Getting a UK passport for my newborn half Thai child

[eezergood]

They are a total nightmare! Maybe better to go home and do the same day application in the uk!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[KunMatt]

They are a total nightmare! Maybe better to go home and do the same day application in the uk!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

That's my backup plan. If the passport gets rejected on a technicality then I will get my child a UK visa for the holiday we are planning to the UK this summer and make her passport in the UK while we are there.

[cagayan de oro]

OMG !!! it sounds as complicated as getting my childrens first uk passport in the philippines

[brewsterbudgen]

The guy who signed mine works in IT, also he is Australian, it states in the application form notes that the countersignatory can also be from a commonwealth country. It says it may take longer if the countersignatory isn't a UK passport holder but that wasn't my experience.

I can't remember where I saw it written but I'm sure the babies doctor can sign for you.

I counter-signed my colleague's passport application for his child (Thai mother) and I'm just a lowly Engl;ish teacher!

[GarryUK]

I went to the office on Wednesday to find out you can't apply for an oversea's applicants passport within the UK if the applicant is not present in the country.

My son is in Thailand, so they are trying to say I have to travel back to Bangkok to have an interview and submit my application from there.

Now the application then gets sent from Thailand to the UK back to Thailand. All I want to do is submit the application from the UK as I am presently here and working.

It doesn't make any sense travelling abroad to send an application back to the country I am in at the moment.

Has anyone ever submitted an overseas passport application whilst in the uk ?

Having not received my daughter's passport yet the wife is getting nervous, even though we don't travel to the UK until the beginning of July, so I just phoned the helpline and got the same sort of response. It turns out you can't enquire about an overseas application if you're in the UK. Clearly the logic no-one but the passport office can see is why I have to be in Thailand to call the UK helpline, what's the problem with me calling whilst I'm in the UK? I'm still the same person making the call, and I'm calling the same number, so why does my current location matter so much?

[cagayan de oro]

I went to the office on Wednesday to find out you can't apply for an oversea's applicants passport within the UK if the applicant is not present in the country.

My son is in Thailand, so they are trying to say I have to travel back to Bangkok to have an interview and submit my application from there.

Now the application then gets sent from Thailand to the UK back to Thailand. All I want to do is submit the application from the UK as I am presently here and working.

It doesn't make any sense travelling abroad to send an application back to the country I am in at the moment.

Has anyone ever submitted an overseas passport application whilst in the uk ?

Having not received my daughter's passport yet the wife is getting nervous, even though we don't travel to the UK until the beginning of July, so I just phoned the helpline and got the same sort of response. It turns out you can't enquire about an overseas application if you're in the UK. Clearly the logic no-one but the passport office can see is why I have to be in Thailand to call the UK helpline, what's the problem with me calling whilst I'm in the UK? I'm still the same person making the call, and I'm calling the same number, so why does my current location matter so much?

[daveyravey]

Ok i just got back from VFS Bangkok. My application was accepted by VFS. I will now post my experience to see if it helps other people needing to make a first passport for their half Thai-half British child. I am married to my Thai wife so if you are not married maybe docs are different.

I firstly emailed VFS for an appointment. I gave them 4 possible days and i got the first day i asked for.

Here is the email address [email protected]

When you get the appointment here is where you need to go. It is 100m just down Sukhumvit soi 13 on the right. Go into the main entrance and

the lifts to the 28th floor are behing Tom n Toms coffee shop.

Tip .... do all your photocopying elsewhere as it is 5 times more expensive inside this building. Sukhumvit 13 is right by Nana BTS station.

Trendy Office Building, 28th Floor,
Sukhumvit Road Soi 13, Klongtoey Nua
Wattana, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand

Ok now you got the appointment you had better get your paperwork right.

This is what i needed and it was all accepted.

1. Full colour copies of every page of my British passport. Even the empty pages. All the way from front to back and in colour.

2. My full birth certificate from Uk. This must have your mum and dads names on it . Short version not allowed. They will check original and keep copy.

3. My childs Thai birth certificate and a translation and a photocopy of original.

4. My wifes passport and a photocopy of main page.

5.A signed copy of my wifes id card. I did not take this card as my wife needed it elsewhere.

6.My wifes birth certificate and a photocopy and a translation.

