Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[digitalchromakey]

hi digitalchromemakey,yes done all that.I have no outstading debt and i have contacted the british embassy and they fired asn e-mail off. Still waiting for any ggod news,but all i get is it is still undergoing security checks,maybe i should not have renewed my jihad membership this year ha ha

Thanks for clearing that up, pleased there are no outstanding issues there now.

So to summarise, you will be on an overstay again as of next week and HMPO cannot offer you any explanation as to the basis for your much longer than 'normal' delay.

I would phone the consulate again, if I were you, then emphasize the overstay angle, big time.

In one weeks' time the British Government's incompetence will have turned you into an illegal immigrant.

.

[soap]

...English bloke down our way just accepted the new rules, made an appointment in good time at Trendy, went along with the required documents and is now waiting for his new passport.....

Ridiculous, in my book when he could have been on here moaning and whinging............

We're is

Down our way?

[digitalchromakey]

Have to get a new passport in the next couple of months , is my Passport and Birth cert good enough ?

No - not enough.

If you fail to provide written evidence of your name at an address here in Thailand (this evidence being less than 1 year old, in English, or translated by an accredited translator), then your application will be refused by HMPO (not trendy).

[Sena Dave]

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Have to get a new passport in the next couple of months , is my Passport and Birth cert good enough ?

No - not enough.

If you fail to provide written evidence of your name at an address here in Thailand (this evidence being less than 1 year old, in English, or translated by an accredited translator), then your application will be refused by HMPO (not trendy).

Thank you , Bank statement good enough ?,

[dilwyn]

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Have to get a new passport in the next couple of months , is my Passport and Birth cert good enough ?

No - not enough.

If you fail to provide written evidence of your name at an address here in Thailand (this evidence being less than 1 year old, in English, or translated by an accredited translator), then your application will be refused by HMPO (not trendy).

Thank you , Bank statement good enough ?,

I used a news letter from the Nationwide as evidence of my address in Thailand, which was accepted by HMPO

[Sena Dave]

Thank you .Appreciate you taking the time to answer , I'm getting married next week and getting a Spousal 0 , so no house book with my name on it yet, only got 6 pages left in my passport . I got a letter from my lawyer a couple of months ago and opened a BKK Bank. Need a statement from them for Penang Embassy for o vise, so that should do for the proof of address for passport

I got my passport previously in the Embassy Bangkok in 2010 , cannot remember what i produced for the application, I would only have had Malaysian proof of address

[Rimmer]

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[OJAS]

hi digitalchromemakey,yes done all that.I have no outstading debt and i have contacted the british embassy and they fired asn e-mail off. Still waiting for any ggod news,but all i get is it is still undergoing security checks,maybe i should not have renewed my jihad membership this year ha ha

Maybe you should have. That would almost certainly have guaranteed you receiving your new passport in double-quick time!

[Sena Dave]

Thats a point , I could use My Jihad video rentals ,Membership card for ID

[AlanAunuum]

well into my 15th week tomorrow,no sign of a passport or even a sniff of an answer. I have e-mailed the PM in London and i await his reply with baited breath, am now saving up so i can give the good people at the immigration office my little present of 20,000 baht in 90 days time + air fare to Penang and back. Unfortunatley i can not put on here what i would like to say about the HMPO in Liverpool but the words BARCLAYS JAMES HUNTS 2 HATS come to mind.

[brio]

my passport expires early next year.

Whats the conscientious of how long its taking from when you apply at Trendy, to them ringing you saying the new passport is ready to collect ??

[digitalchromakey]

my passport expires early next year.

Whats the conscientious of how long its taking from when you apply at Trendy, to them ringing you saying the new passport is ready to collect ??

Red passport renewal, application to collection at trendy reports to date - slowest 18 weeks - fastest 6 weeks.

The above figures do not include any trendy appointment wait which has been up to 4 weeks at worst and seems to average out at around 2 weeks.

[ukrules]

my passport expires early next year.

Whats the conscientious of how long its taking from when you apply at Trendy, to them ringing you saying the new passport is ready to collect ??

You generally can't use a passport during the last 6 months of it's validity, this does depend on the destination but outside of Europe it often won't be accepted unless you're going back home to the UK. This means you will be denied boarding by the plane so it's definitely something to consider if you're in Thailand.

So, depending on when exactly it expires early next year it could already be pretty much useless. Six months from right now takes you through to March 2015.

I suggest renewing it immediately or perhaps getting one of the one year extensions added if you have plenty of extra pages left and will only be travelling to countries which accept the extension.

[personchester]

hi digitalchromemakey,yes done all that.I have no outstading debt and i have contacted the british embassy and they fired asn e-mail off. Still waiting for any ggod news,but all i get is it is still undergoing security checks,maybe i should not have renewed my jihad membership this year ha ha

Thanks for clearing that up, pleased there are no outstanding issues there now.

