Getting a UK passport for my newborn half Thai child

[phuket2013]

Hi

I am going up on Weds to hand in the application... the photos we have had done have a feint 'kodak' watermark on the reverse of the photo paper. The man in the kodak shop told us no where in thailand has 'blank' white photo paper.

Is this likely to cause a problem? Has anyone submitted photos on the kodak photo paper?

Thanks!

Oh and also, all the supporting documents, copies, forms etc... should i put them in a folder/ envelope?? How have other people put together their applications please? Do originals get returned or posted off with the copies?

[Alexuk]

Hello to every one! Thanks for all the info! Can some one explain to me A to Z where to start for my child passport step by step! I'm in uk going Bangkok September sort her passport! Where do I start ! Thanks from advance!

Alex uk

[phuket2013]

Hi Alex,

I applied for my son's last week. You'll need to book an appointment at VFS in Bangkok, email them 3 date options and they will confirm one for you. [email protected]

You will need to take 2 passport photos of the kid, originals plus COLOUR copies of all the supporting documents (sign each page), the Overseas (OS) application form and OS payment form. Here is a link to the relevant gov.uk page: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/applying/child/thailand

Payment: The fee at time of writing is £76.01, put a UK card detail on if possible as there have been many reports of Thai card payments not going through thus delaying the process.

Two passport photos: 45mmX35mm, on white photo paper with a light grey or cream background. Child's head can be 29-34mm in length. No 'supporting hand' can be visible. One must be countersigned, by someone who has known you 2 yrs and can confirm it is your child... do you know anyone in Th who can do this? Ideally a british passport holder. You'll need them to fill in section 10 of the application form, plus i got a copy of their npassport page, and had them sign that and gave their email & phone number. I've worked here a couple of yrs with Brit colleagues so got one of them to sign for me

The supporting documents I took might differ to your needs, depending on circumstances. Check the guidance notes for supporting documents on the link above. I took orginals and copies of: my uk passport (every pg incl. blanks), my son's Thai passport (every pg incl blanks), his Thai birth cert plus legal translation, my birth cert, fathers documents (thai birth cert +translation, Thai ID card, photo pg in Thai passport) and I got him to sign these. We aren't legally married so didn;t need to provide any marriage documents. Because I was born after 1983, I needed to take my parents documents (the baby's British grandparents), namely their birth certs, and their marriage cert. Had to be originals. If you need original copies here is the link https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate I also copied my UK driving licence for photo evidence, and got a letter of employment confirming my address as name & address evidence. The photo, name and address evidence should be for you according to HMPO as you are applying on behalf of the child. On that note, you will need to do a cover note explaining why you are applying on behalf of the applicant (LOL!). The person at VFS will check the copies against the originals, stamp them and hand the originals back to you.

The office is pretty easy to find. Coming from the airport take the rail link to Makkasan, walk down the concourse to Petchaburi metro and travel one stop to Sukhumvit metro. Take exit 3. Its 5 mins walk from there. Report to the foyer in the Trendy building, and take the lift to floor 28.

I'll let you know when we receive our passport, I'm expecting around 10wk turnaround. You can have someone collect it on your behalf if you give them a permission letter.

Good luck!

PS sorry for any spelling/punc mistakes, typing this between taking care of the little man!

[KunMatt]

Well, a couple of weeks ago I got an email from the Liverpool office asking me to prove my Thai address with an official Thailand document of any sort. I replied to the email and they re-sent the exact first email again, so I replied again with a different reply and they re-sent the exact first email yet again. I tried to call both hotlines but after 25 and 40 minutes of waiting each time I had to give up.

The problem is that I don't work in Thailand or have residency here so I have no official paperwork saying that I live here because technically I do not live here, I am just a long term tourist who has stayed here for more than 5 years. Our condo in BKK is in my partner's name, as is all of the utility bills which are also in Thai script so no use to anyone in the HMPO.

I have got a letter from my employer in the UK saying that they confirm my BKK address, and I have colour photocopied my 2nd UK passport which shows Non-Imm "O" visas and dozens of entry stamps and extensions based on having a Thai child for the last 5 years.

