Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[Neeranam]

My Passport is finished in 6 months, when should I be going to Bangkok?

Do I still have to apply in person and pick it up in person?

Can I use my yellow book as proof of residence?

[ukrules]

My Passport is finished in 6 months, when should I be going to Bangkok?

Do I still have to apply in person and pick it up in person?

Can I use my yellow book as proof of residence?

Act now and you might be ok.

[Neeranam]

My Passport is finished in 6 months, when should I be going to Bangkok?

Do I still have to apply in person and pick it up in person?

Can I use my yellow book as proof of residence?

Act now and you might be ok.

Are you serious?

It says at least 6 weeks on the website, didn't think it would mean at least 6 months!.

[recom273]

My Passport is finished in 6 months, when should I be going to Bangkok?

Do I still have to apply in person and pick it up in person?

Can I use my yellow book as proof of residence?

Act now and you might be ok.

Are you serious?

It says at least 6 weeks on the website, didn't think it would mean at least 6 months!.

If you apply now, and you have months remaining then you will get dates added onto the expiry date of the new passport.

It looks like Trendy take 8 drop-off appointments a day, If you apply now you can at least guarantee getting the date you want over the date that Trendy give you.

Worst ways it takes another 2 months for the UK to send it back - Then if you need to schedule in a cheap flight, you are not far off your 6 month deadline.

No, you don't have to go yourself, but you need to appoint someone to go to Trendy on your behalf.

[Jip99]

My Passport is finished in 6 months, when should I be going to Bangkok?

Do I still have to apply in person and pick it up in person?

Can I use my yellow book as proof of residence?

Act now and you might be ok.

Are you serious?

It says at least 6 weeks on the website, didn't think it would mean at least 6 months!.

No point in delaying as you don't lose the unexpired time.

There are some horrendous stories out there..........................

[recom273]

Why has no agency sprung up to process applications/pickup/drop-off passports on your behalf ?

I would have paid 2-3-4,000 B for someone to complete the process, including colour photocopies .. I spent 2000B on flights alone, and lost at least 3 days.

[digitalchromakey]

My Passport is finished in 6 months, when should I be going to Bangkok?

Do I still have to apply in person and pick it up in person?

Can I use my yellow book as proof of residence?

Act now and you might be ok.

Are you serious?

It says at least 6 weeks on the website, didn't think it would mean at least 6 months!.

The system for UK passport renewal is in complete disarray, currently applications are taking from 8 - 18 weeks plus, depending on how smoothly the application process goes.

If your passport expires in 6 months and you apply now the next passport will expire in 10 years and 6 months for no extra cost.

HMPO is still in a state of near chaos as regards passport renewal and up until recently the norm was 12 weeks from application to collection in BKK.

HMPO is also due to be reorganized again and absorbed into the UK Home Office, no one yet knows if this will make things better or even worst.

So why wait?

If I was you, I would apply to renew on Monday at the latest.

That is unless you have trip to the UK planned within the next 6 months, then it's a no brainer - renew there; it takes approx. three weeks and even a same day service is available at a premium cost.

[digitalchromakey]

Why has no agency sprung up to process applications/pickup/drop-off passports on your behalf ?

I would have paid 2-3-4,000 B for someone to complete the process, including colour photocopies .. I spent 2000B on flights alone, and lost at least 3 days.

Not totally sure.

Think the main reason is probably that HMPO says you must collect in person, trendy could stop allowing third parties to collect at any time, as it's not an officially published procedure.

Secondly the HMPO site states that a third party can apply if the applicant cannot attend, as of yet this has not been challenged, but an agency might get refusals if a genuine basis 'for not being able to attend' is not provided.

Basically - a new agency could end up starting business then being side lined from operating within weeks.

[watso63]

Why has no agency sprung up to process applications/pickup/drop-off passports on your behalf ?

I would have paid 2-3-4,000 B for someone to complete the process, including colour photocopies .. I spent 2000B on flights alone, and lost at least 3 days.

Not totally sure.

Think the main reason is probably that HMPO says you must collect in person, trendy could stop allowing third parties to collect at any time, as it's not an officially published procedure.

