Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[ukrules]

Just a summary of my experience (there is hope!)

i e-mailed Trendy for an appointment on 1st August 2014 and they gave me a slot for 22nd.

I dropped my application off on 22nd August 2014 and it arrived in Liverpool on 26th.

I got an e-mail from Liverpool on 3rd October informing me that my pictures were too small. I had them re-taken and e-mailed to my friend in the UK to print and send as would be quicker.

15th October received e-mail and phone call from Trendy informing that my new passport was ready for collection so in total took just over 7 weeks ( but that's including me having to re-do pictures).

So i picked up my passport today and as i've been reading in this forum about people having to transfer visas etc i asked Trendy and they said no need to transfer. But i'm a bit weary about this because they had the 'mai pen rai' attitude.....

My visa is actually expiring in 5 days time and i am planning to leave the country before that to go off traveling, can anyone tell me whether i would even need to transfer the visa in that case surely i can present both passports at the airport upon departure?! Any advice greatly appreciated.

Another note: Saw some photobooths at Trendy today which weren't there when i submitted my application.

You don't need to transfer the visa in your case.

Just take both passports with you when you leave so they can see the entrance stamp and the visa you entered on in the old passport. They will stamp you out on the old passport and you use the new passport from that point on.

I did this a couple of years ago when I got my new passport, it appeared to be the standard procedure.

If you have a longer term visa like a one year or a 5 year visa which you will continue using for travel, extensions or even 90 day reporting after the new passport has been issued then I believe that's when you need to transfer it to the new passport as the old passport becomes invalid.

[digitalchromakey]

Just a summary of my experience (there is hope!)

i e-mailed Trendy for an appointment on 1st August 2014 and they gave me a slot for 22nd.

I dropped my application off on 22nd August 2014 and it arrived in Liverpool on 26th.

I got an e-mail from Liverpool on 3rd October informing me that my pictures were too small. I had them re-taken and e-mailed to my friend in the UK to print and send as would be quicker.

15th October received e-mail and phone call from Trendy informing that my new passport was ready for collection so in total took just over 7 weeks ( but that's including me having to re-do pictures).

So i picked up my passport today and as i've been reading in this forum about people having to transfer visas etc i asked Trendy and they said no need to transfer. But i'm a bit weary about this because they had the 'mai pen rai' attitude.....

My visa is actually expiring in 5 days time and i am planning to leave the country before that to go off traveling, can anyone tell me whether i would even need to transfer the visa in that case surely i can present both passports at the airport upon departure?! Any advice greatly appreciated.

Another note: Saw some photobooths at Trendy today which weren't there when i submitted my application.

Think your arithmetic is a bit off, as I calculate it took 1 day shy of 11 weeks from your first application for appointment to the earliest collection date offered by trendy.

Ok there was a problem with your passport photos - which trendy didn't flag as they don't do an actual checking service (or it appears even care for that matter, as it seems they get paid whatever).

Still an extremely poor level of service........

Pleased for you that you have your new passport and the stress at least is now over.

[digitalchromakey]

Just a summary of my experience (there is hope!)

i e-mailed Trendy for an appointment on 1st August 2014 and they gave me a slot for 22nd.

I dropped my application off on 22nd August 2014 and it arrived in Liverpool on 26th.

I got an e-mail from Liverpool on 3rd October informing me that my pictures were too small. I had them re-taken and e-mailed to my friend in the UK to print and send as would be quicker.

15th October received e-mail and phone call from Trendy informing that my new passport was ready for collection so in total took just over 7 weeks ( but that's including me having to re-do pictures).

So i picked up my passport today and as i've been reading in this forum about people having to transfer visas etc i asked Trendy and they said no need to transfer. But i'm a bit weary about this because they had the 'mai pen rai' attitude.....

My visa is actually expiring in 5 days time and i am planning to leave the country before that to go off traveling, can anyone tell me whether i would even need to transfer the visa in that case surely i can present both passports at the airport upon departure?! Any advice greatly appreciated.

Another note: Saw some photobooths at Trendy today which weren't there when i submitted my application.

You don't need to transfer the visa in your case.

Just take both passports with you when you leave so they can see the entrance stamp and the visa you entered on in the old passport. They will stamp you out on the old passport and you use the new passport from that point on.

I did this a couple of years ago when I got my new passport, it appeared to be the standard procedure.

If you have a longer term visa like a one year or a 5 year visa which you will continue using for travel, extensions or even 90 day reporting after the new passport has been issued then I believe that's when you need to transfer it to the new passport as the old passport becomes invalid.

