BlueEasySleep Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 (edited) When I dropped off the application they told me probably 10 days. Wasn't ready after 10 days (or 11 or 12). Told me to call back Monday Monday was 2 weeks, which the website said was what it would take. Still wasn't ready. They told me to call back later in the week. Which would be 17 or 18 days. Missed the Air Asia flight I had booked. Tried asking them when they thought it would be ready so I could book another flight, but the lady said "I don't know. It says 2 weeks, and today is 2 weeks to the day, so just call back in a few days." So basically if you're waiting on a new passport to leave the country, you just have to wait and see when your passport is ready. Really not too impressed with the staff. The Thais they have working there are fairly rude too. Wouldn't expect my own embassy to operate like that. Edited March 26, 2012 by BlueEasySleep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 If you are going back to the states a temporary would have done the trick then get the new one back in the states. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueEasySleep Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 If you are going back to the states a temporary would have done the trick then get the new one back in the states. Not going to the States. Going to a neighboring country to get a new visa. My visa-exempt stamp expires Saturday. Don't want to overstay. Just wish they hadn't told me 10 days if it was going to take 17 or 18. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poohy Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Think yourself lucky a new British one involves sending all the stuff to Hong kong and waiting and praying for 4 weeks! It makes me wonder what they actually do in Embassies 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtmartens Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Thats a shame, as I have had nothing but outstanding service from both the Embassy and the Consulate in Chiang Mai. They are two of the better run embassies/consulates that I have to deal with for work/pleasure. I find both the Thai staff and the US staff to be helpful and courteous. When I had to have my "secondary" two year passport renewed in BKK, I got it back within 2 weeks and then earlier this year when I renewed it again via the Consulate in CM it was back in, an unbelievable, 5 days! The State Department website says it will average 2 - 3 weeks for a passport (which the Embassy should have told you). The embassies have very little control on how long it takes, as its all done Stateside - unless its an emergency passport. But, shame you found their customer service an issue. I've never seen them being rude to anyone there - except for the occasional person who thinks they should be getting something that they can't get or shows up in cut off shorts and a dirty tshirt expecting to be treated like a returning king (but I digress....) 2 - 3 weeks is the norm and the Embassy shouldn't have told you 10 days I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueEasySleep Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 I booked a flight for 14 days after I applied, thinking that was plenty of time since they had told me probably 10 days. 10 days turning into 18 is unreasonable. Also it's annoying that when I call them and ask, they have no clue when it will arrive. Seems like packages are pretty trackable nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtmartens Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 I booked a flight for 14 days after I applied, thinking that was plenty of time since they had told me probably 10 days. 10 days turning into 18 is unreasonable. Also it's annoying that when I call them and ask, they have no clue when it will arrive. Seems like packages are pretty trackable nowadays. I agree, but the State Department website does say 2 - 3 weeks. And I don't think they are sent via DHL or UPS. I THINK they are actually shipped out from the States via diplomatic bag en masse. The funny bit...the passports used to be manufactured in Thailand though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elektrified Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 (edited) I don't think I've ever been to a U.S. Consulate or Embassy where the staff wasn't rude. FYI when my passport expired when I lived in Prague, the wait was about 14-21 days to get a new one. And yes they told me they are actually shipped out from the States via diplomatic bag en masse. Edited March 26, 2012 by elektrified Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarpSpeed Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 (edited) Think yourself lucky a new British one involves sending all the stuff to Hong kong and waiting and praying for 4 weeks! It makes me wonder what they actually do in Embassies Socials and parties... Edited March 26, 2012 by WarpSpeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarpSpeed Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 I booked a flight for 14 days after I applied, thinking that was plenty of time since they had told me probably 10 days. 10 days turning into 18 is unreasonable. Also it's annoying that when I call them and ask, they have no clue when it will arrive. Seems like packages are pretty trackable nowadays. Had a similar problem with my boys SS card, applied for both at the same time and they never told us that only one at a time would be sent and processed so we were pretty concerned when one showed up and the other didn't and for several days after we kept expecting it to no avail until we called thinking maybe someone had appropriated our sons SS number.. At that point they told us and we finally received it some weeks later.. Sorry to hear about your difficulties but for me it's hard to get my head around as I've had mostly good dealings with the most recent staff but previously the staff was very arrogant including the former Consular.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Are US nationals allowed to use the old passport for travel until the new one arrives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayned Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Unlike the UK system, your old US passport is valid, as long as it has not expired, until you pickup your new passport at the Embassy. But you do have to pick it up in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueEasySleep Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 Are US nationals allowed to use the old passport for travel until the new one arrives? That's what I was wondering. I assume the old one gets shut off at some point in the database. And I don't want to leave to get a new visa on my old passport and then be stuck somewhere with a dead passport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 If your passport is still valid for travel (six months to many places) and has room for visas/stamps you can use it now to obtain your new stay. American passports are not canceled until you pick up your new one and Embassy official cancels the old one. As for passport being made in Bangkok all Consulates used to have blank passports and made on site from the photo your provided - this changed years ago for security reasons and now Consulates only can make emergency type passports for issue and normal ones are all made in US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueEasySleep Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 If your passport is still valid for travel (six months to many places) and has room for visas/stamps you can use it now to obtain your new stay. American passports are not canceled until you pick up your new one and Embassy official cancels the old one. Thanks. Good to know. I'll have to do that if my new passport isn't ready after 3 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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