Emergency travel document and B visa

[chillipepper]

An update on a previous post. I finish work with one school on the 3rd October and start work with another school on 4th October. I will have to cancel my work permit on the 3rd, apply for 7 day visa extension and then, I thought, go to Laos can come back in with a non-visa B so I could apply for my new work permit. But here is the problem. My British passport is full (I have one page left), I applied for a new one about two weeks ago. The new one could take anywhere from six weeks to four months. Today I went to get an Emergency Travel Document to travel to Laos but the British Consulate told me that Laos and Cambodia will not issue non-Bs on an ETD. They have advised me to go to Singapore or Hong Kong. I originally came here in March on a standard British passport without a visa and then my current school applied for the work permit and non-B without me leaving the country.

Should I take the Consulate's advice or would it be easier to just cancel work permit, get 7 day extension, go to Cambodia and come back in with 30 day tourist visa, extend for 90 days if necessary, wait for new passport to arrive and then do the Laos run for the non-B? In the meantime just not work until I get my paperwork in order. Or, if I have to go to Singapore, how long will I have to stay to get the non-B? Any wisdom or advice is most welcome.

[Mario2008]

You should go to the labour office and immigraiton to apply for a new WP and extension of stay based on your new employer without leaving the country.

The new rules make it easier for teachers to change schools.

[chillipepper]

Are you sure, my new school has been told this is not possible. I am currently in Bangkok and my new school is in Pattaya. If true, then it is great news.

[Mario2008]

The rules now say this:

3. Copy of work permit or application form in case of changing institution of teaching during the validity of work permit.

So the question would be if your WP is still valid or not.

If not normally you could get 7 days to leave and in that time apply for a new WP and extension of stay based on your new employer.

Under the new rules not every immirgaiton office might allow that.

[chillipepper]

Thanks again for the information. My work permit is still valid and I am leaving on good terms. I could finish here next Thursday without canceling the work permit, drive down to Pattaya Thursday night then go to the labour office and immigration in Pattaya on Friday with an administrative assistant from my new school to apply for the new work permit. Do you think this would work or should I cancel the Bangkok permit in Bangkok on Thursday before I go to Pattaya?

[Mario2008]

They will want you to cancel the WP first and you should get a letter from the labour department of that. Take a letter with you from school confirming your last day of employement, 1 for labour to cancel and 1 for immigration to cancel your permisison to stay iin BKK.

At htat time you apply for a 7 day extension giving you time to apply for a new WP and permisison to stay, if they will allow that.

[chillipepper]

Thanks very much, I will give it a go. They can only say no.

[Mario2008]

Good luck, you should be all right.

Don;t forget to make a copy of the old work eprmit to show immigration.

[iamariva1957]

I am sorry, but are you saying that the UK Home Office/Embassy will not simply add additional pages into your present passport? Really? That is just nuts. The US I know does. Cost for them adding them is $80 and now when you renew you can get for the same price as normal page count passport and get a 52 page passport. The time that the US embassy in BKK needs is a couple of days to add the new pages.

I find it incredible that the UK does not offer this service. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for their citizens traveling around the world.

[paz]

I am sorry, but are you saying that the UK Home Office/Embassy will not simply add additional pages into your present passport? Really? That is just nuts. The US I know does. Cost for them adding them is $80 and now when you renew you can get for the same price as normal page count passport and get a 52 page passport. The time that the US embassy in BKK needs is a couple of days to add the new pages.

I find it incredible that the UK does not offer this service. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for their citizens traveling around the world.

You may find it incredible, but there are very few countries that allows adding pages to a passport. Also, the US has announced that the facility will go away in the future - sorry no reference available.

[sometimewoodworker]

I am sorry, but are you saying that the UK Home Office/Embassy will not simply add additional pages into your present passport? Really? That is just nuts. The US I know does. Cost for them adding them is $80 and now when you renew you can get for the same price as normal page count passport and get a 52 page passport. The time that the US embassy in BKK needs is a couple of days to add the new pages.