If the poster above has a visa (issued at a Thai Consular Facility outside of Thailand), then it simply cannot be transferred, you just show both old and new passports at the border.

If it's an extension, then it can be transferred, but if expiring anyway and the poster is planning on exiting Thailand, then it still should not be necessary to transfer the old extension stamp/entry details.

[properperson]

I

Err .. The lead time on the appointments was / is around 4 weeks, and at 4 weeks your sure not to get the time / day you ask for.

Unfortunately no response from VFS Trendy for the application appointment.

I thought no worries, he can come with me and do a 'Premium' renewal in the UK before Christmas. Unfortunately that option is only available for adult passport renewals and not children's passport renewals according to an email response from HMPO. I think that the best they can do for a kids passport renewal in the UK is a 7-day 'Fast Track' processing.

So, back to Plan A (rev ... does anyone know if a walk-in passport application drop be done at Trendy or is it a case if your name isn't on the list for that day, one doesn't even get past security? I will be in Bangkok later today but is it even worth going to VFS to ask if it is possible?

When you arrive at trendy, there is a reception for passport applications - and they got a list with the names with appointments for that day..........they then usher you to the 28th floor, where you go to another reception desk, with the same list - they cross you off the list and give you a number and you are ushered through into the waiting area...

I would very much doubt that rocking up without an appointment is going to get you seen....why should they ??

when i sent my e mail request for an appointment, got a reply back with 30 mins and the appointment was 2 weeks later...........

An aside - went to pick up my new passport today from Trendy (6 weeks from when i dropped the application form off)...

They have changed things - instead of going into the big room with loads of people waiting for visa applications to the uk / Australia - there is now a room with 3 or 4 booths, doing both applications / pick ups.......

i was ushered straight into the first booth and showed the lady my receipt and also e mail telling me the passport was ready.....

off she went and 2 or 3 mins later came back with an envelope, which she asked me to open - inside was mt new passport, which she asked mt to check.....then had to sign a receipt and she then cut the corners off my old passport.....

so all done for another 10 years, God willing.

[NanLaew]

Jomtien does not ask for the embassy letter.

Thanks Joe. It would be a bit of a bugger if they changed that in January.

PS. Thanks for sorting out the formatting in another post, my tablet was acting the goat when I hit the Add Reply tit.

[NanLaew]

I

Err .. The lead time on the appointments was / is around 4 weeks, and at 4 weeks your sure not to get the time / day you ask for.

Unfortunately no response from VFS Trendy for the application appointment.

I thought no worries, he can come with me and do a 'Premium' renewal in the UK before Christmas. Unfortunately that option is only available for adult passport renewals and not children's passport renewals according to an email response from HMPO. I think that the best they can do for a kids passport renewal in the UK is a 7-day 'Fast Track' processing.

So, back to Plan A (rev ... does anyone know if a walk-in passport application drop be done at Trendy or is it a case if your name isn't on the list for that day, one doesn't even get past security? I will be in Bangkok later today but is it even worth going to VFS to ask if it is possible?

When you arrive at trendy, there is a reception for passport applications - and they got a list with the names with appointments for that day..........they then usher you to the 28th floor, where you go to another reception desk, with the same list - they cross you off the list and give you a number and you are ushered through into the waiting area...

I would very much doubt that rocking up without an appointment is going to get you seen....why should they ??

when i sent my e mail request for an appointment, got a reply back with 30 mins and the appointment was 2 weeks later...........

An aside - went to pick up my new passport today from Trendy (6 weeks from when i dropped the application form off)...

They have changed things - instead of going into the big room with loads of people waiting for visa applications to the uk / Australia - there is now a room with 3 or 4 booths, doing both applications / pick ups.......

i was ushered straight into the first booth and showed the lady my receipt and also e mail telling me the passport was ready.....

off she went and 2 or 3 mins later came back with an envelope, which she asked me to open - inside was mt new passport, which she asked mt to check.....then had to sign a receipt and she then cut the corners off my old passport.....

so all done for another 10 years, God willing.

Congrats on 'beating' the system! It does look like they have shaken most of the wrinkles out at the VFS end of the procedure but their woeful appointment system seems to have been hatched locally in retrospect. With a dedicated passport renewal room versus the earlier setup, I can see that the walk-in option that did briefly unofficially exist a few months back is no longer an option.

I will renew both my passports and my son's passport in the UK in December or January and bypass the snail-trail... unless they reinvent the procedures before then!

