paying for a British Passport

[theoldgit]

I am going to Kasikorn bank today to apply for a K-WEB SHOPPING CARD. i would like to thank everyone who has contributed advice, it was very helpful,makes you feel you are not alone when you have difficulties. THANK YOU ! especially to the two members who sent me private messages of support.

You apply online for this if you have internet banking- I did this a few years ago now, but I'm sure I didn't have to go to a branch to do it.
 
It's a virtual card so they just inform you what the number is.

Yes, I did online as well, you can also do via one of their ATM's, both methods assuming that you already have an account with Kasikorn.

[soalbundy]

 

 

I am going to Kasikorn bank today to apply for a K-WEB SHOPPING CARD. i would like to thank everyone who has contributed advice, it was very helpful,makes you feel you are not alone when you have difficulties. THANK YOU ! especially to the two members who sent me private messages of support.

You apply online for this if you have internet banking- I did this a few years ago now, but I'm sure I didn't have to go to a branch to do it.
 
It's a virtual card so they just inform you what the number is.

 

Yes, I did online as well, you can also do via one of their ATM's, both methods assuming that you already have an account with Kasikorn.

 

I just opened an account now at kasikorn and applied for internet banking,a very nice lady took me through the steps to apply for the virtual card,i will get an E-mail from them in 3 days to say that the internet banking has been set up,so tally ho for the new passport,what an exercise.

[mikebell]

Ive just got a BKK Credit Card for an Old Brit, took 3Weeks.He wouldnt use mine,nice that some Brits still have Pride n Integrity.

It is such a shame that the British Embassy BKK doesn't comply with the above.  They offer minimal service at maximum cost.

Proof of income letters: about 3000 baht for a standard letter?  (Next to no checking of proof.)

No outreach facilities - French Embassy have regular clinics in Pattaya; if you're British you often have to go to BKK usually costing an overnight stay + travel costs.

A shite Visa service for Thai wives; if you are a Schengen inhabitant your wife's visa is free!  Why does the UK Embassy charge an arm & a leg for what the French/German/etc get for free?

[soalbundy]

 

Ive just got a BKK Credit Card for an Old Brit, took 3Weeks.He wouldnt use mine,nice that some Brits still have Pride n Integrity.

It is such a shame that the British Embassy BKK doesn't comply with the above.  They offer minimal service at maximum cost.

Proof of income letters: about 3000 baht for a standard letter?  (Next to no checking of proof.)

No outreach facilities - French Embassy have regular clinics in Pattaya; if you're British you often have to go to BKK usually costing an overnight stay + travel costs.

A <deleted> Visa service for Thai wives; if you are a Schengen inhabitant your wife's visa is free!  Why does the UK Embassy charge an arm & a leg for what the French/German/etc get for free?

 

because the UK is a scam. I believe there was a tv programme once called ''rip off Britain'' i think that the British civil service have taken a few tips from them. I'm so glad i have never been back.

[theoldgit]

Why does the UK Embassy charge an arm & a leg for what the French/German/etc get for free?

Not one to defend the UK Embassy, but they have no say in the fees charged for their services, they are set by Central Government and are supposed to cover the cost of providing the service worldwide, I'm assuming that the levy within the passport fee to cover the cost of Consular Services overseas is taken into account.

I believe they wish they probably didn't have to provide this service, but when when they do the work is carried out by Locally Employed Staff earning very little, I believe that less than 15 of these letters will pay one of these staff for a month.

I have to say that when I have dealt with the ladies in the Consular Section, on the whole, I have been dealt with courtesy and efficiently.

[durhamboy]

40 years ago I had everything except my money stolen in the old Yugoslavia. I went to the Consulate in Belgrade. It was closed. I banged on the door and eventually someone opened it and said that it was a public holiday so come back in 4 days time! I explained my situation. To my amazement the guy phoned the British Consul who personally came to the consulate and issued me immediately with an emergency passport at no cost. That made me proud to be British.

 

Contrast that with all the nonsense and fees we now have to put up with from foreign office staff. I do realise that the world has moved on in 40 years but surely not to the extent of the depth the service has sunk to.

[Brit_Doggie]

Not needing to renew passport until next year i have a kasikorn ATM card,which i have used to purchase on ebay.

Have no friends that i can get to sign for said passport also no way of getting a credit card unless 40k is deposited by my thai gf,

Have a few months to spare but constantly worry about the passport maybe getting refused as my card may not work.

So any of you guys can help here would appreciate it, contact details in profile.

[theoldgit]

Not needing to renew passport until next year i have a kasikorn ATM card,which i have used to purchase on ebay.
Have no friends that i can get to sign for said passport also no way of getting a credit card unless 40k is deposited by my thai gf,
Have a few months to spare but constantly worry about the passport maybe getting refused as my card may not work.
So any of you guys can help here would appreciate it, contact details in profile.

