Tips and tricks for VISA and document problems

Eaglekott · May 30, 2015

Email is one of many ways to store online (for the oldies).

The tech savyy youngsters will tell you to use the "cloud"

For enhanced security I put such data in a Truecrypt container and then upload it to some or more file hosters.

The container is on both of my computers and on the smartphone.

All synced old fashioned manually.

That should be enough.

Also remember that your Truecrypt container can be encrypted with ransomware or Rombertik.

Is a malicious code destroyed your data in the cloud you can not be sure that you can recover it unless your cloud provider has unlimited versions which most do not.

e-mail is a pretty safe way to store data, if you get a virus is can not effect e-mails in a IMAP account on the cloud.

duanebigsby · May 30, 2015

I lost my passport three years ago. I just had a photocopy of the old one. My family had to show my birth certificate

to someone at a Canadian consul who emailed it to Bangkok and verified it. That was it, verified birth certificate and a photocopy of my passport front page. Not much to think about, although would have been easier to have my birth certificate with me. Probably would have lost that too though! so all this cloud talk and email stuff....overthinking it.

May 30, 2015

I almost do not know why I am bothering to post this, perhaps because I think that if people took Kovaltech's advice, they would end up like me.

Here is what seems to be missing here .. a little thing called "common sense."

You see, you have a very powerful piece of evidence you carry with you 24/7 365 days a year. It is called "Your Face."

It is the same face that will be on your excellant scanned electronic image, which you can show the embassy is on your password dependent site, that matches the scan of your Passport, that matches the scan of your driver's license, You also have your birth certificate, your credit cards, and let's not forget the other thing you always have "on hand" ... that allows you to match the exact signature on your passport.

So, what we are to believe is this, a sober and rational person walks into their embassy and announces they have lost their passport. The sit with an official and open a web browser, enter the correct password, and there .. are scans of every single page of their passport, including a valid visa, and dozens of stamps that correspond perfectly with the scans of the boarding passes they also have on record. They then show scans of their birth certificate, their Social Security Card. their college diplomas, the show their photo ID driver's license, then, they show the front and back scans of their credit cards .. and son of a gun .. THOSE signatures match the passport too!

Then .. they sign their name .. and wouldn't ya know it ... IT is a perfect match too.

But wait for it .. that gorgeous face is a perfect match with all the other documents.

Now, in this case, I have made the person an orphan with no friends who can collaborate any of this stuff.. no family .. Nada. Zip . Zero.

Here is what we are to beleive. This person, who followed the advice this thread started on .. scanning and organizing all your corroborating documents (which is just common sense anyway for all those other valuable documents! ,,,) that person, at the embassy, with screen shot after screen shot ... is in NO BETTER position than a person with a tearful story and nothing to show?

Really Really?

By the way, here is something to chew on for the Doubting Thomas in the crowd.

I have in the cloud, on top of the before mentioned collateral ... a video that begins with my face goes to the passport, my hands (with a scar) thumbing through the passport page by page, and then back to my face, then all the way to me standing full frame head to toe.

I really do not think I would have too hard a time at the Embassy, thank you very much.

But hey ,, why take one hour out of your life and back it all up ... WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG IN THAT PLAN?

555

phetphet · May 30, 2015

I carry a scan of my passport photo page on an encrypted usb key, clipped to my house keys.

kovaltech · May 30, 2015

I carry a scan of my passport photo page on an encrypted usb key, clipped to my house keys.

i love the idea with the usb stick...

i will most certainly apply that as well, coz might be that no internet available at some point..

what encryption you use ?

May 30, 2015

I carry a scan of my passport photo page on an encrypted usb key, clipped to my house keys.

i love the idea with the usb stick...

i will most certainly apply that as well, coz might be that no internet available at some point..

what encryption you use ?

Not a bad idea, although "no internet" these days is a bit of a stretch.

Anyway, you can always password protect the stick I guess.

