Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[digitalchromakey]

And now we learn the Passport Office makes a profit of £13 on every passport issued. Pity they couldn't use that profit to employ enough staff. Disgusting.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/20/passport-office-chaos-applications-profit-surplus

Thanks for this link.

So in May there were 727,067 passport applications, coming in, according to Paul Pugh at a rate of 150,000 per week (that btw is 650,000 per month).

In the week starting the 26th May 160,000 new passports were issued by HMPO (that's 693,000 per month).

So we are looking at the backlog that must have grown in size by at least 34,000 passports in May alone, before any 'measures' were put in place.

The emergency measures may eventually curb growth of overseas applications which are coming in at a rate of 45,000 per month.

So it looks like they are try to fix the problem by radically reducing the number of overseas passport applications.

Little comfort for those of us with applications sitting somewhere in the UK in orange boxes, as nothing is being done to reduce the backlog delay which is without doubt getting longer by the day.

There are just measures in place to reduce the physical size of the back log, it seems by purely throttling back on future overseas applications in the near future.

[melsnet]

UK emergency passport extensions will not be accepted in most countries at the moment. Thailand is one that does.

source: Daily Mirror website

[Soutener]

Anyway...

Finally. got a real answer about the state of my passport application. Rang the UK helpline on Wednesday and after only forty minutes ended up speaking to a woman with real info.

Turns out there were no problems with my application. The passport was issued on the 27th May, a little over 4 weeks from the application date. The woman in Liverpool told me it should have taken 7 to 10 days to reach Bangkok.

The problem was that Trendy did not tell that it was ready.

I had no confidence that I could ever contact Trendy so I jumped on a flight to Bangkok with the receipt and old passport. After thirty minutes at Trendy I got the passport plus an apology for the lack of communication.

Stayed overnight in Bangkok (very, very expensive due to lack of morals all round) and got a letter from the British Embassy for Thai immigration the next day. There was no charge for that, at least.

Marvelled at how difficult the passport would be to forge, and how easy the letter from the embassy would be to photoshop, of course. Held the Thai government responsible for much debauchery.

Came home the next day, nursing a bruised pelvis.

I hope to die before I need to contact the UK government again about anything...

Adieu, all...

And thanks for the fish.

[watso63]

Anyway...

Finally. got a real answer about the state of my passport application. Rang the UK helpline on Wednesday and after only forty minutes ended up speaking to a woman with real info.

Turns out there were no problems with my application. The passport was issued on the 27th May, a little over 4 weeks from the application date. The woman in Liverpool told me it should have taken 7 to 10 days to reach Bangkok.

The problem was that Trendy did not tell that it was ready.

I had no confidence that I could ever contact Trendy so I jumped on a flight to Bangkok with the receipt and old passport. After thirty minutes at Trendy I got the passport plus an apology for the lack of communication.

Stayed overnight in Bangkok (very, very expensive due to lack of morals all round) and got a letter from the British Embassy for Thai immigration the next day. There was no charge for that, at least.

Marvelled at how difficult the passport would be to forge, and how easy the letter from the embassy would be to photoshop, of course. Held the Thai government responsible for much debauchery.

Came home the next day, nursing a bruised pelvis.

I hope to die before I need to contact the UK government again about anything...

Adieu, all...

And thanks for the fish.

I hope you didn't get any liquid stains on your new passport, because after speaking to an aquaintance of mine he was refused travel on the new stylee passport because the ink ran. ! For crikey's sake.

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

Edited June 21, 2014 by watso63

[parryhandy]

has anyone got the helpline number please ? save me going through this entire thread again looking for it.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 7.5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited June 21, 2014 by parryhandy

[GoonDizzy]

I may have a problem coming up. The uni in BKK I'm enrolling at on Monday need to see my original passport, which has delayed me getting a new passport. I have three pages left (one of which has a 90 day report thingy from immigration). I've only recently heard of the problems with UKPA. After Monday, I'm arranging an appointment with the embassy to get a passport renewal.

