British Passport Renewal - 2 weeks!

[Neeranam]

On the 7th Jan I asked for an appointment and got a reply in one hour saying I got an appointment 2 days later on Friday 9th Jan. Today, I got a phone call saying to pick it up ! Amazing after all the stories I had heard about 3 months etc.

Edited January 23, 2015 by Neeranam

[OJAS]

Encouraging news, indeed. But the telling time will come in the run-up to next summer's peak holiday period in the UK which will see an upsurge in passport renewals.

[ukrules]

Not many people are applying for new passports right now, it's a seasonal thing.

Give it a few months and watch the whole system go crazy just like it did last year

[seadog57]

i agree the system has improved but i think a lot had to do early on with the office just opening and the problems in the UK regarding passports at the time, i was very impressed as it took just 12 day to get a renewal but the office had found its feet by then and the home office had replaced the FCO ref passports, one question why is it i had to go from the trendy office to the British Embassy to get a letter to say my passport No had changed as this was require by Thai Immigration office , when this could be placed in the new passport when you get it from trendy as some other countries include it automatically? maybe our Ambassador at the Embassy could look into this.

[Altalake]

The poor UK Gov needs the exorbitant fees to rip us all off. Passports are so costly now it's amazing anyone bothers. Sigh.

[andypatt]

did you receive it by post, or did you actually have to go to the passport office?

[evadgib]

i agree the system has improved but i think a lot had to do early on with the office just opening and the problems in the UK regarding passports at the time, i was very impressed as it took just 12 day to get a renewal but the office had found its feet by then and the home office had replaced the FCO ref passports, one question why is it i had to go from the trendy office to the British Embassy to get a letter to say my passport No had changed as this was require by Thai Immigration office , when this could be placed in the new passport when you get it from trendy as some other countries include it automatically? maybe our Ambassador at the Embassy could look into this.

They have. It's an unnecessary request from immigration which in time should hopefully be discontinued.

HTH

[andypatt]

changing the subject, I want to start of some subjects of my own on here,, I don't have any problem replying to posts but for the life of me I cant work out how to start a post. can someone please help?

[Mario2008]

Go to the forum page: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/1-thai-visas-residency-and-work-permits/

and on the right hand of the screen, click on the black button "start new topic", just above the blue line.

[chingmai331]

Also Andy, some forums are Closed to members if they wish to start new topics. Only the Mods can start topics there. But which forums are closed, ??

[Mario2008]

Also Andy, some forums are Closed to members if they wish to start new topics. Only the Mods can start topics there. But which forums are closed, ??

The news section is closed and you can only reply there to the topics but not start your own.

The lawyer section can only be used to ask a question, but does not allow replies.

Further questions of this nature are to be directed to forum support thread and off topic here.

[robkeith54]

Encouraging news, indeed. But the telling time will come in the run-up to next summer's peak holiday period in the UK which will see an upsurge in passport renewals.

Please can any one tell me how we apply for renewal there has been so many diiferent stories over the last year or so l have no idea how to go about it l have 5 pages just now but in two months need to go to laos so will only have 3 left.

[OJAS]

did you receive it by post, or did you actually have to go to the passport office?

Yes, you need to make a second trip in person to Bangkok (or have someone make the trip for you) in order to collect your new passport. HMPO won't send it by courier directly to you any longer.

[OJAS]

Encouraging news, indeed. But the telling time will come in the run-up to next summer's peak holiday period in the UK which will see an upsurge in passport renewals.

Please can any one tell me how we apply for renewal there has been so many diiferent stories over the last year or so l have no idea how to go about it l have 5 pages just now but in two months need to go to laos so will only have 3 left.

Follow the step-by-step guide at https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports for the current info.

[duanebigsby]

The poor UK Gov needs the exorbitant fees to rip us all off. Passports are so costly now it's amazing anyone bothers. Sigh.

yes, passports are so expensive it's better not to bother and stay home instead.

Sheesh!!!!!!!!!!!!

[josephbloggs]

On the 7th Jan I asked for an appointment and got a reply in one hour saying I got an appointment 2 days later on Friday 9th Jan. Today, I got a phone call saying to pick it up ! Amazing after all the stories I had heard about 3 months etc.

That's good to hear but also quite annoying. My passport is almost full and needed renewing so I checked the website and they said currently there was AT LEAST an eight week wait once your passport arrived in the UK for processing, so probably 9-10 weeks including postage etc. I need to travel a lot for work and I can't wait that long as once they receive your application your current passport is electronically cancelled and you can't travel. So I flew back to the UK to do it where it can be done in four hours. I wish you could pay for that express service from here (even 24 hours from when received would be fine), but you can't.

Oh well, for once in every few years it's not too much of a pain really.

[Fab5BKK]

If you travel a lot for work, as I do, better to have 2 passports. A letter from your employer and you'll get a 2nd one

On the 7th Jan I asked for an appointment and got a reply in one hour saying I got an appointment 2 days later on Friday 9th Jan. Today, I got a phone call saying to pick it up ! Amazing after all the stories I had heard about 3 months etc.

