Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[rikki]

I got a reply today, "I can confirm that your application is awaiting examination" and a Reference number

This will cost me 500quid in overstay

Sorry to disappoint, but your passport goes to the status 'awaiting examination' the day they debit your account for payment,

What the HMPO are telling you is that nothing has happened yet and that you are still in a very long and ever expanding queue.

All this means is that your application is sitting in an orange box, amongst may other orange boxes, getting lonely in a no longer used conference room at HMPO Liverpool.

Don't stand for an HMPO enforced overstay, the British Government has put you in a position where you could be detained, arrested and deported from Thailand - do you think that is reasonable?.

No delay, phone the British Consular Facility in BKK (not the Embassy) today and ask for their help.

Make an appointment, go to there and tell them that you are travelling to wherever and get an ETD - take this document to immigration and get an extension, if not then do the travel and get an entry stamp (I know this would be despite your medical issues).

Can you present any rational reason why you should not do this (other than that the British Embassy told you 'The computer says no')?

Or do you want to risk getting arrested and deported on overstay (btw you would have to pay for an ETD first to then get deported)?

I do have a reason or two,however

"No delay, phone the British Consular Facility in BKK (not the Embassy) today and ask for their help."

Is that the same number as the Embassy? I can see no other number listed

[Pattaya Pat]

Hey, I got my appt confirmed within 6 hours of emailing.

Also worth mentioning, I'd booked mine for 12 noon as I was flying up from Phuket, however got there early and asked if there was a chance of an earlier appt. They saw me at 10.10 as no-one else was waiting for passport services. So it's worth asking politely if you do get there early. Beats sitting around in some lame coffee shop with 2hrs to kill

Glad you got it sorted,

As we know the VFS is only a passport CHECKING service the same as the post office checking service in the UK, the reports on this thread indicate that you can be in and out in ten minutes.

I would have asked them why they made me travel from Phuket, and if you don't know anyone in Bangkok to pick your new passport up when it FINALLY arrives to travel the same journey that entailed time out, costs,

and just the plain hassle to present your documents that only takes ten minutes to check.

Dare I say that the VFS are getting a fee per appointment and they don't give two monkeys what hassle you have getting there,as long as they get their appointment fee

yes, that's really going to make a big difference eh.

[Zonka]

Rikki,

An ETD (emergency Travel Document) only entitles you to fly out (and return) to Thailand. It cannot be used at immigration to record a visa extension. Also worth mentioning that if you use an ETD on rentry to Thailand you will only be given the usual 30 stamp.

[digitalchromakey]

Rikki,

An ETD (emergency Travel Document) only entitles you to fly out (and return) to Thailand. It cannot be used at immigration to record a visa extension. Also worth mentioning that if you use an ETD on rentry to Thailand you will only be given the usual 30 stamp.

A senior officer at Thai Immigration told me that they would not necessarily reject an ETD for an extension.

However the British Consular facility argue that if you do not follow the stated itinerary, that Thai Immigration may not honor the ETD.

So the conclusion is be less than direct with the British Consulate, then try for the extension, at least you can get another 30 days by travelling the stated itinerary, or if you can get a visa, maybe longer.

Why should Rikki be faced with arrest, imprisonments and deportation, just because the British Government doesn't care and HMPO are incompetent?

Edited July 18, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[digitalchromakey]

I got a reply today, "I can confirm that your application is awaiting examination" and a Reference number

This will cost me 500quid in overstay

Sorry to disappoint, but your passport goes to the status 'awaiting examination' the day they debit your account for payment,

What the HMPO are telling you is that nothing has happened yet and that you are still in a very long and ever expanding queue.

All this means is that your application is sitting in an orange box, amongst may other orange boxes, getting lonely in a no longer used conference room at HMPO Liverpool.

Don't stand for an HMPO enforced overstay, the British Government has put you in a position where you could be detained, arrested and deported from Thailand - do you think that is reasonable?.

No delay, phone the British Consular Facility in BKK (not the Embassy) today and ask for their help.

