Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[JustAnotherFarang]

And then there was light......... After umpteen calls that never got answered I decided to ring the helpline instead on 008 44 300 222 0000 where the kind lady put me through to the payment office within 30 seconds and I managed to complete my payment over the telephone. Hurrah

Hope this advice is useful to anyone else who cannot contact the payment office on the direct number they provide

JAF

I have been ringing all day and I am still ringing the passport office regarding my card being refused. Rang the number 008 44 151 471 4302 over 80 times and all it does is ring ring ring. On 4 occasions I got an engaged tone but after ringing the number again it just continues to ring ring ring.

A thoroughly frustrating and incompetent service so far

JAF.

[Neeranam]

Now he tells me they need a paper sent to him from a Brit Government Body not older than 1 Year. How can he produce such a paper?. The Queen doesn't send him a Christmas Card , and his last pension letter is 2 Years Old. Whats his address here got to do with it, when I have to take him back to collect it. I recon someone has gone a little stupid. Im Portuguese, Britain's Oldest Allie, and getting rather angy the way England is treating its OlD Folks. Whats he Do.?. Ask the Queen to write to Him.

Have you ever tried meditation, you seem to get angry a lot over trivial things?

SImply phone the pension people and ask for a letter.

How did he make Britain great btw?

[digitalchromakey]

Now he tells me they need a paper sent to him from a Brit Government Body not older than 1 Year. How can he produce such a paper?. The Queen doesn't send him a Christmas Card , and his last pension letter is 2 Years Old. Whats his address here got to do with it, when I have to take him back to collect it. I recon someone has gone a little stupid. Im Portuguese, Britain's Oldest Allie, and getting rather angy the way England is treating its OlD Folks. Whats he Do.?. Ask the Queen to write to Him.

Have you ever tried meditation, you seem to get angry a lot over trivial things?

SImply phone the pension people and ask for a letter.

How did he make Britain great btw?

HMPO insist on evidence of name/address, I suspect that this pension letter is the only item from the HMPO Group 2 Guidance Notes - Table A required list of supporting documents that can be submitted that Ace of Pop's 82 year old friend has with his name and address in Thailand written in English.

There are other possibilities, including translations for utility bills, bank letters/statements, immigration dept address report, etc that may prove quicker/easier to obtain, but with the incumbent cost of an official translation/stamps. etc.

Many others based here in Thailand have struggled with this same new requirement to provide evidence of address; so let's not be too dismissive of someone trying their best to help an elderly friend.

This new passport application system is no joke and a positive nightmare for many UK expats based here in Thailand.

Edited May 26, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[phuketbased]

What a palaver this all seems, I don’t know if this will help any of you, But for a completely unrelated reason I got ( well I got my thai gf to get) AIS to send my phone bill to me with the address written in English.

Would this not suffice as proof of address?

[watso63]

I have been ringing all day and I am still ringing the passport office regarding my card being refused. Rang the number 008 44 151 471 4302 over 80 times and all it does is ring ring ring. On 4 occasions I got an engaged tone but after ringing the number again it just continues to ring ring ring.

A thoroughly frustrating and incompetent service so far

JAF.

Just a thought - have you tried the main HMPO help line number +44 300 222 0000 (it's a regular UK landline call) - maybe they could get you an internal connection or explain why the finance dept is not answering calls.

HMPO at least should know that their finance dept couldn't be bothered to answer their phones or that they are swamped under a mass of financial enquiries.

Bank Holiday yesterday? Oops, Just read you managed to get sorted. Still, strange to find out they were working on a BH.

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited May 26, 2014 by watso63

[watso63]

Now he tells me they need a paper sent to him from a Brit Government Body not older than 1 Year. How can he produce such a paper?. The Queen doesn't send him a Christmas Card , and his last pension letter is 2 Years Old. Whats his address here got to do with it, when I have to take him back to collect it. I recon someone has gone a little stupid. Im Portuguese, Britain's Oldest Allie, and getting rather angy the way England is treating its OlD Folks. Whats he Do.?. Ask the Queen to write to Him.

Have you ever tried meditation, you seem to get angry a lot over trivial things?