I'm pretty sure I'll need a few more than 3 pages to sort out an Ed visa (if I get the one year passport extension as I'm sure I need to leave Thailand, get the visa and return...so there goes three pages and I hear I may need 4?) for my visa as I'm currently on a 60 day visit Thai wife extension (ends mid Aug). I was incorrectly advised to obtain this to get an Ed visa more easily without leaving Thailand. Yep, I shoulda/coulda found out more but the dude is usually clued up and correct. My bad.To complicate matters, my old (final) 90 day report stamp on the original non O runs out after this date (mid Sept).

So, I know I've got until Sept to get my passport back, but if I don't...what would you guys advise? I know about the emergency travel document but the expense of that and a flight to the UK and back would be a huge burden as I've just about got enough for the degree and living expenses. I could also miss classes on my course which isn't good either.

Just planning ahead in case the shit hits the fan.

[Soutpeel]

You don't get a stamp in your pp for 90 day reporting its just a piece of paper stapled in

[digitalchromakey]

I may have a problem coming up. The uni in BKK I'm enrolling at on Monday need to see my original passport, which has delayed me getting a new passport. I have three pages left (one of which has a 90 day report thingy from immigration). I've only recently heard of the problems with UKPA. After Monday, I'm arranging an appointment with the embassy to get a passport renewal.

I'm pretty sure I'll need a few more than 3 pages to sort out an Ed visa (if I get the one year passport extension as I'm sure I need to leave Thailand, get the visa and return...so there goes three pages and I hear I may need 4?) for my visa as I'm currently on a 60 day visit Thai wife extension (ends mid Aug). I was incorrectly advised to obtain this to get an Ed visa more easily without leaving Thailand. Yep, I shoulda/coulda found out more but the dude is usually clued up and correct. My bad.To complicate matters, my old (final) 90 day report stamp on the original non O runs out after this date (mid Sept).

So, I know I've got until Sept to get my passport back, but if I don't...what would you guys advise? I know about the emergency travel document but the expense of that and a flight to the UK and back would be a huge burden as I've just about got enough for the degree and living expenses. I could also miss classes on my course which isn't good either.

Just planning ahead in case the shit hits the fan.

No brainer - apply at the British Embassy to get the British Passport 12 month extension next week, the UK extension stamp doesn't take up a lot of space.

Don't worry about the 90 day report slip, that's just stapled in.

Once you have the extension, you don't need to keep the blank pages free and then you can do pretty much what you like without the stress of waiting 8 weeks plus for the replacement passport..

If you were to apply to renew now your passport now it would become invalid for travel, so bye bye ED Visa.

Edited June 21, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[GoonDizzy]

You don't get a stamp in your pp for 90 day reporting its just a piece of paper stapled in

I know that. Can they still use that page though?

[digitalchromakey]

You don't get a stamp in your pp for 90 day reporting its just a piece of paper stapled in

I know that. Can they still use that page though?

Just un-staple that page and re-staple it to a full page before you go to the Embassy.

[GoonDizzy]

I may have a problem coming up. The uni in BKK I'm enrolling at on Monday need to see my original passport, which has delayed me getting a new passport. I have three pages left (one of which has a 90 day report thingy from immigration). I've only recently heard of the problems with UKPA. After Monday, I'm arranging an appointment with the embassy to get a passport renewal.

I'm pretty sure I'll need a few more than 3 pages to sort out an Ed visa (if I get the one year passport extension as I'm sure I need to leave Thailand, get the visa and return...so there goes three pages and I hear I may need 4?) for my visa as I'm currently on a 60 day visit Thai wife extension (ends mid Aug). I was incorrectly advised to obtain this to get an Ed visa more easily without leaving Thailand. Yep, I shoulda/coulda found out more but the dude is usually clued up and correct. My bad.To complicate matters, my old (final) 90 day report stamp on the original non O runs out after this date (mid Sept).

So, I know I've got until Sept to get my passport back, but if I don't...what would you guys advise? I know about the emergency travel document but the expense of that and a flight to the UK and back would be a huge burden as I've just about got enough for the degree and living expenses. I could also miss classes on my course which isn't good either.

