Waiting for new passport - making travel plans?

[thatmanagain]

Hi folks,

I applied for my new British passport about a month ago, when the process was to courier everything directly to Liverpool (i.e. before they brought in the new process where you apply at the Visa Centre at the Trendy building in Nana). My existing UK passport still has years left to run, but I'm down to a single blank visa page remaining, hence the renewal.

I'm in-country on a single-entry 60-day tourist visa right now, which expires on April 13th. I can extend that by 30 days at immigration, but have not yet done so, as I was hoping my replacement passport would arrive before then.

My worry is that apparently when the replacement passport is finally issued, my existing passport will be electronically cancelled, and I will no longer be able to travel on it. Trouble is, I'd imagine there's going to be a few days between that happening, and me actually receiving the replacement.

A few questions, if anyone knows the answers:

1. Is there any way I can track the progress of my renewal? The application arrived in Liverpool in early March, which I can see by tracking the EMS number. The UKPA took payment by credit card as soon as they received it, so the money's gone from my account but I haven't heard anything since. I don't have any kind of reference number for the application itself. Is there anything I can do, beyond checking my mailbox every day?

2. If I still don't have my replacement by the end of next week, can I go to immigration and get the 30-day extension on my existing passport, in order to avoid overstay? I don't want to get into trouble if Immigration check my passport and discover that it's already been cancelled by the UK.

3. I'm booked on a domestic flight next weekend, to head up north for Songkran. Can I still use my existing passport as ID, even if the UKPA have already cancelled it?

Thanks in advance, much appreciated.

[ubonjoe]

You can get your 30 day extension without a problem. Immigration does not check to see if passports are valid and am not even sure they can. There is no international data base for cancelled passports. Only the UK has those records.

You passport is still valid for ID purposes.

[Mario2008]

Depends on where you travel to.

Within the EU this kind of information is actively distributed, (especially regarding missing/stolen passports). The last one also being shared true Interpol I believe.

Within Asia there is less to fear.

[thatmanagain]

Thanks chaps, much appreciated.

I'll see if I can get over to Lat Phrao tomorrow to apply for the extension. That'll give the UK another 30 days to get my new passport to me - hopefully that's long enough!

[Mario2008]

Within Thailand it will not be a problem.

If you need to travel abroad and still don't have your new passport, you have the option of asking for an emergency passport from your embassy.

[DLP]

To check on passport application progress try this email. [email protected]

[bigt116]

My new passport took 21 days from posting to getting back, so yours should be with you soon

[catmac]

In much the same situation myself. Application sent to Liverpool by DHL, arrived and signed for on 5th March. Cash taken from credit card on 7th March and just a deathly silence since. However their blurb on the website did say "at least" 4 weeks after receiving the application, so I live in hope!

When you realise that in the space of 3 months they have changed the proceedure 3 times (Hong Kong to Liverpool to Bangkok), I would imagine the whole thing is in a state of chaos. The latest scenario - applying in person in Bangkok - may be great for those of us living in the City, but for those of us in the sticks it would mean 2 round trips to BKK as the new passport has also to be collected in person there. Not something I would look forward to.

[thatmanagain]

My new passport took 21 days from posting to getting back, so yours should be with you soon

Did they contact you at all in between you applying and receiving your new passport?

Or did you just wake up one day to your new passport in your mailbox?

[catmac]

My new passport took 21 days from posting to getting back, so yours should be with you soon

Did they contact you at all in between you applying and receiving your new passport?

Or did you just wake up one day to your new passport in your mailbox?

It may seem a petty matter to some, but your passport is such an esential need for us long-term retired ex-pats that it's no wonder that we get a bit peeved at the apparant indifference of the UKPA. In my opinion, they must be about the most user unfriendly agency that I've ever had to deal with. In this day and age of automated messaging, I find it unbelievable that they are unable to either acknowledge receipt of your application, or keep you informed of how things are going, and - most impotantly - telling you when your new passport has been despatched along with DHL's tracking number. Instead of which, we are left sitting in blissful ignorance as to whether our passport is coming or not.