SImply phone the pension people and ask for a letter.

How did he make Britain great btw?

HMPO insist on evidence of name/address, I suspect that this pension letter is the only item from the HMPO Group 2 Guidance Notes - Table A required list of supporting documents that can be submitted that Ace of Pop's 82 year old friend has with his name and address in Thailand written in English.

There are other possibilities, including translations for utility bills, bank letters/statements, immigration dept address report, etc that may prove quicker/easier to obtain, but with the incumbent cost of an official translation/stamps. etc.

Many others based here in Thailand have struggled with this same new requirement to provide evidence of address; so let's not be too dismissive of someone trying their best to help an elderly friend.

This new passport application system is no joke and a positive nightmare for many UK expats based here in Thailand.

I agree and maybe time is an issue. Quite decent of Ace of Pop to be helping out one of our own 82 year olds.

As for why he made Britain great, who knows? Maybe did some service in HM Forces and has told Ace of Pop a few ood war stories (and yes I know he would have been too young for WW2, but not Malaya, Korea, Aden, Oman, Borneo to name a few others). One thing's for sure, people of his age were a lot more willing to sacrifice things in the national interest and a lot less selfish than the under 50 year olds we have today.

Good luck Ace of Pop.

Edited May 26, 2014 by watso63

[Pattaya Pat]

Was up at Trendy yesterday to renew my passport. It didn't start well as I had a scrap with the car park attendant, you give these little men a uniform and well we all know what happens...

After that it was a doddle. Got up to the 28th floor, the place was packed so I feared the worse BUT I was seemingly the only one who was renewing my PP so I went straight up to the counter and was out within max 10 minutes..

Couple of points, you have to sign every page of your copied passport and the back of both photos. It doesn't seem to matter what time you get there, I went up there an hour early and it didn't matter..

Who knows how long it will take to come back though..

PP

[evadgib]

Now he tells me they need a paper sent to him from a Brit Government Body not older than 1 Year. How can he produce such a paper?. The Queen doesn't send him a Christmas Card , and his last pension letter is 2 Years Old. Whats his address here got to do with it, when I have to take him back to collect it. I recon someone has gone a little stupid. Im Portuguese, Britain's Oldest Allie, and getting rather angy the way England is treating its OlD Folks. Whats he Do.?. Ask the Queen to write to Him.

P60 (annual govt tax statement-mine arrived last week) or copy of last pension letter which for most is renewed annually.

HTH

[sedge]

The new system and the Passport office is pure farce, Despite starting my application process in March when processing time was 4 to 6 weeks, still nothing. I now have to get an ETD, leave Thailand, come back as a tourist will will mean I lose my Non-imm B status and work permit and complicates the running of my business no end..

UK Passport office have promised to return my call on three separate occasions .... surprise surprise no a single call.

Pathetic.

[rbkk]

Tanlic I stand corrected the virtual card is in fact a credit card then so its just a matter of choice which bank card you use as long as it is accepted

No. The virtual card is a DEBIT card not a credit card, that can be used on the VISA network.

[sedge]

This little snippet made me laugh.

The Passport Office, part of the Home Office, has received around 300,000 more applications since January than in the same period last year. A spokesman for the agency blamed the surge on ‘the improving economy and a rise in holiday bookings’.

The "improving economy" in the UK causes passport pandemonium yet the £ weakened against the Thai Baht since last Thursday??? 55555555555

All the more reason to have a Thai/SE Asia passport office then.

Does Liverpool deal just with overseas passports or UK domestic applications too?

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

How about this for accuracy

A spokesman for the Passport Office said: ‘We have brought in extra staff to respond to the extra demand, we are operating seven days a week and our couriers are delivering passports within 24 hours of [them] being produced.

‘There is no backlog, we have issued over three million passports so far this year and more than 98 per cent of straightforward passport renewals continue to be processed within three weeks.’

The straightforward renewals must have been for him his wife and kids

You don't think the upsurge in demand is anything to do with centralising overseas applications in Liverpool do you?