7.Our Tabien Baan housebook and photocopy and translation showing wifey and my child.(this acted as proof of address)

8. 2 photos of my child. Be careful to check the dimensions as there is a set requirement from chin to forehead. Be sure to check. 1 photo

must be certified by a suitable person. I used a friend who is retired civil servant Rules are here .https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports

9. Thai marriage certificate and the written part. This is 2 sheets. They need to be copied and translated.

10. I also needed my divorce certificate to prove a previous marraige was over. This also applies if your previous partner died. You need a death certificate. They checked the original and kept a copy.

Obviously you need to complete the application form and payment form.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-passport-creditdebit-card-payment-authorisation

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/applying-for-a-passport-from-outside-the-uk-application-form

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-passports-guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-passport-supporting-documents-group-2

I have highlighted red what you need translated. I used Keyvisa in Pattaya for translation. He charged me 500b per page and it was done sameday. Overall it was 8 pages. The boss there also checked my paperwork so i got some free advice. If you go to Bangkok allow time for your translations.

I went upstairs at the Trendy 20 mins before my time and got a ticket opposite the lifts and entered the big waiting room. It was well organised and i went directly to window 11 where passports were being dealt with. I was out of there by 3pm. The Thai lady who served me was polite and very helpful. She had a checklist and i just handed her each paperwork as she requested it and she filed all the paperwork she needed to keep and gave me back originals. She handed me a receipt and took my phone number and email and told me they would be in touch within a few weeks to collect the passport.

I hope this helps others in my situation.

[KunMatt]

Ok i just got back from VFS Bangkok. My application was accepted by VFS. I will now post my experience to see if it helps other people needing to make a first passport for their half Thai-half British child. I am married to my Thai wife so if you are not married maybe docs are different.

I firstly emailed VFS for an appointment. I gave them 4 possible days and i got the first day i asked for.

Here is the email address [email protected]

When you get the appointment here is where you need to go. It is 100m just down Sukhumvit soi 13 on the right. Go into the main entrance and

the lifts to the 28th floor are behing Tom n Toms coffee shop.

Tip .... do all your photocopying elsewhere as it is 5 times more expensive inside this building. Sukhumvit 13 is right by Nana BTS station.

Trendy Office Building, 28th Floor,

Sukhumvit Road Soi 13, Klongtoey Nua

Wattana, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand

Ok now you got the appointment you had better get your paperwork right.

This is what i needed and it was all accepted.

1. Full colour copies of every page of my British passport. Even the empty pages. All the way from front to back and in colour.

2. My full birth certificate from Uk. This must have your mum and dads names on it . Short version not allowed. They will check original and keep copy.

3. My childs Thai birth certificate and a translation and a photocopy of original.

4. My wifes passport and a photocopy of main page.

5.A signed copy of my wifes id card. I did not take this card as my wife needed it elsewhere.

6.My wifes birth certificate and a photocopy and a translation.

7.Our Tabien Baan housebook and photocopy and translation showing wifey and my child.(this acted as proof of address)

8. 2 photos of my child. Be careful to check the dimensions as there is a set requirement from chin to forehead. Be sure to check. 1 photo

must be certified by a suitable person. I used a friend who is retired civil servant Rules are here .https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports

9. Thai marriage certificate and the written part. This is 2 sheets. They need to be copied and translated.

10. I also needed my divorce certificate to prove a previous marraige was over. This also applies if your previous partner died. You need a death certificate. They checked the original and kept a copy.

Obviously you need to complete the application form and payment form.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-passport-creditdebit-card-payment-authorisation

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/applying-for-a-passport-from-outside-the-uk-application-form

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-passports-guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-passport-supporting-documents-group-2

I have highlighted red what you need translated. I used Keyvisa in Pattaya for translation. He charged me 500b per page and it was done sameday. Overall it was 8 pages. The boss there also checked my paperwork so i got some free advice. If you go to Bangkok allow time for your translations.

I went upstairs at the Trendy 20 mins before my time and got a ticket opposite the lifts and entered the big waiting room. It was well organised and i went directly to window 11 where passports were being dealt with. I was out of there by 3pm. The Thai lady who served me was polite and very helpful. She had a checklist and i just handed her each paperwork as she requested it and she filed all the paperwork she needed to keep and gave me back originals. She handed me a receipt and took my phone number and email and told me they would be in touch within a few weeks to collect the passport.

I hope this helps others in my situation.

I submitted different paperwork to you. I'm hoping to get the application back a the end of the month.

I didn't submit our Tabian Baan or my partner's Thai ID card. But I did submit my partner's Thai passport, my child's Thai passport and my child's UK birth registration.