Secondly the HMPO site states that a third party can apply if the applicant cannot attend, as of yet this has not been challenged, but an agency might get refusals if a genuine basis 'for not being able to attend' is not provided.

Basically - a new agency could end up starting business then being side lined from operating within weeks.

Passport security was supposed to be one of the main drivers of the recent application procedures Using an agency would diminish that reasoning, so that's why it was, err farmed out to a Swiss owned, Indian based, Thai run AGENCY (I think, or am I confused who don't seem to know their arse from their elbow) but at least they are efficient and are totally above board, meaning they would never delay the application process by sitting on an issued passport without immediately informing the applicant that it was ready for collection or interfering with a package addressed to the passport applicant by sneakily opening and then resealing said package...NOT. Complete clusterballsup of the highest order!

[recom273]

Why has no agency sprung up to process applications/pickup/drop-off passports on your behalf ?

I would have paid 2-3-4,000 B for someone to complete the process, including colour photocopies .. I spent 2000B on flights alone, and lost at least 3 days.

Not totally sure.

Think the main reason is probably that HMPO says you must collect in person, trendy could stop allowing third parties to collect at any time, as it's not an officially published procedure.

Secondly the HMPO site states that a third party can apply if the applicant cannot attend, as of yet this has not been challenged, but an agency might get refusals if a genuine basis 'for not being able to attend' is not provided.

Basically - a new agency could end up starting business then being side lined from operating within weeks.

The agencies are there already, on the first floor of trendy, offering to visas services, (coloured) photocopies, translations .. Im just really surprised they didn't jump on the bandwagon to increase their profit.

[thanapach]

my boyfriend he apply passport in may 29th it now ofer 19 week later and he be arrested for overstay and now he in immigration,because he no able to leaf country so he hand him in now I get phone call he passport done and be send to Bangkok,but he no go be send home it no fair what can do please help me, he called alan

[ukrules]

My Passport is finished in 6 months, when should I be going to Bangkok?

Do I still have to apply in person and pick it up in person?

Can I use my yellow book as proof of residence?

Act now and you might be ok.

Are you serious?

It says at least 6 weeks on the website, didn't think it would mean at least 6 months!.

Good forward planning for all potential outcomes can really help mitigate any problems down the road.

You have plenty of time left on your current passport yet you might be forgetting one thing - it's useless now.

You generally can't travel anywhere except your home country during the last 6 months of your passports validity. So if you need to travel anywhere apart from the UK then you already have a problem.

Even with the current very bad situation you have time to apply for a passport and get it back before it runs out.

Apply now and don't delay, there's no reason not to because like I said - it's not really a passport anymore due to the 6 months validity thing with the airlines so you won't be using it as a passport anyway. You could possibly use it at land borders during the final 6 months but I wouldn't count on it.

Edited October 11, 2014 by ukrules

[ukrules]

my boyfriend he apply passport in may 29th it now ofer 19 week later and he be arrested for overstay and now he in immigration,because he no able to leaf country so he hand him in now I get phone call he passport done and be send to Bangkok,but he no go be send home it no fair what can do please help me, he called alan

You need to tell him that his passport has arrived and he will be able to speak to someone who will arrange collection. It is possible that the Embassy will arrange this - there was a recent case where a British passport holder was thrown in prison due to the passport office's bad practices.

[metisdead]

A post containing a formatting error has been removed.

[digitalchromakey]

my boyfriend he apply passport in may 29th it now ofer 19 week later and he be arrested for overstay and now he in immigration,because he no able to leaf country so he hand him in now I get phone call he passport done and be send to Bangkok,but he no go be send home it no fair what can do please help me, he called alan

I suspect that your boyfriend is the person who was posting until recently on this forum.as AlanAunuum.

He wrote on the 1st of October that he was recently dealing with Mr Adam Bell from the British Consulate in Bangkok.

You should contact the consulate in BKK and speak to Mr Bell who should know some details of his case.

The Embassy can't just get British Citizens out of jail, but they can help with communications and should be able to help explain that the overstay is because he has no valid passport for travel whilst waiting 19 weeks now for a replacement from the British Government.