That's good to hear but also quite annoying. My passport is almost full and needed renewing so I checked the website and they said currently there was AT LEAST an eight week wait once your passport arrived in the UK for processing, so probably 9-10 weeks including postage etc. I need to travel a lot for work and I can't wait that long as once they receive your application your current passport is electronically cancelled and you can't travel. So I flew back to the UK to do it where it can be done in four hours. I wish you could pay for that express service from here (even 24 hours from when received would be fine), but you can't.

Oh well, for once in every few years it's not too much of a pain really.

[RickyJB]

im in need of a 2nd passport, i have a letter from work but i wonder how long that would take if i went to Bangkok to do it... maybe i would also be quicker off going to glasgow to do it?? Not even sure how that would work as ive not lived in the UK for 17 years, dont have an address there...

[ubonjoe]

im in need of a 2nd passport, i have a letter from work but i wonder how long that would take if i went to Bangkok to do it... maybe i would also be quicker off going to glasgow to do it?? Not even sure how that would work as ive not lived in the UK for 17 years, dont have an address there...

Info on applying for a passport in Thailand. https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/renewing_new/adult

I am sure there is a form needed to get the 2nd passport that has to signed by your employer. You should contact HMPO to get it.

[renaissanc]

Last November 2014, after waiting 3 weeks for an appointment, it took 15 days to receive my new passport.

The service is provided very professionally and courteously. There is also car parking in the building.

I actually prefer the new system to the old system at the British Embassy in Bangkok, not that it was bad there at all.

[crazykopite]

As I live on Koh Samui the cost of travelling to Bangkok return twice would cost around 16,000 baht just to go and renew my UK passport instead I used a guy by the name of Mark who is based in the Capitol and for a fee of less than 2,000 baht he went and presented all my renewal documents on my behalf I sent all my DOCS by EMS and made the initial appointment . On Thursday 14 May in the afternoon he submitted all my docs to TREND with no problems. Today 28 May I received an email as well as a phone call from Trend to inform me my new passport was ready for collection so all in all it has taken 14 days and we had a UK bank holiday during that time. Mark will pick my new passport up tomorrow and EMS it down to me ! That is what I call a fantastic service by all involved , Mark my agent, Trend in Bangkok and the UK Passport office !!!!!

[digitalchromakey]

As I live on Koh Samui the cost of travelling to Bangkok return twice would cost around 16,000 baht just to go and renew my UK passport instead I used a guy by the name of Mark who is based in the Capitol and for a fee of less than 2,000 baht he went and presented all my renewal documents on my behalf I sent all my DOCS by EMS and made the initial appointment . On Thursday 14 May in the afternoon he submitted all my docs to TREND with no problems. Today 28 May I received an email as well as a phone call from Trend to inform me my new passport was ready for collection so all in all it has taken 14 days and we had a UK bank holiday during that time. Mark will pick my new passport up tomorrow and EMS it down to me ! That is what I call a fantastic service by all involved , Mark my agent, Trend in Bangkok and the UK Passport office !!!!!

Hope you've sent your old passport to your agent in BKK.

Otherwise he will not be able to collect your new passport, as the old has to be physically cancelled by Trendy (by cutting the corners off both front and rear covers) before they will hand over said replacement item.

[gerryBScot]

An update: just renewed my son's British passport and the turn around was 16 days from submission including the Easter bank holiday weekend; in fact DHL sent me notification of a package for collection after 10 days but with the Easter closure, VFS, the Passport Office's agents in Bangkok, did not contact me until the Tuesday after Easter. So an impressive turn around. I must say I was very fearful about this process as it is the first time I have gone the VFS route. Initially my preconception was VFS's job would be to make it difficult and give people the run around, but in fact every aspect of the process went smoothly.

[darrendsd]

14 days from me submitting my application to getting a phone call from the staff at the Trendy Building to say it was ready for collection which I will do this week, great service all round

[Apiwan2]

Have I got this correct .

I can't use the C2 form now for renewing a child's passport.

Have to use OS form and make an appointment with trendy once I get all the documents in order.

Also you need it countersigned for a child under 11.

Seems a lot harder than when it was VIA Hong Kong

[Apiwan2]

All done after trip to trendy passport was ready for collection in 2 weeks.

As this was for my daughter they wanted a counter signature from a British passport holder who has known her for more than 2 years.

I used her teacher , and at first they were reluctant to accept but did in the end .

[johnatong]

The Trendy staff are not arbiters of what is acceptable so who was reluctant to accept a teachers signature ?

[Apiwan2]

The Trendy staff are not arbiters of what is acceptable so who was reluctant to accept a teachers signature ?

It clearly states on the application form the counter signature should be from a British passport holder

[johnatong]

The Trendy staff are not arbiters of what is acceptable so who was reluctant to accept a teachers signature ?

It clearly states on the application form the counter signature should be from a British passport holder

Read the guidance notes with care ! Other than British passport holders are acceptable as signatories but if such are used a delay in issuing the passport may be the result.

Trendy staff are not the arbiters of what is acceptable.

You have not responded to my question !