Also, I only submitted a colour photocopy of the main page of my passport, and the rest of it in Black and White, simply because I couldn't find a copyshop anywhere with a colour photocopier, they could only scan and colour print which would've taken ages and cost a lot with my extra large 48 page passport.

Let's see what happens with my application. I'll update here...

[eezergood]

Thanks guys, but I am going a different route. I called the helpline and also got a Northern Irish woman and must say she was great, very helpful. She highlighted the issues in getting the passport and the lack of correct info given from places such as VFS, and the subsequent application being rejected. In short we will get his passport in the UK

[GarryUK]

Update: 8 weeks in and still no sign of a passport. My call to the passport advice line as mentioned a few posts back was fruitless - the guy was unable to offer any help or advice in as much that not only did it seem to be a problem me being in the UK while enquiring about an application made abroad, but he also inferred (even though I selected the option for applications made abroad) that I had called the wrong number. He did say he was emailing the right department and that they would call me within 48hrs, but being Saturday that would mean Monday or Tuesday. Well, Sunday now and I never got the call last week, so what next?

I fly out in 5 weeks, and we're all due to fly back together on July 5th, so still plenty of time for the passport to turn up.

I'm starting to wonder about all the possible problems:

> Could it be because we applied at the British Embassy on April 1st a few days before the changeover (to VFS on April 6th), especially as they took the new lower rate of £76.01 while I fully expected to pay the old rate of £104.50

> Could it be because the person filling out the application has to live in the country where the application is being made? I completed the form giving the childs address, but I actually live in the UK myself.

> Could the passport have found it's way to VFS with all their applications, even though we paid the fee for it to be posted to her home?

I have to question why if there are any problems with the application that nobody has called one of us to explain what's wrong and what we need to do. I'm therefore fully expecting to have to go to the British Embassy as soon as I get to Thailand to apply for an Emergency Travel Document which wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the fact that the wife's spouse visa which was expected to take 3-4 months was turned around in just 10 days (from date of application to visa received at home).

Anyone else apply for a first child passport March or April this year? And have you received the passport?

[GarryUK]

Thanks guys, but I am going a different route. I called the helpline and also got a Northern Irish woman and must say she was great, very helpful. She highlighted the issues in getting the passport and the lack of correct info given from places such as VFS, and the subsequent application being rejected. In short we will get his passport in the UK

So, assuming you're in the same boat (Thai wife, child born in Thailand) are you expecting to be able to apply for a passport in the UK while the child is still in Thailand? Or have you paid for a visa so the child will be in the UK? And if it's a visit visa would the child be expected to return to Thailand before coming back (as required by the visa), or would they become exempt from that requirement once they have been issued with a British passport?

I really don't want my thread to go off-track, but I'm curious as to what other route you think is possible.

[eezergood]

We will go to the uk on a visitor visa, both my wife and son, then apply for his passport whilst we are in the uk. As we live full time in Thailand, we will of course return as per the visa requirements

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[KunMatt]

Well here's a bit of an update on my situation.

So I applied 4 weeks ago at the VAC at Trendy in Bangkok. They told me it would be about 4 weeks so I was getting a bit itchy not having heard anything back so I looked to call the VAC for an update but, of course, they have no means of telephone communication. So I checked the passportapplication.service.gov.uk website and it says that I can track my application online by logging into my account, but I don't have an account login because I made my appointment in person.

So I called the HM Passport Office in UK and spent 40 minutes on hold waiting for an operator to pick up my call. When he finally answered I was asked for my reference number of the application which I also didn't have from the VAC. The rep told me that they have been getting calls all week from people in Thailand who are not being given a reference number but because of this he cannot track my application. All he could do was email the Liverpool office who were handling my application and get them to email me with my reference number and the status of my application. Which so far they have not. I'd already emailed them using their website to check the status and they hadn't answered that either yet.

He also told me that from last Tuesday they have been given a new turnaround time of processing applications of EIGHT WEEKS before sending them back to Thailand. So this means we are looking at 10 weeks until we get the passport if the application was successful, which I'm not sure it will be because the girl in VAC who sent my documents off didn't know what was required and I could easily have missed something or got something wrong.

If I had known it would be like this then I would just have got my daughter a UK visa and made her UK passport in the UK. As it is I'm thinking about cancelling her trip in July and just going by myself and my son.

A couple of years ago we made our son's UK Birth Registration and his UK passport a the same time, at the same counter in the British Embassy and both documents came back in about 3 weeks. Now, if I am lucky, then the same procedure has taken me 12 weeks and involved a lot more legwork and stress.