[personchester]

Btw, you mention in several of your posts that you have a 6 week application to collection delay, which is about as good as anyone has had via trendy the last six months, how long did you have to wait for an appointment at trendy from your first appointment email?

The only reason it now takes 6 weeks is because the holiday season has finished in the UK and a lot of the backlog will have been cleared.

I fully expect the same thing to happen next year starting sometime between March to April. The headlines will read 'unprecedented demand causes chaos at passport offices'.

If you need to renew a UK passport any time next year get it in very early.

Those messy long time passport application procedures will not continue due to the fact that the Home office is now taken over control of HMPO.

As a result new improvements will occur by the Home Office new setup in order to solve the recently introduced messy passport application procedure.

[OJAS]

Those messy long time passport application procedures will not continue due to the fact that the Home office is now taken over control of HMPO.

As a result new improvements will occur by the Home Office new setup in order to solve the recently introduced messy passport application procedure.

I hope you're right, but I'm not holding my breath, personally.

[OJAS]

I got an e-mail from Liverpool on 3rd October informing me that my pictures were too small. I had them re-taken and e-mailed to my friend in the UK to print and send as would be quicker.

Presumably your friend possesses (or has access to) a high-spec colour printer, then?

Edited October 23, 2014 by OJAS

[Jip99]

I got an e-mail from Liverpool on 3rd October informing me that my pictures were too small. I had them re-taken and e-mailed to my friend in the UK to print and send as would be quicker.

Presumably your friend possesses (or has access to) a high-spec colour printer, then?

No need if he has a memory stick.

[recom273]

Btw, you mention in several of your posts that you have a 6 week application to collection delay, which is about as good as anyone has had via trendy the last six months, how long did you have to wait for an appointment at trendy from your first appointment email?

The only reason it now takes 6 weeks is because the holiday season has finished in the UK and a lot of the backlog will have been cleared.

I fully expect the same thing to happen next year starting sometime between March to April. The headlines will read 'unprecedented demand causes chaos at passport offices'.

If you need to renew a UK passport any time next year get it in very early.

You make a good point, also remember that HMPO is now being disbanded, its head fired and the embers of the current mess being absorbed into the Home Office.

The result may be even worse that what we have experienced to date.

We can only hope that the government will eventually see sense and return overseas passport issue back to the Foreign Office, where it has always logically belonged.

My father is a citizens advice bureau 'rep' in the UK and a fair portion of their recent traffic had been people who had applied for passports .. In conversation he said, it was all a bit of smoke and mirrors - Yes, technically the HMPO is being disbanded but its just the agency status thats being rebuked. The actual process will probably stay the same, lets wait and see.

Let's hope we don't see the same thing again next holiday season. At least Paul Pugh has gone, who probably was hanging out for his payoff rather than jumping without financial benefit.

[OJAS]

My father is a citizens advice bureau 'rep' in the UK and a fair portion of their recent traffic had been people who had applied for passports .. In conversation he said, it was all a bit of smoke and mirrors - Yes, technically the HMPO is being disbanded but its just the agency status thats being rebuked. The actual process will probably stay the same, lets wait and see.

Let's hope we don't see the same thing again next holiday season. At least Paul Pugh has gone, who probably was hanging out for his payoff rather than jumping without financial benefit.

Unfortunately we might well see the same thing next year since, as I pointed out in post #2953, all those Brits living overseas who have had their passports extended by 12 months will in all probability be seeking 10-year renewals then, thus swelling applicant numbers.

And as far as I know Paul Pugh is still in post until a permanent successor has been appointed. I fear that this task may prove just as difficult as (if not more so than) finding a long-term successor to Alan Pardew as Newcastle United manager should Mike Ashley ever get round to sacking him!

[jchana27]

I got an e-mail from Liverpool on 3rd October informing me that my pictures were too small. I had them re-taken and e-mailed to my friend in the UK to print and send as would be quicker.

Presumably your friend possesses (or has access to) a high-spec colour printer, then?

No need if he has a memory stick.

Correct! She took it on a memory stick to a professional photo printing shop that confirmed the photos met UK requirements.

Also, just to be safe I contacted the British Embassy and they told me I had to transfer my stamp. So off I went to Bangkok Immigration, filled out form, copied relevant pages only to be told I had to go back to Ranong Immigration where I entered!! Told them I couldn't, so after consulting with 3 immigration officers I was told "no problem, you show two passport, no problem" (they were adamant no need to transfer stamp as my visa was expiring in a few days and I was leaving).