People are so funny, they will freak out about this idea "Oh, what if it is stolen!!!" (And password protected)

But never stop to think, they hand their credit card to strangers all day, they take it away, credit card number, magnetic strip, CVV, signature ... and all ... no worries? The same hotel that took a scan of your Passport? And people are wringing their hands that someone will hack Google or Microsoft to get their info??? Really?

Hand my passport to every front desk clerk all over the world ... no worries?

Buy stuff online 24/7 ... no worries?

But God Forbid, you keep some safe and sane scans and backup !! 555

(PS: I already have all this on a stick ... but do not carry it with me)

Carry it? Worth a thought .. thanks.

BTW, I spent several years as a risk fraud analyst for credit cards and banks .. let me clue you in .. a random loss of your information is really not a problem, the problem is in high data collection points where the temptation is real, and the data is handed over willingly. (Re-read posting for clue)

kovaltech · May 30, 2015

I carry a scan of my passport photo page on an encrypted usb key, clipped to my house keys.

i love the idea with the usb stick...

i will most certainly apply that as well, coz might be that no internet available at some point..

what encryption you use ?

Not a bad idea, although "no internet" these days is a bit of a stretch.

Anyway, you can always password protect the stick I guess.

People are so funny, they will freak out about this idea "Oh, what if it is stolen!!!" (And password protected)

But never stop to think, they hand their credit card to strangers all day, they take it away, credit card number, magnetic strip, CVV, signature ... and all ... no worries? The same hotel that took a scan of your Passport? And people are wringing their hands that someone will hack Google or Microsoft to get their info??? Really?

Hand my passport to every front desk clerk all over the world ... no worries?

Buy stuff online 24/7 ... no worries?

But God Forbid, you keep some safe and sane scans and backup !! 555

(PS: I already have all this on a stick ... but do not carry it with me)

Carry it? Worth a thought .. thanks.

BTW, I spent several years as a risk fraud analyst for credit cards and banks .. let me clue you in .. a random loss of your information is really not a problem, the problem is in high data collection points where the temptation is real, and the data is handed over willingly. (Re-read posting for clue)

this week in Savannakhet, outside the embassy, in one of the boots, they had a laptop and printer.

The people helped out a farang who needed one of his documents on his smartphone printed, plugged in the cable in the smartphone and printed the document.

all tooked less then 5 minutes, the applicant was able to file his application because he had the requested documents in a digital form available...

anyhow, i agree with your point of view...

hint: sent and receive some mails on your phone about dark chocolate, watch the pages if you go on google later...

be it google, facebook or any other...

all content of your mails is being analyzed... and used...

not to mention payments...

phetphet · May 30, 2015

I carry a scan of my passport photo page on an encrypted usb key, clipped to my house keys.

i love the idea with the usb stick...

i will most certainly apply that as well, coz might be that no internet available at some point..

what encryption you use ?

The USB key that I use is called Ironkey, but most of the well known makes such as Kingston, Sandisk now sell a version that as some form of encryption. Look on Amazon for encrypted usb keys.

Just a quick google found this: http://www.pcworld.com/article/254816/the_best_encrypted_flash_drives.html But there are lots out there.

Also aim for something not too big if it going to be in your pocket all the time.

technologybytes · May 31, 2015

Actually, the advice to email yourself copies of important documents and ID is very good advice indeed. It applies to persons from any country, it means that you can retrieve a copy from anywhere in the world with nothing more than a internet connection and a printer.

Regardless of the question over what these copies can or cannot be used for, it is better than nothing.

gandalf12 · May 31, 2015

Most of the posts here are not tricks and tips they are about documentation you already have or are going through the process to obtain. Can we keep it on track?

kovaltech · May 31, 2015

As already has been proven in above debate, behind any doubt, being able to produce a copy is helpfull..

So far we have following tips and tricks:

-Photo on smartphone

-Sent copy's to e-mail adress

-Cloud storage

-USB stick

E-mail and cloud storage are 2 options that never can be lost physically.

Smartphone and USB stick are almost always on hand.

