Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[mjj]

I'm just about to enter this cluster <deleted> of a procedure to apply for my sons second passport and I have a question.

How are you getting the counter signature? If I understand correctly, I need to find a professional with a British or EU passport that has known me for 2 years. No problem if I was in the UK, but someone currently in Thailand, er.....nope.

The counter signature can be British, Irish, other EU, US or Commonwealth. That's a pretty large choice.

Maybe I don't get out enough, but I don't know anyone holding one of those passports that is a Doctor, Accountant, Policeman, etc that is currently living near me in Thailand. Surely there can't be many of them about?

[Jip99]

I'm just about to enter this cluster <deleted> of a procedure to apply for my sons second passport and I have a question.

How are you getting the counter signature? If I understand correctly, I need to find a professional with a British or EU passport that has known me for 2 years. No problem if I was in the UK, but someone currently in Thailand, er.....nope.

The counter signature can be British, Irish, other EU, US or Commonwealth. That's a pretty large choice.

Maybe I don't get out enough, but I don't know anyone holding one of those passports that is a Doctor, Accountant, Policeman, etc that is currently living near me in Thailand. Surely there can't be many of them about?

Anyone who is a company director (or retired) can sign.

I have counter-signed as several applications as a company director (and a retired 'professional').

Look closely at the list - it virtually includes anyone who breathe..... (I qualify in at least 5 categories)

https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

Edited June 2, 2014 by Jip99

[rajyindee]

Maybe I don't get out enough, but I don't know anyone holding one of those passports that is a Doctor, Accountant, Policeman, etc that is currently living near me in Thailand. Surely there can't be many of them about?

Quite possibly so. Plenty of "teachers and lecturers", "public house licensees", folk who are "members of professional bodies" and retired servicemen around though. Surely you must know at least one retired Jamaican postman. Here's the full list ...

Occupations

Countersignatories must work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession or be ‘a person of good standing in their community’, eg:

• accountant
• airline pilot
• articled clerk of a limited company
• assurance agent of recognised company
• bank/building society official
• barrister
• chairman/director of limited company
• chiropodist
• commissioner of oaths
• councillor - eg local or county
• civil servant (permanent), but not someone who works for Her Majesty’s Passport Office
• dentist
• director/manager of a VAT-registered charity
• director/manager/personnel officer of a VAT-registered company
• engineer - with professional qualifications
• financial services intermediary - eg a stockbroker or insurance broker
• fire service official
• funeral director
• insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company
• journalist
• Justice of the Peace
• legal secretary - fellow or associate member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs
• licensee of public house
• local government officer
• manager/personnel officer of a limited company
• member, associate or fellow of a professional body
• Member of Parliament
• Merchant Navy officer
• minister of a recognised religion - including Christian Science
• nurse - RGN or RMN
• officer of the armed services
• optician
• paralegal - certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals
• person with honours - eg an OBE or MBE
• pharmacist
• photographer - professional
• police officer
• Post Office official
• president/secretary of a recognised organisation
• Salvation Army officer
• social worker
• solicitor
• surveyor
• teacher, lecturer
• trade union officer
• travel agent - qualified
• valuer or auctioneer - fellows and associate members of the incorporated society
• Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers

Edited June 2, 2014 by rajyindee

[soihok]

special provisions and services for people with disabilities - my a**

See post 1183.

It was pointed out to the officer I contacted in Newport that the reason my girl isn't living with me is due to her disability, but no special provision was offered and no suggestion made (other than travel to Thailand to apply in person, then travel back there again for collection).

So I would take what ever they say on the web site with a pinch of salt.

The same website lays down the process to take your complaint higher. If you believe you have a genuine greivance, pursue it.

The complete document can be viewed here - it gives you the contact details of whom you should escalate the complaint to.

Complaint made, informing HM Passport Office that the new rules are actually discriminating against disabled people.

Will update the forum once I get a reply.

[soihok]

Thanks again for the info!!

[Jip99]

An update on my application, I submitted it to Trendy House on the 9th April, I had a phone call from Trendy on the 30th, saying my passport was ready for collection, I will be going on Tuesday to collect overall its taken just over 7 weeks.

JOHN

Well that's the quickest one yet, well done.