[sandyf]

Now he tells me they need a paper sent to him from a Brit Government Body not older than 1 Year. How can he produce such a paper?. The Queen doesn't send him a Christmas Card , and his last pension letter is 2 Years Old. Whats his address here got to do with it, when I have to take him back to collect it. I recon someone has gone a little stupid. Im Portuguese, Britain's Oldest Allie, and getting rather angy the way England is treating its OlD Folks. Whats he Do.?. Ask the Queen to write to Him.

P60 (annual govt tax statement-mine arrived last week) or copy of last pension letter which for most is renewed annually.

HTH

I have never received anything from the pension office other than the original letter a couple of years ago. All I get is an sms from TMB to say funds have arrived.

[watso63]

Had a look around on t'internet and found this page:

http://www.ukpassportoffices.co.uk/liverpool-passport-office/

Comes with a video. Nice to see a four hour same day service is available if you're in the UK. I wonder when the staff receive an application, if they check the expiry dates of visas, extention of stays etc and try to return the new passport in time.

[digitalchromakey]

This little snippet made me laugh.

The Passport Office, part of the Home Office, has received around 300,000 more applications since January than in the same period last year. A spokesman for the agency blamed the surge on ‘the improving economy and a rise in holiday bookings’.

The "improving economy" in the UK causes passport pandemonium yet the £ weakened against the Thai Baht since last Thursday??? 55555555555

All the more reason to have a Thai/SE Asia passport office then.

Does Liverpool deal just with overseas passports or UK domestic applications too?

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

How about this for accuracy

A spokesman for the Passport Office said: ‘We have brought in extra staff to respond to the extra demand, we are operating seven days a week and our couriers are delivering passports within 24 hours of [them] being produced.

‘There is no backlog, we have issued over three million passports so far this year and more than 98 per cent of straightforward passport renewals continue to be processed within three weeks.’

The straightforward renewals must have been for him his wife and kids

You don't think the upsurge in demand is anything to do with centralising overseas applications in Liverpool do you?

If you wander through the UK Gov HMPO Website, you will find that different regions overseas are dealt with by different UK Offices, e.g. Egypt is dealt with by Durham HMPO.

Liverpool deals with our specific region and maybe other regions as well, but not all overseas applications.

So the load of overseas passport applications is being spread, this makes the current level of service (8-9 week minimum) even more inexcusable.

I have posted along these lines before, but to repeat, this appallingly bad level of service for UK Passport Renewals/issue should lead to several senior HMPO civil servants being 'put up against the wall' if they can't/don't start to deliver better service now.

[sandyf]

What a palaver this all seems, I don’t know if this will help any of you, But for a completely unrelated reason I got ( well I got my thai gf to get) AIS to send my phone bill to me with the address written in English.

Would this not suffice as proof of address?

Who knows. Guidelines say from a government agency.

I used my electricity bill, cost me 700 baht to have it translated in an hour at the Trendy house, or 300 baht if I came back 4 days later.

[digitalchromakey]

Had a look around on t'internet and found this page:

http://www.ukpassportoffices.co.uk/liverpool-passport-office/

Comes with a video. Nice to see a four hour same day service is available if you're in the UK. I wonder when the staff receive an application, if they check the expiry dates of visas, extention of stays etc and try to return the new passport in time.

Just watched the video

Having just had to travel for 38 hours from HKT to BKK to apply, whilst missing two nights sleep and one day of work, it fills me with great warmth to know that in the UK if I am 'too busy to miss a day's work' that HMPO will (for a fee) come to my office and collect the passport them selves and then courier the replacement back with in the week.

The clear light of day is now shining on the simple fact that we British Citizens who are based in Thailand (and I guess many other outpost) clearly now qualify for the status of being Third Class Citizens (the 'lower leagues' as one poster described us much earlier in this thread).

Edited May 27, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[JustAnotherFarang]

And then there was light......... After umpteen calls that never got answered I decided to ring the helpline instead on 008 44 300 222 0000 where the kind lady put me through to the payment office within 30 seconds and I managed to complete my payment over the telephone. Hurrah

Hope this advice is useful to anyone else who cannot contact the payment office on the direct number they provide

JAF

I have been ringing all day and I am still ringing the passport office regarding my card being refused. Rang the number 008 44 151 471 4302 over 80 times and all it does is ring ring ring. On 4 occasions I got an engaged tone but after ringing the number again it just continues to ring ring ring.