The good thing about your digital copy's;

They can be securely stored with encryption or password

You can always carry them with you, without carrying a load of paper weight...

A digital copy is verifiable for fraud ( metadata from the digital form)

My 3 favorites are smartphone, e-mail and USB stick

having a digital backup of your documentation is not so bad i guess

csabo · May 31, 2015

I use pogoplug cloud. Unlimited storage $5 monthly. Every pic I take automatically goes to my cloud. Saved me many times. I even scanned all my old family photos and any valuable documents to protect them.

May 31, 2015

I use pogoplug cloud. Unlimited storage $5 monthly. Every pic I take automatically goes to my cloud. Saved me many times. I even scanned all my old family photos and any valuable documents to protect them.

Csabo .. not to rain on your parade, but One Drive, Drop Box, etc ... do all that for free.

May I learn from you why this $60 per year service is better?

ubonjoe · May 31, 2015

A post of the same info for the 3rd time has been removed. Two times was to much.

h90 · May 31, 2015

Email is one of many ways to store online (for the oldies).

The tech savyy youngsters will tell you to use the "cloud"

For enhanced security I put such data in a Truecrypt container and then upload it to some or more file hosters.

The container is on both of my computers and on the smartphone.

All synced old fashioned manually.

That should be enough.

And the smart one save it on their harddisk (with backups) having the same safety + full own control over the data.

gandalf12 · May 31, 2015

Email is one of many ways to store online (for the oldies).

The tech savyy youngsters will tell you to use the "cloud"

For enhanced security I put such data in a Truecrypt container and then upload it to some or more file hosters.

The container is on both of my computers and on the smartphone.

All synced old fashioned manually.

That should be enough.

And the smart one save it on their harddisk (with backups) having the same safety + full own control over the data.

Prefer to keep it on an external disk. No chance of hackers getting to it then

h90 · May 31, 2015

Email is one of many ways to store online (for the oldies).

The tech savyy youngsters will tell you to use the "cloud"

For enhanced security I put such data in a Truecrypt container and then upload it to some or more file hosters.

The container is on both of my computers and on the smartphone.

All synced old fashioned manually.

That should be enough.

And the smart one save it on their harddisk (with backups) having the same safety + full own control over the data.

Prefer to keep it on an external disk. No chance of hackers getting to it then

yes I have a raid 0 (if I got the number right this with mirrored HD) in a box which is on the network but usually turned off and from that I sometimes make a backup with an USB HD.

jcnbkk · May 31, 2015

JLCrab, on 30 May 2015 - 02:35, said:

Here are the 2 links I referenced:

http://travel.state....ReplaceLostStln

http://bangkok.usemb..._passports.html

-- the rest is up-to-you

All this guy was saying was "Do your best, scan it all, back it up ... it is a lot better than nothing."

Attached Thumbnails

Finally, thanks, that looks pretty clear

gk10002000 · May 31, 2015

I keep a lot of my relevant documents in my email accounts, resume, transcripts, SSN card, USA Driver license, Passport, Military DD 214 papers, Car insurance, Health insurance etc. I store the image in a WORD or PDF document and put a password on it. Sure, good thieves can hack the files, but the simple password keeps the low level hackers from reading the data.

biplanebluey · May 31, 2015

What would someone otherwise do, if he needs a replacement passport if he does not have :

an original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate,

an original or certified copy of a Consular Report of Birth,

a Naturalization Certificate,

a previous or expired passport.

They would have a big document problem. As per the linked above US Embassy Bangkok website:

The loss of a valid U.S. passport is a serious matter.

When I lost my Kiwi passport all I needed was a form of application from the NZ embassy.Everything is on their computers,they virtually only needed a copy of my signature a photo of me (2 I think) and of courseTHE MONEY.Whats the big deal with you guys.Are NZers the only people here that have an Embassy that wants to help their ex-pats.

PS Do not know who the lady was on the phone but she sounded pretty !!!!!!!!!