John, If you were anywhere near Buriram you would get a bottle of champers for that

Just to close my particular circle......... I received the call from VFS this morning, so from 9th April it has been 54 days.

I would expect that time-frame to reduce as HMPO clear the 300,000 additional applications.

[digitalchromakey]

An update on my application, I submitted it to Trendy House on the 9th April, I had a phone call from Trendy on the 30th, saying my passport was ready for collection, I will be going on Tuesday to collect overall its taken just over 7 weeks.

JOHN

Well that's the quickest one yet, well done.

John, If you were anywhere near Buriram you would get a bottle of champers for that

Just to close my particular circle......... I received the call from VFS this morning, so from 9th April it has been 54 days.

I would expect that time-frame to reduce as HMPO clear the 300,000 additional applications.

Congratulations, 7.7 weeks, you must be very pleased that the stress and uncertainty are now behind you - time to crack open a bottle of Soda Water!

Let's not be too complementary though, since nearly eight weeks to renew a passport represents a truly appallingly bad level of customer service for the replacement of such an important identity document.

[daiwill60]

OK The latest in my saga.

I received a missed phone call from DHL on Saturday ( i think it was), no e-mails from VFS , passport agency or DHL, for that matter.

Can only be one reason that DHL are trying to call me, fingers crossed. So today after 3 phone calls, and no return calls, this being due to the fact nobody has bothered to give me a DHL tracking number, i eventually got them to trace my parcel via my phone number and find out who tried to call me.

Previous to my final phone call i did call Liverpool who said, "we have good news for you, your passport went to print 9 days ago", ( kind of funny really because i called them 7 days ago and they told me it was still in checking process and had not yet gone to print. Ok so what is the tracking number? I asked. "oh we will not be informed of the tracking number for 10 days which will be tomorrow. Ok thanks i will call you tomorrow if i have not heard from DHL thailand.

I have just had my final call to DHL and the lovely lady there has asked if I wanted my passport delivered to my home address in Rayong ( not informing me that it will be sent to the Wendy House) , so i informed the lovely lady that I will be in work all day, and asked if it could be delivered to my place of work. Yes, Not a problem, what is your work address, at which point I handed over to a Thai colleague, and my passport should be in my hands tomorrow.

So again, this also raises the questions of

1. why are so may having to do two trips to the Wendy House?

2, Why did i not receive an e-mail informing me of its arrival? You are told at Wendy House that you will receive both if memory serves me correctly. An e-mail that maybe would have had a tracking number included and asked me to contact regarding place of collection or its delivery.

3. If it is so secure why are they now easily willing to send it to my place of work rather than home address or VFS offices??

So fingers crossed guys I should be out of this loop by this time tomorrow night.

Good luck to all, and make enquiries as to home delivery. It is happening for me , I hope !!!!

7 weeks 4 days , time is coming down compared to the 7.7 days above ? or should 7.7 days = 8 weeks????

Edited June 2, 2014 by daiwill60

[watso63]

OK The latest in my saga.

I received a missed phone call from DHL on Saturday ( i think it was), no e-mails from VFS , passport agency or DHL, for that matter.

Can only be one reason that DHL are trying to call me, fingers crossed. So today after 3 phone calls, and no return calls, this being due to the fact nobody has bothered to give me a DHL tracking number, i eventually got them to trace my parcel via my phone number and find out who tried to call me.

Previous to my final phone call i did call Liverpool who said, "we have good news for you, your passport went to print 9 days ago", ( kind of funny really because i called them 7 days ago and they told me it was still in checking process and had not yet gone to print. Ok so what is the tracking number? I asked. "oh we will not be informed of the tracking number for 10 days which will be tomorrow. Ok thanks i will call you tomorrow if i have not heard from DHL thailand.

I have just had my final call to DHL and the lovely lady there has asked if I wanted my passport delivered to my home address in Rayong ( not informing me that it will be sent to the Wendy House) , so i informed the lovely lady that I will be in work all day, and asked if it could be delivered to my place of work. Yes, Not a problem, what is your work address, at which point I handed over to a Thai colleague, and my passport should be in my hands tomorrow.

So again, this also raises the questions of

1. why are so may having to do two trips to the Wendy House?