I can also send a colour photocopy of my UK driving license which has my UK address on it as ID but they specifically state in their email that they want me to confirm my address in Thailand, but I never stated my Thai address in the passport application as it does not ask for it. It only asks for the address of the applicant which is my daughter.

So I don't know what else I can send them to prove my address in Thailand and they are now pretty much impossible to contact to find out. The saga continues. Anyone got any ideas?

[stevomaesot]

Hi, I wonder if anyone could possibly give me some help and advice.

I've been living in Thailand for two and a half years now, I'm married to a Thai national and we have a year and we have a 18 month old little boy who was born here. Ok, we obviously registered his birth here and he has a Thai passport. What we want to do now is get him if possible is get him a British passport. Having read some of the posts it seems that we register his birth with the British Embassy in Bangkok then start the process of the passport. One of the things not too sure about is the countersigning of his photograph for the passport. Can I send the photo and application form to the UK and get a police officer friend to sign the photos and fill in the application form and send it back to us, is that allowed??

Or, do I have to find someone here with a British passport? Anyone that could offer any advice it would be much appreciated .

Thanks Steve

[Alexuk]

Thanks a lot PHUKET2013 clearly explained !! Thank u good luck with ur process!

Alex uk

[phuket2013]

Khun Matt, I am not 100% but seem to remember someone saying that your local immigration can provide a document with proof of address.. not sure if that's just for people who have to do the 90-day reporting or not but worth looking into. I guess any such document would also need translating from Thai to English..

Alex UK - you're welcome & good luck with yours too!

Stevomaesot - Countersignatory needs to have known you for 2+ years, and confirm that the child in the photo is yours and you have parental responsibility for them. They need to countersign only one of the two photos. On it they must write: I certify that this is a true likeness of mr/miss blah blah. See page 11 of the attachment. I'm assuming your UK friend could do it, providing they have met the baby and can confirm you are the parent...

OS_Guidance_Notes_08.13.pdf

[stevomaesot]

Khun Matt, I am not 100% but seem to remember someone saying that your local immigration can provide a document with proof of address.. not sure if that's just for people who have to do the 90-day reporting or not but worth looking into. I guess any such document would also need translating from Thai to English..

Alex UK - you're welcome & good luck with yours too!

Stevomaesot - Countersignatory needs to have known you for 2+ years, and confirm that the child in the photo is yours and you have parental responsibility for them. They need to countersign only one of the two photos. On it they must write: I certify that this is a true likeness of mr/miss blah blah. See page 11 of the attachment. I'm assuming your UK friend could do it, providing they have met the baby and can confirm you are the parent...

Thank you so much Phuket 2013... Just working out what other supporting documents we need, then hopefully ready to make the application

Many thanks again

[stevomaesot]

Khun Matt, I am not 100% but seem to remember someone saying that your local immigration can provide a document with proof of address.. not sure if that's just for people who have to do the 90-day reporting or not but worth looking into. I guess any such document would also need translating from Thai to English..

Alex UK - you're welcome & good luck with yours too!

Stevomaesot - Countersignatory needs to have known you for 2+ years, and confirm that the child in the photo is yours and you have parental responsibility for them. They need to countersign only one of the two photos. On it they must write: I certify that this is a true likeness of mr/miss blah blah. See page 11 of the attachment. I'm assuming your UK friend could do it, providing they have met the baby and can confirm you are the parent...

Thank you so much Phuket 2013... Just working out what other supporting documents we need, then hopefully ready to make the application

Many thanks again

[stevomaesot]

Ok, would really appreciate somebody clarifying something for me. We're about to apply for a British passport for my half Thai son who was born in Thailand. He's 18 months old, he has been registered here in Thailand and has a Thai passport. I'm in my 50's ( only just) and my Thai wife's in her 40's. Just need someone to help and confirm I will have the correct supporting documents.

So from the line . Born or adopted after 1 July 2006 ( not naturalised or registered)

2 recent identical photos : 2 passport photos, 1 countersigned

uncancelled passports : His Thai passport

Identity documents: photo evidence/ his Thai passport residency evidence/ his Thai birth certificate ( translated)

Parents documents : both parents birth certificates, my full uk birth certificate and the wifes Thai one translated.