Well, I'm now sat outside Nongkhai Immigration office waiting for it to open as they refused to stamp me out on my old passport at the border and said it needs to be changed over to the new one!!

I told the immigration officer "in England Immigration has one rule in the country why does Thailand not have the same rules everywhere??" He laughed and said "I don't know".....Mai pen rai eh?! Who cares if I just lost time, money and FACE!

[digitalchromakey]

I got an e-mail from Liverpool on 3rd October informing me that my pictures were too small. I had them re-taken and e-mailed to my friend in the UK to print and send as would be quicker.

Presumably your friend possesses (or has access to) a high-spec colour printer, then?

No need if he has a memory stick.

Correct! She took it on a memory stick to a professional photo printing shop that confirmed the photos met UK requirements.

Also, just to be safe I contacted the British Embassy and they told me I had to transfer my stamp. So off I went to Bangkok Immigration, filled out form, copied relevant pages only to be told I had to go back to Ranong Immigration where I entered!! Told them I couldn't, so after consulting with 3 immigration officers I was told "no problem, you show two passport, no problem" (they were adamant no need to transfer stamp as my visa was expiring in a few days and I was leaving).

Well, I'm now sat outside Nongkhai Immigration office waiting for it to open as they refused to stamp me out on my old passport at the border and said it needs to be changed over to the new one!!

I told the immigration officer "in England Immigration has one rule in the country why does Thailand not have the same rules everywhere??" He laughed and said "I don't know".....Mai pen rai eh?! Who cares if I just lost time, money and FACE!

The British Embassy also should have provided you with the free pro forma transfer letter that is mandatory in some areas, this might have helped.

As a rule if you are on a visa entry (not an extension) then presenting the old and new passport at the border is sufficient.

The border officials check both passports and their computers, then make a mark by the stamp out in your new passport referencing the old passport.

[jchana27]

The embassy did provide me with the letter and I took it to bangkok immigration but they told me no need to transfer stamp (non imm cat visa expires in a few days, I'm leaving the country so just present both passports at departure.

However today at Nongkhai I could not cross over to Laos as I had to go to the immigration office and get the stamp transferred. They didn't make anything easy for me though, they said I needed a letter from the school I was working at stating my last working day there! Of course the school secretary was not in today to type the letter....but 5 hours later I got the letter faxed across and paid the immigration officer 100baht (for what I don't know!) and he transferred the stamp for me and I've finally made it to Laos!

He told me this was a new rule......

[personchester]

Btw, you mention in several of your posts that you have a 6 week application to collection delay, which is about as good as anyone has had via trendy the last six months, how long did you have to wait for an appointment at trendy from your first appointment email?

The only reason it now takes 6 weeks is because the holiday season has finished in the UK and a lot of the backlog will have been cleared.

I fully expect the same thing to happen next year starting sometime between March to April. The headlines will read 'unprecedented demand causes chaos at passport offices'.

If you need to renew a UK passport any time next year get it in very early.

Hi, How soon can a passport application be made at Trendy in BBK prior to passports ending, is it 12 months, 10 months, or 9 months ... please let us know ...thanks

You make a good point, also remember that HMPO is now being disbanded, its head fired and the embers of the current mess being absorbed into the Home Office.

The result may be even worse that what we have experienced to date.

We can only hope that the government will eventually see sense and return overseas passport issue back to the Foreign Office, where it has always logically belonged.

My father is a citizens advice bureau 'rep' in the UK and a fair portion of their recent traffic had been people who had applied for passports .. In conversation he said, it was all a bit of smoke and mirrors - Yes, technically the HMPO is being disbanded but its just the agency status thats being rebuked. The actual process will probably stay the same, lets wait and see.

Let's hope we don't see the same thing again next holiday season. At least Paul Pugh has gone, who probably was hanging out for his payoff rather than jumping without financial benefit.

[paz]

The embassy did provide me with the letter and I took it to bangkok immigration but they told me no need to transfer stamp (non imm cat visa expires in a few days, I'm leaving the country so just present both passports at departure.

However today at Nongkhai I could not cross over to Laos as I had to go to the immigration office and get the stamp transferred. They didn't make anything easy for me though, they said I needed a letter from the school I was working at stating my last working day there! Of course the school secretary was not in today to type the letter....but 5 hours later I got the letter faxed across and paid the immigration officer 100baht (for what I don't know!) and he transferred the stamp for me and I've finally made it to Laos!

He told me this was a new rule......

