Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[digitalchromakey]

I just phoned the helpline regarding my application which was handed in on at Trendy on May 7th, with the money being taken on May 12th. Time from application 9 weeks.

Martin gave me an application number, and he stated that my application had gone through several stages of examination, so far with no problems, and he expected, by experience, that it should be sent for printing later this week. He said that it was taking, on average about 10-14 days from being sent to the printers to arriving at Trendy. He further said that current estimated time from receiving the money to finishing printing was about 9 weeks.

If it's the Martin I had before (Northern Irish Accent), I found him to be very helpful and straight - he seems to work for HMPO, not the call centre and can give you lots of info on your application, whereas most operators seem to know almost nothing

However, yet more confirmation of the 10 weeks delay from application to collection - truly ghastly service indeed.

[Jip99]

You can still use the old one for ID, just not for travel/extensions etc.

Correct that you cannot travel. But it still can be used to apply for extensions of stay and etc.at immigration. They don't check a database there.

Not totally correct.

If you recall I got a 12m extension in my 'cancelled' passport back in June.

I since received my new passport

This week I went to Cambodia, via Chong Chom, and thought I would try using the old passport. Absolutely no problem. The Thai immigration system computers are clearly not linked to the UK passport system. Having proved that point I can now go and get my stamps transferred to my new passport. .... by way of coincidence the Thai immigration officer at the border was the same guy who processed my extension.

[sandyf]

You can still use the old one for ID, just not for travel/extensions etc.

Correct that you cannot travel. But it still can be used to apply for extensions of stay and etc.at immigration. They don't check a database there.

Moot point, not bothered about the validity. I have been to immigration this morning for exactly that. I checked a couple of weeks ago and the immigration officer said they would sort it. Went back today with all the paperwork and witnesses and apart from a bit of hassle on the docs it seemed to be okay. When they came to stamp the passport the main officer was not amused and it looked like she was going to say no. I told my wife to remind them that the passport was already invalid and the stamp was only for immigration purposes and to avoid overstay. They spent about 15 minutes checking each page with a ruler and finally decided on a corner where it would only slightly overlap the adjacent stamps. The were quite amazed that my passport renewal had been away for 8 weeks.

I now have another month, if not back by then it is 5000 baht down the drain and an ETD.

You got the extension and Immigration knew your passport was cancelled (but not yet at it's stated expiry date), that's awesome news - congratulations - this must be a huge relief.

Hopefully even HMPO will be able to get said item to you within 12 weeks, fingers crossed now.....

Thanks, not out of the woods yet but a bit of breathing space.

I am one week behind Delboy so I shall be watching for his good news.

[delboy]

I just phoned the helpline regarding my application which was handed in on at Trendy on May 7th, with the money being taken on May 12th. Time from application 9 weeks.

Martin gave me an application number, and he stated that my application had gone through several stages of examination, so far with no problems, and he expected, by experience, that it should be sent for printing later this week. He said that it was taking, on average about 10-14 days from being sent to the printers to arriving at Trendy. He further said that current estimated time from receiving the money to finishing printing was about 9 weeks.

If it's the Martin I had before (Northern Irish Accent), I found him to be very helpful and straight - he seems to work for HMPO, not the call centre and can give you lots of info on your application, whereas most operators seem to know almost nothing

However, yet more confirmation of the 10 weeks delay from application to collection - truly ghastly service indeed.

Yes, that's the guy, Irish accent. Very helpful indeed, and he had all the information in front of him. Last week I was told they had to contact the "Progress section". Perhaps only some of the operators have the authority to view the data. I'll phone again next week.

[personchester]

I also called the Embassy in Bangkok, ext 1,1 for the passport advice, but it was just a recorded message with the Trendy number and HMPO UK hotline number

Try Consular Services, not the Embassy.

re: Consular Services ... please let us know their e-mail address, fax, and phone number, thanks.

[bigsteve]

Is there any issue with just renewing online via the gov website presuming they have your photo from drivers license etc.., paying the fee, having it delivered to your UK address, and then have someone that's travelling this anyway bring it out, then head down to local immigration office and get visa switched across? Saves a lot of hassle, and courier fees, collection from trendy etc.

I know the .gov site has different instructions for each country currently in but they seem more like guidelines in the interest of convenience rather than hard and fast rules (or legalities).. or is that wrong?

Problem 1) If an on-line/postal application is made in the UK, they need your passport to be submitted with your application form and photos.

Problem 2) Online/postal applications are six weeks from application to delivery - so you don't save that much time.

Problem 3) You need a genuine UK Postal address.

