Thai Consulate Mucked Up Fiancees Passport

[tinytot]

Just in a pickle with Thai Consulate here in Brisbane.. My fiancee, Changed her name whilst we were in Thailand in April.. Just got I.D card with her new name. As time didnt permit to do much else with Songkran on and everything closed, We decided when we come back to Brisbane we will change passport into new name !!

Well we had to wait until late October, She took her Old passport with her visa details as she now is permanent resident, So paid the monies and thought that was it ! We waitied until 2nd week in December for passport to arrive, Then we noticed they miss spelt her surname, They actually used her old surname but changed her first name, Then noticed they did not put a visa label in her new passport..

Great news ... Not ! Phoned Thai Consulate Brisbane, They said Phone Thai Embassy canberra.. She said Phone D.F.A.T.. So we did that.. They say we have to fly all the way to Thailand to get it sorted out !!

Now that is going to cost some money as airfares for 4 people 2 adults 2 children, accomodation , costs of passprt and i am not sure as we have to go to Australian Embassy also to get new Visa label...

What i am wondering does anyone think that they should be able to change here in Australia or do we have to go back to Thailand to get it sorted??

Any ideas or suggestion i really want to hear if people have some ideas,

End of the day you think the official who goes all around Australia to all the consulates to update passports or name changing Should have done his job properly?

Well hope to get some replies or contact info in Australia or thailand we can phone..

Thanks all been a great 2012.. Happy new year !!!!

[krisb]

You have got to be joking. Obviously your not.

Theres no way in this world I would be flying back to sort out the mess they created. Surely there is someone that can help like an ombudsman?

Dont know if its any help being your in Brisbane but there is a really nice chap that works for the Thai Consulate General here in Adelaide. Yes perhaps they are not in your area but he has always been very good and very understanding to talk to, offers any help he can. Its all I can think of. Heres their contact details,

Monday- Friday (11- 3 pm)

Telephone : (08) 8218 4848

Good luck with it all and keep us filled in mate.

[ubonjoe]

Only the embassy in Canberra or the official consulate in Sydney can sort this out. The other consulates are honorary consulates and do not do passports unless it's done during a visit by embassy staff.

It will probably mean getting a new passport issued to correct the error.

[krisb]

Only the embassy in Canberra or the official consulate in Sydney can sort this out. The other consulates are honorary consulates and do not do passports unless it's done during a visit by embassy staff.

It will probably mean getting a new passport issued to correct the error.

Correct with the Canberra bit. You can just fly to Canberra and see them. I wasnt aware of the Sydney office being able to sort this out. When I spoke to the Adelaide consulate, regarding getting my daughter her Thai passport, I was told either fly to BKK, fly to Canberra or there is 1 day a year when the Canberra consulate people travel to each city for these purposes. No mention of flying to Sydneys consulate.

[simple1]

OP: Phone the Sydney consulate for advice (who can also provision passports), as the staff at the Embassy in Canberra are often ill informed. Don't understand the comment of transferring the Australian visa to your partners new Thai passport. Not sure of current process, but the Thai passport issuing office used to attach the expired passport to the new one, or else they note the old passport number in the new passport, so partner will need to travel with both the new & cancelled passport to ensure no issues at border control or air travel check-in counter. BTW cheaper and a lot more flights flying BNE to SYD, than traveling to Canberra; from memory only 2 flights a day BNE to CBR.

Sydney consulate info at:

http://www.thaiconsu...ney.org/english

Edited December 30, 2012 by simple1

[David48]

To the OP ... just wanted to thank you for sharing your story.

We learn a lot by reading the issues that arise here.

Wish you the best of luck resolving the problem quickly and at minimum expense.

.

[notmyself]

Change her name to match the PP would be easier.