No the Kasikorn Debit Card wont work, it woks for ebay because they process the transaction electronically. The Kasikorn shopping card I mentioned earlier (post #24) will work, at least it did for me and a few others. The shopping card can, bizarrely, be entered manually, which is how The Passport Office in the UK do it.

[soalbundy]

 

Not needing to renew passport until next year i have a kasikorn ATM card,which i have used to purchase on ebay.
Have no friends that i can get to sign for said passport also no way of getting a credit card unless 40k is deposited by my thai gf,
Have a few months to spare but constantly worry about the passport maybe getting refused as my card may not work.
So any of you guys can help here would appreciate it, contact details in profile.

No the Kasikorn Debit Card wont work, it woks for ebay because they process the transaction electronically. The Kasikorn shopping card I mentioned earlier (post #24) will work, at least it did for me and a few others. The shopping card can, bizarrely, be entered manually, which is how The Passport Office in the UK do it.

 

Thanks to your info i now have a Kasikorn acc. and cyber banking and will apply for a K-shopping card ie virtual number when the banks open on Monday ( i tried applying via cyber banking today but it seems they are unable to over the weekend ) I have a question, what box do you tick on the form ''credit card'' or ''debit card'' ? How did you get on with the required proof of address ? i had the immigration write a letter confirming my address in Thai so i resume i will have to have it translated into English.

[Brit_Doggie]

 

Not needing to renew passport until next year i have a kasikorn ATM card,which i have used to purchase on ebay.
Have no friends that i can get to sign for said passport also no way of getting a credit card unless 40k is deposited by my thai gf,
Have a few months to spare but constantly worry about the passport maybe getting refused as my card may not work.
So any of you guys can help here would appreciate it, contact details in profile.

No the Kasikorn Debit Card wont work, it woks for ebay because they process the transaction electronically. The Kasikorn shopping card I mentioned earlier (post #24) will work, at least it did for me and a few others. The shopping card can, bizarrely, be entered manually, which is how The Passport Office in the UK do it.

 

Thats the issue i got ATM card from them but tried for the virtual card,but have had closure of kas before so for some reason i didnt get even spoke to head office with no resolution,so looks like i'm stuck with the atm debit card and cant renew passport.

Unless i can find a person who will pay on my behalf naturally i would pay it back in baht with a few beers in tips along with the current exchange rate, or hide up lol.

[Brit_Doggie]

ok guys think i fixed it went to http://www.kasikornbank.com/EN/ApplyForServices/Pages/KCyberBankingForm.aspx, filled in form to add account to cyber banking,will take it in monday with my well handled passport and hopefully from there will be ok to go apply for the so called virtual card. and pay for my passport with it.

 Dont make sense the bank set me up for the above via ATM and the head office didnt mention form to fill in, but if it works then phew relaxed again.  

[scooterboy]

Yes, I'm afraid I'm in the same S#$thouse as other Brits. I never was interested in, and never have had, a credit card. Had a debet card a few years back, but the bank I was with decided Thailand was too risky a place to send such things - though they naturally didn't bother to inform me about it until I contacted them myself, when the original card expired. British service at its best

 

So - I have to renew my passport next year, probably around April or May. Now what do I do? Wait until well after the new year ? and hope the useless minds that thought up this grotesque renewal method, change things once again, especially as the backlog of issuing new and renewal passports was ever-growing (the last I read). 

 

Yes, I can go through all the razzamatazz of opening a Kasikorn bank account (there ain't a branch out this way!) like Brit_Doggie, but it seems totally extreme just to be able to pay for a PP.  Cash not good enough any longer?

 

Anyway, BD, good luck with your new account - and be sure to inform us if everything works out (or not).

 

Cheers - and no, I'm not proud to be British......

 

[Brit_Doggie]

Avenue of kas was rejected for either getting to borrow a shop owners card (thai) or my gf depositing 40k in bank of kungsri to obtain the card.

Now where the heck she got that sort of money from i ask but hey i'll use another thread for that.

Have doubts as to validity of the virtual card way even though other members have used this route.

My final ? here is if i use the route of a borrowed persons card will vfs need to see said card to verify the signature on the form or just rely on the signature itself.

Appreciate any feedback thx.

[soalbundy]

Avenue of kas was rejected for either getting to borrow a shop owners card (thai) or my gf depositing 40k in bank of kungsri to obtain the card.

Now where the heck she got that sort of money from i ask but hey i'll use another thread for that.

Have doubts as to validity of the virtual card way even though other members have used this route.

My final ? here is if i use the route of a borrowed persons card will vfs need to see said card to verify the signature on the form or just rely on the signature itself.

Appreciate any feedback thx.

