Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand

[digitalchromakey]

I put in an application on 29th March and received a reply on the same day for an appointment tomorrow, so it does sound like something may have gone wrong.

I put in my application for an appointment on 18th March and have yet to get a response. Anybody know how I can get a response from Trendy as to what is happening?

Without question something has gone awry, send a new email.

There are no alternatives to email as regards making trendy appointments.

Keep it simple, just list three times and dates - weekdays 08:30 to 15:00 excluding most Thai and UK Public Holidays. You can try 3x time/date ranges, but it might well not work.

For an appointment at trendy email to [email protected]

[NanLaew]

I put in an application on 29th March and received a reply on the same day for an appointment tomorrow, so it does sound like something may have gone wrong.

I put in my application for an appointment on 18th March and have yet to get a response. Anybody know how I can get a response from Trendy as to what is happening?

Without question something has gone awry, send a new email.

There are no alternatives to email as regards making trendy appointments.

Keep it simple, just list three times and dates - weekdays 08:30 to 15:00 excluding most Thai and UK Public Holidays. You can try 3x time/date ranges, but it might well not work.

For an appointment at trendy email to [email protected]

One could also check any spam filters depending on your email provider? I recall the first time I asked for an appointment late last year using my US-based, spam-filtered email account, there was a stunned silence. After checking with this thread and finding out that it was typically same or next day response, I resubmitted using my gmail address and that solved the problem. Used that for the next 2 passport renewals with next-day response to booking appointments.

[RaymondJohnEdwards]

I put in an application on 29th March and received a reply on the same day for an appointment tomorrow, so it does sound like something may have gone wrong.

I put in my application for an appointment on 18th March and have yet to get a response. Anybody know how I can get a response from Trendy as to what is happening?

Without question something has gone awry, send a new email.

There are no alternatives to email as regards making trendy appointments.

Keep it simple, just list three times and dates - weekdays 08:30 to 15:00 excluding most Thai and UK Public Holidays. You can try 3x time/date ranges, but it might well not work.

For an appointment at trendy email to [email protected]

One could also check any spam filters depending on your email provider? I recall the first time I asked for an appointment late last year using my US-based, spam-filtered email account, there was a stunned silence. After checking with this thread and finding out that it was typically same or next day response, I resubmitted using my gmail address and that solved the problem. Used that for the next 2 passport renewals with next-day response to booking appointments.

[RaymondJohnEdwards]

Many Many thanks NanLaew your response cracked it. I sent the first email from my domain thefactoriesgroup.com and the reminder from my personal domain raymondjedwards.com, you mentioned gmail worked so I created a gmail account and used that. Within an hour I got a response saying they had not received the first two mails. It seems they count any non webmail as spam. All the best and if you ever get to Ban Chang I will give you pizza and beer. Raymond.

[Slip]

Just for the general 'non-newsworthiness' of it- I went to my appointment today and it was the picture of polite and efficient service. I turned up before the allowed time of 5 minutes before, and never a comment. I was whisked into the office a full 10 minutes early. The whole process took about 15 minutes with no problems with the forms. The time scale was reported as usual as 'at least 6-8 weeks, although I've got my fingers crossed as my passport runs out in 6. The one thing that I was surprised about is they didn't clip my old passport- they will do it when I return to collect my new one she said. I haven't read all of this massive thread, so maybe that is because I will collect it as opposed to having it posted.

Anyway- it was a good and efficient service- I was impressed. Just a shame about having to leave at 9 am and get back home at 4 pm for a 20 minute appointment.

[digitalchromakey]

Just for the general 'non-newsworthiness' of it- I went to my appointment today and it was the picture of polite and efficient service. I turned up before the allowed time of 5 minutes before, and never a comment. I was whisked into the office a full 10 minutes early. The whole process took about 15 minutes with no problems with the forms. The time scale was reported as usual as 'at least 6-8 weeks, although I've got my fingers crossed as my passport runs out in 6. The one thing that I was surprised about is they didn't clip my old passport- they will do it when I return to collect my new one she said. I haven't read all of this massive thread, so maybe that is because I will collect it as opposed to having it posted.