A thoroughly frustrating and incompetent service so far

JAF.

So you really never thought about that before until someone on here suggested it. Dear o' dear.

Whilst in the midst of finishing our new home, starting a new school term with my private students and suffering with a fever I completely overlooked that it was a bank holiday in the UK and that I was unable to get through on the direct number that I had been given by the payment section. Luckily I was complis mentis enough to seek the advice of those helpful members on this site.

Sadly, this forum topic is beginning to attract snide and unnecessary remarks. Makes me wonder why these posters bother reading these forums.

Thanks once again to those who have offered informative advice.

JAF

[Ace of Pop]

Why do they want a Thai Address when they are too bloody idle to post it back to an Elderly Brit, as apparently they did with his last one from the Brit Consulae in C.M..

[ubonjoe]

I have removed several replies that were just bickering and served no purpose. Please keep it civil.

[Ace of Pop]

Thanks to the Kind Brits for the support. I now know he doesn't have an ATM with BKK Bank since his Wife died Just a Hi interest Deposit Acc, and goes into the Bank to withdraw as required. Id also like to thank Poster Transam whoes helped me decipher the Web Site prior to commenting here. Thought my Government were a bit Dim, but at least they don't ask you where you stay here unless you ask em to Post it on.In his case how' he got a Thai Marriage extensions and now a Retirement Visa that's filled his Passport till recently without a Fixed Abode. We will get there in the End.

[watso63]

Thanks to the Kind Brits for the support. I now know he doesn't have an ATM with BKK Bank since his Wife died Just a Hi interest Deposit Acc, and goes into the Bank to withdraw as required. Id also like to thank Poster Transam whoes helped me decipher the Web Site prior to commenting here. Thought my Government were a bit Dim, but at least they don't ask you where you stay here unless you ask em to Post it on.In his case how' he got a Thai Marriage extensions and now a Retirement Visa that's filled his Passport till recently without a Fixed Abode. We will get there in the End.

The biggest pain, even though the residential address seems to have nothing to do with anything is that without it you will not get a passport.

People of "age" have access to all kinds of help in the UK, where life is arguably easy. As others have already said, leave the UK and expect nothing but 3rd class status. Gonna check Age Concern out of interest.

[rajyindee]

I visited the Embassy yesterday to get an Emergency Travel Document since there's no sign of my new passport on the horizon. No great dramas - just another 11k Baht and 1,940 km on top of the costs and travelling from Songkhla to apply for my renewal at Trendy. A quick snippet - someone mentioned drilling holes through your passport to cancel it - nothing like that happens - they cut the corners of the front and rear cover only (anything more would invalidate the visas stamps contained in the passport apparently). They did tell me I had to go to Immigration at Lad Prao to transfer the stamps from my passport into the ETD. I didn't fancy that trip at 3 pm so hopefully I'll get that sorted at my local immigration office tomorrow.

The lady at the Embassy was kind enough to give me details of who to direct comments/complaints about the system. I'll dig them out later.

Edited May 27, 2014 by rajyindee

[parryhandy]

Did mine today and nothing to report that hasn't been already said.Will advise on how long it takes.I have 88 days before I need to leave the country but can extend 60 days using the cancelled passport if really necessary.

[alantheembalmer]

I thought I would post what I did late last year when I renewed my British Passport.

1. Went online and filled out the application form and got it sent to a friend in the UK https://passports.ip.../index.aspx?c=1

2. Friend sent the application to me, along with all the information sent by the Passport Office.

3. I sent completed form, current passport, photos and credit card mandate to my friend, via Thai Post registered delivery, and she sent it to Passport Office.

4. One week later she got my new passport, and she sent it to me in Thailand, along with the old passport, by registered delivery at Royal Mail.

The whole process took three weeks, was simple, and was cheaper than doing it the "required" way.

I am not suggesting that other members should follow my example; I am merely showing that there is a possible alternative to the debacle that is currently available. And before anyone asks, I was aware of all the potential risks involved.