So to summarise, you will be on an overstay again as of next week and HMPO cannot offer you any explanation as to the basis for your much longer than 'normal' delay.

I would phone the consulate again, if I were you, then emphasize the overstay angle, big time.

In one weeks' time the British Government's incompetence will have turned you into an illegal immigrant.

.

10 Downing Street does not regards the fellows as illegal immigrants, they regards them as irrespective British nationals.

They freeze the state pension ... not allow to take part in political elections again ... and in addition create now a messy new passport application procedure which causes problems in particular for fellows in the far north of Thailand.

[TheSiemReaper]

I recently renewed my passport on the other side of the border (Cambodia). It was a complete farce. It took more than 3 months to put the passport in my hand. I wrote to my MP at the 3 month line to say "&lt;deleted&gt;?" He investigated for me and came back with a message that my passport was at the new outsourced passport reclamation center in Phnom Penh and had been for 6 weeks! I phone the embassy to try and confirm. They couldn't tell me where the center was or how to call them. I called the HMPO in the UK; the first girl hung up on me when I asked where the place was. I called back and finally got a supervisor who found an address but not a phone number. He told me I had to pick the passport up the next day between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

I got an overnight bus from Siem Reap. I arrived in PP at 8 a.m. Whilst I was waiting for coffee... I got a call from the visa outsourcing center to say that they had my passport. I asked why they hadn't called before - they couldn't explain this but they did tell me - I couldn't get my passport until 3 p.m. I then spent more than 2 hours in their offices. They require your ID to give you a passkey to the elevator to pick up your passport. My ID is my passport... so they made me hand over my Galaxy S5 in exchange for the key instead (not impressed). I then had to sign half a dozen bits of paper and wait for these idiots to photocopy the envelopes the passport (and the old one) had been returned in.

Abysmal from start to finish. Previously I've renewed in Hong Kong (took 72 hours - in a period following the end of Chinese New Year traditionally very, very busy then) and in Dubai (took 24 hours - and no extra fees for that speed of processing). Now with the new "efficiency" measures it takes 3 months.

[digitalchromakey]

I recently renewed my passport on the other side of the border (Cambodia). It was a complete farce. It took more than 3 months to put the passport in my hand. I wrote to my MP at the 3 month line to say "<deleted>?" He investigated for me and came back with a message that my passport was at the new outsourced passport reclamation center in Phnom Penh and had been for 6 weeks! I phone the embassy to try and confirm. They couldn't tell me where the center was or how to call them. I called the HMPO in the UK; the first girl hung up on me when I asked where the place was. I called back and finally got a supervisor who found an address but not a phone number. He told me I had to pick the passport up the next day between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

I got an overnight bus from Siem Reap. I arrived in PP at 8 a.m. Whilst I was waiting for coffee... I got a call from the visa outsourcing center to say that they had my passport. I asked why they hadn't called before - they couldn't explain this but they did tell me - I couldn't get my passport until 3 p.m. I then spent more than 2 hours in their offices. They require your ID to give you a passkey to the elevator to pick up your passport. My ID is my passport... so they made me hand over my Galaxy S5 in exchange for the key instead (not impressed). I then had to sign half a dozen bits of paper and wait for these idiots to photocopy the envelopes the passport (and the old one) had been returned in.

Abysmal from start to finish. Previously I've renewed in Hong Kong (took 72 hours - in a period following the end of Chinese New Year traditionally very, very busy then) and in Dubai (took 24 hours - and no extra fees for that speed of processing). Now with the new "efficiency" measures it takes 3 months.

Sorry to hear about your renewal nightmare, it looks like Cambodia is just as bad as Thailand when you need to renew a British Passport.

Anyone who follows this thread won't be surprised to discover that the agency that SiemReaper had to deal with was run by none other than VFS Global, who are also responsible for the trendy disaster in BKK as well.

The only real difference is that you have to post your application direct to HMPO Liverpool, so it's only one trip to the Capital, but in exchange for this HMPO 'promise' to take at least two weeks longer than they do in Thailand.

[Welshboy89]

Quick question..

Sent off for my passport 3 weeks ago (fingers crossed on the 6 week target) no the problem is that I will start a new job towards the end of October.

My visa is in my old passport and obviously it will be cancelled when I finish my current job.

What can I do in terms of getting a new visa for my new job?

Can I simply transfer my current non b to my new passport when it arrives? Or do I have to leave with both passports and apply for a non b out of Thailand in my new passport.

What if my new passport doesn't arrive in time for my new job?

[digitalchromakey]

Quick question..

Sent off for my passport 3 weeks ago (fingers crossed on the 6 week target) no the problem is that I will start a new job towards the end of October.

My visa is in my old passport and obviously it will be cancelled when I finish my current job.

What can I do in terms of getting a new visa for my new job?

Can I simply transfer my current non b to my new passport when it arrives? Or do I have to leave with both passports and apply for a non b out of Thailand in my new passport.

What if my new passport doesn't arrive in time for my new job?

