Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[digitalchromakey]

They've done this one year extension concession to try and buy themselves some time. They should lose some face and realise it was a big mistake to try and centralise overseas applications back in the UK. As I said back at the beginning of this thread, it should be a main duty for any Embassy/Consululate to perform. As for Nanlaew, your point about the whingers re travel to/from BKK. We managed to get them to allow submiision/collection by a third party. My main gripe about this and it was so obvious to me is that VFS are nothing more than a post box and their main function is to put a cancelled stamp into the old passport. We hear of people still not filling in the application properly and having to submit further supporting documentation after visiting Trendy. That's what you get tor your ten minutes! As for poor and sub standard communication skills. If that is not important, then what is??? But the whingers even managed a slight improvement by having the "interview" appointment emailing procedure transferred away from Trendy. Still pathetic. Online hotel/holiday booking websites are much more efficient.

No whingeing from me if the process could be done online or a same day application/issue process at the Embassy/Consulate using an appointment system.

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

IMO Trendy haven't stopped doing the email application appointments, you can confirm this by looking at the quality of the English employed in the appointment replies.

9th June - email appointment reply to davejonesbkk:

'We sorry to said the day you want was full.

The firat availble date and time is on 25th June 2014 at 10.00 hrs. Would you mind if we book this appointment for you.'

[mikhill]

I have 5 years left on my passport thank god. But could i go now and gat the 12 month extension to make it 6??

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

[AyG]

I have 5 years left on my passport thank god. But could i go now and gat the 12 month extension to make it 6??

As I understand it, this extension is only for people applying to renew their passports. If you renew now you'd get the 12 month extension from now, but after 12 months your passport would become invalid. Effectively you'd lose 4 years.

[sometimewoodworker]

I have 5 years left on my passport thank god. But could i go now and gat the 12 month extension to make it 6??

No you will not get the extension

If anyone is due to renew a passport it is going to take a minimum of 8 weeks. New passports much longer.

However if you haven't sent your passport in yet,

and your passport is expiring soon (not more than 7 months),

and you need to travel soon,

and you are a British Citizen or variant passport holder e.g. BPP, BNO, BNSS.

The FCO staff can issue a one time 12 month extension (foc) which will run from the date you get the stamp in your passport not adding 12 months to the expiry.

Information from Policy Principles issued to consular staff.

[sometimewoodworker]

Still not clear if one can apply for an extension or child ETD if an application is already filed with HMPO:

If you have already filed with HMPO you can not get an extension.

You can get an ETD (for a fee) if you need to travel. An ETD usually invalidates a passport, however it is unlikely IMHO that under current conditions that it will if the passport is stuck in the HMPO.

[BangkoK71]

Hi can so body tell can I do my Babies passport in the UK as I'll be there in 2 week. My baby is half Thai my friend who is in the CID will sign the photo.and will ave her birth cert and my birth . Not sure what else I would need.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[NanLaew]

UK Government Website now has the links for the 12 month Extension Application and ETD for Children's urgent travel to the UK.

It comes up as the first page you get to for overseas applications.

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

Still not clear if one can apply for an extension or child ETD if an application is already filed with HMPO:

If you’re renewing an existing British passport you can apply for it to be extended for 12 months. You won’t be charged any extra fees.

To apply, phone your local British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission and select the ‘Consular Services’ option.

Appointments can be made from Monday 16 June.

If you’re the parent or guardian of a child living overseas that needs to travel urgently, you can apply for an emergency travel document for your child instead of a new or renewed passport.

Emergency travel documents are available from the week beginning 16 June in most countries, after checks to confirm nationality and identity.

To apply, phone your local British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission.

No provision of extra passport pages for those with full, but unexpired passports - this would probably help the more frequent travelers based here than the 12 month extension does.

Update:

HMPO have confirmed that the 12 month extension concession is not available to those who have already applied to renew passports, despite the fact that we still hold the actual passports to which a sticker could easily be appended by the Embassy in BKK.

So those of us who have tried to renew our passports in reasonably good time (allowing for the current 8 week delay) will be further penalized; as doubtless the negative publicity in the UK last week will have caused additional 100s of thousands of citizens with passports due for expiry within the next 9 months to apply to renew now, which will yet further overburden an already creaking system.