[Neeranam]

Tanlic. The only method of payment is a world wide credit card.

Could not use my Entropay visa card

https://www.entropay.com/make-private-purchases

or my Cashplus visa card?

http://www.mycashplus.co.uk/

I have used these cards for things online as well as in many countries.

[Squeegee]

I'm finding references to this special credit card highly confusing. Is it an e-card of some sort? Is it only for customers of Kasikorn Bank or can anyone use it, with or without a visa debit card? It seems to change its nature on every page of the topic.

This thread is now 46 pages long and the card seems to be something under debate. Could someone please post a link to definitive information about this card? That would be extremely helpful right now.

-

Also, it might be good for post #1 or #2 of this topic to feature updated, current info on the process for keeping information together and quicker referencing.

Example:

Under supporting documents etc:

Passport photos:-

Official: X amount of them to these dimensions, white background etc.

Unofficial: people are reporting all photos must be signed on the back.

Proof of address:-

Official: this, that and other document

Unofficial: reports that X, Y and Z are acceptable also if signed by whoever, but not A, B and C.

I realize this means work but is it not possible to do something like this once a rough consensus has been reached about an issue? As the picture becomes more clear surely it would be better to do this than for everyone to trawl through 50+ pages of a topic full of posts asking the same questions due to having to trawl through 50+ pages of the topic?

[Pattaya Pat]

I thought I would post what I did late last year when I renewed my British Passport.

1. Went online and filled out the application form and got it sent to a friend in the UK https://passports.ip.../index.aspx?c=1

2. Friend sent the application to me, along with all the information sent by the Passport Office.

3. I sent completed form, current passport, photos and credit card mandate to my friend, via Thai Post registered delivery, and she sent it to Passport Office.

4. One week later she got my new passport, and she sent it to me in Thailand, along with the old passport, by registered delivery at Royal Mail.

The whole process took three weeks, was simple, and was cheaper than doing it the "required" way.

I am not suggesting that other members should follow my example; I am merely showing that there is a possible alternative to the debacle that is currently available. And before anyone asks, I was aware of all the potential risks involved.

Very nice move, ableit with a bit of leg work.

I suppose it depends on how stressed you are at waiting for a new passport. Myself, I applied for renewal on monday, I am good for just under 90 days before I go onto overstay, I'm quietly confident my pp will be here by then so really not too fussed right now.

[digitalchromakey]

I'm finding references to this special credit card highly confusing. Is it an e-card of some sort? Is it only for customers of Kasikorn Bank or can anyone use it, with or without a visa debit card? It seems to change its nature on every page of the topic.

This thread is now 46 pages long and the card seems to be something under debate. Could someone please post a link to definitive information about this card? That would be extremely helpful right now.

Think that particular Kasikorn card has now changed its name - see this link http://www.kasikornbank.com/EN/Personal/Debit/Pages/KWebShopping.aspx

Its an on line/internet purchasing facility for Kasikorn Bank Account Holders who already have E Banking facilities.

HMPO specify payment as follows:

You can use Mastercard, Visa, Electron, Diners Club and JCB.

Problem is many Thai Visa/MasterCard Debit Cards don't ever/as standard work for on-line purchases.

Just to confuse further, HMPO actually debit your fee in the UK as a mail order payment.

[Pattaya Pat]

You are still confusing things...

Can that that K-Bank card be used to purchase things and make bookings on-line anywhere in the world?

Just a yes or a no will suffice.

[digitalchromakey]

You are still confusing things...

Can that that K-Bank card be used to purchase things and make bookings on-line anywhere in the world?

Just a yes or a no will suffice.

Sorry - can't give a yes/no answer you would have to ask the bank.

I have no idea how good/bad the card is and have never had one, but as a Kasikorn customer I am familiar with the product, I just provided information on it in its present form for the poster who enquired.

I am fortunate to have a standard Kasikorn Visa Credit Card, so personally I don't need that facility, but it looks useful as an online payment tool for those who don't have/can't get a credit card.

Edited May 28, 2014 by digitalchromakey