JLCrab · May 31, 2015

JLCrab, on 30 May 2015 - 02:35, said:

Here are the 2 links I referenced:

http://travel.state....ReplaceLostStln

http://bangkok.usemb..._passports.html

-- the rest is up-to-you

All this guy was saying was "Do your best, scan it all, back it up ... it is a lot better than nothing."

Attached Thumbnails

Finally, thanks, that looks pretty clear

I'll go one more time -- just above the red box it says 'Identification' which cannot be a photocopy.

The only way you can 'quickly' get a passport replaced is an Emergency Passport which is at the discretion of the Embassy Consular staff. A permanent replacement is approved in the USA and is not approved by the Consular Staff in Bangkok The documents as required by the US Embassy in Bangkok for a permanent replacement to be submitted to the Passport Agency in the US requires original documents as to identification and proof of citizenship.

May 31, 2015

JLCrab, on 30 May 2015 - 02:35, said:

Here are the 2 links I referenced:

http://travel.state....ReplaceLostStln

http://bangkok.usemb..._passports.html

-- the rest is up-to-you

All this guy was saying was "Do your best, scan it all, back it up ... it is a lot better than nothing."

Attached Thumbnails

Finally, thanks, that looks pretty clear

I'll go one more time -- just above the red box it says 'Identification' which cannot be a photocopy.

The only way you can 'quickly' get a passport replaced is an Emergency Passport which is at the discretion of the Embassy Consular staff. A permanent replacement is approved in the USA and is not approved by the Consular Staff in Bangkok The documents as required by the US Embassy in Bangkok for a permanent replacement to be submitted to the Passport Agency in the US requires original documents as to identification and proof of citizenship.

Dear JLCrab,

I will try to respond, but several of my postings have either been modified or deleted. None contained profanity, or were .. by Thai Visa Standards ... really much to become concerned about.

It seems the floor is yours, and all I have been trying to say all along that is you understood the thesis of the original posting, you would stop this "dog with a bone" attitude.

No one is saying "having an electronic backup is a Silver Bullet that will ensure you get same day service and a personal visit from the Ambassador."

All the posting was saying is, "Hey, here is an easy way to back up your information, and will go a long way in supporting your case if you lose your Passport."

Example .. there are people who do not know their passport number, the date of issue or the date of expiration. An image of that stored on e mail , the cloud, whatever... is a huge win.

Now, add to that all other supporting documents, and a traveler or resident will be light years ahead filling out the paperwork and getting an empathetic ear. Asaid before, on top of all that, i even have a video of me with the passport, and a close up of my hands (with a scar on right hand .. a little hard to fake) ... going through it page by page.

You know, the Embassy exists to help American Citizens, and it may surprise you that people who are calm, respectful, and pleasant .. can get a lot done with bureaucrats. I really believe that I could go to the bangkok American Embassy with all my electronic information, my video, and with a nice business suit and a smile, have a new passport in 14 days. (Without using my expired passport as ID)

I really can not understand your near obsession with posting over an over and over again the same data that certainly proves a point .. but is not relevant to this posting.

I understated you have three expired Passports. many people do not even have one .. especially Americans...one of the least traveled Western countries in the world.

But you know what? if (God Forbid0 there was a fire and you lost everything ... you might be happy knowing you have a good starting point with electronic scanned backup.

To me, it is mind boggling to have a debate about the value of backing up information in 2015.

Have a good Buddha Holiday ... Best Regards.

nzexpat · May 31, 2015

Another massively boring post !

Time to give it a rest !

JLCrab · May 31, 2015

See my post (now) #10.

BTW I have decided to mail one of my expired US passports to my brother in the USA in case I lose my current passport and my house has burned down with my other 2 expired passports. He can then send it to me via FedEx etc. wherever in the world I might be

If you don't have an expired US passport then maybe you can do the same with a birth certificate and a duplicate official driver's license. etc.

