

Not unless you are in the UK at the time. Yes you could send it to friends/family but then you have no exit stamp from Thailand. You could crtoss the border and send it from Cambodia, still illegal but your entry stamps here will add up, even if they don't in Cambodia.

The beauty of HK is that you only need to send a copy, not the whole passport.

The problem for me is that I don't have a 4-6 week window to wait for it and be unable to travel - so it still sucks.

You wouldn't need an exit stamp from Thailand. The old passport gets sent back with the new one. Go to immigration and get the stamps put in the new one.

I recently used the HK service and found it to be very good. Received in 12 days.

I was thinking more about problems with the UKPA, if the passport is sent from the UK but you have no exit stamp from Thailand. I don't know, maybe I am giving them too much credit, but I think perhaps they have been told to look out for this to stop us expats playing the system.

i just got my and my daughters passports back from hong kong.we did not send any origanal documents,it is illegal to be in thailand without passport,on return,we went to immigration who for no extra charge stamped new passports up to date,you keep the old one as proof,no real drama.

If you read my post above - which you did indeed quote - I already stated that I am aware you do not need to send the original to Hong Kong. I was actually replying to a poster who was asking if he could send his passport back to the UK for renewal to save costs.

Please read before commenting

QED · June 20, 2011

For those who have renewed recently, did you need to get your photos countersigned, or is this just for new applications? It's not clear in the instructions, thanks.

gennisis · June 20, 2011

For those who have renewed recently, did you need to get your photos countersigned, or is this just for new applications? It's not clear in the instructions, thanks.

Yes,the instructions could be more explicit.

I felt my appearance had changed a lot since 2000 so I sent a new photo and got it countersigned by a Thai I have known for 4 years. Gave his credentials as the photographer.

Hav'nt had it back yet though...sent May 31st.

terak69 · June 20, 2011

For those who have renewed recently, did you need to get your photos countersigned, or is this just for new applications? It's not clear in the instructions, thanks.

Hav'nt had it back yet though...sent May 31st.

My photo was 1mm out and computer wouldn't accept it - Hong Kong sent email back to me very quickly so I would think be OK

QED · June 20, 2011

For those who have renewed recently, did you need to get your photos countersigned, or is this just for new applications? It's not clear in the instructions, thanks.

Hav'nt had it back yet though...sent May 31st.

My photo was 1mm out and computer wouldn't accept it - Hong Kong sent email back to me very quickly so I would think be OK

Did you have it countersigned?

terak69 · June 20, 2011

For those who have renewed recently, did you need to get your photos countersigned, or is this just for new applications? It's not clear in the instructions, thanks.

Hav'nt had it back yet though...sent May 31st.

My photo was 1mm out and computer wouldn't accept it - Hong Kong sent email back to me very quickly so I would think be OK

Did you have it countersigned?

I had the first 'unacceptable' one countersigned, but I didn't have to have the 2 new ones done !!! A bit of Thai logic in there somewhere I think

Taken from email from Hong Kong

" Two new recent photos, following our guidelines, importantly, the height of the face top-to-chin should be between 29mm and 34mm in a frame not under 45mm tall; with the mouth closed, so teeth don't show, and with a white, cream or light grey back ground. They must also have been taken within the last month and you must be directly facing the camera.You will not need to get them countersigned unless you have changed your appearance dramatically"

QED · June 20, 2011

I had the first 'unacceptable' one countersigned, but I didn't have to have the 2 new ones done !!! A bit of Thai logic in there somewhere I think

Taken from email from Hong Kong

" Two new recent photos, following our guidelines, importantly, the height of the face top-to-chin should be between 29mm and 34mm in a frame not under 45mm tall; with the mouth closed, so teeth don't show, and with a white, cream or light grey back ground. They must also have been taken within the last month and you must be directly facing the camera.You will not need to get them countersigned unless you have changed your appearance dramatically"

Thanks very much, that last sentence answers all my questions :jap:

Except - would I get it any quicker if I applied in HK? Or do they have to go through the same process?

terak69 · June 20, 2011

I had the first 'unacceptable' one countersigned, but I didn't have to have the 2 new ones done !!! A bit of Thai logic in there somewhere I think

Taken from email from Hong Kong

" Two new recent photos, following our guidelines, importantly, the height of the face top-to-chin should be between 29mm and 34mm in a frame not under 45mm tall; with the mouth closed, so teeth don't show, and with a white, cream or light grey back ground. They must also have been taken within the last month and you must be directly facing the camera.You will not need to get them countersigned unless you have changed your appearance dramatically"

Thanks very much, that last sentence answers all my questions :jap:

Except - would I get it any quicker if I applied in HK? Or do they have to go through the same process?