I find it incredible that the UK does not offer this service. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for their citizens traveling around the world.

Are you saying that a country that claims to be so concerned with security (US) will accept modification to such a sensitive and supposed to be secure document as a passport !!! That not just nuts it's totally crazed. The UK stopped doing that over 20 years ago.

I find it incredible that the US does this disservice. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for the citizens of other countries traveling around the world. And the total lack of concern about real security.

Edited September 24, 2014 by sometimewoodworker

[iamariva1957]

I am sorry, but are you saying that the UK Home Office/Embassy will not simply add additional pages into your present passport? Really? That is just nuts. The US I know does. Cost for them adding them is $80 and now when you renew you can get for the same price as normal page count passport and get a 52 page passport. The time that the US embassy in BKK needs is a couple of days to add the new pages.

I find it incredible that the UK does not offer this service. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for their citizens traveling around the world.

Are you saying that a country that claims to be so concerned with security (US) will accept modification to such a sensitive and supposed to be secure document as a passport !!! That not just nuts it's totally crazed. The UK stopped doing that over 20 years ago.

I find it incredible that the US does this disservice. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for the citizens of other countries traveling around the world. And the total lack of concern about real security.

Oh you can say what you like. But the fact that the US adds additional Visa pages into an active passport is not "nuts". It is a service to those US citizens with a valid US Passport. Of course they make checks of said passport's validity while processing the request for the additional Visa pages. There is no reason why this should not be allowed to be done by a legitimate embassy of any country. There are rules that they (the embassy staff and process sytem) have to follow and mandates that they have to abide by. So exactly what "security" concerns are you worried about? As for a "disservice"? What disservice are you talking about? The fact that the UK does not do this for any reason and requires you to pay for a completely new passport (more £'s for the Home Office?) and wait for so long for it to be processed and issued is far from a service and to anyone (like the original poster) who is 'stuck'. Ever been to the UK Embassy in BKK? There have been many posters that have commented upon the lack of service supplied there.

Listen, I have nothing against the UK or its embassy staff. But I do question their reasoning. For the addition of additional Visa pages is far from being anything other than a simple service to augment an already valid passport that would be verified for any unknown issues by said embassy thereby providing a service to their citizens while traveling.

There is a good deal wrong with the US, but providing services to their citizens while those citizens are traveling does not come under that category. The fact that US Embassies around the world have "Citizen Service" offices sort of says it all. In those offices, their only job is to look after the needs and/or applications from and for their citizens. The fact that they now charge you $80 for the additional pages when once they were free (yes I am old enough to remember those days when the passports were green) may be an issue if someone cannot afford it. But even then, the Embassy will work with you if that is the case.

The US is not better than or worse than the UK. But there is a question and one that has been raised here many times on TV regarding the services supplied by the UK Embassy/Consulates.

[iamariva1957]

I am sorry, but are you saying that the UK Home Office/Embassy will not simply add additional pages into your present passport? Really? That is just nuts. The US I know does. Cost for them adding them is $80 and now when you renew you can get for the same price as normal page count passport and get a 52 page passport. The time that the US embassy in BKK needs is a couple of days to add the new pages.

I find it incredible that the UK does not offer this service. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for their citizens traveling around the world.

You may find it incredible, but there are very few countries that allows adding pages to a passport. Also, the US has announced that the facility will go away in the future - sorry no reference available.

There is no plan as of now, for the cancellation of the addition of additional Visa pages for a valid US Passport for US citizens coming to the end of the available pages that the original Passport was issued with. That is why when renewing or applying for a US Passport the applicant is given the choice of having a "standard" Passport Book or one with additional Visa pages already added. Only those passports that can be verified as being clear of any restrictions, legal issues, violations, warrants, etc will have the ability to have said additional pages inserted into their original passport. If said passport application (additional pages included) is rejected for any reason, then the US Embassy hold the passport and then you will have to work with the Embassy and follow their instructions. There is are checks and balances that the US Embassies around the world follow and are mandated to by the State Department who 'consult' with the Department of Health and Human Services (in the case of Family Court issues), State, County, and the security services.