Nong Khai is known to ask supporting documents for leaving while on an extension of stay for work or even education.

The "new rule" story is then used to quickly dismiss the person.

[personchester]

The embassy did provide me with the letter and I took it to bangkok immigration but they told me no need to transfer stamp (non imm cat visa expires in a few days, I'm leaving the country so just present both passports at departure.

However today at Nongkhai I could not cross over to Laos as I had to go to the immigration office and get the stamp transferred. They didn't make anything easy for me though, they said I needed a letter from the school I was working at stating my last working day there! Of course the school secretary was not in today to type the letter....but 5 hours later I got the letter faxed across and paid the immigration officer 100baht (for what I don't know!) and he transferred the stamp for me and I've finally made it to Laos!

He told me this was a new rule......

Nong Khai is known to ask supporting documents for leaving while on an extension of stay for work or even education.

The "new rule" story is then used to quickly dismiss the person.

How soon can we apply for a renewing passport at the Trendy office in Bangkok before the existing passport comes to an end, is it 12 months, 9 months, or only 6 months, please let us know if you are aware of it ... thanks.

[Jip99]

The embassy did provide me with the letter and I took it to bangkok immigration but they told me no need to transfer stamp (non imm cat visa expires in a few days, I'm leaving the country so just present both passports at departure.

However today at Nongkhai I could not cross over to Laos as I had to go to the immigration office and get the stamp transferred. They didn't make anything easy for me though, they said I needed a letter from the school I was working at stating my last working day there! Of course the school secretary was not in today to type the letter....but 5 hours later I got the letter faxed across and paid the immigration officer 100baht (for what I don't know!) and he transferred the stamp for me and I've finally made it to Laos!

He told me this was a new rule......

Nong Khai is known to ask supporting documents for leaving while on an extension of stay for work or even education.

The "new rule" story is then used to quickly dismiss the person.

How soon can we apply for a renewing passport at the Trendy office in Bangkok before the existing passport comes to an end, is it 12 months, 9 months, or only 6 months, please let us know if you are aware of it ... thanks.

No limit.

I had 7 years remaining on mine.

[personchester]

The embassy did provide me with the letter and I took it to bangkok immigration but they told me no need to transfer stamp (non imm cat visa expires in a few days, I'm leaving the country so just present both passports at departure.

However today at Nongkhai I could not cross over to Laos as I had to go to the immigration office and get the stamp transferred. They didn't make anything easy for me though, they said I needed a letter from the school I was working at stating my last working day there! Of course the school secretary was not in today to type the letter....but 5 hours later I got the letter faxed across and paid the immigration officer 100baht (for what I don't know!) and he transferred the stamp for me and I've finally made it to Laos!

He told me this was a new rule......

Nong Khai is known to ask supporting documents for leaving while on an extension of stay for work or even education.

The "new rule" story is then used to quickly dismiss the person.

How soon can we apply for a renewing passport at the Trendy office in Bangkok before the existing passport comes to an end, is it 12 months, 9 months, or only 6 months, please let us know if you are aware of it ... thanks.

No limit.

I had 7 years remaining on mine.

Since 7 years were remaining on your existing passport did you apply for a new passport at this stage, if this was the case did you get the new passport at the usual duration of 10 years and starting after your existing 7 years passport, and thus having two passport for a total of 17 years.

Please confirm if this toke place, then we all can apply for a new passport now, and well before the end of the existing passport.

[ukrules]

How soon can we apply for a renewing passport at the Trendy office in Bangkok before the existing passport comes to an end, is it 12 months, 9 months, or only 6 months, please let us know if you are aware of it ... thanks.

No limit.

I had 7 years remaining on mine.

Since 7 years were remaining on your existing passport did you apply for a new passport at this stage, if this was the case did you get the new passport at the usual duration of 10 years and starting after your existing 7 years passport, and thus having two passport for a total of 17 years.

Please confirm if this toke place, then we all can apply for a new passport now, and well before the end of the existing passport.

They only allow you to add a few months onto the new passport expiry date. From memory I think it's a maximum of 6.

[offset]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

How soon can we apply for a renewing passport at the Trendy office in Bangkok before the existing passport comes to an end, is it 12 months, 9 months, or only 6 months, please let us know if you are aware of it ... thanks.

No limit.

I had 7 years remaining on mine.

Since 7 years were remaining on your existing passport did you apply for a new passport at this stage, if this was the case did you get the new passport at the usual duration of 10 years and starting after your existing 7 years passport, and thus having two passport for a total of 17 years.