NB If you lost your passport, to obtain a new permanent passport a DS-82 form with supporting documents would have to be sent to the processing facility in the USA. It would not make the least bit of difference that you had shown your video to the folks on Wireless as the people in NH will want to see the original hard copy documents required and the people in Bangkok have no say in the matter -- they just forward the requisite forms and documents to the USA in their courier pouch.

smotherb · May 31, 2015

For Yanks, an expired undamaged US passport is sufficient proof of identity should a new passport be required. A picture on a smart-phone is not sufficient proof of identity as can be altered .

I think you'r missing the point here...

"Tips and tricks for Visa and document problems"

Besides having an physical copy of your documents, having a digital copy on hand might be a good idea ;-)

I didn't say that having digital copies of important documents is not advisable. All I said was that they are not proof of identity. An expired passport -- at least for US citizens -- is acceptable proof of identity at a US Embassy or Consulate should a new passport be required.

Just knowing your passport number is sufficient proof of identity at US Embassies

kovaltech · May 31, 2015

@JLCrab,

Quote:

"The only way you can 'quickly' get a passport replaced is an Emergency Passport which is at the discretion of the Embassy Consular staff. A permanent replacement is approved in the USA and is not approved by the Consular Staff in Bangkok The documents as required by the US Embassy in Bangkok for a permanent replacement to be submitted to the Passport Agency in the US requires original documents as to identification and proof of citizenship."

Again, your information is incorrect. Please recheck at the official website

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/emergencies/lost-or-stolen-passports-abroad.html

Quoting and in total:

Lost or Stolen Passports Abroad

Frequently Asked Questions

Collapse All

What Should a U.S. Citizen Do if his/her Passport is Lost or Stolen Abroad?

What Do I Need to Replace my Passport Overseas?

How Long is a Replacement Passport Valid?

Are Fees Charged to Replace Lost/Stolen Passports Abroad?

Can the U.S. Embassy Issue a Replacement Passport on a Weekend or Holiday?

You will have to replace the passport before returning to the United States. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. Contact information for U.S. embassies and consulates is also available in our Country Specific Information pages. Ask to speak to the Consular Section to report your passport lost or stolen. If you have been thevictim of a serious crime, be sure to tell a consular officer about it as soon as possible so we can provide appropriate assistance. If you are scheduled to leave the foreign country shortly, please provide our consular staff with the details of your travel. We will make every effort to assist you quickly. You will also be directed to where you can obtain a photo for your replacement passport. In most cases, you will need to get a passport photo prior to your arrival at the consular section.

If you are notified by a relative or friend traveling abroad that his/her U.S. passport has been lost/stolen, you may wish to contact the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C, at 1-888-407-4747. That office will be able to help you put your friend or loved one in touch with the closest U.S. embassy or consulate. Your relative/friend must apply in person for a new passport at the U.S. embassy or consulate.

The following list identifies a number of documents/items you should take with you to the embassy/consulate. Even if you are unable to present all of the documents, the consular staff will do their best to assist you to replace your passport quickly. Please provide:

A Passport Photo (one photo is required; get it in advance to speed the process of replacing your passport)
Identification (driver's license, expired passport etc.)
Evidence of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate, photocopy of your missing passport)
Travel Itinerary (airline/train tickets)
Police Report, if available
DS-11 Application for Passport (may be completed at time of application)
DS-64 Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport (may be completed at time of application)

Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport:

When you report the loss or theft of your passport, you must complete a statement describing the circumstances under which it was lost or stolen. You can use the U.S. Department of State form DS-64 for this purpose, or simply execute a sworn statement before the consular officer describing what happened.

Police Report:

A police report is not mandatory but can help confirm the circumstances of the loss or theft. Don’t spend time obtaining a police report if doing so will cause you to miss a flight or delay your travel unreasonably.

Replacement passports are normally valid for a full ten years for adults or five years for minors. However, if you have urgent travel plans, we can issue a limited-validity, emergency passport that can be produced more quickly to allow you to return to the U.S. or continue on your trip. Once you return home, you can turn in your emergency passport and receive a full-validity passport.

