Reduction in passport fees for UK citizens overseas

[sandrabbit]

I've had 2 passports by this method and it works ok but the problem is Thai immigration don't accept the passport without a letter of notorisation from the British embassy so when renewing your visa you have to go to Bangkok to get this letter which is free. So why don't they post the passports to the embassy to be picked if you have to go there anyway?. Thai immigration is like a brick wall, can't you see it's the same person in the pictures just 10yrs difference - I could scream lol?.

Edited March 14, 2014 by sandrabbit

[davyboy]

Can't see any mention of when it comes into effect, been meaning to do mine for the last two weeks. Bit of lucky procrastination there.

WHY CANT YOU?------------ it simply states the 7th April !!!!!!!

Some can read but some can't!

[harber8]

Happy Days.....I need to renew mine soon and get my daughters first one. This should save me just north of 70 quid.

[DLP]

Just sent of my passport application last week 147 pounds.

[DLP]

The new passport price still cheaper than a reidence certificate at the British Embassy in BKK

How do you work that out. I got my residence certificate last month from immigration cost 300 baht.

[MooKwai]

To contact via email:

https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outreach/Passport_Enquiries.ofml

It comes into effect 7th April.

Thank you, clearly missed that, been quite a long day.

[daiwill60]

This reduction comes as a result of efficiency savings made over the last 3 years by bringing back the processing and issuing of overseas passports to the UK, whilst maintaining the highest levels of security and customer service.

Funny how they ask you to put all your credit card details on a form, that is included with all your colour photocopied details then, don't you think??? WHy cant you get a transaction number when filling in your form. Then send on online payment using Paypal or something similar. Or is that thinking too logically????

The new fees are as follows: Adult 32 page passport £83.00 Child 32 page passport £53.00 Jumbo 48 page passport £91.00 (Child and Adult). Yes result in this respect, glad I have been holding back on doing this. Shame it isn't coming sooner though

Edited March 14, 2014 by daiwill60

[evadgib]

My current passport expires soon.............how much is 83 quid in real money?

It remains 83 quid!

Edited March 14, 2014 by evadgib

[evadgib]

I've had 2 passports by this method and it works ok but the problem is Thai immigration don't accept the passport without a letter of notorisation from the British embassy so when renewing your visa you have to go to Bangkok to get this letter which is free. So why don't they post the passports to the embassy to be picked if you have to go there anyway?. Thai immigration is like a brick wall, can't you see it's the same person in the pictures just 10yrs difference - I could scream lol?.

They'll issue by email or post if asked.

[Jip99]

My current passport expires soon.............how much is 83 quid in real money?

At today's exchange rate 4525 baht. Plus courier fees.

That's 2225 baht more than it cost me for a 52 page passport last year and it only took 10 days to get.

Wrong answer.

The real answer is "about 3,500 Baht less than it was yesterday""

Edited March 14, 2014 by Jip99

[biplanebluey]

My current passport expires soon.............how much is 83 quid in real money?

It remains 83 quid!

In real money--------- about4150BT

[paulchiangmai]

Seems to me if the UK government gave most of you the passport you would still moan.

[Tafia]

Just had mine re-newed. It arrived Liverpool 17/2 and was received here today.

[Anon999]

Got mine back last month.

Cost me £151.

Yes they seem to be charging £151 even thought he stated fee is £148! Hmmm

[8OA8]

Wow why is this so expensive ? I felt bad paying my French passport about 60 Euro...but this one ! Wow ! How can they justify it ?

Surely we don't need to explain the difference.

Think Rolls Royce Phantom and citroen 2Cv

[8OA8]

Well I think I will stick with my French passport. Half the price and I get it back in less than 10 days. I was thinking of getting a UK one, but now I know the price......

Great idea. Let the French people keep French passports and their special word for computer and the British keep British passports and keep calling a computer a computer

[NanLaew]

Woohoo!... the balloon chasers here must be thinking they've died and gone to heaven.

[Jonmarleesco]

Well, well, well! What a surprise! Particularly given that the UK government has a tendency to go the other way. Pity it didn't fit with my timing last year, especially as it was for 48 pages. Perhaps they could go a stage further and charge the over 84s for their passport; if they can afford to travel abroad, it stands to reason they can afford the cost of the passport.

