Uk Embassy Opening Hours/ What do I need from them to get a Thai driving licence

[EnglishJohn]

Has the joy of making my first visit to the British Embassy yesterday. It was quick visit.

The place is only open 8am to 11am !!!! - <deleted> ???. I can lose that kind of time in a traffic jam if there is an accident on the tollway.

I wonder how many people have made the trip to Bangkok then had to spend a night in a hotel because of this 'great service' to the people who fund them.

Anyway my question to any helpful souls is this :

I need the 'certificate of residency' in order to get a Thai driving license.

I am on a multiple entry tourist visa (don't work here and too young for retirement visa)

I have never been to the immigration police to extend my stay - hence they will not give me the certificate (which is why I was late to the embassy : each time my GF called the government office, they sent us somewhere else).

I own a condo which is split 50/50 between my and my GF. Her name is in the blue book.

Can anyone who has done this let me know exactly what I need to take and what I need to ask for once I get in ?. I really don't want to make that trip again.

Also do they do it there and then, prepare it for the afternoon 'collection only' or does it take longer ?.

[billd766]

Try this website. It works for me.

https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-bangkok

I use the notorial services once a year and as I live 400 km from BKK I overnight in a hotel out on Sukhumvit by Bang Na.

Consular services are open from 8 to 11 am with a pickup between 2 and 3 pm.

Call them up and explain what you want. They are fairly helpful and they will explain what you need.

The prices that they charge are laid down in the UK and only change due to the exchange rates.

This link is for nororial services.

https://www.gov.uk/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand

Proof of address and identity

Your passport/identification and a proof of address eg driver’s licence, utility bills, postal mail showing your name and local address, house registration, etc

This link is for the consular fees.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/352521/FeesTable_Customer_10_Sep.pdf

[EnglishJohn]

Thanks for the input : I'll give them a call on Monday.

I was hoping someone had been through it so I know what to expect and come away with the right thing for the Thai government. Their advice so far has been a complete shambles and we wasted a whole day sat in traffic. As soon as I saw a puzzled look on someone's face, I knew we were going to be going somewhere else ...

The visit to the immigration police was almost funny : a small sign in the huge hall pointed us where to go but there were no offices there. Someone told us it was downstairs but both escalators were cordoned off - and when we found the lift, it was through a door marked 'staff only'.

[billd766]

Actually I have been through it but that was some 10 years ago when I was living in BKK and I suspect the rules may have changed a little since then.

[Digitalbanana]

As the joint/owner of a condo unit I was able to get a yellow house book with my name in as proof of address, so didn't need to use the UK embassy at all for a driving lic. I did have a Non Imm O visa when I applied, which sometimes helps as well.

[MartinL]

My wife reported to the local police that I was living with her on Immigration Form TM30 - got the form completed within 10 minutes & no charge. My local DL office then accepted that as proof of residence. No contact with the UK Embassy at all. If you're a tenant, your landlord should similarly have reported you to local immigration/police or get them to do it now - you'll need to go along too, I think, with your passport & TM card details.

Might be an idea, if you follow this route, to print off a copy of TM30 as police don't always have one handy.

tm30.docx

Edited October 12, 2014 by MartinL

[IMA_FARANG]

I realize your talking about the U.K. embassy here.

But just to note the U.S. embassy in Bangkok has no gone to a reservation/appointment system.

You now need to make an on-line appointment to schedule a meeting with them.

A lot of people dislike this system, but the one thing it does allow if for some reason you can't make an appointment you have scheduled you can call (even from your cellphone) and using the appointment number they gave you, you can cancel your appointment.

[EnglishJohn]

MartinL:

We got told we could do something like that when my GF first called the helpline (whatever that is). We went to the local government office first to confirm and they all stood with blank looks and the main guy was even getting a bit aggressive with that strained false smile they put on. We got sent all the way into town to the immigration police who then told us to go to the embassy.

Thanks a bunch for the form : I'll see if we can make headway with that.

IMA_Farang: That's OK if you can get one quickly (like that day) - though I can imagine the majority of tourists don't have easy internet access. In the UK anything official which needs an appointment is usually weeks ahead nowadays. Everything is done to cut costs - never for the benefit of the 'users'.

The UK Embassy entrance looks like a nuclear bunker : I can only imagine what security for the USA one is like.

[tutsiwarrior]

deleted...I mistakenly thought we wuz talkin' about the US embassy...blind old man, can't read properly no more...

Edited October 12, 2014 by tutsiwarrior

[EnglishJohn]

Just as a closure in case anyone else reads this doing the same thing:

I got the certificate of residency for my driving license by turning up at the embassy with my passport (with tourist visa) and a bank statement addressed to my condo. They photocopied them both then I had to fill in a form myself which they stamped.

The choker was 3080 baht (60 quid) for 5 minutes of their time. I didn't bother with the motorbike license as that would be 120 quid for 2 identical sheets of paper and an IDP covers it anyway. I wanted the license for use as ID really.

All in all I was in there a bit over an hour. Make sure you have all your information because they take your phone off you on the way in. A couple of people had to go right out to the street to phone their better half then come back in and join the queue all over again.

The license is valid for one year. They said I need a 12 month visa next year if I want the 5 year license next, otherwise I have to do it all again for a another one year license.