[sometimewoodworker]

I am sorry, but are you saying that the UK Home Office/Embassy will not simply add additional pages into your present passport? Really? That is just nuts. The US I know does. Cost for them adding them is $80 and now when you renew you can get for the same price as normal page count passport and get a 52 page passport. The time that the US embassy in BKK needs is a couple of days to add the new pages.

I find it incredible that the UK does not offer this service. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for their citizens traveling around the world.

Are you saying that a country that claims to be so concerned with security (US) will accept modification to such a sensitive and supposed to be secure document as a passport !!! That not just nuts it's totally crazed. The UK stopped doing that over 20 years ago.

I find it incredible that the US does this disservice. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for the citizens of other countries traveling around the world. And the total lack of concern about real security.

Oh you can say what you like. But the fact that the US adds additional Visa pages into an active passport is not "nuts". It is a service to those US citizens with a valid US Passport. Of course they make checks of said passport's validity while processing the request for the additional Visa pages. There is no reason why this should not be allowed to be done by a legitimate embassy of any country. There are rules that they (the embassy staff and process sytem) have to follow and mandates that they have to abide by. So exactly what "security" concerns are you worried about? As for a "disservice"? What disservice are you talking about? The fact that the UK does not do this for any reason and requires you to pay for a completely new passport (more £'s for the Home Office?) and wait for so long for it to be processed and issued is far from a service and to anyone (like the original poster) who is 'stuck'. Ever been to the UK Embassy in BKK? There have been many posters that have commented upon the lack of service supplied there.

Listen, I have nothing against the UK or its embassy staff. But I do question their reasoning. For the addition of additional Visa pages is far from being anything other than a simple service to augment an already valid passport that would be verified for any unknown issues by said embassy thereby providing a service to their citizens while traveling.

There is a good deal wrong with the US, but providing services to their citizens while those citizens are traveling does not come under that category. The fact that US Embassies around the world have "Citizen Service" offices sort of says it all. In those offices, their only job is to look after the needs and/or applications from and for their citizens. The fact that they now charge you $80 for the additional pages when once they were free (yes I am old enough to remember those days when the passports were green) may be an issue if someone cannot afford it. But even then, the Embassy will work with you if that is the case.

The US is not better than or worse than the UK. But there is a question and one that has been raised here many times on TV regarding the services supplied by the UK Embassy/Consulates.

Whoops it looks as if the [irony] [/irony] tag didn't work

However there are few countries that add pages to passports.

To be pejorative about the UK embassy because it is the same as most other countries is puerile. To suggest that somehow the US is superior because they haven't changed is pointless.

Personally I feel that the UK embassies provides very little service to British citizens and it is getting worse.

[chillipepper]

To elaborate on my original post. I arrived in Thailand in March on a tourist visa, my current school then applied for a non-immigrant B and a work permit with an extension to stay until April 2015. When I arrived I had five pages of my passport available and it never occurred to me that would not be enough. After only three months I had one page left. Due to fly to the UK for the summer I decided not to apply for a new passport as I had a four year contract and had no idea my circumstances would change. I thought, wait until I return from the summer and then go the Embassy and apply for a new passport. When I was here eight years ago this was how the system worked back then. Little did I know that these days passport renewals are not done at the Embassy anymore but are sub-contracted out or that the passport office in the UK would be in disarray with 3-4 month waiting lists.

After the summer break my circumstances changed and decided to find a new job I also realised that I needed to apply for a new passport. I applied thinking that my three months notice would give me enough time to get my passport back from the UK. I should have known better. First of all it took two weeks of trying, to no avail, to get an appointment with the UK Visa office in Bangkok. In the end I went there in person. I was asked if I had an appointment and had to tell them that I did not and that was the reason I was there in person. Finally they let me in and told me to book an appointment online. I told them I had tried that but the system was not working. A nice man went into the back office and came back to tell me that they had emailed me that morning with my appointment time which was two weeks hence. I subsequently checked my emails but there was nothing. Anyway, two weeks later I made my passport application with very little fuss. I have to say that I found the staff at the UK Visa office nothing but friendly, helpful and courteous. Now I have found out that the waiting time is anywhere from six weeks to four months.

