Madness. I can't apply for an overseas passport applicant within the UK?

[thomas28]

I was given wrong information when I called the passport advice line two weeks ago about my child passport.

I have just been in Thailand with my wife and we had a newborn son, I returned to the UK last week. The passport advice line suggested I could get my son's passport in one week (fast track) when I return and made me an appointment at the London passport office. He stated "it would be quicker this way than applying from thailand. "

This is better because as soon as I have his passport I was going to return to thailand for a week to pick my wife and son up, so we could all return to settle here in the uk. I never had the 6 week wait if applying from thailand and had to return to the uk for work.

Anyway, I went to the office on Wednesday to find out you can't apply for an oversea's applicants passport within the UK if the applicant is not present in the country.

My son is in Thailand, so they are trying to say I have to travel back to Bangkok to have an interview and submit my application from there which takes 6 weeks.

Now the application then gets sent from Thailand to the UK office in Liverpool, then back to Thailand. All I want to do is submit the application from the UK as I am presently here.

It doesn't make any sense travelling abroad to send an application back to the country I am in at the moment.

Also my child does not have to be present at the interview when applying for his passport from Thailand. So what's the difference him not being present in the UK.

Has anyone ever submitted an overseas passport application for there child whilst in the uk ?

[Jip99]

Your last question is pointless as you already have the answer.

WEF 26th March all UK passport applications in Thailand MUST be processed personally in Bangkok.

The processing time is likely to be nearer to 8 weeks than 6. Thailand is the issue.

Just a random thought... why not go to Ireland and apply from there. System still indicates 6 weeks but you appear to be able to apply online and submit paperwork by post.

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

[Jip99]

Had you been given the correct information 2 weeks ago I doubt you would yet have had your appointment with Vfs. So another 8 weeks from here is the minimum time you are looking at to get your family to UK. So you have the visa for your wife ?

Interesting to see whether something like the Ireland option is a practical alternative.

Lesson for the others - seek advice on Thai Visa - not from HMPO.

[thomas28]

Could he come on a tourist visa with a thai passport. How long will that take ? Will he need fingerprints done at bkk like my wife settlement visa?

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