2, Why did i not receive an e-mail informing me of its arrival? You are told at Wendy House that you will receive both if memory serves me correctly. An e-mail that maybe would have had a tracking number included and asked me to contact regarding place of collection or its delivery.

3. If it is so secure why are they now easily willing to send it to my place of work rather than home address or VFS offices??

So fingers crossed guys I should be out of this loop by this time tomorrow night.

Good luck to all, and make enquiries as to home delivery. It is happening for me , I hope !!!!

7 weeks 4 days , time is coming down compared to the 7.7 days above ? or should 7.7 days = 8 weeks????

Don't like to be accused of whinging, but I posted my application to Liverpool before the VFS "improved service" and the new passport should have been delivered to my home, but I had to go to Bangkok to collect after a 10 week wait. Ho hum.

Anyway, glad for you.

Edited June 2, 2014 by watso63

[Jip99]

OK The latest in my saga.

I received a missed phone call from DHL on Saturday ( i think it was), no e-mails from VFS , passport agency or DHL, for that matter.

Can only be one reason that DHL are trying to call me, fingers crossed. So today after 3 phone calls, and no return calls, this being due to the fact nobody has bothered to give me a DHL tracking number, i eventually got them to trace my parcel via my phone number and find out who tried to call me.

Previous to my final phone call i did call Liverpool who said, "we have good news for you, your passport went to print 9 days ago", ( kind of funny really because i called them 7 days ago and they told me it was still in checking process and had not yet gone to print. Ok so what is the tracking number? I asked. "oh we will not be informed of the tracking number for 10 days which will be tomorrow. Ok thanks i will call you tomorrow if i have not heard from DHL thailand.

I have just had my final call to DHL and the lovely lady there has asked if I wanted my passport delivered to my home address in Rayong ( not informing me that it will be sent to the Wendy House) , so i informed the lovely lady that I will be in work all day, and asked if it could be delivered to my place of work. Yes, Not a problem, what is your work address, at which point I handed over to a Thai colleague, and my passport should be in my hands tomorrow.

So again, this also raises the questions of

1. why are so may having to do two trips to the Wendy House?

2, Why did i not receive an e-mail informing me of its arrival? You are told at Wendy House that you will receive both if memory serves me correctly. An e-mail that maybe would have had a tracking number included and asked me to contact regarding place of collection or its delivery.

3. If it is so secure why are they now easily willing to send it to my place of work rather than home address or VFS offices??

So fingers crossed guys I should be out of this loop by this time tomorrow night.

Good luck to all, and make enquiries as to home delivery. It is happening for me , I hope !!!!

7 weeks 4 days , time is coming down compared to the 7.7 days above ? or should 7.7 days = 8 weeks????

Don't like to be accused of whinging, but I posted my application to Liverpool before the VFS "improved service" and the new passport should have been delivered to my home, but I had to go to Bangkok to collect after a 10 week wait. Ho hum.

Anyway, glad for you.

I think you were just unlucky being caught between two systems.

I guess you would have been OK about it if they had completed your application under the old system (nothing to complain about apart from the time taken) or, if they had refunded part of your fee to compensate a little for you having to go to Bangkok!

On the bright side you only had to go to BKK once

It all seems to be settling down now at just over 7 weeks - I suspect they will be at their 6 week target before too long.

[watso63]

OK The latest in my saga.

I received a missed phone call from DHL on Saturday ( i think it was), no e-mails from VFS , passport agency or DHL, for that matter.

Can only be one reason that DHL are trying to call me, fingers crossed. So today after 3 phone calls, and no return calls, this being due to the fact nobody has bothered to give me a DHL tracking number, i eventually got them to trace my parcel via my phone number and find out who tried to call me.

Previous to my final phone call i did call Liverpool who said, "we have good news for you, your passport went to print 9 days ago", ( kind of funny really because i called them 7 days ago and they told me it was still in checking process and had not yet gone to print. Ok so what is the tracking number? I asked. "oh we will not be informed of the tracking number for 10 days which will be tomorrow. Ok thanks i will call you tomorrow if i have not heard from DHL thailand.

I have just had my final call to DHL and the lovely lady there has asked if I wanted my passport delivered to my home address in Rayong ( not informing me that it will be sent to the Wendy House) , so i informed the lovely lady that I will be in work all day, and asked if it could be delivered to my place of work. Yes, Not a problem, what is your work address, at which point I handed over to a Thai colleague, and my passport should be in my hands tomorrow.