British Embassy Consular Section

14 Wireless Road

Lumpini

Pathumwan

Bangkok 10330

Email [email protected]

Telephone +66 (0) 2 305 8333

Fax +66 (0) 2 255 6051

Consular public counter opening hours: (Local time)

Monday to Friday, 8am to 11am

[NanLaew]

I am renewing my sons UK passport at Trendy.

How soon are appointments for submitting the application? Can I select dates in the coming week or is there a wait-list of a few weeks?

Does he have to attend personally? Or can I submit by myself? He is 6 years old.

What do they accept for 'Name and address and/or residency evidence'? Will a residence certificate as issued by a Thai Immigration office be accepted?

[Jip99]

I am renewing my sons UK passport at Trendy.

How soon are appointments for submitting the application? Can I select dates in the coming week or is there a wait-list of a few weeks?

Does he have to attend personally? Or can I submit by myself? He is 6 years old.

What do they accept for 'Name and address and/or residency evidence'? Will a residence certificate as issued by a Thai Immigration office be accepted?

Booking time 2 or 3 weeks ahead last I heard.

He doesn't need to attend - you are the applicant.

Certificate of Residence will do nicely.

See attached for supporting documents and/or look at HMPO website.

PassportSupportingDocs.pdf

[recom273]

I am renewing my sons UK passport at Trendy.

How soon are appointments for submitting the application? Can I select dates in the coming week or is there a wait-list of a few weeks?

Does he have to attend personally? Or can I submit by myself? He is 6 years old.

What do they accept for 'Name and address and/or residency evidence'? Will a residence certificate as issued by a Thai Immigration office be accepted?

Err .. The lead time on the appointments was / is around 4 weeks, and at 4 weeks your sure not to get the time / day you ask for.

[NanLaew]

I am renewing my sons UK passport at Trendy.

How soon are appointments for submitting the application? Can I select dates in the coming week or is there a wait-list of a few weeks?

Does he have to attend personally? Or can I submit by myself? He is 6 years old.

What do they accept for 'Name and address and/or residency evidence'? Will a residence certificate as issued by a Thai Immigration office be accepted?

Booking time 2 or 3 weeks ahead last I heard.

He doesn't need to attend - you are the applicant.

Certificate of Residence will do nicely.

See attached for supporting documents and/or look at HMPO website.

Thanks for that. I will get the certificate from Jomtien Immigration on Monday.

I am renewing my sons UK passport at Trendy.

How soon are appointments for submitting the application? Can I select dates in the coming week or is there a wait-list of a few weeks?

Does he have to attend personally? Or can I submit by myself? He is 6 years old.

What do they accept for 'Name and address and/or residency evidence'? Will a residence certificate as issued by a Thai Immigration office be accepted?

Err .. The lead time on the appointments was / is around 4 weeks, and at 4 weeks your sure not to get the time / day you ask for.

I was a bit worried that would be the case as it would be nice to have his new passport back before the Christmas holidays where we may be doing a UK visit. He could always travel to UK on his expired UK passport as that will be accepted on arrival but the renewal time when in the UK would be minimum 3 weeks and we wouldn't be staying that long.

I do recall some people mentioning earlier in this thread that although they made an appointment at Trendy, they subsequently did a 'walk-in' a bit earlier and they were not sent away. Is this still a possibility of have they clamped down on that?

Thanks for the responses!

[offset]

I am renewing my sons UK passport at Trendy.

How soon are appointments for submitting the application? Can I select dates in the coming week or is there a wait-list of a few weeks?

Does he have to attend personally? Or can I submit by myself? He is 6 years old.

What do they accept for 'Name and address and/or residency evidence'? Will a residence certificate as issued by a Thai Immigration office be accepted?

Err .. The lead time on the appointments was / is around 4 weeks, and at 4 weeks your sure not to get the time / day you ask for.

Sent for appointment on 1st October got appointment on the first day I asked for on 24th October

[recom273]

I am renewing my sons UK passport at Trendy.

How soon are appointments for submitting the application? Can I select dates in the coming week or is there a wait-list of a few weeks?

Does he have to attend personally? Or can I submit by myself? He is 6 years old.

What do they accept for 'Name and address and/or residency evidence'? Will a residence certificate as issued by a Thai Immigration office be accepted?

Err .. The lead time on the appointments was / is around 4 weeks, and at 4 weeks your sure not to get the time / day you ask for.