I am now seriously concerned that the current 7-9 week delays may extend further, causing yet more stress, cost and inconvenience.

HMPO confirmed that my own application now approaching 4 weeks is still 'awaiting examination' (i.e. sitting somewhere in Liverpool in an orange box).

I pray that my misgivings are ill founded, but I am becoming much more concerned than I was previously and am starting to think about how I will go about packing my parachute..........

How would a sticker appended to a full passport achieve the goal of extending it?

I recall several threads from visa runners suggesting ways to remove those pesky whole-page adhesive sticker type visas so that they could free up some pages. Right now, that option must have regained some popularity despite the debatable legalities of such action.

[sometimewoodworker]

How would a sticker appended to a full passport achieve the goal of extending it?

It is an Extension stamp not a sticker.

[sometimewoodworker]

Hi can so body tell can I do my Babies passport in the UK as I'll be there in 2 week. My baby is half Thai my friend who is in the CID will sign the photo.and will ave her birth cert and my birth . Not sure what else I would need.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

You will need to get an ETD from the embassy to get her into the UK. Then depending on how long you are staying you may need to go to a HMPO office and pay for the on the spot service

[Soutener]

I just got this email from the British Embassy in Bangkok.

I asked if I could use an emergency travel document to travel to a border and get a visa.

This was the reply:

Thank you for your enquiry. In case that you have applied for the renewal passport in the UK, it is processing and your visa will be expired, we will issue the Emergency Travel Document (ETD) for travelling out of the country and you will return with 30 days visa stamp. To apply for an ETD, please prepare as the below list and we will issue in the same day service.

1. A completed ETD application form (www.gov.uk/world/thailand )

2. A recent identical photograph

3. Flight itinerary/ e-ticket confirmation

4. Fee THB 5,320

5. Current passport

6. Proof of address in Thailand in case that you will travel back to Thailand

Our Consular service hour is 8:00-11:00 on Monday - Friday

If the flight itinerary requirement (ie paid-for ticket) is true that will make it a very expensive option.

I sent an email asking if I really need a flight itinerary.

[rajyindee]

I just got this email from the British Embassy in Bangkok.

I asked if I could use an emergency travel document to travel to a border and get a visa ...

If the flight itinerary requirement (ie paid-for ticket) is true that will make it a very expensive option.

I sent an email asking if I really need a flight itinerary.

The ETD is only valid for a specific journey, hence the need for dates (they are noted in the "Observations" page).

[rajyindee]

I picked up my passport from Trendy today - as was the case when I handed in my passport, no ID requested, nor (obviously) was any letter of authority. I was simply given the DHL envelope in exchange for the handwritten Trendy receipt.

I phoned up HMPO when I got back to Songkhla, and they are still insisting my application was withdrawn by HMPO on 24 May. I think I'll have to send them an e-mail so that I have something in writing.

Edited June 16, 2014 by rajyindee

[Soutener]

I just got this email from the British Embassy in Bangkok.

I asked if I could use an emergency travel document to travel to a border and get a visa ...

If the flight itinerary requirement (ie paid-for ticket) is true that will make it a very expensive option.

I sent an email asking if I really need a flight itinerary.

The ETD is only valid for a specific journey, hence the need for dates (they are noted in the "Observations" page).

So only a plane can take you on a journey?

Buses, trains, feet, donkeys, bikes etc will not do?

Great for the plane companies, I suppose.

I will have to clock up at least 8000 kms of air travel to get my passport, I reckon. It will have a hell of a carbon footprint.

Also, it will cost at least a thousand pounds sterling

[rajyindee]

So only a plane can take you on a journey?

Buses, trains, feet, donkeys, bikes etc will not do?

Great for the plane companies, I suppose.

I will have to clock up at least 8000 kms of air travel to get my passport, I reckon. It will have a hell of a carbon footprint.

Also, it will cost at least a thousand pounds sterling

Cheap. I spend 90k Baht on a Qatar flight to/from Edinburgh.

[stan18]

I have 5 years left on my passport thank god. But could i go now and gat the 12 month extension to make it 6??

No you will not get the extension

If anyone is due to renew a passport it is going to take a minimum of 8 weeks. New passports much longer.