Make an appointment, go to there and tell them that you are travelling to wherever and get an ETD - take this document to immigration and get an extension, if not then do the travel and get an entry stamp (I know this would be despite your medical issues).

Can you present any rational reason why you should not do this (other than that the British Embassy told you 'The computer says no')?

Or do you want to risk getting arrested and deported on overstay (btw you would have to pay for an ETD first to then get deported)?

I do have a reason or two,however

"No delay, phone the British Consular Facility in BKK (not the Embassy) today and ask for their help."

Is that the same number as the Embassy? I can see no other number listed

It's the same number as the Embassy, listen carefully to the menu choices, you need British Consular Services.

It took me a couple of calls to figure it out, but you can work your way through the dial menus to speak to the BKK Consular facility.

[digitalchromakey]

[email protected]. This gets Delivery Failure on Gmail. Is this the right No to get an Appointment. Seems that Trendy have not Mastered the art of picking up a Phone, not even a Number to call. How can i get Him an Appointment.. Help Please.

Try getting rid of the full stop after com, here is the email address.

[email protected]

Didn't you go through all of this with your elderly British friend about 800 posts ago?

Edited July 18, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[watso63]

[email protected]. This gets Delivery Failure on Gmail. Is this the right No to get an Appointment. Seems that Trendy have not Mastered the art of picking up a Phone, not even a Number to call. How can i get Him an Appointment.. Help Please.

Try getting rid of the full stop after com, here is the email address.

[email protected]

Didn't you go through all of this with your old British friend about 800 posts ago?

Wondered the same thing myself.

[Zonka]

Rikki,

An ETD (emergency Travel Document) only entitles you to fly out (and return) to Thailand. It cannot be used at immigration to record a visa extension. Also worth mentioning that if you use an ETD on rentry to Thailand you will only be given the usual 30 stamp.

A senior officer at Thai Immigration told me that they would not necessarily reject an ETD for an extension.

However the British Consular facility argue that if you do not follow the stated itinerary, that Thai Immigration may not honor the ETD.

So the conclusion is be less than direct with the British Consulate, then try for the extension, at least you can get another 30 days by travelling the stated itinerary, or if you can get a visa, maybe longer.

Why should Rikki be faced with arrest, imprisonments and deportation, just because the British Government doesn't care and HMPO are incompetent?

I totally agree with you. I am going through this s#*t at the moment myself. I was told by immigration that you cannot get a visa extension on an ETD hence my post. I have also phoned the UK helpline (which is a call centre in Northern Ireland and not even co located with liverpool and they said there is nothing they can do to fast track an overseas application and I have to wait! I phoned the embassy to speak to the consular section and got through to an Indian lady who listened to my story then put me on hold for 9 minutes while she went to ask a REAL consular for a solution to my case. The solution? "Send an email to the helpline!" whilst i am not worried about visa expiring (im visad up till November) my job requires me to fly all over Asia up to 5 times a month which I now cannot do. My American boss is not best pleased. Its a bloody disgrace and the UK embassy/ambassador should be talking to liverpool/UK to sort this. Some young passport clerk in Liverpool will likely have no Idea about renewing work permits/visa extensions that are required here.

[sandyf]

Yesterday afternoon I sent an email to consular enquiries and have just received a reply that includes a response from HMPO to say that they would urgently escalate the enquiry to the Liverpool office.

The automated reply yesterday said that a response could be up to 20 days and they could not accept enquiries regarding passport applications from overseas.

[soihok]

At some point soon, we are going to hear of someones situation (and their families possibly) becoming really unstuck because of this farce.

For years I have been saying that the best thing about the UK is the passport, now it seems that getting one is becoming more difficult than the Pope getting the beers in.

[Pattaya Pat]

I just had a reply to my email I sent to the Brit embassy in bkk. They forwarded on to me a reply they received from Liverpool, it stated that they would forward the request (received from the Brit embassy in bkk) on to the relevant dept and request they look at my case asap and will respond (to the Brit embassy in bkk) soon with an update. So it appears that it is worthwhile getting on the Embassy's case, but I would only suggest doing it if you are up to around 6-7 weeks like I am and give them a reason why you need it back pronto, ie you are going on to overstay soon, etc.