Mine took 3 weeks including sending the new pictures by ordinary post - do not know about uk timescale

QED · June 20, 2011

I had the first 'unacceptable' one countersigned, but I didn't have to have the 2 new ones done !!! A bit of Thai logic in there somewhere I think

Taken from email from Hong Kong

" Two new recent photos, following our guidelines, importantly, the height of the face top-to-chin should be between 29mm and 34mm in a frame not under 45mm tall; with the mouth closed, so teeth don't show, and with a white, cream or light grey back ground. They must also have been taken within the last month and you must be directly facing the camera.You will not need to get them countersigned unless you have changed your appearance dramatically"

Thanks very much, that last sentence answers all my questions :jap:

Except - would I get it any quicker if I applied in HK? Or do they have to go through the same process?

Mine took 3 weeks including sending the new pictures by ordinary post - do not know about uk timescale

I know you can do it same day in UK, I was just wondering if it might be quicker to apply in person in Hong Kong.

I really don't want to travel all the way to UK for a new passport but I do need it urgently.

terak69 · June 20, 2011

I had the first 'unacceptable' one countersigned, but I didn't have to have the 2 new ones done !!! A bit of Thai logic in there somewhere I think

Taken from email from Hong Kong

" Two new recent photos, following our guidelines, importantly, the height of the face top-to-chin should be between 29mm and 34mm in a frame not under 45mm tall; with the mouth closed, so teeth don't show, and with a white, cream or light grey back ground. They must also have been taken within the last month and you must be directly facing the camera.You will not need to get them countersigned unless you have changed your appearance dramatically"

Thanks very much, that last sentence answers all my questions :jap:

Except - would I get it any quicker if I applied in HK? Or do they have to go through the same process?

Mine took 3 weeks including sending the new pictures by ordinary post - do not know about uk timescale

I know you can do it same day in UK, I was just wondering if it might be quicker to apply in person in Hong Kong.

I really don't want to travel all the way to UK for a new passport but I do need it urgently.

Sorry do not know if same day service available in HK

gennisis · June 23, 2011

For those who have renewed recently, did you need to get your photos countersigned, or is this just for new applications? It's not clear in the instructions, thanks.

Yes,the instructions could be more explicit.

I felt my appearance had changed a lot since 2000 so I sent a new photo and got it countersigned by a Thai I have known for 4 years. Gave his credentials as the photographer.

Hav'nt had it back yet though...sent May 31st.

Just a follow up....Passport recieved back today DHL....so it took 3 weeks....and cost a total of 7590 baht.....152 GBP.....ouch !!

Noticed that the new one has a 'chip' inbedded in it...........Big Brother will be able to track me now!!

terak69 · June 23, 2011

Chip probably has details of your credit card !!!! They can then put the price up anytime they want - thieving ba*****ds

gennisis · June 23, 2011

Chip probably has details of your credit card !!!! They can then put the price up anytime they want - thieving ba*****ds

I shall keep a close aye on my card account from now on.!!

althailand · June 23, 2011

Hi!

Somewhere buried in the UK government links from the HK emabssy website it does say that you need to have your photo countersigned.

Agree that somewhere it does also say that only if your looks have changed then you should get the photo countersigned. Thai national is acceptable if working/not working and in the list of accepted people, e.g. government employee, retired government employee.

Passport application sent 6 June and returned 23 June. Delayed because of two major issues:

Photo not biometrically correct. As with other people ended up with 30+ plus photos. The guy at 111 Print, Wave Place, opposite what is left of the embassy grounds, is just brilliant. Went to see him on a Saturday and even though he was just doing some maintenance on his equipment he knew exactly what I needed. He even has the rules and regulations of photo specs. required.

The big one!! My International Bankers Draft was out of alignment in terms of who to pay and how much. Rejected!! Make sure that your IBD text is in alignment with the preprinted text.

Sorted by asking a friend, at the suggestion of the HK embassy, for my mate to pay by credit card! Yip! No isues!!

Last problem (small). Make sure DHL know that they know exactly where you live. If you live in an apartment block then no issues, but if you live in a house they do have issues finding you.

Do use DHL as they have everything at hand to get your application away quickly. E.g. the form is prepared with the KH embasssy details.

All a bit of a pain compared to a few years ago at the UK embassy here. But the guy that gave me advice from the embassy in HK was very professional in his emails. YIP, the UK Government has found out about email and use it extensively to help you!! Well, they do in HK!

That's it!!

Summary:

Get your photo done with the correct biometrics and make sure that you pay "correctly".

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