It states that if born after 1 July 2006 no need for parents marriage certificates( is this true?)

Also seen on posts here that must provide colour copies of all pages of my UK passport and only 1st page of the wifes, but cant seem see that any where on the website......

Any help or advice would be much appreciated

Steve

[stevomaesot]

Hi, can anyone recommend someone in Bkk (preferably close to where we make the passport application) that can officially translate the various Thai documents.

Many thanks

Steve

[GarryUK]

Ok, would really appreciate somebody clarifying something for me. We're about to apply for a British passport for my half Thai son who was born in Thailand. He's 18 months old, he has been registered here in Thailand and has a Thai passport. I'm in my 50's ( only just) and my Thai wife's in her 40's. Just need someone to help and confirm I will have the correct supporting documents.

So from the line . Born or adopted after 1 July 2006 ( not naturalised or registered)

2 recent identical photos : 2 passport photos, 1 countersigned

uncancelled passports : His Thai passport

Identity documents: photo evidence/ his Thai passport residency evidence/ his Thai birth certificate ( translated)

Parents documents : both parents birth certificates, my full uk birth certificate and the wifes Thai one translated.

It states that if born after 1 July 2006 no need for parents marriage certificates( is this true?)

Also seen on posts here that must provide colour copies of all pages of my UK passport and only 1st page of the wifes, but cant seem see that any where on the website......

Any help or advice would be much appreciated

Steve

I'm no authority, but I think the passports they're on about would be UK passports as you can't have two (UK ones), and you won't need your parent's birth certificates if you were born in the UK and they are British as you're over a certain age, but if you were born outside the UK and at least one of your parents isn't British (i.e. both foreign) then you'll need additional proof regarding your child's right to a British passport, so I'd seek clarification from someone more knowledgeable.

We provided Thai birth certificate and house book (identity and proof of address), and our marriage certificate (parents don't have to be married if child born after 2006, but for older children you used to have to be), and the wife's birth certificate, all with English translations. I provided my full UK birth certificate (both my parents are British and I was born in the UK before a certain date so nothing more birth certificate-wise was required as proof of being able to pass on the right to a British passport to my daughter). My wife and I probably gave copies of our passports (I can't recall now as we were doing a settlement visa at the same time), and we had the two photos.

I had the form and photo countersigned by a work colleague in the UK, then went to Thailand and submitted everything with the wife and daughter. I'm probably supposed to live at the address we gave in Thailand as I was the one completing and submitting the application, but I don't and it didn't seem to cause a problem. The only issue we had was having paid the Embassy (we applied before VFS took over the role) a courier fee we expected the passport to be sent to her home, but instead that's just to send it to VFS in Thailand (you have the option at the time of submission to pay VFS a further small fee to post the passport to you, otherwise you'll have to collect it in Bangkok). For reasons we'll never know none of the phone numbers they had were ours even though they were given on the application form, so we never got the notifications about the passport having been processed and then received, and no-one in Thailand even considered letting the UK passport office know they couldn't contact us.

There's loads of places that can translate, and so many threads about it that I'm sure if you search (or start your own thread on ThaiVisa on the matter) you'll find loads of options. We first used one of the guys who hang around outside the MoFA (as we were applying for a visa there), but when that was closed because of the demonstrations we used someone in the basement of the main Government offices nearby, both of which are miles from where you need to be. Don't use the company opposite the British Embassy, apparently they're very expensive. And read through the translated documents before you pay/leave so that any spelling mistakes you pick out can be corrected without having to pay any more.

[stevomaesot]

Cheers Gary, thanks for the advice mate sounds spot on .

Roughly what do you think we should be paying to translate per doc? Did it few years ago for my visa and for the life of me can't remember how much.

Thanks again

[KunMatt]

I had an issue about a month ago where the HMPO emailed me for more info (see above) so I sent whatever I could but not really the official Thai government documents proving my THai address like they asked for because I could not.

I just got an email from the BKK HMPO titled "Passport Collection" saying "I write to inform you that the Passport in the name of ******** is now ready for collection from HMPO Bangkok Centre at Trendy Building".