So again, this also raises the questions of

1. why are so may having to do two trips to the Wendy House?

2, Why did i not receive an e-mail informing me of its arrival? You are told at Wendy House that you will receive both if memory serves me correctly. An e-mail that maybe would have had a tracking number included and asked me to contact regarding place of collection or its delivery.

3. If it is so secure why are they now easily willing to send it to my place of work rather than home address or VFS offices??

So fingers crossed guys I should be out of this loop by this time tomorrow night.

Good luck to all, and make enquiries as to home delivery. It is happening for me , I hope !!!!

7 weeks 4 days , time is coming down compared to the 7.7 days above ? or should 7.7 days = 8 weeks????

Don't like to be accused of whinging, but I posted my application to Liverpool before the VFS "improved service" and the new passport should have been delivered to my home, but I had to go to Bangkok to collect after a 10 week wait. Ho hum.

Anyway, glad for you.

I think you were just unlucky being caught between two systems.

I guess you would have been OK about it if they had completed your application under the old system (nothing to complain about apart from the time taken) or, if they had refunded part of your fee to compensate a little for you having to go to Bangkok!

On the bright side you only had to go to BKK once

It all seems to be settling down now at just over 7 weeks - I suspect they will be at their 6 week target before too long.

Just glad to have my passport, but I am a sprightly 51 year old, even though I am a disabled war pensioner. Don't know how my injuries will affect me in the next 30 years or so, but it's only going to be downhill, if I live that long 555.

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

Edited June 2, 2014 by watso63

[rajyindee]

It all seems to be settling down now at just over 7 weeks - I suspect they will be at their 6 week target before too long.

I handed in my passport at Trendy on 9 April. I spoke to HMPO (again) 30 mins ago and my passport is still at the "We received your application on 15 April" stage. I don't know what they're up to - they just keep asking for info that's already contained in my application (email address, phone number, place of birth ...). They've promised (again) that someone from Liverpool will contact me.

[bigbamboo]

It all seems to be settling down now at just over 7 weeks - I suspect they will be at their 6 week target before too long.

I handed in my passport at Trendy on 9 April. I spoke to HMPO (again) 30 mins ago and my passport is still at the "We received your application on 15 April" stage. I don't know what they're up to - they just keep asking for info that's already contained in my application (email address, phone number, place of birth ...). They've promised (again) that someone from Liverpool will contact me.

"Calm down. Calm down."

[parryhandy]

I put 114.01 also on my form and that has now left my credit card account.

[rajyindee]

"Calm down. Calm down."

No worries! I'm good at doing the "jai yen, mai pen rai" thing.

I had to laugh - I got put through to the Tracking Team (a girl/woman called Chloé) who put me on hold while she attempted to find out what was going on ... when she got back to me she said she'd had a look. So, quite naturally, I asked her what the score was. She replied that she couldn't tell me as it was "privileged information" and the folk at Liverpool would e-mail me. LOL. We'll see.

[digitalchromakey]

It all seems to be settling down now at just over 7 weeks - I suspect they will be at their 6 week target before too long.

I handed in my passport at Trendy on 9 April. I spoke to HMPO (again) 30 mins ago and my passport is still at the "We received your application on 15 April" stage. I don't know what they're up to - they just keep asking for info that's already contained in my application (email address, phone number, place of birth ...). They've promised (again) that someone from Liverpool will contact me.

"Calm down. Calm down."

If I was him I wouldn't be particularly calm.

He originally applied on the 9th April, it's now the 2nd of June, he has had to obtain an Emergency UK Passport at an extra cost of 11K THB (including the extra return trip to BKK) for a scheduled trip to the UK tomorrow (3rd June).

So after applying nearly eight weeks before planned travel, he still hasn't got a valid passport, just an Emergency Travel Document and they cant even tell him where his passport is.

HMPO really are a bunch of useless Muppets, offering a really truly appalling level of customer service.

Some of the senior UK civil servants who thought up this absurd farce should be put up against the wall now, or certainly very soon if they don't reduce the service response levels down to a reasonable figure (say 2 weeks max) ......

Needless to say HMPO are not on my Xmas list either.