Sent for appointment on 1st October got appointment on the first day I asked for on 24th October

That's great ! .. I have just been through the whole process, I started my requests giving them a 3 week lead for a Monday and every Monday after and ended up with the Friday after the last Monday ( 5 weeks ) after I applied .. The application was before a long weekend so my application was put in the out tray until Tuesday if the following week.

If trendy could have processed the request in 3 weeks it wouldn't have put me in a position where I had to plead with immigration to extend my non-o for 1,900b.

[falangUK]

Cheers Delboy This is most useful

I will head over to the shop and get it done today

BTW, when you said it was accepted in Liverpool, that was recently, for the new (submit at Trendy) application right?

I got my photos done in the Digital Photo shop on the 3rd floor of the Airport Plaza in Chiang Mai, near the 3BB shop. The guy has a selection of photo sizes to choose from and a ruler so that you can measure them to see which one will satisfy HMPO. He asked if I wanted the photo photoshopped, and I said no and I chose the white background. 70 Baht for 4 photos. Accepted in Liverpool.

[delboy]

Cheers Delboy This is most useful

I will head over to the shop and get it done today

BTW, when you said it was accepted in Liverpool, that was recently, for the new (submit at Trendy) application right?

Yes. Application at Trendy was in May, passport received in July. As often stated on here, Trendy don't verify stuff, they just accept what you give them and send it to Liverpool.

Edited October 13, 2014 by ubonjoe
moved reply from quoted text

[falangUK]

My Passport is finished in 6 months, when should I be going to Bangkok?

Do I still have to apply in person and pick it up in person?

Can I use my yellow book as proof of residence?

1. Email them today!, for an appointment, they will give you probably beginning of next month.

2. YES/NO

3. No idea

But if I were you, I would get it done ASAP considering the delays, it will take atleast 9-10 weeks to get the new PP

[falangUK]

I am renewing my sons UK passport at Trendy.

How soon are appointments for submitting the application? Can I select dates in the coming week or is there a wait-list of a few weeks?

Does he have to attend personally? Or can I submit by myself? He is 6 years old.

What do they accept for 'Name and address and/or residency evidence'? Will a residence certificate as issued by a Thai Immigration office be accepted?

Err .. The lead time on the appointments was / is around 4 weeks, and at 4 weeks your sure not to get the time / day you ask for.

Sent for appointment on 1st October got appointment on the first day I asked for on 24th October

That's great ! .. I have just been through the whole process, I started my requests giving them a 3 week lead for a Monday and every Monday after and ended up with the Friday after the last Monday ( 5 weeks ) after I applied .. The application was before a long weekend so my application was put in the out tray until Tuesday if the following week.

If trendy could have processed the request in 3 weeks it wouldn't have put me in a position where I had to plead with immigration to extend my non-o for 1,900b.

was the extension for an ED visa? did they refuse to let you extend on the old PP?

[AlanAunuum]

I thank you digichromatey for your info to my gf,she got things a little wrong,i booked a flight with air asia to malaysia and back to get a 30 day extension as i read my date wrong on my passport i had till 12th october to leave not 12th september,however when i presented my pp at the airport immigration i was stopped from leaving and taken to a little room,where i was told passport no good to full and no working ( i think they meant valid) upshot was i was taken to Si san plu detention centre and was told i could have 1 phone call to make arrangement to be free,so i went cap in hand to my son in the UK and he wired me xxxx pounds but on the condition that he had to txt the Western Union number to this Chief officers mobile,and that was it till room service called me at 7-a.m. on monday morning and 2 nice thai immigration officers escorted me to the nearest W.U. office where i was given the number and allowed to get my money. Then i was walked back to the IDC where i was shown into a little office asked would i like sme tea and something to eat,All smiles now,then we got down to business,the big chief took my passport and then came back 10 minutes later and it had a 30 day extension in it,this i the same passport that they told me 4 days earlier was no good.he said it ok now if you stopped you just show stamp.Then he told me he could lose my paperwork and no charges or record,so i told him i wanted to see it done in front of me.So then he comes back with my little file of papers and tells me ok it 100,000 baht. My words where this i now have money so for 28,000 baht i can fly back to UK calling his bluff,and it seemed to work. he then said ok but you no come back for 1 year so then i said 30,000 baht he went to 70,000 baht i went to 40,000 baht and he said 50,000 baht so i agreed.on the condition that i gave him the money when i was outside the IDC. I was then shown into the main office where my papers where shreaded and my file deleted of the system, and then i was walked very friendly to the gate we shook hands as i passed him the 50,000 baht and i was free. NOW MY COMMENTS I must apologise if i upset anyone who has a thai wife or gf to me these people are a set of thieving,cheating,back stabbing 2 faced race of people i have ever had the misfortune to live amongst,they would sell there own mother for 100 baht.My gf has told me she is ashamed to be classed as a thai,as she thinks that this is not good.i accept it as a farang but it won't change my opinion on the fact that they are a race of mother f***ers who are the most corrupt people in asia. On a lighter note i have received an e-mail from HMPO telling me that my passport is being processed an wil be issued shortly,this wil make it about 21 weeks if and when trendy call me. THANKS to every one on here for their help and support.