However if you haven't sent your passport in yet,

and your passport is expiring soon (not more than 7 months),

and you need to travel soon,

and you are a British Citizen or variant passport holder e.g. BPP, BNO, BNSS.

The FCO staff can issue a one time 12 month extension (foc) which will run from the date you get the stamp in your passport not adding 12 months to the expiry.

Information from Policy Principles issued to consular staff.

I hope the above underlined sentence is not mandatory in any way.?

I renewed one family UK passport via Hong Kong a year ago, took 3 weeks without undue hassle other than DHL.

Now have to renew another one and had assumed same situation existed until just encountered this thread.

My commiserations to people already trapped in this organizational disaster.

I am not immediately planning a trip (ie no flight evidence) but passport is expiring in 1 month so obviously no chance by official renew route.

I had understood from earlier posts / website statement that no travel caveats attached to getting a 12 month extension, ie the primary objective was to “solve” expiry date failure.?

Or is this information to allow redirection to ETDs / prioritisation of appointment scheduling for Embassy purposes.

Anybody actually rang the Embassy yet ?

Thanks for any info / Stan

[parryhandy]

Amazing that still the frigging embassy can only spare us 3 hours of their day .8 to 11 in these circumstances is a piss take, just a bunch of free loaders..

[sometimewoodworker]

I have 5 years left on my passport thank god. But could i go now and gat the 12 month extension to make it 6??

No you will not get the extension

If anyone is due to renew a passport it is going to take a minimum of 8 weeks. New passports much longer.

However if you haven't sent your passport in yet,

and your passport is expiring soon (not more than 7 months),

and you need to travel soon,

and you are a British Citizen or variant passport holder e.g. BPP, BNO, BNSS.

The FCO staff can issue a one time 12 month extension (foc) which will run from the date you get the stamp in your passport not adding 12 months to the expiry.

Information from Policy Principles issued to consular staff.

I hope the above underlined sentence is not mandatory in any way.?

I renewed one family UK passport via Hong Kong a year ago, took 3 weeks without undue hassle other than DHL.

Now have to renew another one and had assumed same situation existed until just encountered this thread.

My commiserations to people already trapped in this organizational disaster.

I am not immediately planning a trip (ie no flight evidence) but passport is expiring in 1 month so obviously no chance by official renew route.

I had understood from earlier posts / website statement that no travel caveats attached to getting a 12 month extension, ie the primary objective was to solve expiry date failure.?

Or is this information to allow redirection to ETDs / prioritisation of appointment scheduling for Embassy purposes.

Anybody actually rang the Embassy yet ?

Thanks for any info / Stan

Passport extensions will be added to passports that have expired in the last 6 months or are due to expire within 3 months, unless the country requires a minimum of 6 months validity where offices can extend passports with up to 7 months remaining.

So you will be ok

I had summarised for those needing to travel.

Edited June 16, 2014 by sometimewoodworker

[digitalchromakey]

UK Government Website now has the links for the 12 month Extension Application and ETD for Children's urgent travel to the UK.

It comes up as the first page you get to for overseas applications.

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

Still not clear if one can apply for an extension or child ETD if an application is already filed with HMPO:

If you’re renewing an existing British passport you can apply for it to be extended for 12 months. You won’t be charged any extra fees.

To apply, phone your local British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission and select the ‘Consular Services’ option.

Appointments can be made from Monday 16 June.

No provision of extra passport pages for those with full, but unexpired passports - this would probably help the more frequent travelers based here than the 12 month extension does.

Update:

HMPO have confirmed that the 12 month extension concession is not available to those who have already applied to renew passports, despite the fact that we still hold the actual passports to which a sticker could easily be appended by the Embassy in BKK.

So those of us who have tried to renew our passports in reasonably good time (allowing for the current 8 week delay) will be further penalized; as doubtless the negative publicity in the UK last week will have caused additional 100s of thousands of citizens with passports due for expiry within the next 9 months to apply to renew now, which will yet further overburden an already creaking system.

I am now seriously concerned that the current 7-9 week delays may extend further, causing yet more stress, cost and inconvenience.

HMPO confirmed that my own application now approaching 4 weeks is still 'awaiting examination' (i.e. sitting somewhere in Liverpool in an orange box).