[sandyf]

I just had a reply to my email I sent to the Brit embassy in bkk. They forwarded on to me a reply they received from Liverpool, it stated that they would forward the request (received from the Brit embassy in bkk) on to the relevant dept and request they look at my case asap and will respond (to the Brit embassy in bkk) soon with an update. So it appears that it is worthwhile getting on the Embassy's case, but I would only suggest doing it if you are up to around 6-7 weeks like I am and give them a reason why you need it back pronto, ie you are going on to overstay soon, etc.

Must have done yours just after mine. When did you email the embassy? my reply came in less than 24 hours.

[Pattaya Pat]

I just had a reply to my email I sent to the Brit embassy in bkk. They forwarded on to me a reply they received from Liverpool, it stated that they would forward the request (received from the Brit embassy in bkk) on to the relevant dept and request they look at my case asap and will respond (to the Brit embassy in bkk) soon with an update. So it appears that it is worthwhile getting on the Embassy's case, but I would only suggest doing it if you are up to around 6-7 weeks like I am and give them a reason why you need it back pronto, ie you are going on to overstay soon, etc.

Must have done yours just after mine. When did you email the embassy? my reply came in less than 24 hours.

Same, 24 hours. More to follow...

[Pattaya Pat]

Well well well, no sooner had I received an email from bkk, I've now had an email from Liverpool informing me that my PP has now been passed for issue and will be printed and sent off within 48hrs. So one email to bkk and all sorted, although I suppose there is a possibility that it's a coincidence and it was getting done anyway, but as someone once said, I don't believe in coincidneces. Anyway, happy days.

Do I still need to go to the embassy and get a letter thingy to take to immigration before I get my visas trnasferred, and I assume I can do this at any immigration office, it doesn't have to be Lad Phrao?

[citybird]

Pattaya pat that's what happened to me, passport miraculously on its way within 24 hours of my email to the consulate.....coincidence? Probably not. I collected it this morning and am ready to exit tomorrow. Keeping everything crossed I can come back in with no problems on the new passport and a new tourist visa.....I know, maybe pushing it but worth a try!

[sandyf]

Well well well, no sooner had I received an email from bkk, I've now had an email from Liverpool informing me that my PP has now been passed for issue and will be printed and sent off within 48hrs. So one email to bkk and all sorted, although I suppose there is a possibility that it's a coincidence and it was getting done anyway, but as someone once said, I don't believe in coincidneces. Anyway, happy days.

Do I still need to go to the embassy and get a letter thingy to take to immigration before I get my visas trnasferred, and I assume I can do this at any immigration office, it doesn't have to be Lad Phrao?

The response that I get from Liverpool will tell a tale. You said you were in the 6-7 week stage, I am in the 8-9 week stage so theoretically my passport should be at Trendy.

[Pattaya Pat]

Pattaya pat that's what happened to me, passport miraculously on its way within 24 hours of my email to the consulate.....coincidence? Probably not. I collected it this morning and am ready to exit tomorrow. Keeping everything crossed I can come back in with no problems on the new passport and a new tourist visa.....I know, maybe pushing it but worth a try!

I'm sure you will be fine mate, just have a story ready if they do ask you any questions. Maybe let us know how you got on. Cheers.

[soap]

Well well well, no sooner had I received an email from bkk, I've now had an email from Liverpool informing me that my PP has now been passed for issue and will be printed and sent off within 48hrs. So one email to bkk and all sorted, although I suppose there is a possibility that it's a coincidence and it was getting done anyway, but as someone once said, I don't believe in coincidneces. Anyway, happy days.

Do I still need to go to the embassy and get a letter thingy to take to immigration before I get my visas trnasferred, and I assume I can do this at any immigration office, it doesn't have to be Lad Phrao?

The response that I get from Liverpool will tell a tale. You said you were in the 6-7 week stage, I am in the 8-9 week stage so theoretically my passport should be at Trendy.