Anyway- it was a good and efficient service- I was impressed. Just a shame about having to leave at 9 am and get back home at 4 pm for a 20 minute appointment.

They only clip your old passport when you collect the new one, postal/courier delivery to your home address are not options for Thailand.

Please let the thread know once you get your new passport.

[Slip]

Just for the general 'non-newsworthiness' of it- I went to my appointment today and it was the picture of polite and efficient service. I turned up before the allowed time of 5 minutes before, and never a comment. I was whisked into the office a full 10 minutes early. The whole process took about 15 minutes with no problems with the forms. The time scale was reported as usual as 'at least 6-8 weeks, although I've got my fingers crossed as my passport runs out in 6. The one thing that I was surprised about is they didn't clip my old passport- they will do it when I return to collect my new one she said. I haven't read all of this massive thread, so maybe that is because I will collect it as opposed to having it posted.

Anyway- it was a good and efficient service- I was impressed. Just a shame about having to leave at 9 am and get back home at 4 pm for a 20 minute appointment.

They only clip your old passport when you collect the new one, postal/courier delivery to your home address are not options for Thailand.

Please let the thread know once you get your new passport.

Well- there you see the power of perception, or pre-conception if you like. I saw the 'you can't travel on it' blurb in the literature and assumed they would clip it because that is what I'm familiar with. I'll post when the new one arrives.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Slip

[dave2]

re

The one thing that I was surprised about is they didn't clip my old passport- they will do it when I return to collect my new one she said.

she was right but one very important thing is they only clip the corners of your old passport

AFTER you have checked the details on the new one and confirmed they are correct !

then its snip snip and your new passport number is activated

and the details sent to the embassy in wireless road ( and Liverpool for all I know ?) coz when I got to wireless road an hour later they knew my passport had just been activated and did the transfer of my permission to stay stamps letter for thai immigration in chiang mai there and then

re

Just a shame about having to leave at 9 am and get back home at 4 pm for a 20 minute appointment.

you were lucky ! ... I had to fly from chiang mai to Bangkok twice in a month to get mine and I used both the trips as hollidays which I enjoyed but they both cost me a rucking fortune

dave2... with a new 48 page passport

ps ... anyone out here ( Thailand ) now that we have to go though this performance of going to Bangkok twice and doesn't get a new 48 page passport is nuts

Edited May 5, 2015 by ubonjoe
Off topic photos removed. This in not the photo forum

[digitalchromakey]

.... and the details sent to the embassy in wireless road ( and Liverpool for all I know ?) coz when I got to wireless road an hour later they knew my passport had just been activated and did the transfer of my permission to stay stamps letter for thai immigration in chiang mai there and then

Don't think there is any communication per se with the British Embassy.

According to HMPO your old passport is invalidated for travel as soon as you apply for a replacement.

HMPO Website re old passport:

You can’t travel with it after you’ve applied for a new one - but you will be able to keep your existing passport for ID purposes.

Believe this invalidation process is performed by HMPO Liverpool in the UK, but not sure as to what is involved, certainly some kind of UK/International Passport Database will be updated.

There have been some reports since the new system was adopted of successful old passport use at Thai land borders after application and before the new passport was issued.

This is not to say that something has now changed further with the passport issue process since last March.

As a side note, it is not necessary to go to the British Embassy in person to get the a stamp transfer pro forma letter - this can be done by email and/or EMS/post. The Embassy trip can be difficult to fit in if you are in BKK from out of town, as they close for new applications at 11:00 am; for most it's a much more convenient, easier and rapid service if you deal with them by email.

[evadgib]

It would make sense to clip passports on day one (less essential travellers) & posting the new one to applicants homes.

