New Uk passport, immigration require letter.

[Tocher]

I recently received my new passport from the UK, on attending Koh Samui immigration for my 90 day report they said I would have to first transfer my retirement stamp in to my new passport, In order that they could do that they required a "letter" from the Embassy.

I have sent an e-mail to <edited> with scans attached of the details immigration told me they would need (copy old passport, new passport, visa stamp, last entry and departure card) and I'm waiting for a response.

As my 90 day report is now due and even though the immigration officer seemed to think it would not be a problem if I missed the deadline for reporting I'm a bit uneasy.

Has anyone out there experienced this requirement?

I'm thinking I may have to go to Bangkok to get this letter but obviously that would incur a fairly large expense and I'm not even sure if the Embassy is running a normal service due to the unrest.

Any helpful suggestion greatly appreciated

Edited January 31, 2014 by ubonjoe
Deleted email address. Forum rules

[ubonjoe]

Moved to visa forum.

[ubonjoe]

There have been reports of the embassy mailing the letter to people that live a long distance from Bangkok.

They will want a copy of both passports photo/name page.

Perhaps a phone call might get better results.

[edwardandtubs]

For a non-b you just need the two passports with the relevant photocopies and then fill in a form they give you. Maybe it's different for retirement visa.

[ubonjoe]

For a non-b you just need the two passports with the relevant photocopies and then fill in a form they give you. Maybe it's different for retirement visa.

There is no difference for transfer of stamps between extensions of stay (it is not a visa) based upon different reasons.

Some offices do not ask for the embassy letter though if that is what you are referring to. The office (or officer) you used may not of asked for it.

[Soutpeel]

Although not koh samui I have just transferred my stamps to a new pp in bkk and was asked for nothing other than the old pp

[edwardandtubs]

Me too. Transferred in Bangkok, just had to fill in the form. Sucks to live in Samui it seems.

[wayned]

The US Embassy always includes a letter requesting that the stamps be transferred with the new passport. The UK, however, most be on a cost cutting drive and does not include the letter with the passport. They would rather have their citizens jump through hoops at this end when the stamps need to be transferred!

[OJAS]

"I have sent an e-mail to <edited> with scans attached of the details immigration told me they would need (copy old passport, new passport, visa stamp, last entry and departure card) and I'm waiting for a response."

Presumably this relates to an email which the OP has sent to the British Embassy? They were certainly prepared to issue me with a letter this time last year without the need for a physical visit after I had pleaded with them that a 200-mile round trip from Rayong Province where I live would result in considerable personal inconvenience and expense. So, given the present volatile situation in Bangkok, they will, hopefully, now be more favourably disposed to waiving their standard requirement for a trip to them in person in any event.

The OP should, however, note that, in addition to passport copies as required by Immigration, the Embassy also asked me for specific info relating to the most recent date I entered Thailand, my original visa type - and, of course, the address to which they should send the letter by EMS!

Having gone to the trouble of obtaining this letter, Maptaput immigration did not, in the event, ask for it when I got my then existing stamps transferred from old to new passports. However, in at least 3 cases subsequently posted on here, they did insist on this letter! So, in common with Immigration-related matters in general, whether or not the Embassy letter is required appears solely dependent on which side of the bed the IO you deal with got out of that particular morning.

Edited February 1, 2014 by OJAS

[evadgib]

The US Embassy always includes a letter requesting that the stamps be transferred with the new passport. The UK, however, most be on a cost cutting drive and does not include the letter with the passport. They would rather have their citizens jump through hoops at this end when the stamps need to be transferred!

Cost cutting doesn't come into it. Passports trickled from Bkk to HK (Regional/SE Asia) & finally back to UK (Global) between 2010 & 2013. HMPO (HM Passport Office; part of the Home Office) are responsible for passports worldwide, the vast majority of which require no such letter. The situation isn't helped by the fact that IO's are seemingly free to interpret the rules instead of adhering to uniform direction nationwide.