I pray that my misgivings are ill founded, but I am becoming much more concerned than I was previously and am starting to think about how I will go about packing my parachute..........

How would a sticker appended to a full passport achieve the goal of extending it?

I recall several threads from visa runners suggesting ways to remove those pesky whole-page adhesive sticker type visas so that they could free up some pages. Right now, that option must have regained some popularity despite the debatable legalities of such action.

Perhaps you should start by reading the post that you quoted above - see section highlighted in red

[digitalchromakey]

I picked up my passport from Trendy today - as was the case when I handed in my passport, no ID requested, nor (obviously) was any letter of authority. I was simply given the DHL envelope in exchange for the handwritten Trendy receipt.

I phoned up HMPO when I got back to Songkhla, and they are still insisting my application was withdrawn by HMPO on 24 May. I think I'll have to send them an e-mail so that I have something in writing.

HMPO's insistence that your passport application was cancelled on May 24th is worrying (wasn't this was pretty much the date you applied to obtain a UK ETD?).

Although you now have the physical entity in your hand, perhaps at some level your passport/name has not been correctly entered into the system/data base, thus opening up a potential new nightmare when you actually try to travel with it.

Obviously I hope that all is in fact ok for you, but if I were you, I would also be very concerned.

[stan18]

Re-Post #1602/sometimewoodworker -

Passport extensions will be added to passports that have expired in the last 6 months or are due to expire within 3 months, unless the country requires a minimum of 6 months validity where offices can extend passports with up to 7 months remaining.

So you will be ok

I had summarised for those needing to travel.

Thanks for the amplification / Stan

Edited June 17, 2014 by stan18

[phutoie2]

Just got my appointment date/time. Says on e-mail 6 - 9 weeks, not exactly a good advert for Brit efficiency. Means overnight stay in Bangkok for me, anything to do in that place??

[digitalchromakey]

Just got my appointment date/time. Says on e-mail 6 - 9 weeks, not exactly a good advert for Brit efficiency. Means overnight stay in Bangkok for me, anything to do in that place??

If you need your passport within the next 10 weeks and it expires within the next 7 months, then make an appointment with the British Embassy to go there and get the free 12 month extension stamp that's now on offer - don't apply to renew as this option is then closed.

If your passport is full, then wishing you good luck for an 8- 9 weeks turnaround or start planning for an ETD, else travel to the UK to renew.

Welcome to the fiasco!

[Jip99]

Just got my appointment date/time. Says on e-mail 6 - 9 weeks, not exactly a good advert for Brit efficiency. Means overnight stay in Bangkok for me, anything to do in that place??

Somewhat better than the "Minimum 4 weeks up to 6 months"! that the website quoted earlier.

Now you know where you stand and anyone should be able to plan within a 9 week timeframe - the previous uncertainty has been removed.

[rajyindee]

Amazing that still the frigging embassy can only spare us 3 hours of their day .8 to 11 in these circumstances is a piss take, just a bunch of free loaders..

I assume that the extension is a morning drop-off, afternoon pick up. The system was OK when I did my ETD.

[phutoie2]

Just got my appointment date/time. Says on e-mail 6 - 9 weeks, not exactly a good advert for Brit efficiency. Means overnight stay in Bangkok for me, anything to do in that place??

If you need your passport within the next 10 weeks and it expires within the next 7 months, then make an appointment with the British Embassy to go there and get the free 12 month extension stamp that's now on offer - don't apply to renew as this option is then closed.

If your passport is full, then wishing you good luck for an 8- 9 weeks turnaround or start planning for an ETD, else travel to the UK to renew.

Welcome to the fiasco!

Cheers, did not know that. I was recently back in UK and looked at the Post Office's service but you have to send off current passport for renewal which was not practical for me.

My annual retirement extension is due in July at Thai Immigration and my UK passport expires in March (4th) 2015, take it I will not receive a full years extension this time??, and when the new passport arrives, current extension stamp need to be transferred?.

Is a letter from the Embassy verifying the new passport a requirement too?.

Finally on VAS's e-mail there are a few lines on birth certificates which has confused me a bit!.

Thanks for your info on here, it appears a big game changer. Many Brits in my locality are not aware of all this, not everyone has a PC and on TV.