It might well be gathering dust in Trendy,as I said my friends daughters passport was there for nearly a month

before anyone bothered to ring them up to say you can collect it.

Surely even this British government must have heeded the complaints and listened to the hardship in many cases that this shambles is causing and drafted in every available civil servant,the Army,Navy Air Force personnel that are available to get them out of the sh* t they should never have got themselves into in the first place

.

[rikki]

I got a reply today, "I can confirm that your application is awaiting examination" and a Reference number

This will cost me 500quid in overstay

Sorry to disappoint, but your passport goes to the status 'awaiting examination' the day they debit your account for payment,

What the HMPO are telling you is that nothing has happened yet and that you are still in a very long and ever expanding queue.

All this means is that your application is sitting in an orange box, amongst may other orange boxes, getting lonely in a no longer used conference room at HMPO Liverpool.

Don't stand for an HMPO enforced overstay, the British Government has put you in a position where you could be detained, arrested and deported from Thailand - do you think that is reasonable?.

No delay, phone the British Consular Facility in BKK (not the Embassy) today and ask for their help.

Make an appointment, go to there and tell them that you are travelling to wherever and get an ETD - take this document to immigration and get an extension, if not then do the travel and get an entry stamp (I know this would be despite your medical issues).

Can you present any rational reason why you should not do this (other than that the British Embassy told you 'The computer says no')?

Or do you want to risk getting arrested and deported on overstay (btw you would have to pay for an ETD first to then get deported)?

I do have a reason or two,however

"No delay, phone the British Consular Facility in BKK (not the Embassy) today and ask for their help."

Is that the same number as the Embassy? I can see no other number listed

It's the same number as the Embassy, listen carefully to the menu choices, you need British Consular Services.

It took me a couple of calls to figure it out, but you can work your way through the dial menus to speak to the BKK Consular facility.

I called them, John there said there was nothing else I could do, go to bangkok for Emergency passport or overstay,

[recom273]

Does anyone know how you pay the UK govenment from a Thai bank account ? I filled in my payment form with the requested details, i got an email a week later telling me it couldnt process the ammount. Kasikorn tells me that it cannot process the request and infers that its the fault of the UK government, they need to include an account number or some other piece of information to make the process more secure ??

UK passport is obviously aware as there is a paragraph in the email telling you to contact your bank to clear the payment before phoning them.

So how is it possible to pay with a Thai visa debit card ?

ETS: OK, I may have it, i need to apply for a K-Shopping card. Does anyone have any experience with this or do i give up and ask someone in the UK to front for me ?

Edited July 18, 2014 by recom273

[Pattaya Pat]

Well well well, no sooner had I received an email from bkk, I've now had an email from Liverpool informing me that my PP has now been passed for issue and will be printed and sent off within 48hrs. So one email to bkk and all sorted, although I suppose there is a possibility that it's a coincidence and it was getting done anyway, but as someone once said, I don't believe in coincidneces. Anyway, happy days.

Do I still need to go to the embassy and get a letter thingy to take to immigration before I get my visas trnasferred, and I assume I can do this at any immigration office, it doesn't have to be Lad Phrao?

The response that I get from Liverpool will tell a tale. You said you were in the 6-7 week stage, I am in the 8-9 week stage so theoretically my passport should be at Trendy.

Indeed, best of luck.

[digitalchromakey]

Does anyone know how you pay the UK govenment from a Thai bank account ? I filled in my payment form with the requested details, i got an email a week later telling me it couldnt process the ammount. Kasikorn tells me that it cannot process the request and infers that its the fault of the UK government, they need to include an account number or some other piece of information to make the process more secure ??

UK passport is obviously aware as there is a paragraph in the email telling you to contact your bank to clear the payment before phoning them.

So how is it possible to pay with a Thai visa debit card ?

ETS: OK, I may have it, i need to apply for a K-Shopping card. Does anyone have any experience with this or do i give up and ask someone in the UK to front for me ?

Thai Bank Debit Cards generally don't work, as they are geared up for on-line shopping - you get an SMS, type in the OTP and bingo.