The UK government is sub-contracting services out left, right and centre so that the amount of service from the UK Embassy is now minimal. Although I found the Embassy staff to be very helpful they really can't do very much. Also try calling either UK Visa or the Embassy and you will be routed through a call centre outside of Thailand. We really are left on our own once we leave the UK and we are reliant on support networks like this for sound advice.

I already know of one other teacher in similar circumstances. My advice to everyone is to check you have at least 6-8 pages available in your passport unless you intend to go back home and renew there. Also when you get a new one make sure you pay the small additional fee for the version with extra pages.

[iamariva1957]

I am sorry, but are you saying that the UK Home Office/Embassy will not simply add additional pages into your present passport? Really? That is just nuts. The US I know does. Cost for them adding them is $80 and now when you renew you can get for the same price as normal page count passport and get a 52 page passport. The time that the US embassy in BKK needs is a couple of days to add the new pages.

I find it incredible that the UK does not offer this service. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for their citizens traveling around the world.

Are you saying that a country that claims to be so concerned with security (US) will accept modification to such a sensitive and supposed to be secure document as a passport !!! That not just nuts it's totally crazed. The UK stopped doing that over 20 years ago.

I find it incredible that the US does this disservice. Just continues to illustrate their lack of concern for the citizens of other countries traveling around the world. And the total lack of concern about real security.

Oh you can say what you like. But the fact that the US adds additional Visa pages into an active passport is not "nuts". It is a service to those US citizens with a valid US Passport. Of course they make checks of said passport's validity while processing the request for the additional Visa pages. There is no reason why this should not be allowed to be done by a legitimate embassy of any country. There are rules that they (the embassy staff and process sytem) have to follow and mandates that they have to abide by. So exactly what "security" concerns are you worried about? As for a "disservice"? What disservice are you talking about? The fact that the UK does not do this for any reason and requires you to pay for a completely new passport (more £'s for the Home Office?) and wait for so long for it to be processed and issued is far from a service and to anyone (like the original poster) who is 'stuck'. Ever been to the UK Embassy in BKK? There have been many posters that have commented upon the lack of service supplied there.

Listen, I have nothing against the UK or its embassy staff. But I do question their reasoning. For the addition of additional Visa pages is far from being anything other than a simple service to augment an already valid passport that would be verified for any unknown issues by said embassy thereby providing a service to their citizens while traveling.

There is a good deal wrong with the US, but providing services to their citizens while those citizens are traveling does not come under that category. The fact that US Embassies around the world have "Citizen Service" offices sort of says it all. In those offices, their only job is to look after the needs and/or applications from and for their citizens. The fact that they now charge you $80 for the additional pages when once they were free (yes I am old enough to remember those days when the passports were green) may be an issue if someone cannot afford it. But even then, the Embassy will work with you if that is the case.

The US is not better than or worse than the UK. But there is a question and one that has been raised here many times on TV regarding the services supplied by the UK Embassy/Consulates.

Whoops it looks as if the [irony] [/irony] tag didn't work

However there are few countries that add pages to passports.

To be pejorative about the UK embassy because it is the same as most other countries is puerile. To suggest that somehow the US is superior because they haven't changed is pointless.

Personally I feel that the UK embassies provides very little service to British citizens and it is getting worse.

For the record, I have never said anywhere that the US is somehow "superior" or even made the "suggestion" that it is. Then as far as "puerile" is concerned, what I posted was neither childish, silly, or immature. The fact remains that I find it very strange that the addition of extra Visa pages is not allowed by, in this case, the UK Home Office. Frankly, at least in this case, it is the UK Home Office that is being puerile at the cost of their own citizens who need extra pages added into their passport (which would take a great deal shorter period of time, given the fact that a new passport would not have to be processed) while overseas.

So to repeat; The US is not better than or worse than the UK.