Just planning ahead in case the shit hits the fan.

No brainer - apply at the British Embassy to get the British Passport 12 month extension next week, the UK extension stamp doesn't take up a lot of space.

Don't worry about the 90 day report slip, that's just stapled in.

Once you have the extension, you don't need to keep the blank pages free and then you can do pretty much what you like without the stress of waiting 8 weeks plus for the replacement passport..

If you were to apply to renew now your passport now it would become invalid for travel, so bye bye ED Visa.

Thanks. Will 3 pages (one with a stapled piece of paper in it) be enough to leave Thailand, get an Ed visa and come back? They may need one for exit, one for the visa and one for re-entry. Perhaps one for the first 90 day stamp. I'm not sure. I don't want to risk getting the 1 year extension on the passport and then be screwed with a full passport and no room for a 90 day/visa stamp. I have heard of people having issues with Immigration about using the last page. Is it true that they may refuse to put a stamp of any kind on the last page (not the official notifications one at the back)?

Sorry for all the questions, but this is a bit of a mindfuck.

Edited June 22, 2014 by ubonjoe
moved reply from quoted text

[GoonDizzy]

You don't get a stamp in your pp for 90 day reporting its just a piece of paper stapled in

I know that. Can they still use that page though?

Just un-staple that page and re-staple it to a full page before you go to the Embassy.

Doh! Pretty obvious (I'm 'dohing' myself btw).

[digitalchromakey]

I may have a problem coming up. The uni in BKK I'm enrolling at on Monday need to see my original passport, which has delayed me getting a new passport. I have three pages left (one of which has a 90 day report thingy from immigration). I've only recently heard of the problems with UKPA. After Monday, I'm arranging an appointment with the embassy to get a passport renewal.

I'm pretty sure I'll need a few more than 3 pages to sort out an Ed visa (if I get the one year passport extension as I'm sure I need to leave Thailand, get the visa and return...so there goes three pages and I hear I may need 4?) for my visa as I'm currently on a 60 day visit Thai wife extension (ends mid Aug). I was incorrectly advised to obtain this to get an Ed visa more easily without leaving Thailand. Yep, I shoulda/coulda found out more but the dude is usually clued up and correct. My bad.To complicate matters, my old (final) 90 day report stamp on the original non O runs out after this date (mid Sept).

So, I know I've got until Sept to get my passport back, but if I don't...what would you guys advise? I know about the emergency travel document but the expense of that and a flight to the UK and back would be a huge burden as I've just about got enough for the degree and living expenses. I could also miss classes on my course which isn't good either.

Just planning ahead in case the shit hits the fan.

No brainer - apply at the British Embassy to get the British Passport 12 month extension next week, the UK extension stamp doesn't take up a lot of space.

Don't worry about the 90 day report slip, that's just stapled in.

Once you have the extension, you don't need to keep the blank pages free and then you can do pretty much what you like without the stress of waiting 8 weeks plus for the replacement passport..

If you were to apply to renew now your passport now it would become invalid for travel, so bye bye ED Visa.

Thanks. Will 3 pages (one with a stapled piece of paper in it) be enough to leave Thailand, get an Ed visa and come back? They may need one for exit, one for the visa and one for re-entry. Perhaps one for the first 90 day stamp. I'm not sure. I don't want to risk getting the 1 year extension on the passport and then be screwed with a full passport and no room for a 90 day/visa stamp. I have heard of people having issues with Immigration about using the last page. Is it true that they may refuse to put a stamp of any kind on the last page (not the official notifications one at the back)?

Sorry for all the questions, but this is a bit of a mindfuck.

Yes three pages are enough, the ED Visa need one blank page and the entry exit stamps take up no more than half a page and may well be fitted instead into odd spaces on other part filled pages.

Why would Immigration not stamp your last blank page? - Never heard of that before.

Just make sure you have one blank page for the ED Visa when you go on the Visa Run to a Thai Consulate.