[rbkk]

Dear Mr XXXXXX

Please see the attached letter in reference to your recent passport application as the payment you submitted was in excess of the fee required.

Refund amount £10.16

Reference OCR-XXXXXX 30/05

<<Overseas refund of overpayment.pdf>>
If, once the attached query has been resolved, you have any further queries please direct them to the Passport Advice Line on 44 300 222 0000

GRO Transactional Finance Team

Her Majesty's Passport Office | Finance Room 110 | General Register Office | Smedley Hydro | Trafalgar Road | Southport | PR8 2HH

T: 44 151 471 4302 | Text Relay Prefix 18001| E : F&[email protected] |

As I received this late on Friday I duly rang up today at 3pm. Engaged tone for 45 minutes, finally got through; 3 minutes on the phone. Payment went through. I was Informed about 3 to 5 working days to show up on my statement.

[Ace of Pop]

As a non Brit helping an old one heres my opinion so far.They assume all old folks have a P.C.. Are all computor litterate, own a printer, and a CREDIT Card,when many oldies never use Credit exept for a Morgage years ago.That they all have someone to help them, and enjoy going 2K Round Trips because their Reps here are idle folk.I got it Wrong. His Card works Worldwide, but he must be with it.So its back to de Bank for a Credit Card that does Mail Order,something else he has never used..Ive given him printouts of all yourPost Advice so he thanks You All.So now i must get him 3 Dates, Nok Air Tickets, a Hotell in Bkk. Ah Well were getting there. As for Me ill nip into my humble Embassy and renew mine a bit early by return Post.

[soap]

As a non Brit helping an old one heres my opinion so far.They assume all old folks have a P.C.. Are all computor litterate, own a printer, and a CREDIT Card,when many oldies never use Credit exept for a Morgage years ago.That they all have someone to help them, and enjoy going 2K Round Trips because their Reps here are idle folk.I got it Wrong. His Card works Worldwide, but he must be with it.So its back to de Bank for a Credit Card that does Mail Order,something else he has never used..Ive given him printouts of all yourPost Advice so he thanks You All.So now i must get him 3 Dates, Nok Air Tickets, a Hotell in Bkk. Ah Well were getting there. As for Me ill nip into my humble Embassy and renew mine a bit early by return Post.

I agree with you ace,i have never owned a credit card,my limit on a computer is a couple of web sites and

my emails.I have no utility bills in my name in English.

Good luck to anyone who lives in Bangkok and this passport new service is a bonus for them,because its only once every ten years.but there is nearly 50,000 views on this thread and there are many who dont live in the vicinity of Bangkok,and these new rules are unfair and a complete shambles for those that are entitled to live, weather old or young in the North or South of Thailand,and are subjected to a possible 4,000 kilometre trek to renew their passport.My 81 year old mate as just told me that his passport is due in one years time and he as decided to go back to the UK to renew the passport rather than go through all the rigmorole he as heard

about From the likes of people reading this forum plus the fact he does not know how to turn a computer on.

But according to the HMPO he should know how to fill these forms in,he should have a credit card,he should have utility bills in his name in English,he should be fit enough to do a 4,000 kilometre trek even if his doctor says it would be determental to his health,he should,he should the list goes on.

And all he wants is a nice peaceful life living on a pension that was frozen many years ago.

We did not have a passport office were i live,but what the Thai used to do was send a mobile passport office to my city once or twice a year,it works great,but VFS have not got the technology to have a mobile passport checking service that takes all of ten minutes to check the documents,and if anyone ever invents something that only the likes of The VFS and the HMPO know about,i think its called something like skype

or webcam.Lets hope within the next decade it will arrive in the North or South of Thailand

[daiwill60]

It all seems to be settling down now at just over 7 weeks - I suspect they will be at their 6 week target before too long.

I handed in my passport at Trendy on 9 April. I spoke to HMPO (again) 30 mins ago and my passport is still at the "We received your application on 15 April" stage. I don't know what they're up to - they just keep asking for info that's already contained in my application (email address, phone number, place of birth ...). They've promised (again) that someone from Liverpool will contact me.