Do you in fact have a non 'b' visa obtained from a Thai consular facility in another country, or do you have an extension of permission to stay based on working in Thailand, this obtained from your local Thai Immigration Department?

Depending on your answer to the above question, the advice is very different.

Also don't hold your breath on a six week turn around, in five months of operation for this new passport renewal system, to date, this thread has one report of a six week turn around in Thailand without 'special' intervention.

Edited September 11, 2014 by digitalchromakey

[Welshboy89]

I converted an entry visa into a non b at immigration on Ladprao. What would the difference be?

I know but hey we can all hope

[properperson]

...English bloke down our way just accepted the new rules, made an appointment in good time at Trendy, went along with the required documents and is now waiting for his new passport.....

Ridiculous, in my book when he could have been on here moaning and whinging............

We're is

Down our way?

Bottom of the soi, just past 7/11........

[digitalchromakey]

I converted an entry visa into a non b at immigration on Ladprao. What would the difference be?

I know but hey we can all hope

Mmmm, still not clear - do you have to do 90 day reports at Thai Immigration, but not go to the border?

[OJAS]

my passport expires early next year.

Whats the conscientious of how long its taking from when you apply at Trendy, to them ringing you saying the new passport is ready to collect ??

Red passport renewal, application to collection at trendy reports to date - slowest 18 weeks - fastest 6 weeks.

The above figures do not include any trendy appointment wait which has been up to 4 weeks at worst and seems to average out at around 2 weeks.

The way things are going at HMPO with forever lengthening processing periods, the day will surely soon come when we'll need to submit our next renewal application at the same time we collect our new 10-year passport from With-It Tower!

[Welshboy89]

Sorry yeah I have an extension of stay and have to do 90 day reports.

[digitalchromakey]

Sorry yeah I have an extension of stay and have to do 90 day reports.

Ok, thanks.

You will need to get your extension stamp and old visa/entry stamp details transferred from your old passport to new.

trendy do not issue the transfer pro-forma that is required by some Thai immigration departments - this letter needs to come from the British Embassy who will issue the letter for free on request and it can all be done by email/EMS.

You will have a problem if your new passport is not back before you start your new job, as you cannot travel internationally with your old passport to get a new non 'b' and your extension will be void on the day you finish your old job (assuming your extension is based on working in Thailand [National Police Order 327/2557 Case 2.1]).

In theory, it is possible with two co-operating employers to move from one 2.1 extension to another seamlessly without having to leave Thailand to get a fresh non 'b' visa. If you can engineer this, then Thai immigration will have no idea that your passport is cancelled and will process the new extension with out blinking. All this of course assumes that your old passport is not near expiry or full.

[Welshboy89]

Instead of getting the transfer could I just leave Thailand with my old and new passport. Apply for a non b in my new passport in Malaysia and then reenter on my new one?

[digitalchromakey]

Instead of getting the transfer could I just leave Thailand with my old and new passport. Apply for a non b in my new passport in Malaysia and then reenter on my new one?

Better you do the transfer as they might turn you back at the border, however some have got away with it.....

Why risk it when the paperwork is easy to obtain, the process is free and only takes a few days?

Your problems will really start however if HMPO/trendy can't get you your new passport back before you old job ends.

[AlanAunuum]

Ireceived this from HMPO yesterday,Can anyone on here enlighten me as to the content regarding overseas colleagues etc

Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in processing this application.
Since receiving the application into Liverpool it has been going through routine security checks. These checks have now been completed and your application has been referred to our overseas colleagues in order for further verification checks to be carried out. It is also possible that once our overseas colleagues have completed their checks you may need to attend an interview.
Unfortunately I am not able to give a timescale for the completion of these checks however I will contact you with any updates that I receive.
Yours faithfully

[Ace of Pop]

Most likely your Thai Address is questionable.

[AlanAunuum]

its an apartment block nearv to where i work

[digitalchromakey]

Ireceived this from HMPO yesterday,Can anyone on here enlighten me as to the content regarding overseas colleagues etc

Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in processing this application.

Since receiving the application into Liverpool it has been going through routine security checks. These checks have now been completed and your application has been referred to our overseas colleagues in order for further verification checks to be carried out. It is also possible that once our overseas colleagues have completed their checks you may need to attend an interview.

Unfortunately I am not able to give a timescale for the completion of these checks however I will contact you with any updates that I receive.

Yours faithfully

Mmmm, maybe it's as Ace of Pop says, that your evidence of address was unacceptable for some reason.

Just a thought, maybe they found out that you used your passport after your application, but for sure, it's now clear that HMPO think you are, at some level, a 'security risk' worthy of further 'verification checks'.

If I was in your situation, I would be very unhappy at the moment.

Yet again, I strongly urge you to phone and actually speak to the someone in the Consular Section of British Embassy, Bangkok; explain the impending overstay issue and the need for 'verification checks' then ask for their help.

Edited September 12, 2014 by digitalchromakey