Problem is deduction/debit is made in the UK not Thailand - no mechanism for overseas OTPs.

Obviously proper Credit Cards or UK Bank debit Cards work, but several have reported that the Kasikorn Virtual Debit card works fine. You need some kind of Kasikorn account to get one, but it is a straightforward application process.

I believe they have changed its name to the K-Web Shopping Card.

Edited July 18, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[digitalchromakey]

Rikki,

An ETD (emergency Travel Document) only entitles you to fly out (and return) to Thailand. It cannot be used at immigration to record a visa extension. Also worth mentioning that if you use an ETD on rentry to Thailand you will only be given the usual 30 stamp.

A senior officer at Thai Immigration told me that they would not necessarily reject an ETD for an extension.

However the British Consular facility argue that if you do not follow the stated itinerary, that Thai Immigration may not honor the ETD.

So the conclusion is be less than direct with the British Consulate, then try for the extension, at least you can get another 30 days by travelling the stated itinerary, or if you can get a visa, maybe longer.

Why should Rikki be faced with arrest, imprisonments and deportation, just because the British Government doesn't care and HMPO are incompetent?

I totally agree with you. I am going through this s#*t at the moment myself. I was told by immigration that you cannot get a visa extension on an ETD hence my post. I have also phoned the UK helpline (which is a call centre in Northern Ireland and not even co located with liverpool and they said there is nothing they can do to fast track an overseas application and I have to wait! I phoned the embassy to speak to the consular section and got through to an Indian lady who listened to my story then put me on hold for 9 minutes while she went to ask a REAL consular for a solution to my case. The solution? "Send an email to the helpline!" whilst i am not worried about visa expiring (im visad up till November) my job requires me to fly all over Asia up to 5 times a month which I now cannot do. My American boss is not best pleased. Its a bloody disgrace and the UK embassy/ambassador should be talking to liverpool/UK to sort this. Some young passport clerk in Liverpool will likely have no Idea about renewing work permits/visa extensions that are required here.

Do send the email, they gave you a subject line to use for the email didn't they?

Trust me it can help, if your case is genuine, they do seem to be able to drive some applications home and 2/3 weeks gained can be a life saver..

As for the UK Hotline, you or I probably know more about overseas applications than most of the third party contract company call centre operators that they now have. What some have described as the 'progress room', which they can forward you to, staff there seem to actually work for HMPO and can give you more meaningful information/help and not just platitudes. You will almost certainly never get to speak to or get an email from anyone who actually works at HMPO Liverpool unless someone (like the British Embassy or an MP) pulls strings.

[digitalchromakey]

Sorry to disappoint, but your passport goes to the status 'awaiting examination' the day they debit your account for payment,

What the HMPO are telling you is that nothing has happened yet and that you are still in a very long and ever expanding queue.

All this means is that your application is sitting in an orange box, amongst may other orange boxes, getting lonely in a no longer used conference room at HMPO Liverpool.

Don't stand for an HMPO enforced overstay, the British Government has put you in a position where you could be detained, arrested and deported from Thailand - do you think that is reasonable?.

No delay, phone the British Consular Facility in BKK (not the Embassy) today and ask for their help.

Make an appointment, go to there and tell them that you are travelling to wherever and get an ETD - take this document to immigration and get an extension, if not then do the travel and get an entry stamp (I know this would be despite your medical issues).

Can you present any rational reason why you should not do this (other than that the British Embassy told you 'The computer says no')?

Or do you want to risk getting arrested and deported on overstay (btw you would have to pay for an ETD first to then get deported)?

I do have a reason or two,however

"No delay, phone the British Consular Facility in BKK (not the Embassy) today and ask for their help."

Is that the same number as the Embassy? I can see no other number listed

It's the same number as the Embassy, listen carefully to the menu choices, you need British Consular Services.

It took me a couple of calls to figure it out, but you can work your way through the dial menus to speak to the BKK Consular facility.