[TexasRanger]

Well here's a bit of an update on my situation.

So I applied 4 weeks ago at the VAC at Trendy in Bangkok. They told me it would be about 4 weeks so I was getting a bit itchy not having heard anything back so I looked to call the VAC for an update but, of course, they have no means of telephone communication. So I checked the passportapplication.service.gov.uk website and it says that I can track my application online by logging into my account, but I don't have an account login because I made my appointment in person.

So I called the HM Passport Office in UK and spent 40 minutes on hold waiting for an operator to pick up my call. When he finally answered I was asked for my reference number of the application which I also didn't have from the VAC. The rep told me that they have been getting calls all week from people in Thailand who are not being given a reference number but because of this he cannot track my application. All he could do was email the Liverpool office who were handling my application and get them to email me with my reference number and the status of my application. Which so far they have not. I'd already emailed them using their website to check the status and they hadn't answered that either yet.

He also told me that from last Tuesday they have been given a new turnaround time of processing applications of EIGHT WEEKS before sending them back to Thailand. So this means we are looking at 10 weeks until we get the passport if the application was successful, which I'm not sure it will be because the girl in VAC who sent my documents off didn't know what was required and I could easily have missed something or got something wrong.

If I had known it would be like this then I would just have got my daughter a UK visa and made her UK passport in the UK. As it is I'm thinking about cancelling her trip in July and just going by myself and my son.

A couple of years ago we made our son's UK Birth Registration and his UK passport a the same time, at the same counter in the British Embassy and both documents came back in about 3 weeks. Now, if I am lucky, then the same procedure has taken me 12 weeks and involved a lot more legwork and stress.

A shoddy, disgraceful level of service.

[KunMatt]

Well here's a bit of an update on my situation.

So I applied 4 weeks ago at the VAC at Trendy in Bangkok. They told me it would be about 4 weeks so I was getting a bit itchy not having heard anything back so I looked to call the VAC for an update but, of course, they have no means of telephone communication. So I checked the passportapplication.service.gov.uk website and it says that I can track my application online by logging into my account, but I don't have an account login because I made my appointment in person.

So I called the HM Passport Office in UK and spent 40 minutes on hold waiting for an operator to pick up my call. When he finally answered I was asked for my reference number of the application which I also didn't have from the VAC. The rep told me that they have been getting calls all week from people in Thailand who are not being given a reference number but because of this he cannot track my application. All he could do was email the Liverpool office who were handling my application and get them to email me with my reference number and the status of my application. Which so far they have not. I'd already emailed them using their website to check the status and they hadn't answered that either yet.

He also told me that from last Tuesday they have been given a new turnaround time of processing applications of EIGHT WEEKS before sending them back to Thailand. So this means we are looking at 10 weeks until we get the passport if the application was successful, which I'm not sure it will be because the girl in VAC who sent my documents off didn't know what was required and I could easily have missed something or got something wrong.

If I had known it would be like this then I would just have got my daughter a UK visa and made her UK passport in the UK. As it is I'm thinking about cancelling her trip in July and just going by myself and my son.

A couple of years ago we made our son's UK Birth Registration and his UK passport a the same time, at the same counter in the British Embassy and both documents came back in about 3 weeks. Now, if I am lucky, then the same procedure has taken me 12 weeks and involved a lot more legwork and stress.

A shoddy, disgraceful level of service.

TBH I was lured into a false sense of security because it was so smooth and easy to get my Son's UK passport at the British Embassy last time that I didn't anticipate any problems this time. And getting my daughter's UK birth registration is still as easy at the British Embassy, but now they have handed the passport applications over to the VAC it has become much more difficult.

Because of this I didn't know that you had to book an appointment online, if I had done so I would have a login and I think I could track the status of the application. I thought that by going to the VAC in person before making the application to check exactly what I needed I was being more prepared, but it made it worse because when I arrived on the day there was no appointment made for me (which is why they told me then that I had to make the appointment online) and now I have no way of tracking my application. When I made the appointment in person they should have told me this as it was only yesterday that I found out about this.

In the UK the post office who acts the same as the VAC do in Bangkok, have a check and send service where they make sure that everything is correct with the passport application before sending it off. There is absolutely no reason why it should not be the same in Bangkok, in fact it should be more pertinent when doing it from halfway around the world. This is the main reason why I am worried.

For all I know the passport could turn up today. I won't know what is going on until either the VAC or the Liverpool office call me with some news. Fingers crossed it all works out OK. I just needed to vent a bit!