I handed in ine 10th April , later when i phoned Uk to see what the situation was I was told it had been recieved 23rd April ( probably delayed as it was the last working day before Son kran, When handing in ) . Then for the next few weeks i have been told it is in the cheking process phase ( 3-4 weeks ) and now been told it is in Thailand now and to my surprise DHL say they will be delivering to my place of work today.

There is obviously a lot of variation going on regarding the time it is taking UK passport offce to sort everything out.

[Jip99]

OK The latest in my saga.

I received a missed phone call from DHL on Saturday ( i think it was), no e-mails from VFS , passport agency or DHL, for that matter.

Can only be one reason that DHL are trying to call me, fingers crossed. So today after 3 phone calls, and no return calls, this being due to the fact nobody has bothered to give me a DHL tracking number, i eventually got them to trace my parcel via my phone number and find out who tried to call me.

Previous to my final phone call i did call Liverpool who said, "we have good news for you, your passport went to print 9 days ago", ( kind of funny really because i called them 7 days ago and they told me it was still in checking process and had not yet gone to print. Ok so what is the tracking number? I asked. "oh we will not be informed of the tracking number for 10 days which will be tomorrow. Ok thanks i will call you tomorrow if i have not heard from DHL thailand.

I have just had my final call to DHL and the lovely lady there has asked if I wanted my passport delivered to my home address in Rayong ( not informing me that it will be sent to the Wendy House) , so i informed the lovely lady that I will be in work all day, and asked if it could be delivered to my place of work. Yes, Not a problem, what is your work address, at which point I handed over to a Thai colleague, and my passport should be in my hands tomorrow.

So again, this also raises the questions of

1. why are so may having to do two trips to the Wendy House?

2, Why did i not receive an e-mail informing me of its arrival? You are told at Wendy House that you will receive both if memory serves me correctly. An e-mail that maybe would have had a tracking number included and asked me to contact regarding place of collection or its delivery.

3. If it is so secure why are they now easily willing to send it to my place of work rather than home address or VFS offices??

So fingers crossed guys I should be out of this loop by this time tomorrow night.

Good luck to all, and make enquiries as to home delivery. It is happening for me , I hope !!!!

7 weeks 4 days , time is coming down compared to the 7.7 days above ? or should 7.7 days = 8 weeks????

daiwill - I am confused by the references to DHL.

They SHOULDN'T come into the equation. I thought the passports were couriered en mass to VFS in Bangkok.

I had a phone call from VFS to say the new passport had arrived but I fail to see how DHL come into the equation at all. If the new passport is delivered to your work address (or home address) that flies in the face of all the instructions on the website. How do VFS get to 'çancel' your old passport ?

[Ace of Pop]

Not something else,!! all his bills are in his Late Wifes name. Don't tell me ive got to get His Electric Bill translated into English.

[rbkk]

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

OK The latest in my saga.

I received a missed phone call from DHL on Saturday ( i think it was), no e-mails from VFS , passport agency or DHL, for that matter.

Can only be one reason that DHL are trying to call me, fingers crossed. So today after 3 phone calls, and no return calls, this being due to the fact nobody has bothered to give me a DHL tracking number, i eventually got them to trace my parcel via my phone number and find out who tried to call me.

Previous to my final phone call i did call Liverpool who said, "we have good news for you, your passport went to print 9 days ago", ( kind of funny really because i called them 7 days ago and they told me it was still in checking process and had not yet gone to print. Ok so what is the tracking number? I asked. "oh we will not be informed of the tracking number for 10 days which will be tomorrow. Ok thanks i will call you tomorrow if i have not heard from DHL thailand.

I have just had my final call to DHL and the lovely lady there has asked if I wanted my passport delivered to my home address in Rayong ( not informing me that it will be sent to the Wendy House) , so i informed the lovely lady that I will be in work all day, and asked if it could be delivered to my place of work. Yes, Not a problem, what is your work address, at which point I handed over to a Thai colleague, and my passport should be in my hands tomorrow.

So again, this also raises the questions of

1. why are so may having to do two trips to the Wendy House?

2, Why did i not receive an e-mail informing me of its arrival? You are told at Wendy House that you will receive both if memory serves me correctly. An e-mail that maybe would have had a tracking number included and asked me to contact regarding place of collection or its delivery.

3. If it is so secure why are they now easily willing to send it to my place of work rather than home address or VFS offices??