I called them, John there said there was nothing else I could do, go to bangkok for Emergency passport or overstay,

Ok, so get down to the Embassy and get your ETD, say the travel is to be next Thursday - gives you time to try for the extension first at Thai Immigration..........

The Consular Section at the British Embassy advised you to overstay, given the Thai regulation changes in process, you must be joking, or else they really don't give a f..k about your situation?

Think you have now been demoted to British Overseas Citizen Rikki - Fourth Class.

Certainly get the feeling that you have been thrown to the dogs - get that ETD, don't overstay!

[easybullet3]

I like the idea that we dont need to SEND our original documents by post.. (coz they rarely send ALL of them back!! you usually get about 70% of them back).

so,, now bangkok is the Authorization Centre...

but it sucks for people living far away. (for the amount of money they charge, (complared to other countries), they should set up some satellite offices around Thailand).

[digitalchromakey]

I like the idea that we dont need to SEND our original documents by post.. (coz they rarely send ALL of them back!! you usually get about 70% of them back).

so,, now bangkok is the Authorization Centre...

but it sucks for people living far away. (for the amount of money they charge, (complared to other countries), they should set up some satellite offices around Thailand).

and cut the application delay to one week..

and provide free wings for pigs....

this won't unfortunately happen...... well ok they may still try and do the wings for pigs, but they will doubtless end up supplying second a..e holes for dogs instead by accident.....which will make for some very happy dogs, when we are thrown to them (yet again).

More likely the next step will be that we have to travel in person to Hong Kong to apply plus back there again by ETD to pick up 6 months later, as they try to claw back all the massive 13 GBP per passport profits they have now completely lost purely in overtime payments to all staff and bucket loads of temporary staff in trying to clear up the current train wreck of a fiasco that they have created.

[OJAS]

More likely the next step will be that we have to travel in person to Hong Kong to apply plus back there again by ETD to pick up 6 months later, as they try to claw back all the massive 13 GBP per passport profits they have now completely lost purely in overtime payments to all staff and bucket loads of temporary staff in trying to clear up the current train wreck of a fiasco that they have created.

More likely, I suspect, that we shall have to travel in person to Liverpool to apply plus back there again by ETD to collect 6 months later.

Either that or HMPO will require us all to pass an advanced proficiency test in the Thai language so as to enable us to complete in the very neatest manuscript a special Thai version of their application form which they have devised solely and exclusively for the benefit and convenience of their local representatives in With-It Towers.

[Squeegee]

Hi folks. I should probably update you about my experience getting the 30 day extension stamp for my 60 day Tourist visa in a nearly full passport (barely a quarter of a page free space for stamps) on a cancelled passport at BKK Immigration.

The fact it was cancelled (I didn't mention this) had no significance, as was already expected in this thread. The passport has many visa exempt stamps prior to this Tourist visa but the officials didn't seem to care at all. Obviously this is not a border so their priorities are going to be different. That was a relief to not have issues about that like I thought could be a possibility.

The officials were actually really nice (or just rather quiet), same as they usually are in my experience there.

As to the size of the extension stamp, the one I have takes between a third to half a passport page, bigger than I have room for. Lucky for me then that further back in the passport there was a 'free' page where a Cambodian full page visa had been where now is my extension stamp.

-

Unfortunately, despite that bit of luck I'm getting increasingly depressed about my immediate future here in Thailand. That's why I didn't post this earlier. It's depressing enough following this topic and trawling through the other daily horror stories about the visa-related crackdowns.

So if the following quote is correct I might as well not bother trying to stay legal in this country....

Rikki,

An ETD (emergency Travel Document) only entitles you to fly out (and return) to Thailand. It cannot be used at immigration to record a visa extension. Also worth mentioning that if you use an ETD on rentry to Thailand you will only be given the usual 30 stamp.

The highlighted part seems to mean that when I need to use an ETD at the end of my 30 days extension I will lose my 60 days Tourist visa 2nd entry (plus 30 day extension). Is that right?

My passport application at Trendy was 17th June and payment was deducted on the 20th. That means I'm only 4-5 weeks into my waiting period and getting only 30 days could leave me facing overstay.