Probably not or they would have stipulated it. I am going the K-shopping card way,i have got everything now,filled out all the forms,time to run the gauntlet, what a typical British fiasco.....'"The foreign office is giving support at this critical time for the family......'" you often read that when a Brit has had an accident or died, i wonder what the support looks like,10 forms to be filled in and please give us your credit card number,what a bunch of private school wallys

[soalbundy]

Avenue of kas was rejected for either getting to borrow a shop owners card (thai) or my gf depositing 40k in bank of kungsri to obtain the card.

Now where the heck she got that sort of money from i ask but hey i'll use another thread for that.

Have doubts as to validity of the virtual card way even though other members have used this route.

My final ? here is if i use the route of a borrowed persons card will vfs need to see said card to verify the signature on the form or just rely on the signature itself.

Appreciate any feedback thx.

I just went online and looked up virtual credit card,it will be accepted in the UK,as '"Theoldgit'' has once posted.

[Brit_Doggie]

@ soalbundy,No doubt virtual card is valid in uk,but for my own peace of mind would prefer the real thing,and of course if my gf gets the real thing it's party time for me,looking at new all in one laser printers as i type,and boy do i need a new android phone and top of the range pc.

KBANK Visa Electron allows you to virtually eliminate the need for cash by offering direct purchase services at thousands of participating stores, restaurants, and hotels worldwide. In addition, KBANK Visa Electron Cards give you instant access to cash at ATM’s worldwide displaying the Plus symbol.ATM

lol i'm so confused now.ATM card or type of card that can be used at vfs ?[attachment=277089:Picture 010.jpg]

Edited July 29, 2014 by Brit_Doggie

[scooterboy]

Oh, blimey, it's not over yet for Brit_Doggie!   Good luck, mate, with sorting it all out!

 

Well, yesterday I mentioned the credit card thing to a German friend - and explained why I'd have to try and get one. She was almost hysterical (laughing, that is!) at the ridiculousness of the British way of doing things. She, as a German, can go to a LOCAL embassy/consulate and get everything done there - all in about half an hour, too.

 

I can't say I blame her for having a good laugh at our expense, but she smoothed things over by saying I was welcome to use her credit card info, if that was allowed - then pay her back, later, when the charges were registered in her account. Her CC is German and the account is in Germany, not Thailand.

 

 

Can I, theoretically, use her account info to pay this loony PP renewal?

 

Anybody know (for sure) ?    

 

Please don't suggest contacting the British Embassy - they're a well-known waste of everybody's time........

 

Cheers 

 

 

 

 

 

[soalbundy]

Oh, blimey, it's not over yet for Brit_Doggie!   Good luck, mate, with sorting it all out!

 

Well, yesterday I mentioned the credit card thing to a German friend - and explained why I'd have to try and get one. She was almost hysterical (laughing, that is!) at the ridiculousness of the British way of doing things. She, as a German, can go to a LOCAL embassy/consulate and get everything done there - all in about half an hour, too.

 

I can't say I blame her for having a good laugh at our expense, but she smoothed things over by saying I was welcome to use her credit card info, if that was allowed - then pay her back, later, when the charges were registered in her account. Her CC is German and the account is in Germany, not Thailand.

 

 

Can I, theoretically, use her account info to pay this loony PP renewal?

 

Anybody know (for sure) ?    

 

Please don't suggest contacting the British Embassy - they're a well-known waste of everybody's time........

 

Cheers 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank God for the EU, that's why, whenever possible i use the German embassy instead of the British.

[canarysun]

Just for the record..I renewed my passport recently and tried to pay with my Kasikorn electronic bank card.The rather polite and friendly lady from Liverpool's passport office called me ( i asked her if she could " call back " as i was swimming in the sea at the time) she then called back and said my Thai bank card (VISA) would not work.I had to get a friend with a UK Visa card to pay in the end....

(you will be pleased to hear that my swimming wasn't disrupted for too long.)

 

farang jaidee 

[soalbundy]

Just for the record..I renewed my passport recently and tried to pay with my Kasikorn electronic bank card.The rather polite and friendly lady from Liverpool's passport office called me ( i asked her if she could " call back " as i was swimming in the sea at the time) she then called back and said my Thai bank card (VISA) would not work.I had to get a friend with a UK Visa card to pay in the end....

(you will be pleased to hear that my swimming wasn't disrupted for too long.)

 

farang jaidee 

was that the K-shopping card, ie the one where you just get a 16 digit number,not a card, i hope not 

[theoldgit]

Just for the record..I renewed my passport recently and tried to pay with my Kasikorn electronic bank card.The rather polite and friendly lady from Liverpool's passport office called me ( i asked her if she could " call back " as i was swimming in the sea at the time) she then called back and said my Thai bank card (VISA) would not work.I had to get a friend with a UK Visa card to pay in the end....

 

When you say "electronic bank card" do you mean physical debit card?