So fingers crossed guys I should be out of this loop by this time tomorrow night.

Good luck to all, and make enquiries as to home delivery. It is happening for me , I hope !!!!

7 weeks 4 days , time is coming down compared to the 7.7 days above ? or should 7.7 days = 8 weeks????

daiwill - I am confused by the references to DHL.

They SHOULDN'T come into the equation. I thought the passports were couriered en mass to VFS in Bangkok.

I had a phone call from VFS to say the new passport had arrived but I fail to see how DHL come into the equation at all. If the new passport is delivered to your work address (or home address) that flies in the face of all the instructions on the website. How do VFS get to 'çancel' your old passport ?

I'm confused as well. If your new passport does actually arrive at your work today, could you please let us all know, as I for one would dearly like the same level of service. Waiting in anticipation........

[digitalchromakey]

Not something else,!! all his bills are in his Late Wifes name. Don't tell me ive got to get His Electric Bill translated into English.

Here is a list of possible documents for the evidence of name and address that HMPO sent me:

We have contacted our Liverpool Overseas Team on your behalf who has confirmed that you must submit at least one piece of evidence to confirm the address you currently use and it must be dated within the last year. You may choose from the following:

Tax record e.g. letter from tax authority

Educational record e.g. school report

Employment record e.g. official letter from your employer

A letter sent to you from a central, regional or local Government department

National identity card or equivalent (or colour photocopy)

Visa or resident permit (or colour photocopy)

Where none of the above is available consideration may be given to bank statements, utility bills or their equivalents.

Any documents that are not in English must be fully translated by a person who is registered to an official organisation or trade body for translators or employed by a recognised translation company. The translation must be attached to the original document and signed to confirm it is a true copy of the original.

So just one of the above is required, if your friend's electric bill or if his BKK Bank Account statement has his name and address, then get it translated as above and that will do.

Failing that, a trip to your local immigration department with rental contract/tabien barn, etc to get the address proof document and any necessary translation will do.

[rikki]

So I can get a bank statement from my thai bank, in English, with my current Thai address, and that will do for Residence Evidence?

I am currently on a Visa on Arrival extension

[sandyf]

Not something else,!! all his bills are in his Late Wifes name. Don't tell me ive got to get His Electric Bill translated into English.

That is what I had to do. Had it done in Trendy in an hour but it cost 700 baht, it would have been 300 baht if I came back 4 days later, better to do it beforehand.

The place on the left as you go in would not do express but if you go up to first floor and go to the left, about 25 yards on the right a company called MCT will do it.

[digitalchromakey]

So I can get a bank statement from my thai bank, in English, with my current Thai address, and that will do for Residence Evidence?

I am currently on a Visa on Arrival extension

So long as the bank statement is fully translated, yes.

As a UK National you must be on a Visa Exempt entry, not a Visa on Arrival.

Your passport will be invalid for travel once you apply for a replacement and currently that process takes about 8 weeks, which would leave you on an overstay.....

If you want to apply for your replacement passport here in Thailand, then your best solution is to go out of Thailand and get a 60 Day Tourist Visa, then apply straight away in BKK for your replacement passport.

This might just give you enough time, plus you could also get a 30 day extension at your local Thai Immigration Department, if necessary, as they will not be aware that HMPO has cancelled your passport.

[rbkk]

So I can get a bank statement from my thai bank, in English, with my current Thai address, and that will do for Residence Evidence?

I am currently on a Visa on Arrival extension

I used a Hong Kong bank statement. I'm guessing it's not the location of the bank but the Thai address in English that they are after. Also, very importantly, don't forget to remove/obscure any reference to a/c numbers and balances, for security purposes.

I'm sure your visa extension won't be long enough.....

[sandyf]

So I can get a bank statement from my thai bank, in English, with my current Thai address, and that will do for Residence Evidence?

I am currently on a Visa on Arrival extension

Yes, but may be easier said than done. A straight printout will most likely show your address in the Thai language so you would need to request a translated printout which may be a problem.

[rikki]

thats good.

I do not have room in my passport for another entry stamp,now since immigration used the whole last page for an extension on medical grounds.

I am hoping I will need a couple more of these extensions.(though I dont know where they can put them)

I was going to fly out and get a new tourist visa but it is not possible