Thai Passport issuance service to resume next week

[ubonjoe]

BANGKOK: -- THE FOREIGN MINISTRY'S passport division will today reboot its computer server for online passport issuance. The server had to be shutdown for security reasons on January 13 after anti-government protesters took over the Government Complex.

The suspension of the server and the service at the Passport Office headquarters inside the Consular Department on Chaeng Wattana Road has resulted in an influx of people at the branch offices in Pinklao and Bang Na areas as well as to those in Chiang Mai, Phuket and Songkhla. Prior to the protests, 18 branch offices were able to issue passports and applicants only had to wait three days for a new passport. Now, however, applicants are having to wait 10 to 12 days.

Full story here:http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702557-thai-foreign-ministry-passports-to-be-issued-in-downtown-bangkok/#entry7404993

[arfandy]

Dear ALL,

I'm an Indonesian and my wife is Thai. Recently we just had our first newborn in Bangkok. It took us nearly 2 weeks for the hospital to issue Thai birth certificate due to current Bangkok Shutdown. After that, i HAD to use an agency to deal with English Translation + legalization by MFA (took only 3 working days and sent via EMS)... which i came to believe that doing so myself would probably take weeks, several travelling attempts to get queue number.

Since i live close to passport office nearby Pinklao, question is: how is the queue in that Pinklao office? The passport is for my 3 weeks old daughter, whom we might need to travel back to Indonesia soon. All documents are ready, except no queue number just yet. I am thinking to use some agency to help get the passport done soon. Any advices which trustworthy agency should i use? (websites, addresses, phone number, emails, are very much appreciated). Of course, shall the queue in Pinklao back to normal (like 3-4 months ago), then i guess we wouldn't need to use agency services.

Thank you.

[mahjongguy]

Consider going to the temporary office at Queen Sirikit Convention Center which was opened today. Easy access from the MRT.

Remember that Friday is an important holiday and all government offices and banks will be closed.

[ubonjoe]

The lines should decrease quickly now that they have their servers running again.

They also have set up a mobile passport office that will reduce the load at the permanent locations.

You can also apply at the passport office in Bangna.

[arfandy]

Thanks. but is there any recommended thai passport service agency in Bangkok? I've heard tons of visa services or any other government issuance document services. But hardly found any related to passport services.

[ubonjoe]

You not find any agency to do a Thai passport application because they cannot them. A person has to do it themselves because they do a digital photo when an application is done.

[mahjongguy]

Fingerprints too.

[arfandy]

How would they take 3 weeks old newborn photo ID? i sincerely hope they don't need newborn signature yet. and btw, what is the validity of passport issued for newborn baby? I think it will be tough to differentiate the face of 3 weeks old and the face of 3 years later.

[ubonjoe]

The passport has to have a photo on it. They do infant photos all the time.

Info on passports here: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/1415

[gazzzz]

Hi All,

I'm new to this site, but not Thailand, my wife is from Uttaradit and we currently live in the UK and coming over to Thailand in August. Problem is her passport runs out end of October and it looks like we won't have time to renew it here. I didn't know you can't extend e-passports! Anyway my question is, is the Chiang Mai passport office open and can you get a passport in one day. The reason I am asking is that it I keep seeing references to passport offices being closed trawling the internet but nothing about them re-opening! Please advise

[ubonjoe]

Hi All,

I'm new to this site, but not Thailand, my wife is from Uttaradit and we currently live in the UK and coming over to Thailand in August. Problem is her passport runs out end of October and it looks like we won't have time to renew it here. I didn't know you can't extend e-passports! Anyway my question is, is the Chiang Mai passport office open and can you get a passport in one day. The reason I am asking is that it I keep seeing references to passport offices being closed trawling the internet but nothing about them re-opening! Please advise

Things are back to normal now for getting a Thai passport.

The Chiang Mai office is open. She will apply for her passport and then it will will be sent by EMS within a week.

[gazzzz]

Thank you for the quick reply and very re-assuring.