I have (successfully) used 2-3 paper clips to hold two blank passport pages together in the past to at least give me a chance to argue the case for keeping the pages blank whilst at a border crossing immigration post.

Providing you have less than 3- 6 months of validly left on your current passport, then the FREE 12 month UK extension is, as I have already posted, a no brainer.

There is nothing to stop you subsequently applying to renew, after another say 3 months, once the smoke has settled.

You will then also get a credit for the remaining 9 months in your new passport which will come back valid for 10 years and 9 months!

Just make the appointment with the Embassy a.s.a.p. - sorted.

Edited June 21, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[GoonDizzy]

I may have a problem coming up. The uni in BKK I'm enrolling at on Monday need to see my original passport, which has delayed me getting a new passport. I have three pages left (one of which has a 90 day report thingy from immigration). I've only recently heard of the problems with UKPA. After Monday, I'm arranging an appointment with the embassy to get a passport renewal.

I'm pretty sure I'll need a few more than 3 pages to sort out an Ed visa (if I get the one year passport extension as I'm sure I need to leave Thailand, get the visa and return...so there goes three pages and I hear I may need 4?) for my visa as I'm currently on a 60 day visit Thai wife extension (ends mid Aug). I was incorrectly advised to obtain this to get an Ed visa more easily without leaving Thailand. Yep, I shoulda/coulda found out more but the dude is usually clued up and correct. My bad.To complicate matters, my old (final) 90 day report stamp on the original non O runs out after this date (mid Sept).

So, I know I've got until Sept to get my passport back, but if I don't...what would you guys advise? I know about the emergency travel document but the expense of that and a flight to the UK and back would be a huge burden as I've just about got enough for the degree and living expenses. I could also miss classes on my course which isn't good either.

Just planning ahead in case the shit hits the fan.

No brainer - apply at the British Embassy to get the British Passport 12 month extension next week, the UK extension stamp doesn't take up a lot of space.

Don't worry about the 90 day report slip, that's just stapled in.

Once you have the extension, you don't need to keep the blank pages free and then you can do pretty much what you like without the stress of waiting 8 weeks plus for the replacement passport..

If you were to apply to renew now your passport now it would become invalid for travel, so bye bye ED Visa.

Thanks. Will 3 pages (one with a stapled piece of paper in it) be enough to leave Thailand, get an Ed visa and come back? They may need one for exit, one for the visa and one for re-entry. Perhaps one for the first 90 day stamp. I'm not sure. I don't want to risk getting the 1 year extension on the passport and then be screwed with a full passport and no room for a 90 day/visa stamp. I have heard of people having issues with Immigration about using the last page. Is it true that they may refuse to put a stamp of any kind on the last page (not the official notifications one at the back)?

Sorry for all the questions, but this is a bit of a mindfuck.

Yes three pages are enough, the ED Visa need one blank page and the entry exit stamps take up no more than half a page and may well be fitted instead into odd spaces on other part filled pages.

Why would Immigration not stamp your last blank page? - Never heard of that before.

Just make sure you have one blank page for the ED Visa when you go on the Visa Run to a Thai Consulate.

I have (successfully) used 2-3 paper clips to hold two blank passport pages together in the past to at least give me a chance to argue the case for keeping the pages blank whilst at a border crossing immigration post.

Providing you have less than 3- 6 months of validly left on your current passport, then the FREE 12 month UK extension is, as I have already posted, a no brainer.

There is nothing to stop you subsequently applying to renew, after another say 3 months, once the smoke has settled.

You will then also get a credit for the remaining 9 months in your new passport which will come back valid for 10 years and 9 months!

Just make the appointment with the Embassy a.s.a.p. - sorted.

Thanks. What a gem of a human you are. I love the bit about paper clipping pages together. Genius. One small thing though. Won't I need two blank pages once in another country (probably Cambodia). One for the Visa stamp (never had an Ed visa but O and B visas take up a full page) and one for returning to Thailand?