I was hoping the 2nd entry of 60 days and then the final extension would buy me time to get the new passport and get onto a non-Imm B.

Now I'm thinking I might just have to quit Thailand altogether with the ETD and hope to get the new passport redirected back home, or to Vietnam or somewhere, wherever I might end up.

Please tell me I've read this wrong or that there's a solution to this....

If this British passport nightmare hadn't happened I'd have my new passport by now and be in the process of getting a visa to enable me to work and be perfectly legit on the correct visa as the Thai offical originally said he wanted when the crackdown was first announced (and indeed, as I was before I took time off for a few months which has now royally messed me up).

So here I am in limbo, unable to work because I'm supposed to be a tourist, even though I've had quite enough time off now and want to get back to living a normal life. I've had numerous offers of work recently that I've had to turn down and it seems this ETD is only going to help me leave Thailand and nothing more, because 30 days won't be enough and I'd be facing a desperate attempt at a second Tourist visa, thus back to back, with a history of exempts thanks to my (now) mistake of taking time out, right at the moment the crackdown comes into force proper.

Edited July 18, 2014 by Squeegee

[Squeegee]

Oh, forgot to mention: the BKK immigration officer said she was unaware of the British passport fiasco. That surprised me.

[mjj]

Dear XXXXXXXXXXXX passport is ready to be issued, can you confirm where the passport is to be posted to.

That was from Liverpool.

Yeah, I'm well aware that I will probably need to fork out for a travel document.

I replied that they can either guarantee the arrival of my passport, before my departure date, send it to my parents address or keep it in the UK for me to collect.

Ok thanks for that, looks to me like your passport is already back from the printers - ask them to courier it to your home address in Thailand - you've paid the courier fee already. Why not as they've offered?

'.... ready to be issued, can you confirm confirm where the passport is to be posted to' - you applied in BKK right?

HMPO previously wrote to me on 29th April when I queried the need to travel to BKK twice:

In order to guarantee public protection and so that the passport once replaced cannot be reused for illegal purposes should it be intercepted by a third party it is important that the replaced passport is physically cancelled.

To ensure this takes place, the new passport is returned to the UK Visa Application Centre in Bangkok where the customer must present their old passport for it to be physically cancelled at which time they will then be presented with their new passport.

Cold comfort that I and others who live outside of BKK are still expected to make up to 2,000Km round trips to BKK to collect new passports, but that HMPO Liverpool it seems are now quite happy, as in your case, to post a particular passport to wherever you specify....

Whatever happened to their 'concern for public protection' that forces us all to make hugely inconvenient, time consuming and expensive journeys to/from BKK to apply and collect overseas passports?

Seems that the system is now well and truly broken - good luck with your particular situation - hope it comes good and doesn't cost you any more than you shelled out for the original application.

Regarding collecting your passport from Bangkok, when I applied I asked if I had to collect it personally and was told no. I could send someone to collect it. Don't take it from me as a bona fide guarantee, but that was what I was told.

Yes, trendy have been saying that, almost since the beginning, however the HMPO website says that you must collect in person, but that someone can apply on your behalf if you are unable to attend.

Again there is a significant lack of clear information on procedures/variations, trendy don't answer enquiries by email, HMPO help line operators are mostly clueless, plus trendy don't have a public phone line..

Third class service indeed.

Just to update. I received an email saying the passport will arrive within a week to the UK address I asked for. I'm don't consider myself to be out of the woods until I actually have the passport, but it is looking a quick turnaround for me. 17th June - 25th July, IF I receive it. Add on an extra week or so if it was to come to Thailand it's very good considering what others are going through.

I'm not suggesting anyone didn't do this, but if you are applying soon, get copies of EVERYTHING, and then get more copies of things they might need. The guy that processed mine at Trendy showed me some other applications that were missing far too many documents and this may be causing the delays.

If you need to verify your address, just get someone from the UK to send you a letter or parcel. This is what I used and they were happy with it.

Once again, I am not suggesting anyone didn't do this, I'm just letting people know what I did.