Edited February 1, 2014 by evadgib

[ubonjoe]

The US Embassy always includes a letter requesting that the stamps be transferred with the new passport. The UK, however, most be on a cost cutting drive and does not include the letter with the passport. They would rather have their citizens jump through hoops at this end when the stamps need to be transferred!

Cost cutting doesn't come into it. Passports trickled from Bkk to HK (Regional/SE Asia) & finally back to UK (Global) between 2010 & 2013. HMPO (HM Passport Office; part of the Home Office) are responsible for passports worldwide, the vast majority of which require no such letter. The situation isn't helped by the fact that IO's are seemingly free to interpret the rules instead of adhering to uniform direction nationwide.

The UK embassy has never been forth coming with letters needed for immigration. When they issued the passports a person had to ask for the letter. Many got their passports and then had to return to get the letter.

It is not a matter of interpreting of the rule it is simply enforcing the rule.

[evadgib]

If such a rule existed and was made known via the appropriate channels surely HMPO & foreign equivalents would issue said letters routinely?

Edited February 1, 2014 by evadgib

[ubonjoe]

If such a rule existed and was made known via the appropriate channels surely HMPO & foreign equivalents would issue said letters routinely.

The rule does exist and it has been effect for many years. Many embassies and consulates issue the letter without even asking when you get a new passport. But the UK embassy has never just handed them out with the passport when they were issuing them you had to ask. The mail in applications has now made it even more problematic for those from the UK.

[evadgib]

Do you have a link?

[ubonjoe]

It is one of many immigration policies and rules that is not posted publicly.

At one time it was one of the requirements listed on this page of immigration website under other services and then transfer stamps but it does not seem to work now. http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/base.php?page=service#

[prodriver]

When I got my new UK passport last year, I went along to my local Immigration office (Kanchanaburi) to get my details transferred from my old passport to my new one. They said I would need the talked about letter in this topic from the British Embassy.

BUT they told me that if I didn't want to get the letter from the Embassy when doing yearly extensions, just continue to visit the office with both my old passport and my new one.....no problem!

As it happened, I did eventually go ahead and I got the letter from the Embassy without needing to visit the Embassy....they posted it to me as I don't live in Bangkok.

The point being is that it seems that you do not have to transfer your details to the new passport if you choose not to. Just continue to show both old and new passports.

[edwardandtubs]

When I got my new UK passport last year, I went along to my local Immigration office (Kanchanaburi) to get my details transferred from my old passport to my new one. They said I would need the talked about letter in this topic from the British Embassy.

BUT they told me that if I didn't want to get the letter from the Embassy when doing yearly extensions, just continue to visit the office with both my old passport and my new one.....no problem!

As it happened, I did eventually go ahead and I got the letter from the Embassy without needing to visit the Embassy....they posted it to me as I don't live in Bangkok.

The point being is that it seems that you do not have to transfer your details to the new passport if you choose not to. Just continue to show both old and new passports.

I think that's right. I was asked whether or not I wanted to transfer the stamps. I only said yes so that I could do the 90 day reports by post. If you plan to do the 90 day report in person then just turn up with both passports every time.

[overherebc]

If such a rule existed and was made known via the appropriate channels surely HMPO & foreign equivalents would issue said letters routinely.

The rule does exist and it has been effect for many years. Many embassies and consulates issue the letter without even asking when you get a new passport. But the UK embassy has never just handed them out with the passport when they were issuing them you had to ask. The mail in applications has now made it even more problematic for those from the UK.

Strangely enough I was issued one, letter that is, without asking for it when I got my ETD.

I didn't in fact need it as my PP arrived a day before I was due to travel and I had no problems at Swampi, old PP, full, with Multi 0 and new PP given to Imm' and visa number was hand written in the new PP.

Imm' also were easy to deal with and just reminded me to carry both old and new while the visa in the old one was still valid.

Extensions on 90 reporting are obviously a bit different.