The bit about Imm not stamping a final page comes from a pal who said this happened to a mate of his about two years ago. I think it's due to the fact that all visas are classed as 'temporary'. They expect you to bugger off unless you have managed to get citizenship. Not all Imm officials of course, but the few farang haters (very few in my experience, I've usually found hem to be pretty friendly and helpful) or those in a bad mood.

[GoonDizzy]

I should also point out I have an overstay in my passport from a few years back. Caused by a lawyer telling me 'everything is done don't worry. I'm on holiday and will give your passport to you in two weeks.'' He said he could change a non B to a non O without leaving Thailand. He got fired after his boss found out he'd done naff all (I was calling him in a state of panic every day from a week or two before my visa ended). Luckily, the firm paid the overstay and compensated me for the stress (30k). They smoothed it over for me with Immigration, but will that 20k overstay thing cause a problem at a Thai Consulate abroad?

Edited June 21, 2014 by GoonDizzy

[GoonDizzy]

75% of nations are not accepting the one year UK passport extension. However, Thailand are. My worry was that a border nation may not (for my Ed visa). It appears Cambodia do but not Laos. Could be important info in my humble opinion.

Theresa May should be put down. All that education and then this? ''Hey look Daddio. Look at the money I saved. People in jail and crying at checkpoints? At least I saved a few quid'' <deleted>. I have a feeling this may be due to the 'brain drain' in the UK. Perhaps they are trying to get them back? Conspiracy? Or plain stupidity?

Anyhooz:

List of nations accepting UK passport one year extensions due to the UK overseas passport crisis.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/20/extended-passports-accepted-by-fifty-countries-to-aid-crisis

[GoonDizzy]

Uk isn't on that list. Nothing would surpise me anymore. Hopefully, this list includes issue of visas. Cheers, Theresa.

[AlanAunuum]

This new service is a <deleted> joke, I had a small loan from the uk embassy in 2011, when i paid it back i was tiold i had to pay 5338 baht,so i trtavelled to the uk embassy in bankgok from khon kaen to pay this loan,then went to the trendy building to put in my new passport application,3 weeks later i get an e mail from the uk embassy in bangkok,sorry we have made a mistake and you still owe 688baht as we did not use the correct excahnge rate,we used the june rate, my debt was paid off on 29th May,so june rate WHY,so now they want me to send a Postal order to bkk for 700 baht to pay the rest of the overpayment, This now means that my original passport application will now be 3 weeks behind and they still want to do security checks even though,they have called me 3 times from the uk passport office asking for my details. I tried to use my old passport to leave thailand to go to laos to get my new non b visa i was not ev en allowed to leave thailand so now i am on overstay which will be at least 20,000baht by the time i get my new passport back in 6-8 weeks.This visa service is sh**t and after paying 21 pounds on top of my fee for a courtier service,for what it is only being couriered back to BKK which means an 8 hour bus ride to BKK to pick it up and ! day off work its a joke

[AlanAunuum]

Beware you cannot use and emergency travel document (ETD)to go to Laos to get your new non B visa ,only Cambodia and Malaysia ( Penang)

[digitalchromakey]

This new service is a f***ing joke, I had a small loan from the uk embassy in 2011, when i paid it back i was tiold i had to pay 5338 baht,so i trtavelled to the uk embassy in bankgok from khon kaen to pay this loan,then went to the trendy building to put in my new passport application,3 weeks later i get an e mail from the uk embassy in bangkok,sorry we have made a mistake and you still owe 688baht as we did not use the correct excahnge rate,we used the june rate, my debt was paid off on 29th May,so june rate WHY,so now they want me to send a Postal order to bkk for 700 baht to pay the rest of the overpayment, This now means that my original passport application will now be 3 weeks behind and they still want to do security checks even though,they have called me 3 times from the uk passport office asking for my details. I tried to use my old passport to leave thailand to go to laos to get my new non b visa i was not ev en allowed to leave thailand so now i am on overstay which will be at least 20,000baht by the time i get my new passport back in 6-8 weeks.This visa service is sh**t and after paying 21 pounds on top of my fee for a courtier service,for what it is only being couriered back to BKK which means an 8 hour bus ride to BKK to pick it up and ! day off work its a <deleted> joke

Sorry to read that you are also caught up in this monstrous fiasco.