Problem 4) You should hold your passport at all times you are in Thailand.

Problem 5) You wont have your passport for the best part of eight weeks.

Other than the above - no problem.

Problem 6 - The person countersigning the passport photos must live in the UK.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Moonrakers]

My wife spoke with Pattaya immigration for me earlier today. They are aware of the problems with delays with British passports and are helping out where they can.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Moonrakers

[personchester]

My wife spoke with Pattaya immigration for me earlier today. They are aware of the problems with delays with British passports and are helping out where they can.

Question ...

How many months prior to the expiry date of the existing passport is one allowed to apply for the new passport, is it 12 months, 6 months, or 3 months. ?

If an existing passport has six months left prior to expiry date and one applies then for a new passport does the new 10 year passport include the remaining six months of the old passport.

Fellows that made the UK passport application and received the new passport should know of course what toke place about this.

Please let us know .... thanks.

[soap]

My wife spoke with Pattaya immigration for me earlier today. They are aware of the problems with delays with British passports and are helping out where they can.

Question ...

How many months prior to the expiry date of the existing passport is one allowed to apply for the new passport, is it 12 months, 6 months, or 3 months. ?

If an existing passport has six months left prior to expiry date and one applies then for a new passport does the new 10 year passport include the remaining six months of the old passport.

Fellows that made the UK passport application and received the new passport should know of course what toke place about this.

Please let us know .... thanks.

I believe you can apply for a new passport 9 months prior to the expiry date of your old passport.

You will be credited with 10 years plus whatever months when you applied up to 9 months on your new passport

[theoldgit]

Problem 6 - The person countersigning the passport photos must live in the UK.

That only applies to applications made within the UK.

[digitalchromakey]

You can still use the old one for ID, just not for travel/extensions etc.

Correct that you cannot travel. But it still can be used to apply for extensions of stay and etc.at immigration. They don't check a database there.

Not totally correct.

If you recall I got a 12m extension in my 'cancelled' passport back in June.

I since received my new passport

This week I went to Cambodia, via Chong Chom, and thought I would try using the old passport. Absolutely no problem. The Thai immigration system computers are clearly not linked to the UK passport system. Having proved that point I can now go and get my stamps transferred to my new passport. .... by way of coincidence the Thai immigration officer at the border was the same guy who processed my extension.

Well, the plot thickens.

We have reports of visibly bona fide passports (stamp space and > 6 months validity) with recent renewal applications being rejected for even exit at a border and then you have no problem with a well and truly cancelled passport, albeit containing a recent 12 month extension.

Presume you were going/coming on a re-entry permit, so maybe they don't do any database checks on extant extensions with re-entry permits.

You also wrote that the customs official was the guy who actually did your 12 month extension, maybe he recognized his signature and so didn't bother to check on the database.

Maybe they don't check for re-entry permits, maybe there is no data base......

[digitalchromakey]

I also called the Embassy in Bangkok, ext 1,1 for the passport advice, but it was just a recorded message with the Trendy number and HMPO UK hotline number

Try Consular Services, not the Embassy.

re: Consular Services ... please let us know their e-mail address, fax, and phone number, thanks.

British Embassy Consular Section

14 Wireless Road

Lumpini

Pathumwan

Bangkok 10330

Thailand

Email [email protected]

Telephone +66 (0) 2 305 8333

Fax +66 (0) 2 255 6051

The phone number is the same as for the Embassy, but you need to navigate around the keypad options in a bit of a circuitous manner before you can get to speak to someone at consular services (on the first occasion I tried to contact consular services, I think I ended up phoning twice before I figured out the correct routing).

[digitalchromakey]

Problem 6 - The person countersigning the passport photos must live in the UK.

That only applies to applications made within the UK.

Which is precisely what the poster matt111 was considering doing

[digitalchromakey]

Is there any issue with just renewing online via the gov website presuming they have your photo from drivers license etc.., paying the fee, having it delivered to your UK address, and then have someone that's travelling this anyway bring it out, then head down to local immigration office and get visa switched across? Saves a lot of hassle, and courier fees, collection from trendy etc.

I know the .gov site has different instructions for each country currently in but they seem more like guidelines in the interest of convenience rather than hard and fast rules (or legalities).. or is that wrong?

Problem 1) If an on-line/postal application is made in the UK, they need your passport to be submitted with your application form and photos.

Problem 2) Online/postal applications are six weeks from application to delivery - so you don't save that much time.

Problem 3) You need a genuine UK Postal address.

Problem 4) You should hold your passport at all times you are in Thailand.