Other complicating factors, such as multiple lost/stolen passports or borrowing money from the State Department to fund your trip home, may cause you to receive a limited passport. If you received a limited passport because of multiple lost/stolen passports or an outstanding loan, you will need to resolve those issues with the State Department before you can be issued a new passport.

The normal passport fees are collected from applicants for replacement passports. Applicants unable to pay the fee will be asked to provide names of persons they feel would be able to assist them financially if there is sufficient time. See our information about Financial Assistance to U.S. citizens abroad and Sending Money Overseas to U.S. Citizen in an Emergency.

However, if:

the applicant is the victim of a serious crime; or
the applicant is a victim of a disaster

and the applicant does not have and cannot reasonably be expected to obtain money to pay the fees before continuing travel, the passport fee may be waived and a limited-validity passport will be issued. When the person applies for a full-validity passport upon their return to the United States, the regular passport fee will be charged for the replacement passport.

Most U.S. embassies and consulates cannot issue passports on weekends or holidays when the embassy/consulate is closed. All U.S. embassies and consulates have after-hours duty officers available to assist with life or death emergencies of U.S. citizens abroad. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate after-hours duty officer for assistance if you have an emergency need to travel or have been the victim of a serious crime.

Duty officers must focus primary attention on life or death emergencies. In most cases, except for serious emergencies, a replacement passport will not be issued until the next business day.

end of quote.

@CJcrab,

My question: why do you insist to give of topic, incorrect information ? Are your intentions to violate the forum rules, in particular Nr 9 ?

kovaltech · May 31, 2015

See my post (now) #10.

BTW I have decided to mail one of my expired US passports to my brother in the USA in case I lose my current passport and my house has burned down with my other 2 expired passports. He can then send it to me via FedEx etc. wherever in the world I might be

If you don't have an expired US passport then maybe you can do the same with a birth certificate and a duplicate official driver's license. etc.

NB If you lost your passport, to obtain a new permanent passport a DS-82 form with supporting documents would have to be sent to the processing facility in the USA. It would not make the least bit of difference that you had shown your video to the folks on Wireless as the people in NH will want to see the original hard copy documents required and the people in Bangkok have no say in the matter -- they just forward the requisite forms and documents to the USA in their courier pouch.

This information is incorrect.

Please find the real, valid info on the official website

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/emergencies/lost-or-stolen-passports-abroad.html

Further:

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/lost_stolen_passports.html

The website you refer to clearly states:

To replace the passport, you must apply in person at the U.S. Embassy during regular office hours, with the police report. A photocopy of the face page of the lost passport is helpful, as is photographic identification and other proof of U.S. citizenship.

Nowhere is stated that the mentioned proof is required, only specified as helpful.

Here is stated that a police report is required.

JLCrab · May 31, 2015

The information on that page is to obtain an Emergency passport as that is the only passport that a consular officer has the discretion to provide. A permanent Passport cannot be provided 'quickly' and must be forwarded to the the National Passport processing facility at Portsmouth, NH over which a consular officer in Bangkok has no discretion. The DS-82 form must be submitted with the proper original documents as specified in the form.

kovaltech · May 31, 2015

The information on that page is to obtain an Emergency passport as that is the only passport that a consular officer has the discretion to provide. A permanent Passport cannot be provided 'quickly' and must be forwarded to the the National Passport processing facility at Portsmouth, NH over which a consular officer in Bangkok has no discretion. The DS-82 form must be submitted with the proper original documents as specified in the form.

Incorrect information again...

Replacement passports are provided as well.

Emergency passports will only be provided if you are entitled or if you have no funds.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/emergencies/lost-or-stolen-passports-abroad.html

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/lost_stolen_passports.html

May i kindly ask you, to post no longer of-topic information in this thread ?

JLCrab · May 31, 2015

Yes, you can ask.

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/jerusalem/5/pdfs/DS-82.pdf

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