One particular point, what date did you apply to renew?

It has been suggested to me by HMPO that one's UK Passport is only invalidated for travel just before the new item is sent to the printers (7-10 days before you get it back).

What you have posted indicates that in fact the cancellation of the passport may actually be put into international customs data bases as cancelled, long before that point.

Was your existing passport still valid (i.e.before its expiry date) when you tried to cross into Laos or were you perhaps refused access instead because your passport had less than 6 months' validity?

[digitalchromakey]

75% of nations are not accepting the one year UK passport extension. However, Thailand are. My worry was that a border nation may not (for my Ed visa). It appears Cambodia do but not Laos. Could be important info in my humble opinion.

Theresa May should be put down. All that education and then this? ''Hey look Daddio. Look at the money I saved. People in jail and crying at checkpoints? At least I saved a few quid'' <deleted>. I have a feeling this may be due to the 'brain drain' in the UK. Perhaps they are trying to get them back? Conspiracy? Or plain stupidity?

Anyhooz:

List of nations accepting UK passport one year extensions due to the UK overseas passport crisis.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/20/extended-passports-accepted-by-fifty-countries-to-aid-crisis

Hi thanks for posting the current list of nations accepting the new UK 12 Month Passport Extensions - I do not yet see many countries is SE Asia - Cambodia and the Philippines both have a reputation as being 'difficult' for visas.

Hong Kong seems to be the best bet - also with visa exempt entry. with HK you would have only 4x small stamps like Malaysia, which I was thinking of in my earlier post to you, but which is not on the list.

[ubonjoe]

You cannot enter any other ASEAN country with a passport that has less than 6 months validity. Thailand allows entry for those from certain countries to enter with enough validity for their allowed length of stay.

[digitalchromakey]

I should also point out I have an overstay in my passport from a few years back. Caused by a lawyer telling me 'everything is done don't worry. I'm on holiday and will give your passport to you in two weeks.'' He said he could change a non B to a non O without leaving Thailand. He got fired after his boss found out he'd done naff all (I was calling him in a state of panic every day from a week or two before my visa ended). Luckily, the firm paid the overstay and compensated me for the stress (30k). They smoothed it over for me with Immigration, but will that 20k overstay thing cause a problem at a Thai Consulate abroad?

The overstay in your passport would not normally present an issue on applying for a new Thai visa, particularly as you have a credible explanation for it.

[hoyism]

"No brainer - apply at the British Embassy to get the British Passport 12 month extension next week, the UK extension stamp doesn't take up a lot of space"

Has anyone done this yet?

how long does it take?

what do you need to submit? passport + ?

[digitalchromakey]

"No brainer - apply at the British Embassy to get the British Passport 12 month extension next week, the UK extension stamp doesn't take up a lot of space"

Has anyone done this yet?

how long does it take?

what do you need to submit? passport + ?

First appointments for the UK 12 month Passport Extension are not until tomorrow, Monday 23rd June - so no reports yet.

You need to phone the British Embassy to make an appointment and they will run you through the eligibility checks and the what to bring list.

Here is the UK 12 Month Extension Link:

https://www.gov.uk/get-an-emergency-passport-extension-or-child-travel-document

Required documents:

Take your passport, application form (and 1 other form of photo identification if you have it) to your appointment - parents can attend on behalf of children, and husbands and wives can attend on behalf of each other.

[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.

LOL. Sometimes I dont know whether to laugh or cry with this fiasco.

I sent an e-mail to Newport and asked them to confirm that my passport was OK despite the Helpline folk telling me that my application had been withdrawn. I got a reply last night and they suggested that ....

... either I phone the Helpline or send my passport back to Liverpool with a covering letter.

I've just sent an e-mail venting my frustration to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Enquiries Team.

Does anyone know if the Embassy would be able to confirm that the passport is OK? I don't want to get stuck in China next month with a duff passport.