I cannot collect for a few weeks but just want to know and cannot be bother to be on hold with their hotline for another 45 mins, it sounds like it is but does this definitely mean the passport application was successful or could this still be a rejection? I'm just asking cuz when applying for a visa they never tell you if you are successful by email.

Has anyone been rejected and got the same email?

[kennypowers]

I had an issue about a month ago where the HMPO emailed me for more info (see above) so I sent whatever I could but not really the official Thai government documents proving my THai address like they asked for because I could not.

I just got an email from the BKK HMPO titled "Passport Collection" saying "I write to inform you that the Passport in the name of ******** is now ready for collection from HMPO Bangkok Centre at Trendy Building".

I cannot collect for a few weeks but just want to know and cannot be bother to be on hold with their hotline for another 45 mins, it sounds like it is but does this definitely mean the passport application was successful or could this still be a rejection? I'm just asking cuz when applying for a visa they never tell you if you are successful by email.

Has anyone been rejected and got the same email?

I am sure you'd have heard by email or phone if your application had been denied or rejected. It's somewhat different to a visa in that your child is a British citizen by birth and therefore has a right to have a UK passport.

I'm just getting my documents ready to submit and finding it all very tedious and laborious.

What I don't understand is why they need originals of everything?

I don't have the original Tabien Baan; just a photocopy of the original and an official translation. Do you think this will be ok?

I can send the original birth certificate.

But can I ask you, do I have to send my daughter's original passport, or mine or my partner's, or will photocopies do?

Also, the address we reside at is a condo in BKK, not the address on the Tabien Baan. I had my daughter registered at my wife's house, but have put the condo address as the contact address for my daughter (for the passport to be posted back to).

I really want to get this right first time, as it's taken ages just getting through the preparation stage. Sometimes I wonder how, in 2014, with all this technology, we are still having to compile heaps of paperwork to get a flaming passport!

Thanks

[KunMatt]

I didn't send any originals. Colour photocopies of every page of both of my current passports, colour photocopies and just the front page of my partner and daughter's Thai passports.

If it is an option do it in the UK with your child there on a UK visa. It's easier and the Post Office's "check and send" service will make sure everything is correct.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[saowanee76]

I want to get my son a British passport, do I need to register him at the British Embassy first before I apply for the PP? (I am a British citizen, my partner, the mother of our son, is Thai and we are currently living in Thailand). Thanks

[eezergood]

I did it, in person, in the UK - much much easier!

[Franky Bear]

I want to get my son a British passport, do I need to register him at the British Embassy first before I apply for the PP? (I am a British citizen, my partner, the mother of our son, is Thai and we are currently living in Thailand). Thanks

No. I've just completed the process

[saowanee76]

I want to get my son a British passport, do I need to register him at the British Embassy first before I apply for the PP? (I am a British citizen, my partner, the mother of our son, is Thai and we are currently living in Thailand). Thanks

No. I've just completed the process

Thanks Franky Bear. So did you just go to the VFS in Bangkok to get it all done? How long did the entire process take?

Thanks again

[KunMatt]

I want to get my son a British passport, do I need to register him at the British Embassy first before I apply for the PP? (I am a British citizen, my partner, the mother of our son, is Thai and we are currently living in Thailand). Thanks

No. I've just completed the process

Thanks Franky Bear. So did you just go to the VFS in Bangkok to get it all done? How long did the entire process take?

Thanks again

I applied 1st May and the passport came back to BKK on 5th August, however it took about 3 weeks longer than it could have because they requested more info from me.

[Franky Bear]

I want to get my son a British passport, do I need to register him at the British Embassy first before I apply for the PP? (I am a British citizen, my partner, the mother of our son, is Thai and we are currently living in Thailand). Thanks

No. I've just completed the process

Thanks Franky Bear. So did you just go to the VFS in Bangkok to get it all done? How long did the entire process take?

Thanks again

I had an agent in Pattaya do it for me. Thing is, i am lead to believe that we were more or less the last application that could be done the way ours was. We started in april and the passport arrived in Bkk on june 1st, although it took me Emailing Liverpool towards the end of june to ask why it was taking so long, then got a reply saying it'd been in Thailand a month.

[KunMatt]

I did it, in person, in the UK - much much easier!