Please confirm if this toke place, then we all can apply for a new passport now, and well before the end of the existing passport.

They only allow you to add a few months onto the new passport expiry date. From memory I think it's a maximum of 6.

On the renewals Guidance it says 9 months https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/230586/OS_Guidance_Notes_08.13.pdf

Edited October 25, 2014 by offset

[Jip99]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

No limit.

I had 7 years remaining on mine.

Since 7 years were remaining on your existing passport did you apply for a new passport at this stage, if this was the case did you get the new passport at the usual duration of 10 years and starting after your existing 7 years passport, and thus having two passport for a total of 17 years.

Please confirm if this toke place, then we all can apply for a new passport now, and well before the end of the existing passport.

They only allow you to add a few months onto the new passport expiry date. From memory I think it's a maximum of 6.

I think that I read that it was 9 months but I cannot find out where I read it

Here:-

https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport

You can renew or replace your passport at any time. It costs £72.50, or £81.25 through the Post Office’s Passport Check and Send service. Time left on an existing passport is added to your new one - up to a maximum of 9 months.

[sungod]

Waiting times- Just had a renewal processed, 6 weeks to the day.

A first time application for my other kid was 6 weeks and 2 days.

[digitalchromakey]

Waiting times- Just had a renewal processed, 6 weeks to the day.

A first time application for my other kid was 6 weeks and 2 days.

Does this 6 weeks include the wait time from your email requesting the 'appointment' at trendy?

[properperson]

Waiting times- Just had a renewal processed, 6 weeks to the day.

A first time application for my other kid was 6 weeks and 2 days.

Does this 6 weeks include the wait time from your email requesting the 'appointment' at trendy?

mine was 6 weeks to the day from application to getting the phone call to say it was ready to be picked up..

Had a 2 week wait for appointment.....

The people at Trendy were helpful and efficient.....

[sungod]

Waiting times- Just had a renewal processed, 6 weeks to the day.

A first time application for my other kid was 6 weeks and 2 days.

Does this 6 weeks include the wait time from your email requesting the 'appointment' at trendy?

No as, above. I had to wait 2 weeks for the appointment. I hate to say it, but the process at Trendy was quite painless,

[digitalchromakey]

Waiting times- Just had a renewal processed, 6 weeks to the day.

A first time application for my other kid was 6 weeks and 2 days.

Does this 6 weeks include the wait time from your email requesting the 'appointment' at trendy?

No as, above. I had to wait 2 weeks for the appointment. I hate to say it, but the process at Trendy was quite painless,

So we are looking at 8 weeks from first application for an appointment at trendy to passport collection.

Yes the delays appear to have come down significantly, it seems (probably due to the end of the UK holiday season).

trendy always have been 'painless' and polite, problem is that in the early days you had to personally travel to BKK for this 5 minute 'painless' appointment, now some one can attend on your behalf if you are unable to attend..

'Painless' 'n this respect could also be translated as a 'complete waste of one's time and money'.

In my case I had a 1,000 km overnight journey for this 'painless' appointment and a 1,000 km return the next day - this aspect was far from 'painless'.

Finally does anyone honestly think that an eight week overseas turnaround for such an important ID document is acceptable?

Me personally I think that this level of delay in the 21st Century is a joke.

[ukrules]

So why can't we just mail our applications directly to the UK ?

The last time I renewed my passport I mailed the application direct to Hong Kong where it was processed and that system had been in place without problems for a number of years. It took 4 weeks to get my new passport.

There was no need for a photocopy of every page in my passport, they don't need this unless it's for surveillance purposes.

[soap]

So why can't we just mail our applications directly to the UK ?

The last time I renewed my passport I mailed the application direct to Hong Kong where it was processed and that system had been in place without problems for a number of years. It took 4 weeks to get my new passport.

There was no need for a photocopy of every page in my passport, they don't need this unless it's for surveillance purposes.

D

I think why you can't just mail your application direct to the UK is because some head of chaos civil servant

Who is most likely sunning himself on a exotic Kuoni freebie holiday decided to give the Trendy a nice little earner.

When this chaos first started you were given no option but to travel, if you lived in the far reaches of Thailand to the Trendy office to present your documents that takes 5 minutes to process.

I have 2 emails from the HMPO Newport stating that even if you are in a wheelchair you must make a possible 2 thousand kilometre journey to present your documents and then make the same journey again when your passport was ready.

It was only because of the branded as whingers posters on this thread,that common sense seems to have prevailed