Uk Passport Application

[gallowayscot]

I applied for a passport for my son in September - i.e. after the change to passports being printed and sent out from the UK as opposed to Hong Kong. At the time of application I was told to expect the passport in 4 to 6 weeks. Been waiting six weeks now. Has anyone experienced a longer wait since the change?

[Soutpeel]

Thought on average they were turning them around in 2-3 weeks, I would give them a call and find out

[gallowayscot]

Thought on average they were turning them around in 2-3 weeks, I would give them a call and find out

Any idea whether I should try the Bangkok Embassy, or the HK office or the UK passport service?

[beano2274]

The Embassy in Bangkok has nothing to do with passports, they cannot help you. You need to phone the IPS in the UK.

[Satcommlee]

The Embassy in Bangkok has nothing to do with passports, they cannot help you. You need to phone the IPS in the UK.

You need a credit card to call them now! unbelievable..

[VisasPlus]

If anyone does manage to talk with IPS in UK, perhaps you could ask why we are still paying almost double the UK price for a passport when the passport issuing process is now dealt with in the UK. The reason we paid more was because we were paying for expensive overseas equipment, security of printing, overseas staffing costs, etc. That wouldn't seem to apply any more.

Edited October 8, 2011 by VisasPlus

[bangkokrick]

I applied to HK on the 23rd September and I have just today got my payment receipt returned from HK. The letter contained a note saying that the Passport would be deilvered separately from the UK. No time scale given.

[7by7]

Don't take this the wrong way, but are you sure you completed the application correctly and supplied all the necessary documents?

How to apply from Thailand (First time applications)

Up to 1 in 8 passport applications received by the Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong are incorrectly filled out. Don’t let yours be one of them..........Failure to complete the application form correctly or to send the correct supporting documents and payment may cause considerable delay in your application being processed.

Contact Us:

If you cannot find the information you need on the website, you could contact the Careline Passport Information Line at +44 208 082 4744 (Credit Card Line - calls will be charged at £0.72 per minute plus VAT) 19:00 Sunday UK time - 01:30 Saturday UK time (24 hour service). Please be aware that you will be charged for this call.

For customers with hearing difficulties, a Text phone service is available by contacting +44 1750 725368.

Please do not contact us before the expected delivery time as detailed above. We will not be able to give further information and you will be charged for this call.

[Blueeyes1999uk]

Sent my application via DHL today. Will arrive in Hong Kong on Monday so clock ticking!

I need to renew early as I need to apply for a new 1 year Thai visa and need the 3 or maybe 6 months validity on my UK passport depending on which Immigration officer you talk to and indeed which office! What I REALLY object to is the increase in charges for expats and now the two sets of courier costs. I understand that there is a petition running to lobby our " powers that be", I wonder what / if any repercussions would come from signing this?? Taking a bet that there will be something wrong with the application but time will tell, fingers crossed!!

[theoldgit]

If anyone does manage to talk with IPS in UK, perhaps you could ask why we are still paying almost double the UK price for a passport when the passport issuing process is now dealt with in the UK.  The reason we paid more was because we were paying for expensive overseas equipment, security of printing, overseas staffing costs, etc.  That wouldn't seem to apply any more.

I asked that very question recently Tony, obviously not in person because as you know you don't actually get to speak to anybody, I advised that I was well versed in drafting PQ's and Ministerial Drafts so could I have a meaningful reply, I got a standard fob off and was advised to contact the FCO. I replied that the FCO had advised me to contact them, so could I have the courtesy of a meaningful response, I received a snotty reply from one of their work experience drones basically telling me to <deleted> off.

I did think about submitting a FOI request but I suspect they wouldn't answer citing it as being Commercial in Confidence.

Once applications are submitted on-line, which is in their Business Plan, they are going to find it very difficult to justify the extra fee, apart from delivery, but I'm sure they will find a way.

Somebody mentioned before that the extra cost was to fund possible consular assistance, I think that whilst this is probably true it is already built into the cost of a passport, obviously anybody who has a passport is likely to travel abroad and might need consular assistance - if they can afford it.

[ianwuk]

If anyone does manage to talk with IPS in UK, perhaps you could ask why we are still paying almost double the UK price for a passport when the passport issuing process is now dealt with in the UK.  The reason we paid more was because we were paying for expensive overseas equipment, security of printing, overseas staffing costs, etc.  That wouldn't seem to apply any more.

I asked that very question recently Tony, obviously not in person because as you know you don't actually get to speak to anybody, I advised that I was well versed in drafting PQ's and Ministerial Drafts so could I have a meaningful reply, I got a standard fob off and was advised to contact the FCO. I replied that the FCO had advised me to contact them, so could I have the courtesy of a meaningful response, I received a snotty reply from one of their work experience drones basically telling me to <deleted> off.

I did think about submitting a FOI request but I suspect they wouldn't answer citing it as being Commercial in Confidence.

Once applications are submitted on-line, which is in their Business Plan, they are going to find it very difficult to justify the extra fee, apart from delivery, but I'm sure they will find a way.

Somebody mentioned before that the extra cost was to fund possible consular assistance, I think that whilst this is probably true it is already built into the cost of a passport, obviously anybody who has a passport is likely to travel abroad and might need consular assistance - if they can afford it.

I sent my renewal application for a new passport on 16th September, it was signed for at the passport agency in Hong Kong on 19th September and since then I have not heard anything. I contacted the British Embassy, who, as said, were not very helpful and I don't have a credit card to call the care line mentioned. Is there any other way I can contact someone to actually find out what is going on?

Many thanks.

[gallowayscot]

Don't take this the wrong way, but are you sure you completed the application correctly and supplied all the necessary documents?

How to apply from Thailand (First time applications)

Up to 1 in 8 passport applications received by the Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong are incorrectly filled out. Don't let yours be one of them..........Failure to complete the application form correctly or to send the correct supporting documents and payment may cause considerable delay in your application being processed.

Contact Us:

If you cannot find the information you need on the website, you could contact the Careline Passport Information Line at +44 208 082 4744 (Credit Card Line - calls will be charged at £0.72 per minute plus VAT) 19:00 Sunday UK time - 01:30 Saturday UK time (24 hour service). Please be aware that you will be charged for this call.

For customers with hearing difficulties, a Text phone service is available by contacting +44 1750 725368.

Please do not contact us before the expected delivery time as detailed above. We will not be able to give further information and you will be charged for this call.

I submitted the application via the Chiang Mai consulate. They checked it over and said that it was in order, so I'm just hoping that things are a bit slower because of the change of procedures and not anything more sinister.

[ianwuk]

I just want to know whether or not my application has any problems or not. Since they have not contacted me I assume it has been okay but I am still weary and would just like some reassurance about how the application is progressing instead of being left in the dark like this.

Thanks.

Ian

Edited October 8, 2011 by ianwuk