[dave2]

re

Don't think there is any communication per se with the British Embassy.

and I think your wrong

why would the two girls at the security desk of the british embassy in wireless road tell me to hold my old and new passport picture details pages on the window and discuss / talk / compare them for a good two minits

before they said ok come in the gate

they were checking if it had just been issued and there was no doubt obout it ... they knew it was ok

and probably Liverpool before I was out of the trendy building !

re

As a side note, it is not necessary to go to the British Embassy in person to get the a stamp transfer pro forma letter - this can be done by email and/or EMS/post. The Embassy trip can be difficult to fit in if you are in BKK from out of town, as they close for new applications at 11:00 am; for most it's a much more convenient, easier and rapid service if you deal with them by email.

hes right ... but I wanted mine done asap while I was in Bangkok and it took about half an hour to get it sorted !

dave2

pic .. bangkok hotel pool by night

[digitalchromakey]

Don't think there is any communication per se with the British Embassy.

and I think your wrong

why would the two girls at the security desk of the british embassy in wireless road tell me to hold my old and new passport picture details pages on the window and discuss / talk / compare them for a good two minits

before they said ok come in the gate

they were checking if it had just been issued and there was no doubt obout it ... they knew it was ok

and probably Liverpool before I was out of the trendy building !

The British Embassies worldwide (part of the Foreign Office) are no longer involved in passport issue process, this is now purely dealt with by HMPO, which is part of the Home Office - a completely separate entity.

Your passport was in fact examined, verified, sent for printing then issued by HMPO Liverpool in the UK, that is where any registration of your new details would have occurred.

What specifically led you to believe that your passport had 'just been activated'?

Perhaps embassy security were just doing their jobs in checking your ID, cannot see how you concluded that there was 'no doubt about it... they knew it was ok', other than that you were let in for a valid purpose on your production of a valid photo ID.

Don't see what this has to do with trendy pre-notifying them, if they had just been notified by trendy then surely you would have been buzzed straight in once they had visually verified that you were in fact the person in the passport.

[NanLaew]

Many Many thanks NanLaew your response cracked it. I sent the first email from my domain thefactoriesgroup.com and the reminder from my personal domain raymondjedwards.com, you mentioned gmail worked so I created a gmail account and used that. Within an hour I got a response saying they had not received the first two mails. It seems they count any non webmail as spam. All the best and if you ever get to Ban Chang I will give you pizza and beer. Raymond.

Glad that it worked out OK. I will be back in Pattaya this weekend so I will let you know when I am popping down to Ban Chang for my reward. Is there still a Scandi chap making excellent pizzas down there?

watso63, soap and OJAS probably don't like this either...

[watso63]

Many Many thanks NanLaew your response cracked it. I sent the first email from my domain thefactoriesgroup.com and the reminder from my personal domain raymondjedwards.com, you mentioned gmail worked so I created a gmail account and used that. Within an hour I got a response saying they had not received the first two mails. It seems they count any non webmail as spam. All the best and if you ever get to Ban Chang I will give you pizza and beer. Raymond.

Glad that it worked out OK. I will be back in Pattaya this weekend so I will let you know when I am popping down to Ban Chang for my reward. Is there still a Scandi chap making excellent pizzas down there?

watso63, soap and OJAS probably don't like this either...

The only thing I don't like is the fact that passport applications are a pain in the arse when they don't need to be. Things have got quicker, but that's all, but they could hardly have got worse. In 2015 we can do virtually anything online. Banks, Insurance etc. Set up a passport account. How hard?

What, if anything is efficient and an improvement over the previous system?

[KarenBravo]

I will be picking up my new passport later this month, hopefully.

I believe the letter you need to get the stamps transferred from old to new passport needs to be stamped by the British Embassy.

I have tried to email them about what times it is OK to go and do this, but, they seem to have set up their email in a way that you can never find the correct address.