Problem 5) You wont have your passport for the best part of eight weeks.

Other than the above - no problem.

Problem 6 - The person countersigning the passport photos must live in the UK.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for that, although not all applications from the UK require a counter signatory, but for any that do, the counter signatory needs to live in the UK, so.....

Problem 6) Any required counter signatory must live In the UK.

[digitalchromakey]

My wife spoke with Pattaya immigration for me earlier today. They are aware of the problems with delays with British passports and are helping out where they can.

Question ...

How many months prior to the expiry date of the existing passport is one allowed to apply for the new passport, is it 12 months, 6 months, or 3 months. ?

If an existing passport has six months left prior to expiry date and one applies then for a new passport does the new 10 year passport include the remaining six months of the old passport.

Fellows that made the UK passport application and received the new passport should know of course what toke place about this.

Please let us know .... thanks.

I believe you can apply for a new passport 9 months prior to the expiry date of your old passport.

You will be credited with 10 years plus whatever months when you applied up to 9 months on your new passport

Yes, you get full credit for unexpired validity, up to 9 months before the passport expiry date, so new ten year passports can potentially have a validity up to 10 Years 9 Months.

However, there is also nothing preventing one from applying for a new passport at any time during a passport's life, other than the god awful application delays, the loss of validity beyond 9 months and the associated application costs on an annualised basis.

[Pez1947]

Hi Folks, have a look at the statement from the UK Gov. The link is: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/additional-measures-in-place-overseas-to-help-british-nationals-who-need-a-new-or-replacement-passport.

3 pages, 3 months plus country requrements, free 1 year extension all important stuff.

Cheers - happy Holiday

[digitalchromakey]

Hi Folks, have a look at the statement from the UK Gov. The link is: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/additional-measures-in-place-overseas-to-help-british-nationals-who-need-a-new-or-replacement-passport.

3 pages, 3 months plus country requrements, free 1 year extension all important stuff.

Cheers - happy Holiday

Yes, but there are three major problems with the new UK Passport free temporary 12 month extensions.

1) You are excluded from the 12 month UK Passport extension if you have already applied for a new passport and are thus already on the smoke filled crashing plane.

2) Doesn't help if your passport is already near full.

3) Not many countries outside of Thailand in SE Asia accept the new UK 12 month temporary passport extension (last time I checked it was only Philippines, Hong Kong).

So unfortunately it does not bring much comfort to the UK Citizens based in Thailand who are currently trapped in this HMPO/British Government fiasco of a train wreck

Edited July 11, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[watso63]

You can still use the old one for ID, just not for travel/extensions etc.

Correct that you cannot travel. But it still can be used to apply for extensions of stay and etc.at immigration. They don't check a database there.

Not totally correct.

If you recall I got a 12m extension in my 'cancelled' passport back in June.

I since received my new passport

This week I went to Cambodia, via Chong Chom, and thought I would try using the old passport. Absolutely no problem. The Thai immigration system computers are clearly not linked to the UK passport system. Having proved that point I can now go and get my stamps transferred to my new passport. .... by way of coincidence the Thai immigration officer at the border was the same guy who processed my extension.

Did they not put a cancelled stamp in your old passport? I transferred my stamps over last Friday and got a new extension. That's three pages gone already!!! When these new overstay rules kick in, there's going to be some collateral damage from all this, especially if the reported hard line and no appeals scenario is true.

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

[theoldgit]

Problem 6 - The person countersigning the passport photos must live in the UK.

That only applies to applications made within the UK.

Which is precisely what the poster matt111 was considering doing

So not a problem then, save that mat111 was looking at trying to beat the system by applying online and having the passport delivered to the UK, whilst he was resident overseas.

If the passport photo had had to be countersigned it could prove problematical to the applicant and the person counter signing.

[bigsteve]

Theoretically not a problem, unless his is one of those applications that requires a countersigned passport photo included with the paperwork, such as a renewal for a child under 11, or if one's appearance has changed significantly since the last passport was issued.

If this were the case, I suppose it could prove tricky logistically.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Pattaya Pat]

I handed my passport in on 26th May, reading delboys posts it's looking like I'm gonna go onto overstay, I'm good up to around 21st August.

Will call them next week and hopefully get this Martin chap on the phone. I think I should have just flown home and got this done. Ridiculous situation.

[soap]

I handed my passport in on 26th May, reading delboys posts it's looking like I'm gonna go onto overstay, I'm good up to around 21st August.

Will call them next week and hopefully get this Martin chap on the phone. I think I should have just flown home and got this done. Ridiculous situation.