And yeah, 40 minutes on hold to a call centre who then wouldn't help me. Something I really don't miss about the UK!!

[GarryUK]

I take a tiny bit of comfort knowing that someone else is in exactly the same boat as me. I submitted our application at the Embassy just before the change so also got no reference to use to track the application. I also called the passport helpline, who also told me they'd email Liverpool who would call me back within 2 days, but 2 weeks have since passed so I'm clearly not getting a call. It's been a little over 8 weeks since we submitted our application and 8 weeks since the money was taken on my card but as yet no passport. Let's hope next week it turns up...

Thanks for your update, if you applied at Trendy then you're a little after us so I'll update when (if) we receive our daughters passport which might be an indication that yours is close if it's simply a time issue.

[KunMatt]

I take a tiny bit of comfort knowing that someone else is in exactly the same boat as me. I submitted our application at the Embassy just before the change so also got no reference to use to track the application. I also called the passport helpline, who also told me they'd email Liverpool who would call me back within 2 days, but 2 weeks have since passed so I'm clearly not getting a call. It's been a little over 8 weeks since we submitted our application and 8 weeks since the money was taken on my card but as yet no passport. Let's hope next week it turns up...

Thanks for your update, if you applied at Trendy then you're a little after us so I'll update when (if) we receive our daughters passport which might be an indication that yours is close if it's simply a time issue.

I went to Trendy this morning actually to check in person about the current status. The guy there showed me the application process and an email back from Liverpool about each case and it is Liverpool who generate the reference numbers so nobody in Bangkok has one because the VAC here cannot generate them

I literally just got an email back from Liverpool from my online enquiry 2 days ago asking me for the reference number so they can check the status of my application!

Now on hold with the call centre again, only 15 minutes so far.....

[TexasRanger]

Probably doesn't help but I am becoming enraged on your behalf.

Sent from my SM-T210R using Tapatalk

[KunMatt]

Probably doesn't help but I am becoming enraged on your behalf.

Sent from my SM-T210R using Tapatalk

Thanks but tbh I give up. I'll just go to the UK my son and I in July and my wife and daughter will stay here and wait her passport.

Only 20 mins on hold to the UK today also before being told they couldn't help me.

[KunMatt]

So after an online enquiry 8 days later they sent me this enlightening personalised reply;

Thank you for your enquiry.

I am sorry I am unable to help you further. We cannot disclose any information about a passport application unless you have the correct barcode reference number relating to the application.

Thank you

Customer service e-mail team

My advice to anyone who wants to make their child's UK passport is that if you have a chance to do it in the UK then get your kid a UK visa and just make it in the UK at a Post Office. It's just grief to do it from Thailand at the moment.

[GarryUK]

Little hope of getting the passport in time having seen what's happening in the news now so not happy.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/10892345/David-Cameron-30000-passports-delayed.html

[MAJIC]

I just emailed for an appointment for next week. This is the reply i got.

I am amazed that an official British agency can give information like this. It appears a 5 year old child wrote it!!

Rule Brittania no more i am afraid!

plus to add insult to injury it is written in far cking American!!

Importants for HMPO

*The application what apply in Bangkok, Thailand will process and be considered by HMPO in the UK at least 4 weeks up to 6 months approximately

*Please provide your passport and whole pages color copies with your signature on every pages, the other document can be in black-white.

*Thailand country only accept the payment by Credit/Debit card, require to print out and complete the payment form. Submit at the same time with document at HMOP Bangkok Center.

*The applicant need to apply in person in Bangkok, Thailand only

*No posting service but you can allow someone to collect it with your authority latter, please inform it on the day you apply.

*All documents which are not in English need to be translated into English with the official stamp

*The children no need to attend, the parent can apply on behalf of him/her

It may be an Official British Agency,but it's still Subbed out Locally!

[GarryUK]

Things are really not looking good.

I emailed Liverpool (via the website) stating that having applied via the Embassy I have no receipt or tracking number, and asked if by providing every other bit of information they could give me the tracking number and a status update. Got a reply Wednesday saying:

Thank you for your enquiry.

In order for us to track your passport application please can you provide the following information:

The application number
Your full name and applicant’s full name if different
Your full postal address
Applicant’s date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

I will be happy to conduct a further search for you.

Well I'm sorry but I'm pretty sure I said I need them to provide that to me as I was never given one. Will reply back in a minute in the hope I can get some sense.