[Tanlic]

I just looked at the website for applying and it says you can pay by credit or debit card.

Credit card I don't have and not even Thai Airways will accept Kasikorn Bank debit card so I suspect the UK Government wont either.

Can anyone tell me if other methods of payment are available?

Edited March 14, 2014 by Tanlic

[DLP]

I just looked at the website for applying and it says you can pay by credit or debit card.

Credit card I don't have and not even Thai Airways will accept Kasikorn Bank debit card so I suspect the UK Government wont either.

Can anyone tell me if other methods of payment are available?

I tried paying with SCB debit card that did not work, so i had to get a friend to do it on a english credit card.

I don't think there is any other way to pay it.

[thepool]

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I just looked at the website for applying and it says you can pay by credit or debit card.

Credit card I don't have and not even Thai Airways will accept Kasikorn Bank debit card so I suspect the UK Government wont either.

Can anyone tell me if other methods of payment are available?

I tried paying with SCB debit card that did not work, so i had to get a friend to do it on a english credit card.

I don't think there is any other way to pay it.

A Bangkok Bank Bfirst debit card will work if one asks the bank to enable overseas transactions

[jacko45k]

I would suggest that this significant reduction is more to do with the thousands of complaints that they have received from UK citizens overseas, along with their inability to provide sufficient justification for the previous exorbitant cost of a passport.

And some complaints from the Consuls in Somalia, Afghanistan, Niger, Angola etc etc

[haybilly]

Got mine back last month.

Cost me £151.

Ditto--Bloody He*ll!

[nearlynormal]

Australia nearly 4000dollars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nearlynormal]

sorry 400

dollars

[ubonjoe]

My current passport expires soon.............how much is 83 quid in real money?

At today's exchange rate 4525 baht. Plus courier fees.

That's 2225 baht more than it cost me for a 52 page passport last year and it only took 10 days to get.

Wrong answer.

The real answer is "about 3,500 Baht less than it was yesterday""

It is the correct answer if he wanted it in baht. I used the exchange rate for buying pounds if you have baht.

I was making a cost comparison to a passport from another country.

[watso63]

Bandits took my £147.86 on 10th March. Fingers crossed I will get my new passport back. The rules about photos worry me. No photo booths here. Photo took in a Fuji photo shop in Surin (best I could find anyway). Showed them the rules but they changed the background colour, cropped, chopped and used all kinds of clever computerised crap, printed out the result, cut the photos to the correct size using a paper guillotine and put out their hands for the money. They assured me that they have done this "many time for farang", so no problem! Looked good to me, but we all know about small minded officials, so now I'm sweating as of course there is no online progress reporting of how the application is proceeding, must be too difficult, even though I checked my letter all the way to Liverpool using thailandpost tracking number. (Passport expires Oct, but retirement visa Jul)

[watso63]

Wow why is this so expensive ? I felt bad paying my French passport about 60 Euro...but this one ! Wow ! How can they justify it ?

We call it rip off Britain.

[watso63]

Seems to me if the UK government gave most of you the passport you would still moan.

You ever lived there? I challenge you to live there, work hard for 30 years and have nothing to moan about at the end of it. There are reasons why so many rats have deserted a sinking ship.

Edited March 15, 2014 by watso63

[angsta]

As you know in Thailand we have to have ID as foreigners so the UK Passport Authority allows us to keep the old Passport which is very considerate, although naturally it cannot be used for travel as soon as you apply for a new one the old Passport is cancelled. I put a note in my application that I only had a 30 day Visa in Thailand as the website said it can take longer to get a new Passport and was very impressed it only took about 21/2 weeks until my new Passport came back so I had no overstay. Yes I thought at the time compared to applications I the UK it was very expensive about time it was reduced in cost.

I know it says it can't be used for travel however what is to stop you doing a visa run to say Cambodia and getting 30 days. There were people getting on planes last week with stolen passports at an airport.

Do you really have to give them proof of residency to renew a passport?