In a bind with passport renewal!

[ToNyBrittainJones]

Hi,

I have a quick question about passport renewals.

I currently am here with 30 day flight entry allowance, although my passport is an exciting history of to and fro travel between local boarders and different visas.

I am hoping to soon get a business visa, but I currently have less than 6 pages (which I have been told is the amount needed for visa processing).

Due to my lack of pages and 30 day entry allowance if I renew my passport, which I read takes a month (British Passport), I will be in the overstay period whilst waiting for the passport to arrive.

From looking at the British www.gov.uk site I currently think that I have to get an 'emergence travel document' for the period when I do not have a valid passport, because I really do not want an overstay blemish on the first pages of the new passport.

By doing this I will have to, at least, get a 15 day land entry within this time until the actually passport arrives and I can get a business visa.

Is this correct? If so it is very expensive. Is there an alternative?

Thanks for reading and giving advice, my head really spins when it comes to immigration issues.

[Mario2008]

As UK national you will now get 30 days at a land border.

You do not need at least 6 pages free, as long as you have space in your passport to place a visa/stamp in you will be fine.

You can apply for a new paspsort and keep on to your old passport in the meantime.

[Upnotover]

Not sure if you can use the emergency travel document for a border run, I think they are primarily a get you home document. You might be lucky and get a new one back within 30 days, mine took exactly 21 (via Hong Kong), now the application goes directly to the UK a couple of days are saved. And as you don't send the old passport back you could always take a chance on a border run with it - although its cancelled so far as the UK is concerned its not likely every border in the world is aware of that fact.

[Sceptict11]

Just take a trip to Laos and get a double entry tourist visa.

[ubonjoe]

I would say 3 pages would be enough dependent on where you go for your visa.

One for other countries visa, one for Thai visa and another for an extension of stay stamp.

[overherebc]

Not sure if you can use the emergency travel document for a border run, I think they are primarily a get you home document. You might be lucky and get a new one back within 30 days, mine took exactly 21 (via Hong Kong), now the application goes directly to the UK a couple of days are saved. And as you don't send the old passport back you could always take a chance on a border run with it - although its cancelled so far as the UK is concerned its not likely every border in the world is aware of that fact.

Recently got an ETD.

I had to show documentation etc for the journeys I had to make, I don't know if that is essential for all cases but was in mine.

Each journey is printed in the ETD with dates etc for places to be visited.

It cannot be used for a trip that is not noted in the ETD itself.

Also bear in mind that not all countries accept an ETD and the onus is on you to be aware of the requirements.

You can have up to 5 noted journeys and I would imagine that you, as in my case, have to show some kind of documents to prove you 'have' to go on each one.

Thick end of 5000 baht by the way.

[Soutpeel]

Not sure if you can use the emergency travel document for a border run, I think they are primarily a get you home document. You might be lucky and get a new one back within 30 days, mine took exactly 21 (via Hong Kong), now the application goes directly to the UK a couple of days are saved. And as you don't send the old passport back you could always take a chance on a border run with it - although its cancelled so far as the UK is concerned its not likely every border in the world is aware of that fact.

I just got my new one back and even though it was over the holiday's mine took 24 days door to door

[ToNyBrittainJones]

Ahh, I think the biggest fall in my logic was that I thought you had to send your old passport with the application for a renewal. I sure I did that last time, but saying that I was in England when that application was sent.

Ok, if it stands that I can keep hold of my passport during processing/delivery of a new one then maybe the safest option would be to get a tourist visa. May even bite my lip and do the Thai visa run to Laos :s

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated!

[overherebc]

Ahh, I think the biggest fall in my logic was that I thought you had to send your old passport with the application for a renewal. I sure I did that last time, but saying that I was in England when that application was sent.

Ok, if it stands that I can keep hold of my passport during processing/delivery of a new one then maybe the safest option would be to get a tourist visa. May even bite my lip and do the Thai visa run to Laos :s

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated!

Remember that HMPO state that they cancel your old passport the day they receive your application.

No-one actually states that the cancellation is sent out as a notification to every border post in the world but it would seem unlikely,

Post your application and do a border run in the next day or two while your application is in the mail and you should get your new PP back within 30 days.

[Soutpeel]

Ahh, I think the biggest fall in my logic was that I thought you had to send your old passport with the application for a renewal. I sure I did that last time, but saying that I was in England when that application was sent.

Ok, if it stands that I can keep hold of my passport during processing/delivery of a new one then maybe the safest option would be to get a tourist visa. May even bite my lip and do the Thai visa run to Laos :s

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated!

Remember that HMPO state that they cancel your old passport the day they receive your application.

No-one actually states that the cancellation is sent out as a notification to every border post in the world but it would seem unlikely,

Post your application and do a border run in the next day or two while your application is in the mail and you should get your new PP back within 30 days.

Your most likely 100% correct that they don't send out notification s, but they do tell you not to travel on your existing pp for the duration, so suppose the question is anyone brave enough to try ? LOL as if you do get caught out somewhere at a border post...going to be a big please explain me thinks and all the hassles that would go with travelling on a cancelled PP

[steve187]

post 9 above would seem to be the best advice