Edit in:

Did anyone ever suss out what happens to the 10 quid the took from us to return our documents?

Edited June 22, 2014 by rajyindee

[rbkk]

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.

LOL. Sometimes I dont know whether to laugh or cry with this fiasco.

I sent an e-mail to Newport and asked them to confirm that my passport was OK despite the Helpline folk telling me that my application had been withdrawn. I got a reply last night and they suggested that ....

... either I phone the Helpline or send my passport back to Liverpool with a covering letter.

I've just sent an e-mail venting my frustration to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Enquiries Team.

Does anyone know if the Embassy would be able to confirm that the passport is OK? I don't want to get stuck in China next month with a duff passport.

Edit in:

Did anyone ever suss out what happens to the 10 quid the took from us to return our documents?

I don't know if it applies to you, but in my case I got a 10.16GBP refund. I had no original documents to be returned, just a jumbo passport.

[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.

LOL. Sometimes I dont know whether to laugh or cry with this fiasco.

I sent an e-mail to Newport and asked them to confirm that my passport was OK despite the Helpline folk telling me that my application had been withdrawn. I got a reply last night and they suggested that ....

... either I phone the Helpline or send my passport back to Liverpool with a covering letter.

I've just sent an e-mail venting my frustration to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Enquiries Team.

Does anyone know if the Embassy would be able to confirm that the passport is OK? I don't want to get stuck in China next month with a duff passport.

Edit in:

Did anyone ever suss out what happens to the 10 quid the took from us to return our documents?

I don't know if it applies to you, but in my case I got a 10.16GBP refund. I had no original documents to be returned, just a jumbo passport.

Did you have to apply for the refund, or did they just credit your bank account? Maybe I need to check my account before mouthing off!

Edit in: 110.86 debited and nothing refunded.

THe whole thing is just a complete shambles from top to bottom and at every level. I find it incredible that no-one has actually been held to account.

Edited June 22, 2014 by rajyindee

[rbkk]

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.

LOL. Sometimes I dont know whether to laugh or cry with this fiasco.

I sent an e-mail to Newport and asked them to confirm that my passport was OK despite the Helpline folk telling me that my application had been withdrawn. I got a reply last night and they suggested that ....

... either I phone the Helpline or send my passport back to Liverpool with a covering letter.

I've just sent an e-mail venting my frustration to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Enquiries Team.

Does anyone know if the Embassy would be able to confirm that the passport is OK? I don't want to get stuck in China next month with a duff passport.

Edit in:

Did anyone ever suss out what happens to the 10 quid the took from us to return our documents?

I don't know if it applies to you, but in my case I got a 10.16GBP refund. I had no original documents to be returned, just a jumbo passport.

Did you have to apply for the refund, or did they just credit your bank account? Maybe I need to check my account before mouthing off!

Edit in: 110.86 debited and nothing refunded.

THe whole thing is just a complete shambles from top to bottom and at every level. I find it incredible that no-one has actually been held to account.

Dear Mr xxxxxxxxx

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-xxxxxxxx 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] |

32 days from application at Trendy to this refund email. Refund money floating in cyberspace for 7 days before landing in my a/c. Hope this helps.

Edit: I needed to ring Newport to claim the refund quoting my reference number from above...

Edited June 22, 2014 by rbkk

[hoyism]

"No brainer - apply at the British Embassy to get the British Passport 12 month extension next week, the UK extension stamp doesn't take up a lot of space"

Has anyone done this yet?

how long does it take?

what do you need to submit? passport + ?

First appointments for the UK 12 month Passport Extension are not until tomorrow, Monday 23rd June - so no reports yet.

You need to phone the British Embassy to make an appointment and they will run you through the eligibility checks and the what to bring list.

Here is the UK 12 Month Extension Link:

https://www.gov.uk/get-an-emergency-passport-extension-or-child-travel-document

Required documents:

Take your passport, application form (and 1 other form of photo identification if you have it) to your appointment - parents can attend on behalf of children, and husbands and wives can attend on behalf of each other.

thank you

Edited June 22, 2014 by hoyism