[evadgib]

This written ministerial statement was laid on 13 October 2014 in the House of Commons by Theresa May and in the House of Lords by Lord Bates.

HM Passport Office

Edited October 14, 2014 by evadgib

[Welshboy89]

Can someone please forward me the email address for the embassy. I want to apply for the letter to connect my old passport to my new passport. Cheers.

[ubonjoe]

Can someone please forward me the email address for the embassy. I want to apply for the letter to connect my old passport to my new passport. Cheers.

It is the one shown at the bottom of this webpage under consular section contact info.

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

[OJAS]

I thank you digichromatey for your info to my gf,she got things a little wrong,i booked a flight with air asia to malaysia and back to get a 30 day extension as i read my date wrong on my passport i had till 12th october to leave not 12th september,however when i presented my pp at the airport immigration i was stopped from leaving and taken to a little room,where i was told passport no good to full and no working ( i think they meant valid) upshot was i was taken to Si san plu detention centre and was told i could have 1 phone call to make arrangement to be free,so i went cap in hand to my son in the UK and he wired me xxxx pounds but on the condition that he had to txt the Western Union number to this Chief officers mobile,and that was it till room service called me at 7-a.m. on monday morning and 2 nice thai immigration officers escorted me to the nearest W.U. office where i was given the number and allowed to get my money. Then i was walked back to the IDC where i was shown into a little office asked would i like sme tea and something to eat,All smiles now,then we got down to business,the big chief took my passport and then came back 10 minutes later and it had a 30 day extension in it,this i the same passport that they told me 4 days earlier was no good.he said it ok now if you stopped you just show stamp.Then he told me he could lose my paperwork and no charges or record,so i told him i wanted to see it done in front of me.So then he comes back with my little file of papers and tells me ok it 100,000 baht. My words where this i now have money so for 28,000 baht i can fly back to UK calling his bluff,and it seemed to work. he then said ok but you no come back for 1 year so then i said 30,000 baht he went to 70,000 baht i went to 40,000 baht and he said 50,000 baht so i agreed.on the condition that i gave him the money when i was outside the IDC. I was then shown into the main office where my papers where shreaded and my file deleted of the system, and then i was walked very friendly to the gate we shook hands as i passed him the 50,000 baht and i was free. NOW MY COMMENTS I must apologise if i upset anyone who has a thai wife or gf to me these people are a set of thieving,cheating,back stabbing 2 faced race of people i have ever had the misfortune to live amongst,they would sell there own mother for 100 baht.My gf has told me she is ashamed to be classed as a thai,as she thinks that this is not good.i accept it as a farang but it won't change my opinion on the fact that they are a race of mother f***ers who are the most corrupt people in asia. On a lighter note i have received an e-mail from HMPO telling me that my passport is being processed an wil be issued shortly,this wil make it about 21 weeks if and when trendy call me. THANKS to every one on here for their help and support.

IMHO it is HMPO you should be directing your blame and ire at rather than the Thai race. It is purely thanks to those incompetent scumbags that you found yourself in this appalling situation. And you have still to hear from their equally incompetent side-kicks in With-It Tower regarding the collection of your new passport!