Another WHINGER

[watso63]

I handed my passport in on 26th May, reading delboys posts it's looking like I'm gonna go onto overstay, I'm good up to around 21st August.

Will call them next week and hopefully get this Martin chap on the phone. I think I should have just flown home and got this done. Ridiculous situation.

Another WHINGER

Oh yes. I remember well. I'm sure he will get his passport, but now he knows what a sphincter twitch feels like, especially with the new overstay blacklisting without leave to appeal, on the horizon.

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

[stevie403]

I sent away my second passport for renewal on the 23 march as it was full, I used my other passport to fly to work after 13 weeks of phone calls etc it finally arrived in Bangkok but the e- mail I received from Uk passport office was sorry to inform you but we cancelled the wrong passport instead of cancelling the one I sent them they cancelled the one in my possession which I need to use to travel to Bkk

What a bunch of useless people

Luckily for me I just took the chance the airport I was flying from did not have a electronic passport check machine so lucky I got on the plane back to Bkk

They so apologised for the delay as my passport was misplaced in someone's else application

Now they are asking me to send another application to get my second passport

Don't think I will bother

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[kartman]

Just e-mail back you expect a replacement Passport FOC for the one cancelled .

[soap]

I handed my passport in on 26th May, reading delboys posts it's looking like I'm gonna go onto overstay, I'm good up to around 21st August.

Will call them next week and hopefully get this Martin chap on the phone. I think I should have just flown home and got this done. Ridiculous situation.

Another WHINGER

Oh yes. I remember well. I'm sure he will get his passport, but now he knows what a sphincter twitch feels like, especially with the new overstay blacklisting without leave to appeal, on the horizon.

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

UPDATE...quote Pattaya pat

My application went in on the 26th, my credit card was debited on the 29th

So far I have been impressed with the service....apologies if that offends anyone on here.

Impressed with the service

BTW PP

My friends daughters passport application is now going into its 18 th week and still NO PASSPORT

[Pattaya Pat]

Ha ha ha! I'm honoured that folk remembered me.

Ok, I'm happy to admit when I've called somwthing wrong, and yes I've got this one wrong, although in my defence I was just trying to give these fools the benefit of the doubt. My gloves are now firmly off and I'm on your side now..so what's next? Who wants it??? I'm fuming!

Utter disgrace.

[soihok]

Pen to paper PP.

I have written 3 letters now (received one reply by post saying, nothing we can do), plus many e-mails and a few phone conversations.

[soihok]

I haven't applied for a passport renewal for my daughter, my complaints are directed at the procedure (which is why I have not started the renewal application process - air travel to Thailand - hotel - time off work = to be repeated twice).

A third party can apply on my behalf there (I live in Malaysia) but in all honesty, there is no one there to do this for me. My wife's family live in Korat, not BKK, and can't read/speak English.

[digitalchromakey]

I sent away my second passport for renewal on the 23 march as it was full, I used my other passport to fly to work after 13 weeks of phone calls etc it finally arrived in Bangkok but the e- mail I received from Uk passport office was sorry to inform you but we cancelled the wrong passport instead of cancelling the one I sent them they cancelled the one in my possession which I need to use to travel to Bkk

What a bunch of useless people

Luckily for me I just took the chance the airport I was flying from did not have a electronic passport check machine so lucky I got on the plane back to Bkk

They so apologised for the delay as my passport was misplaced in someone's else application

Now they are asking me to send another application to get my second passport

Don't think I will bother

Monumental incompetence.

Thinking back, most of the reports of returned passports we have had to date on this thread indicated some kind of problem.

1) Standard size passport returned when Jumbo was requested and paid for.

2) New passport returned but HMPO insisted that it had been cancelled.

3) Passport couriered to home address.

4) Renewal - One case, no passport after 18 weeks delay and may more at 8 weeks plus..

5) Wrong passport cancelled.

6) Incorrect fees deducted in several cases.

7) Dismissive feedback to email and written complaints.

8) Overstays.

9) Wasted journeys to BKK.

10) Need to purchase ETDs.

The list goes go on, and on, add to this the woefully inadequate service plus lack of meaningful progress information from the HMPO Help line, then there's the simply appalling delays.......

When I think about it, we have not had one report yet of satisfactory service from a new system that has been in place for almost 4 months now.

It time to look back at what the OP on this thread wrote (Basset - btw who hasn't even been on line to check on the mess his (presumably) department has overseen since 20 April).

The goal is to ensure that all British nationals living overseas receive a consistent, trusted, secure and efficient service whilst keeping the costs as low as possible.

Really?