I also emailed the Embassy in Bangkok pre-empting the need for an Emergency Travel Document. While they said that if I've been waiting more than 8 weeks I won't have to pay the 5320B fee, I'm most concerned by the 1-2 weeks to issue as I'd already pointed out that my flights are booked and are non refundable to arrive Sunday 29th June and leave Saturday 5th july.

Thank you for your enquiry,

We do apology for delaying passport in the UK, according to the Home Secretary has announced to assist the British Citizen who has applied for the passport to the HM passport office and plan to travel as urgent, they are increased many applicants to apply for an ETD at the British Embassy. To apply for first time Emergency Travel Document (ETD), we still require supporting document of the child, the same as applying for first time passport and have to forward all paperwork via e-mail directly to the Nationality officer to approve for the nationality status and it takes approximately 1-2 weeks before issuing an ETD.

Please prepare as below list, all originals will be returned at the time of application and we require certified translations (ie official translations from a licensed translation) of any documents that they are not in English.

There shouldn't be any problem reprinting and completing all the documentation, although I may have to get more translations done unless I'd left extra copies with the wife, but if I have to miss our flights while waiting for my daughters passport, then turn up at the airport when we have it looking for a flight home, I'll have written off £500 for the missed flights and have to look forward to paying considerably more for a new flight home at short notice.

What are the chances of me recovering these additional costs by suing the passport office or government? Sadly I imagine slim to none.

[Alexuk]

Really good info thanks !

Alex uk

[KunMatt]

Still nothing to report from me either on this mate, I've also given up hope for the UK trip we planning to take at the end of July so I cancelled it.

Liverpool do not want to help you. It's why they have no direct contact number or email address. It's why they take 4 working days to reply to an online enquiry and only send you back a template pre-written reply asking you for more info so they can fob you off for at least another 4 days. It seems to be the classic "defer to give up" routine all the big companies use so they don't need to provide any real personal support until you get sick and tired of jumping through hoops and back down. The fact that it's their system that is at fault not generating the reference number in Bangkok but it is us who are the ones with the problem is irrelevant to them because it just means that there are a large number of applicants asking for help that they can ignore.

I did send a complaint to them using the online form and, as usual, I got a pre-written reply 4 days later saying it has been forwarded on and I would receive some feedback from the Liverpool office. That was 3 weeks ago and of course I heard nothing.

I really regret not applying for the passport before the changeover at the end of March. If I had known it would be such a big difference then of course I would not have done it this way. It's an appalling level of service from the HMPO and they should be ashamed of themselves.

[eezergood]

Does anyone know the number, from Thailand, to conatct the Liverpool passport office?

[KunMatt]

Does anyone know the number, from Thailand, to conatct the Liverpool passport office?

+44 845 601 5107 - Opens at 08:30am UK time.

But you are only supposed to call this if they have asked you for more info, and you will be on hold for ages, let me know for how long cuz I gave up after 25 mins!

Good luck.

[eezergood]

I did manage to get through last time very easily, need to make an appointment

[eezergood]

Does anyone know the number, from Thailand, to conatct the Liverpool passport office?

+44 845 601 5107 - Opens at 08:30am UK time.

But you are only supposed to call this if they have asked you for more info, and you will be on hold for ages, let me know for how long cuz I gave up after 25 mins!

Good luck.

Lasted 15 mins & gave up. The 1300 number works ok now

[GarryUK]

Final update from me. It turns out our passport had been processed early June meeting the 6-week lead time given, but it was sent to VFS rather than to her home, and for reasons we'll never know the phone numbers given to VFS were nothing to do with us so they couldn't let us know and didn't let the UK know they couldn't contact us either. We found this out after I called the passport helpline Tuesday I think when I was flying out the following Saturday (28th June), and they actually called me back this time! The lady was great, and when I explained everything she looked up my daughters passport, found it had been sent to VFS, called VFS to confirm they could locate it, then called me back to tell me. Just before her second call VFS actually called from Thailand too and we agreed I could go to collect the passport on the Monday as soon as I got to Bangkok.

Based on what some people have posted regarding leaving Thailand on a British passport when she didn't enter on it, we applied for a Thai passport too. Only issue we had was at the airport as I'd forgotten to keep the birth certificate in my hand luggage, but 10 minutes talking to the wife and they let us on our way (they must realise the birth certificate had to have been produced to get the passport).

So everything is done and complete, for now anyway. Wife and daughter are in the UK, and as the wife visited last year she's settled in straight away. Next stop December 2016, further leave to remain...