[digitalchromakey]

Just got my appointment date/time. Says on e-mail 6 - 9 weeks, not exactly a good advert for Brit efficiency. Means overnight stay in Bangkok for me, anything to do in that place??

If you need your passport within the next 10 weeks and it expires within the next 7 months, then make an appointment with the British Embassy to go there and get the free 12 month extension stamp that's now on offer - don't apply to renew as this option is then closed.

If your passport is full, then wishing you good luck for an 8- 9 weeks turnaround or start planning for an ETD, else travel to the UK to renew.

Welcome to the fiasco!

Cheers, did not know that. I was recently back in UK and looked at the Post Office's service but you have to send off current passport for renewal which was not practical for me.

My annual retirement extension is due in July at Thai Immigration and my UK passport expires in March (4th) 2015, take it I will not receive a full years extension this time??, and when the new passport arrives, current extension stamp need to be transferred?.

Is a letter from the Embassy verifying the new passport a requirement too?.

Finally on VAS's e-mail there are a few lines on birth certificates which has confused me a bit!.

Thanks for your info on here, it appears a big game changer. Many Brits in my locality are not aware of all this, not everyone has a PC and on TV.

Ok thanks for the clarification.

You wouldn't get the free one year passport extension on offer at the British Embassy as your Passport still has 9 months validity remaining.

If you don't need to travel for 8- 10 weeks then carry on with the passport application, it almost certainly probably won't be back in time to help with your retirement extension in July, but you will get the 9 months remaining validity in your old passport added to your new one, which will expire on 4/3/25.

Yes, if you go for a One Year Retirement Extension to Thai Immigration with your current passport, then your Extension would be only up to 4th March 2015.

Thai Immigration won't know that your passport is invalid for travel due to the new application (it will not be marked in anyway when you apply, but it is invalidated for travel by HMPO), so this per se is not an issue for you.

You would need to transfer the extension stamp(s) to your new passport (to do this you will also need a letter confirming passport issue from the British Embassy) then you apply afresh for a new One Year Extension next March.

Good Luck

Edited June 17, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[NanLaew]

How would a sticker appended to a full passport achieve the goal of extending it?

It is an Extension stamp not a sticker.

Fine. Now tell me, how does an Extension stamp make a full passport any more usable?

[ubonjoe]

Cheers, did not know that. I was recently back in UK and looked at the Post Office's service but you have to send off current passport for renewal which was not practical for me.

My annual retirement extension is due in July at Thai Immigration and my UK passport expires in March (4th) 2015, take it I will not receive a full years extension this time??, and when the new passport arrives, current extension stamp need to be transferred?.

Is a letter from the Embassy verifying the new passport a requirement too?.

Finally on VAS's e-mail there are a few lines on birth certificates which has confused me a bit!.

Thanks for your info on here, it appears a big game changer. Many Brits in my locality are not aware of all this, not everyone has a PC and on TV.

Your new extension of stay will only be valid up to date your passport expires.

After you get your new passport you would need to have your stamps transferred to the new passport.at immigration. Most offices will want a letter from the embassy.

Then when your shortened extension is near to its end date you would have to apply for a new extension.

[sometimewoodworker]

Amazing that still the frigging embassy can only spare us 3 hours of their day .8 to 11 in these circumstances is a piss take, just a bunch of free loaders..

I assume that the extension is a morning drop-off, afternoon pick up. The system was OK when I did my ETD.

As it is a stamp in your current passport if you have all the required documentation it could easly be a "while you wait" service. However that is speculation and you should contact the consular section for accurate information.

[Soutener]

As I understand it, you can only use a passport with the new 12 month extension, to travel back to the UK. It is no good to go to a border and get a visa (or any other purpose).

Out of interest, I got this clarification for a border run with an ETD from the British Embassy:

'In case that you are going to a border for a visa run, Cambodia and Malaysia required for their Visa on the ETD but Laos and Burma are not accepted for an ETD. So please ensure which country you plan to travel for proper Thai visa as some countries quite restricted for travelling with an ETD.'

This appears to say that you can get a visa from Cambodia or Malaysia but not Laos or Burma. Yet, I seem to remember someone saying that they flew to Laos for one...

I have very little confidence in any info I get from anywhere.