 

They don't work, there have been a number of reports on the other thread saying that the virtual cards do work, including mine.

 

I do wonder what would happen if an applicant didn't have access to a UK card?

[canarysun]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

 

 

Just for the record..I renewed my passport recently and tried to pay with my Kasikorn electronic bank card.The rather polite and friendly lady from Liverpool's passport office called me ( i asked her if she could " call back " as i was swimming in the sea at the time) she then called back and said my Thai bank card (VISA) would not work.I had to get a friend with a UK Visa card to pay in the end....

 

When you say "electronic bank card" do you mean physical debit card?

 

They don't work, there have been a number of reports on the other thread saying that the virtual cards do work, including mine.

 

I do wonder what would happen if an applicant didn't have access to a UK card?

 

Well I have 2 Kasikorn Bank Cards and both didn't work.But the " nice lady " from Liverpool passport office did say at the time that if i wanted i could pay cash into there bank account with a code and they can process it that way! The lady was very helpful and did say that it seems to be a regular problem with Thai bank cards.( i always thought that any bank card will work if it has the VISA sign..but obviously not...) 

[theoldgit]

But you still haven't answered my question, do you have psychical debit cards or the virtual cards?

It seems that the actual debit cards don't work because they are the old electron cards which can only be used electronically, not where the details are entered manually.

The virtual cards do work, as I said they worked for me and others, and the details can be entered manually.

You will appreciate that I'm seeking clarification to assist others asking the question.

Glad you got it sorted though.

[canarysun]

But you still haven't answered my question, do you have psychical debit cards or the virtual cards?

It seems that the actual debit cards don't work because they are the old electron cards which can only be used electronically, not where the details are entered manually.

The virtual cards do work, as I said they worked for me and others, and the details can be entered manually.

You will appreciate that I'm seeking clarification to assist others asking the question.

Glad you got it sorted though.

 

" i am now answering your question " .....555

 

My cards are the new Kasikorn cards that say " for electronic use only " ( I was in the bank earlier today and had a chat with the " lady narak " ) she said that my cards were for use in ATM machines in Thailand and not outside of Thailand.

[theoldgit]

Strange what the lady told you about their debit cards only being used in Thailand, over the years, including this year, I've used mine, in shops and ATM's, in the UK, throughout Europe, Audtralia, Japan and throughout SE Asia.

I wonder if their policy changed recently?

Edit: seems the lady misinformed you:

Use it instead of cash to pay for goods or services in the same way as a credit card with the maximum limit of THB 200,000 per day at all times at more than 30 million stores across the world that accept VISA card.
You can make a swift cash withdrawal to the maximum amount of THB 200,000 daily (THB 50,000 for initial withdrawal limit) round-the-clock at ATMs that have the signs ‘Plus’ or ‘VISA’. Wherever you go – regardless the distance, you can be sure to have cash on hand at all times.

I apologise for dragging this thread off topic, but it might be of interest to some members.

[canarysun]

Strange what the lady told you about their debit cards only being used in Thailand, over the years, including this year, I've used mine, in shops and ATM's, in the UK, throughout Europe, Audtralia, Japan and throughout SE Asia.

I wonder if their policy changed recently?

 

I really don't understand it. From what i understand ( which is very little may i add...) that ANY electronic debit bank card with the " VISA " logo should work anywhere in the world.???? 

[Upnotover]

 

Strange what the lady told you about their debit cards only being used in Thailand, over the years, including this year, I've used mine, in shops and ATM's, in the UK, throughout Europe, Audtralia, Japan and throughout SE Asia.

I wonder if their policy changed recently?

 

I really don't understand it. From what i understand ( which is very little may i add...) that ANY electronic debit bank card with the " VISA " logo should work anywhere in the world.???? 

 

 

That is correct.  When the card is physically at the point of the transaction.  But in the case of a UK passport renewal the card is not there, just the number which is entered manually.  And as is clear not all cards allow that particular type of transaction, although how to find out if or not they do is not clear.

[recom273]

 

Strange what the lady told you about their debit cards only being used in Thailand, over the years, including this year, I've used mine, in shops and ATM's, in the UK, throughout Europe, Audtralia, Japan and throughout SE Asia.

I wonder if their policy changed recently?

 

I really don't understand it. From what i understand ( which is very little may i add...) that ANY electronic debit bank card with the " VISA " logo should work anywhere in the world.???? 

 

 

Thats what i tried to tell the guy at Kasikorn who refused mine.

 

They do work, but fail it comes to the authorisation process, (so they don't work) the UKPO revenue department are missing some information (because the form doesnt ask or the machine is lacking the feature in the UK), it maybe a date of birth or bank account number, so it fails at the authorisation stage, apparently. 

 

You know Thai banking wouldnt follow world standards, they dont even use the sort code / 8 (6?) figure account standard

Edited July 31, 2014 by recom273