Changes to British passport services in Thailand

[Lite Beer]

Changes to British passport services in Thailand

The British Government is making important changes to the passport service for British nationals living overseas.

From 10 December 2013, the application process will be centralised and British nationals in Thailand should submit their passport renewals to Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK. First time passport applicants should continue submit their application to the British Embassy in Bangkok. Their application will then be sent on to Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK for processing.

This important change follows reviews by the National Audit Office and is designed to achieve economies of scale, greater security and consistency in decision making. All British passports have enhanced sophisticated security features designed to reduce the likelihood of identity theft and passport fraud.

Further information
Before 10 December 2013, British nationals living in Thailand submitted passport renewals direct to a regional processing hub in Hong Kong and first time applications via the British Embassy in Bangkok.

From 10 December 2013, information on the UK Government website will advise British nationals on the new passport application process. All the information required to make an application will be found here. There will be no change to processing times.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/changes-to-british-passport-services-in-thailand

A new change has been done see: CHANGES TO BRITISH PASSPORT SERVICES IN THAILAND

[kingalfred]

No changes?what about cost?the Uk FCO have and are screwing citizens with "double" the price for passport compared to the price in the Uk,Maybe now it should be the same price as it's being sent directly to the UK, A money making exercise issuing passports to nationals overseas and the excuse given has always been ,the money is spent on providing a better services to British nationals ,it's hilarious.

Edited December 12, 2013 by kingalfred

[billd766]

Having read the post and clicked on various item it ONLY tells me how to apply in the UK.

The price list is for the UK only.

It is like groundhog day in the USA.

Click where you like but you always end up where you started.

A crap link from the government who cares about you, NOT.

[ubonjoe]

Having read the post and clicked on various item it ONLY tells me how to apply in the UK.

The price list is for the UK only.

It is like groundhog day in the USA.

Click where you like but you always end up where you started.

A crap link from the government who cares about you,                                               NOT.

Using this link and going through all the steps will get you to the prices that are now equal to getting a passport urgently and paying for the premium service.

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y

Screen shot of prices shown.

[ubonjoe]

Link for getting passport urgently in UK. https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

Screenshot of prices.

[evadgib]

It is like groundhog day in the USA.

Agreed, but some are looking from the other direction instead of the plying the ol' "the embassy ain't doing nuffink" malarkey.

Edited December 12, 2013 by evadgib

[OJAS]

Will DHL continue to offer a special rate for sending an application to the UK, just as they have done to HK? Or will the only option now be to use Thailand Post's International EMS?

[AyG]

"Your application will take 4 weeks from when its received by Her Majestys Passport Office in the UK Slower than before

"Your passport and supporting documents will be returned to you by courier."

It appears you have to submit your original passport, rather than a photocopy as currently - even though we're required to have our passport with us at all times in Thailand.

[Sceptict11]

"Your application will take at least 4 weeks from when it’s received by Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK."

Slower than before.

"Your passport and supporting documents will be returned to you by courier."

It appears you have to submit your original passport, rather than a photocopy as currently - even though we're required to have our passport with us at all times in Thailand.

If you follow the links it will be noted that the "old " passport is retained but copies of all pages are now required.

[PREM-R]

"Your application will take at least 4 weeks from when it’s received by Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK."

Slower than before.

"Your passport and supporting documents will be returned to you by courier."

It appears you have to submit your original passport, rather than a photocopy as currently - even though we're required to have our passport with us at all times in Thailand.

For Thailand it says

"You must send a full colour photocopy of your entire current passport (every page including blank pages). Don’t send your current passport with your application - you can keep it for security and ID purposes - but you can’t travel with it after you’ve applied for a new one."

[wileycoyote]

Useful posting ,at least we know

[OJAS]

"Your application will take at least 4 weeks from when it’s received by Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK."

Slower than before.

"Your passport and supporting documents will be returned to you by courier."

It appears you have to submit your original passport, rather than a photocopy as currently - even though we're required to have our passport with us at all times in Thailand.

For Thailand it says

"You must send a full colour photocopy of your entire current passport (every page including blank pages). Don’t send your current passport with your application - you can keep it for security and ID purposes - but you can’t travel with it after you’ve applied for a new one."

But there does now appear to be no option other than to complete the application form by hand - whereas Hong Kong did at least provide a means for this to be done online. A thoroughly retrograde step in this e-age IMHO. My fingers are firmly crossed that HMPO will finally catch up with the 21st Century in this regard by the time I next renew my passport in 2023.

[Anon999]

Having read the post and clicked on various item it ONLY tells me how to apply in the UK.

The price list is for the UK only.

It is like groundhog day in the USA.

Click where you like but you always end up where you started.

A crap link from the government who cares about you, NOT.

If you follow the correct links you can apply for a passport renewal!!

[spacebass]

No Service.

[kingalfred]

4 weeks cant travel, cost sending coloured pages,and maybe no postage discount. Surely Mr Kent can arrange some deal with a mail company as there are a large numbers of uk passport holders in thailand?I mean we are paying 100% more for the passport compared to getting it in the Uk and now it's actually being processed in that place.What a lousy service contracted out to the passport agency .thanks FCO and Mr Hague

Edited December 12, 2013 by kingalfred

[tingtongteesood]

Thank you all for the info. Useful to know. Shame it still costs 9 times as much as a Thai passport though. They should reduce the price since they have closed so many offices and really offer very few if any services these days.

[ubonjoe]

Off topic post removed.

[recom273]

So on the face of it, nothing too drastic, apart from the outgoing courier fee. Please correct me if im wrong as i need to renew in the next few months.

No outgoing discount with DHL.