Found one address and sent them an email asking this, just to get an automated email saying go back to the site and check again, or, resend the original email with RESEND in the subject line and I'll get an answer in a few weeks.

Frankly, this is disgusting.

Therefore, does anyone know what times the embassy is open to get the letter stamped?

[ubonjoe]

I will be picking up my new passport later this month, hopefully.

I believe the letter you need to get the stamps transferred from old to new passport needs to be stamped by the British Embassy.

I have tried to email them about what times it is OK to go and do this, but, they seem to have set up their email in a way that you can never find the correct address.

Found one address and sent them an email asking this, just to get an automated email saying go back to the site and check again, or, resend the original email with RESEND in the subject line and I'll get an answer in a few weeks.

Frankly, this is disgusting.

Therefore, does anyone know what times the embassy is open to get the letter stamped?

From: https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-bangkok

"Consular public counter opening hours: (Local time)

Monday to Friday, 8am to 11am"

Page also has the correct email address for the consular section.

You will not need an appointment to get the passport form stamped.

[evadgib]

I will be picking up my new passport later this month, hopefully.

I believe the letter you need to get the stamps transferred from old to new passport needs to be stamped by the British Embassy.

I have tried to email them about what times it is OK to go and do this, but, they seem to have set up their email in a way that you can never find the correct address.

Found one address and sent them an email asking this, just to get an automated email saying go back to the site and check again, or, resend the original email with RESEND in the subject line and I'll get an answer in a few weeks.

Frankly, this is disgusting.

Therefore, does anyone know what times the embassy is open to get the letter stamped?

Try sending to [email protected] marked 'FAO Notary section'.

It's advisable to omit the word 'Passport' from the subject heading to avoid being directed back to Trendy.

As this is free they should be able to provide the letter without a trip to Bkk.

HTH

Edited May 10, 2015 by evadgib

[Bench499d]

Does anyone know if they will reject my application form if I fill it in by computer in black ink? As we are talking anal here, I know it says using a black biro on the form, but my hand writing is attrocious (as is my spelling of atrocious) and I find filling in PDF's much faster using a computer. So has anyone been rejected for this or will I be the first next week??

The advice note in the margin states 'Use Black Biro Only' I suspect that a printed form would certainlybe rejected.

Next line states 'Please write only within the white boxes'...

I think that you are going to have to fill out the form by hand, but there is nothing stopping you from getting someone else to fill it out then you just sign.

I can confirm that a printed application is rejected by VFS Global staff today and they happily handed over a new blank form for me to write by hand. They said it would be rejected in Liverpool otherwise. The VFS officer also had to fill his form used for the application by hand. As we both made fck ups during the hand writing and we both resorted to using liquid paper (tipex) correction fluid on the forms to correct the errors. Such has been the progress since I last got a passport 10 years back at the British Embassy!

That said the service at Trendy was great, in-out on schedule with no one around hanging in long queues, albeit a long wait to get an appointment 8 days after applying.

They told me it takes 6-12 weeks to get the new passport back, and couldn't be more precise than that. Maybe I'll get it in 17 days like an earlier poster. No one seemed to have a clue.

Thanks for the update confirming that computer printed application forms will be rejected.

Also, just a little bit worried because the accompanying application notes also state that:

I’ve made a mistake on the form, what should I do?

Cross out any mistakes.

Do not use correction fluid.

If you make more than three mistakes on any line or do not provide a clear signature in section 9, you will need to fill in a new form.

Hope this doesn't become an issue for you.

Ok, I'm slightly ignorant on the process of renewing here as I haven't yet had to do it, but last year I made 3 passport applications in the UK by filling in the "forms" on the website. All they do is send you a printed copy of the standard form to sign. So on what basis would Liverpool reject a printed form?

[KarenBravo]

OK, thanks Joe.

That is the email address that I used that sends you round in a circle.

It seems that they are desperate for citizens not to contact them.

[KarenBravo]

Could someone please confirm that this is the required pro-forma letter.

