Guarantee Letter From Uk Embassy With New Passport.

[pontious]

Fine if you live in Bangkok - why not by EMS post with copies of both passports. You can get a new passport by just sending a copy of your old one.!!!

The new website for embassy is a complete and utter shambles

By asking the Embassy very nicely as I did and pointing out to them that a 300km round trip to Bangkok from Rayong Province where I live would result in much inconvenience and expense for me, they were prepared to bend their rules in my case and allow me to request the letter by email with copies of my old and new passports.

They were even willing to issue me with a second letter in this way, owing to an error in the first regarding my latest entry date - for which, I hold my hands up, I was entirely responsible!

I then trotted off to Maptaput Immigration to get my current stamps transferred to the new passport, only to be not asked for the Embassy letter in the event! However, as I explained in a previous post on this thread, they did kick up an almighty fuss about the size of the passport copies I'd brought along with me!!

I personally think that the Embassy are very helpful and making the best of a bad job. IMHO our wrath would be more appropriately directed at the FCO big-wigs in their Whitehall ivory tower who seem solely dedicated to dreaming up in total secrecy and mystery dozy-daft procedures aimed purely at causing the maximum expense and inconvenience for us Brit expats.

Thanks OJAS for your response. We have discussed this on other threads regarding this subject. The point surely is that as you set a precedent ie by not turning up in person why should we all write nice emails to achieve that. Surely someone could say 'we will allow an EMS with photocopys of the passports.'

The only saving grace is that not all immigration offices insist on the letter.

I agree with your comment elsewhere about Jomtien Office - for everyone who says they did not need the letter I can show you the same ammount of people who said they insisted on it . It really is on who you see or what side of the bed they got out that day.

[Maestro]

I have removed an off-topic post and the reply to it.

[Chopper]

Here is a current update from my experience at Jomtien Immigration for transferring my extension of stay stamp and other visa information to my new passport..

I took my two passports to their office on Friday afternoon with the relevant paperwork completed. I had neither a letter from the embassy confirming authenticity of my new passport or a receipt for my new passport as I was not sent one.

I was told to come back this afternoon. It was all done and no mention was ever made of them wanting either the embassy letter or receipt.

As others have suggested it might well be the up to the whim of the immigration officer dealing with this. The immigration lady whom I dealt with seemed helpful enough and again as has been noted certainly with Jomtien they seem to be so busy perhaps they just want to get you processed and out of the way.

[urbanspaceman]

Further to other threads....I live in Nakhon Phanom....I went to get my 90 day 'non' B stamp at the Immigration here. The first person at the immigration asked me to bring a photocopy of the new passport later.

Once I'd filled in the forms another person and a policeman said I needed a letter from from the embassy in Bangkok. As with others there is no current information about this on-line when you get the documents to complete to send to Hong Kong.

I rang the embassy on Friday before 12 AM...They said they would ring me back when they had information about this. THey didn't and in the afternoon I was put through to London because the UK Embassy in Bangkok had closed for unforeseen circumstances.

I rang the Embassy this morning...The lady I spoke to wasn't sure but said if that was the case I should come to Bangkok for a letter. Despite being over 12 hours away on the bus - or if I can get a flight there was no helpful suggestions. She said she would look into the matter of no information on-line about the letter.

Now - I have to get down to Bangok for this letter....Long way to go....Maybe in my infinite wisdom I should have known I would need a letter with my new passport....I guess that's the way its going now if you've recently renewed your visa...

Good Luck

[ubonjoe]

I suggest you contact the embassy again and ask them about either faxing or emailing a scanned copy of your old and new passports and having letter mailed to you. There are reports in another topic of the embassy doing it for those that live a long distance from Bangkok.

[urbanspaceman]

I suggest you contact the embassy again and ask them about either faxing or emailing a scanned copy of your old and new passports and having letter mailed to you. There are reports in another topic of the embassy doing it for those that live a long distance from Bangkok.

Yes -I Looking around other threads on this topic it seems that the Embassy in Bangkok have done this for a few people...

As I sit here looking at available flights and thinking about getting a bus ticket I might as well give it a go. Though form my conversation an hour ago it seemed like just a case of, Oh, well. If that's what has happened then you must come to Bangkok for a letter.

The thing that annoys me is that there seems to be no consistency at the Immigration Offices....Some official will accept to put your new visa into the new passport and others won't.

Should we have known about this when there is no information for UK citizens on-line regarding an accompanying letter? Getting the new passport was easy. getting my 90 day 'non' B stamp - 'usually' a simple process - has turned into a very long trip to Bangok....

I'll let you know how this pans out....

Many Thanks....

[urbanspaceman]

I have just spoken to a very helpful Thai man at the embassy in Bangkok. I explained my situation - he suggested posting a stamped and signed letter to me (no need for suggestions from myself). He took my details and now all being well a the letter should arrive tomorrow which I can take to Nakhon Phanom Immigration.

Even if the letter arrives later and I have to pay for an 'overstay' it will save me money and more importantly, the time and hassle of going down to Bangkok to get the letter.

Hopefully there will be information added to the current about the need to have this letter.

I forgot to get the guys name because I will send a thank you note for his help. The British lady I previously spoke to obviously had more important things to do than offer some suggestions, guidance or help.

So, thankfully my situation has been resolved. Hope others with similar issues manage to sort them out.

Regards...

[ubonjoe]

Great news.

Thanks for letting us know.

[OJAS]

I have just spoken to a very helpful Thai man at the embassy in Bangkok.

Was it Porawan Sakunsirisub by any chance?

[urbanspaceman]

Hi - An update from my previous threads. I still haven't got my new passport stamped.

The UK embassy in Bangkok rang back later to tell I would have to go to Bangkok. (I didn't get the name of the original Thai man at the embassy. I intended to find out who he was to thank him).

It took two calls from myself explaining the disparity between my difficulties obtaining my non 'B' stamp in my new passport and those that had had help from the embassy. Also that I live nearly 15 hours away by bus. Eventually I was told to send scans of my passports and visas to the embassy. I was later sent a copy of my letter via email. The letter was too late to post on Tuesday evening and with the holiday on Wednesday it was posted on Thursday....I finally received the letter this morning.

I went straight to the Immigration office and they looked at the letter. Not good enough. Despite having photocopies of the main pages of my passport I was told to get photocopies of every page of my old passport. I tried asking why but was told 'you go get photocopies'....

I had lessons to teach so had to rush back to school. So now I will copy pages from my old passport and hope there isn't another surprise tomorrow.

Does anybody know the real procedure? It wouldn't be too bad but the ladies at this particular Immigration Office don't mind telling you what to do but try and ask them anything and it's just..."You go get copy..."

...I've tried to contact the British Embassy again this afternoon to ask if anyone knows what the new procedure is - but no joy.

This is dragging on a bit now

[ubonjoe]

I made copies of all pages because I wasn't sure what they wanted and they kept them. Also copy of TM6 departure card was wanted.

[urbanspaceman]

Yes....will give them everything...

Are they really needed? Isn't information on computer anyway....

If it's anything like Lesson Plans in Thai schools...they'll soon be gathering dust...God knows where they put them all....