Definitely the way to do it now. The BKK VFS are pretty useless and cannot help you with any enquiries or info. The UK HMPO have done everything they can to make sure that they cannot help you if you need them; no direct telephone numbers or email address, 45 min phone queues, 5 days to reply to any email enquiry and then they just send back a templated reply each time, they do not give you the reference number in BKK so you cannot track or enquire about your application.

I just renewed my own passport in the UK using the Post Office's Check and Send service and it was a pleasure by comparison! This is the level of service that the BKK VFS should be offering because it is so complicated and one small discrepancy in the application paperwork causes a huge delay or even rejection after 3 months, but instead they are just basically couriers who don't understand what is needed for the application or have any power to help you at any point.

[stevomaesot]

Hi ,I'm beginning the process of getting my half Thai son a British passport. Just wondering if anybody else had a problem getting the passport photo done out here. The says the photo must be 45mm x 35mm, and on plain white photographic paper. My local printshop said they can only print on paper with a faint Fujifilm print on the back, also concerned about the background, BPO states that the image must in front of a plain cream or light grey background, the printshop said they can only do a white background. Is it gonna be easier to email the image to someone in the UK and get them to get it printed????? any advice will be much appreciated...

Thanks Steve

[GarryUK]

Hi ,I'm beginning the process of getting my half Thai son a British passport. Just wondering if anybody else had a problem getting the passport photo done out here. The says the photo must be 45mm x 35mm, and on plain white photographic paper. My local printshop said they can only print on paper with a faint Fujifilm print on the back, also concerned about the background, BPO states that the image must in front of a plain cream or light grey background, the printshop said they can only do a white background. Is it gonna be easier to email the image to someone in the UK and get them to get it printed????? any advice will be much appreciated...

Thanks Steve

When we started getting everything together for our application my daughter was only 4 days old and I was in the UK so I had to get the wife to lay her on a white towel and take a load of close photos on her phone. I picked 3 possibles from what she sent, made up a contact sheet (3 rows of 4 photos) in Word to get them the right size, and printed them on my inkjet photo printer. I cut them all out, got a work colleague to countersign one of each and took them with me to the Embassy (who were doing the applications at that time). The girl there picked one and that's what we sent. We didn't have any problems with the picture.

Once we'd received the passport I went back to Thailand to bring them both back to the UK (the wife didn't fancy trying to handle a baby and luggage for a 16 hour trip alone). In the week I was in Thailand we applied for a Thai passport as well. They got the wife to hold the baby while I held a white sheet between them so the wife didn't appear in the photo. It was better than the one used for the UK passport, but mostly because she was now 3 months old and able to look at the camera. It's a shame they couldn't email me a copy.

[evadgib]

Applicable link: Changes to birth and death registration overseas

[naboo]

Applicable link:

Changes to birth and death registration overseas

I love the way that they highlight that there is absolutely no reason to register a birth overseas.

Also, looking at this thread, glad I got my daughter's first UK passport last year. Looks like a nightmare now!

Are renewals equally utterly ridiculous?

[brewsterbudgen]

Applicable link:

Changes to birth and death registration overseas

I love the way that they highlight that there is absolutely no reason to register a birth overseas.

Also, looking at this thread, glad I got my daughter's first UK passport last year. Looks like a nightmare now!

Are renewals equally utterly ridiculous?

Surely if you register the birth in the country of birth, there is no reason to register it in the UK? Applying for a British passport is a different process, and doesn't require the birth to have been registered in the UK.

Am I right?

[7by7]

You are right; if the birth is registered in the country where it took place there is no need to register it again in the UK.

From the link provided by evadagib

Consular birth registration is an optional service and is only available to those born overseas who have an automatic entitlement to British Nationality at birth. There is no legal requirement for a consular birth registration and a local birth certificate with a certified translation if necessary should be sufficient for all purposes in the UK including applying for a passport.

[KunMatt]

My ordeal is finally over. I collected my daughter's passport from Trendy this morning.

It took over 3 months, 5 visits to Trendy, a whole lot of ignored unanswered emails and far more time listening to the waiting message on their UK hotline than I ever want to remember.

But it's finally over, thank goodness!!

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