Edited May 10, 2015 by KarenBravo

[ubonjoe]

That is the correct letter. Recent reports are they are now handing out the letter when you pick up your passport for you to fill out and take to the embassy.

[transam]

I got that form on the Net, filled it out and emailed it to BE as requested...They did not use my form, they copied details onto their own form and posted it to my address EMS. Only took a day or two...

[KarenBravo]

OK, thanks.

[digitalchromakey]

Could someone please confirm that this is the required pro-forma letter.

Yes, you have the correct pro-forma, but I believe you are based in Phuket which does not require said form for old-new passport stamp transfer, enjoy

[digitalchromakey]

I will be picking up my new passport later this month, hopefully.

I believe the letter you need to get the stamps transferred from old to new passport needs to be stamped by the British Embassy.

I have tried to email them about what times it is OK to go and do this, but, they seem to have set up their email in a way that you can never find the correct address.

Found one address and sent them an email asking this, just to get an automated email saying go back to the site and check again, or, resend the original email with RESEND in the subject line and I'll get an answer in a few weeks.

Frankly, this is disgusting.

Therefore, does anyone know what times the embassy is open to get the letter stamped?

See my post above, Phuket actually does not require the pro-forma to transfer extant stamps from one's old to new passport.

However if you do need the pro forma, a personal appearance at the British Embassy is not required, the whole process can be done by providing old/new passport details plus ID page scans by email, in this case the pro forma is then sent for free by EMS a couple of days later.

One of the few remaining services offered by the British Embassy that's still totally free.

[KarenBravo]

Could someone please confirm that this is the required pro-forma letter.

Yes, you have the correct pro-forma, but I believe you are based in Phuket which does not require said form for old-new passport stamp transfer, enjoy

According to my visa agent, you definitely do need the pro-forma in Phuket to transfer the stamps.

[digitalchromakey]

Could someone please confirm that this is the required pro-forma letter.

Yes, you have the correct pro-forma, but I believe you are based in Phuket which does not require said form for old-new passport stamp transfer, enjoy

According to my visa agent, you definitely do need the pro-forma in Phuket to transfer the stamps.

Your visa agent is wrong.

That is unless the stamp transfer procedure has changed at Phuket immigration since August 2014.

Please don't take my word for it, apply to the British Embassy for the pro-forma by email once you have your new passport, it's free and you then have all bases covered.

[KarenBravo]

I'm definitely going to get the letter.

The visa agent is in immigration every week. I think that they would know.......

[digitalchromakey]

I'm definitely going to get the letter.

The visa agent is in immigration every week. I think that they would know.......

Please let the thread know the end result, in particular if Phuket now do require the pro-forma transfer letter.

However if your agent physically does the transfer for you, then I guess he/she wouldn't 'fess up to not then needing the pro-forma, having specifically asked you to get it.

For reference, when I did the old-new stamp transfer at Phuket immigration last year, I too had obtained the pro-forma and held it on my person, but it was never once requested that I produce said item.

Either way the process is pretty painless and not too time consuming.

[KarenBravo]

I'm definitely going to get the letter.

The visa agent is in immigration every week. I think that they would know.......

Please let the thread know the end result, in particular if Phuket now do require the pro-forma transfer letter.

However if your agent physically does the transfer for you, then I guess he/she wouldn't 'fess up to not then needing the pro-forma, having specifically asked you to get it.

For reference, when I did the old-new stamp transfer at Phuket immigration last year, I too had obtained the pro-forma and held it on my person, but it was never once requested that I produce said item.

Either way the process is pretty painless and not too time consuming.

I have a feeling that the visa agents have been into immigration many times between August last year and when I asked them about it, last week.

So.....fessing up doesn't really come into it. They say I need it. The people at Trendy say I need it, even when I told them that I will get it done in Phuket.

You have old info.

Edited May 10, 2015 by KarenBravo