When applying to HK, a few years back, I payed an all in fee and payed by bankers draft, no longer an option. It seemed about the same, 9,000 odd baht.

No countersignature required .. which was always difficult to find.

but also this in the notes, evidence of Name and address.

The first point is visa, but no address on that. Do I need to get another resident certificate from immigration ?

Edited December 12, 2013 by recom273

[Muhendis]

Thank you all for the info. Useful to know. Shame it still costs 9 times as much as a Thai passport though. They should reduce the price since they have closed so many offices and really offer very few if any services these days.

Brilliant info....

Is it really nine times as much as a Thai passport? Wow.

Maybe the UK Govt. has got a rice pledging scheme and needs the money to pay for it....

[evadgib]

Changes to passports 10 Dec 13.pdf

Edited December 12, 2013 by evadgib

[Mudcrab]

Thank you all for the info. Useful to know. Shame it still costs 9 times as much as a Thai passport though. They should reduce the price since they have closed so many offices and really offer very few if any services these days.

Simple solution - get a Thai passport and have all the services in country.

[Soutpeel]

Many thanks you morons at HM passport office I have just sent my renewal under the old requirement's to HK on the 10th and only sent a copy of the Thai visa and data page as they asked for what happens now ? HK going to forward for me to the UK, send it back to thailand, reject the application cos have never sent copies of all pages ?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Sceptict11]

Many thanks you morons at HM passport office I have just sent my renewal under the old requirement's to HK on the 10th and only sent a copy of the Thai visa and data page as they asked for what happens now ? HK going to forward for me to the UK, send it back to thailand, reject the application cos have never sent copies of all pages ? Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Hopefully they will honour the previous arrangements.

There should of course been advance notice of the changes .

[Soutpeel]

Many thanks you morons at HM passport office I have just sent my renewal under the old requirement's to HK on the 10th and only sent a copy of the Thai visa and data page as they asked for what happens now ? HK going to forward for me to the UK, send it back to thailand, reject the application cos have never sent copies of all pages ? Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Hopefully they will honour the previous arrangements.

There should of course been advance notice of the changes .

The should have a transition period in place and noted these up coming changes clearly on the website a long time ago I was literally only looking at the web site last week to make sure I had everything covered and didn't see mention of any changes

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[OJAS]

Thank you all for the info. Useful to know. Shame it still costs 9 times as much as a Thai passport though. They should reduce the price since they have closed so many offices and really offer very few if any services these days.

Brilliant info....

Is it really nine times as much as a Thai passport? Wow.

Maybe the UK Govt. has got a rice pledging scheme and needs the money to pay for it....

No, the UK Govt, in fact, has a "tax-relief-for-the-ultra-rich" pledging scheme as a result of the outrageous decision in the 2012 Budget to reduce the top-end tax rate from 50% to 45%.

What is particularly scandalous IMHO, however, is that we Brit expats living in Thailand are expected to pay £128.00 for a new 32-page passport, whereas UK applicants only have to pay £72.50! Not to mention extra postage costs on top. That said, I'm sure that none of us in our right minds would begrudge making a philanthropic donation of £55.50 each time we renew our passport to those needy idle rich back in Blighty.

Edited December 12, 2013 by OJAS

[OJAS]

Many thanks you morons at HM passport office I have just sent my renewal under the old requirement's to HK on the 10th and only sent a copy of the Thai visa and data page as they asked for what happens now ? HK going to forward for me to the UK, send it back to thailand, reject the application cos have never sent copies of all pages ? Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Hopefully they will honour the previous arrangements.

There should of course been advance notice of the changes .

The should have a transition period in place and noted these up coming changes clearly on the website a long time ago I was literally only looking at the web site last week to make sure I had everything covered and didn't see mention of any changes

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It might be worth your while emailing Hong Kong ([email protected]) to check where things stand on your application. Based on my renewal experience earlier this year, they do respond to emails promptly.

[KittenKong]

What is particularly scandalous IMHO, however, is that we Brit expats living in Thailand are expected to pay £128.00 for a new 32-page passport, whereas UK applicants only have to pay £72.50! Not to mention extra postage costs on top.

Indeed.

Given that the service received and the time frame for receiving it are now absolutely identical for people applying from here and for those applying for a normal passport in the UK, I see no reason at all why the cost of applying from Thailand should not also be identical (plus the postage both ways, of course).

[Soutpeel]

Many thanks you morons at HM passport office I have just sent my renewal under the old requirement's to HK on the 10th and only sent a copy of the Thai visa and data page as they asked for what happens now ? HK going to forward for me to the UK, send it back to thailand, reject the application cos have never sent copies of all pages ? Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Hopefully they will honour the previous arrangements.

There should of course been advance notice of the changes .

The should have a transition period in place and noted these up coming changes clearly on the website a long time ago I was literally only looking at the web site last week to make sure I had everything covered and didn't see mention of any changes

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It might be worth your while emailing Hong Kong ([email protected]) to check where things stand on your application. Based on my renewal experience earlier this year, they do respond to emails promptly.

Thanks for this will do, in fact dropped an email to the BE in bkk this evening asking the route to follow, I have no problem sending another application to the UK in the next day or so if I need to, but if HK do process the application and I send another to the UK one suspects confusion is going to occur

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Water Buffalo]

Thank you England.

So what is the exact address we have to send the application to?

Edited December 13, 2013 by Water Buffalo

[overherebc]

Many thanks you morons at HM passport office I have just sent my renewal under the old requirement's to HK on the 10th and only sent a copy of the Thai visa and data page as they asked for what happens now ? HK going to forward for me to the UK, send it back to thailand, reject the application cos have never sent copies of all pages ? Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sent you PM