narkeddiver Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I'm down to my last 4 or 5 pages in my UK passport even though it has another 2 years to run As I'm back in the UK next month I was thinking of taking the opportunity to get a new passport Do I need to get any additional paperwork from ukpa to show to Chiang Mai immigration to get my visa, extension to stay and re-entry permit transferred to my new passport? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 You will need to get a letter from the UK embassy in Bangkok. You can request it by email and they will send it to you by EMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narkeddiver Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 Thanks - is there a charge for the letter? Also will I have an issue going through immigration in Swampy en route to Chiang Mai or do I just show both passports? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfly94 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) why do you need a letter, to say the new passport is real? Of course there is a charge they do NOTHING for free, about 2,500 baht. Edited May 31, 2015 by dragonfly94 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywais Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 why do you need a letter, to say the new passport is real? Of course there is a charge they do NOTHING for free, about 2,500 baht. The letter is a request to immigration to transfer the information to the new passport. Nothing to do with verifying the passport is real. Also normally is free, at least for US passport renewal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzexpat Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 why do you need a letter, to say the new passport is real? Of course there is a charge they do NOTHING for free, about 2,500 baht. WRONG ! The letter is provided FREE of ANY charge 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Thanks - is there a charge for the letter? Also will I have an issue going through immigration in Swampy en route to Chiang Mai or do I just show both passports? No charge for the letter. Just use both passports on entry to show your re-entry permit in the old passport and they will stamp you into the country in the new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 why do you need a letter, to say the new passport is real? Of course there is a charge they do NOTHING for free, about 2,500 baht. The letter is a request to immigration to transfer the information to the new passport. Nothing to do with verifying the passport is real. Also normally is free, at least for US passport renewal. UK is free too, they even pay for EMS...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfly94 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Amazing anyone have a link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzexpat Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) Amazing anyone have a link? Try searching the British Embassy (Bangkok) website ! Edited May 31, 2015 by nzexpat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I am an American. On the 26th of May 2015 I started the process of getting a new passport as my current passport expires in October 2015. I am now awaiting my new (replacement) passport which supposedly will be ready in "2 to 3 weeks from the 26th of May. I have elected to pick it up in Bangkok at the embassy. According to what they told me on the 26th at the same time I pick up my new passport the embassy will give me a letter free of charge that I can use to get my current visa information transferred to my new passport. At least that is what they told me..... but being a skeptical person ...... "seeing is believing" and I have yet to actually see. But as far as I know the letter that I am supposed to us to get my current visa information transferred is "free". However, as everyone who applies for a new or "replacement" U.S. passport does the fee for that service is 3700 Baht in Bangkok paid at the U.S embassy. The form letter to change your visa information is just a "free" part of the whole package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I am an American. On the 26th of May 2015 I started the process of getting a new passport as my current passport expires in October 2015. I am now awaiting my new (replacement) passport which supposedly will be ready in "2 to 3 weeks from the 26th of May. I have elected to pick it up in Bangkok at the embassy. According to what they told me on the 26th at the same time I pick up my new passport the embassy will give me a letter free of charge that I can use to get my current visa information transferred to my new passport. At least that is what they told me..... but being a skeptical person ...... "seeing is believing" and I have yet to actually see. But as far as I know the letter that I am supposed to us to get my current visa information transferred is "free". However, as everyone who applies for a new or "replacement" U.S. passport does the fee for that service is 3700 Baht in Bangkok paid at the U.S embassy. The form letter to change your visa information is just a "free" part of the whole package. They will give you the letter when pick up your new passport. You will not even have to ask for it and their is no additional charge. You should be getting an email from them within 10 days or less from the date you applied for it. That is the about the normal time to get it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfly94 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 https://www.gov.uk/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand - not easy to find, can't see it mentioned anywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 https://www.gov.uk/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand - not easy to find, can't see it mentioned anywhere It is not one of the services they show on their website. You could look through this long topic and find many posts about getting the letter free of charge. Changes To British Passport Services In Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfly94 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 so they only post services they make money from, not very helpful of them really. Thanks will have a look at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I am an American. On the 26th of May 2015 I started the process of getting a new passport as my current passport expires in October 2015. I am now awaiting my new (replacement) passport which supposedly will be ready in "2 to 3 weeks from the 26th of May. I have elected to pick it up in Bangkok at the embassy. According to what they told me on the 26th at the same time I pick up my new passport the embassy will give me a letter free of charge that I can use to get my current visa information transferred to my new passport. At least that is what they told me..... but being a skeptical person ...... "seeing is believing" and I have yet to actually see. But as far as I know the letter that I am supposed to us to get my current visa information transferred is "free". However, as everyone who applies for a new or "replacement" U.S. passport does the fee for that service is 3700 Baht in Bangkok paid at the U.S embassy. The form letter to change your visa information is just a "free" part of the whole package. You will get the letter when you pickup the passport and you may get your passport in about 7 days as that is what mine took, but I am in Chiang Mai and we get better service that Bangkok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post OJAS Posted May 31, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2015 Amazing anyone have a link? Try searching the British Embassy (Bangkok) website ! Zilch on there as regards the appropriately-misnamed "visa transfer letter", actually. But the With-It Tower Mob do hand you the attached "IMPORTANT NOTICE" when you collect your replacement passport from them - assuming, of course, that you applied for it there! 150211 Visa Transfer Letter Final.docx 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I am an American. On the 26th of May 2015 I started the process of getting a new passport as my current passport expires in October 2015. I am now awaiting my new (replacement) passport which supposedly will be ready in "2 to 3 weeks from the 26th of May. I have elected to pick it up in Bangkok at the embassy. According to what they told me on the 26th at the same time I pick up my new passport the embassy will give me a letter free of charge that I can use to get my current visa information transferred to my new passport. At least that is what they told me..... but being a skeptical person ...... "seeing is believing" and I have yet to actually see. But as far as I know the letter that I am supposed to us to get my current visa information transferred is "free". However, as everyone who applies for a new or "replacement" U.S. passport does the fee for that service is 3700 Baht in Bangkok paid at the U.S embassy. The form letter to change your visa information is just a "free" part of the whole package. When I collected my new passport from the US embassy in Bangkok, the letter was part of the package given me. No additional charge and no need to request it. My passport was ready in less than ten days from when I applied at an consular outreach in Pattaya. Take the email they send you when the new passport is ready. No need to make an appointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJAS Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I am an American. On the 26th of May 2015 I started the process of getting a new passport as my current passport expires in October 2015. I am now awaiting my new (replacement) passport which supposedly will be ready in "2 to 3 weeks from the 26th of May. I have elected to pick it up in Bangkok at the embassy. According to what they told me on the 26th at the same time I pick up my new passport the embassy will give me a letter free of charge that I can use to get my current visa information transferred to my new passport. At least that is what they told me..... but being a skeptical person ...... "seeing is believing" and I have yet to actually see. But as far as I know the letter that I am supposed to us to get my current visa information transferred is "free". However, as everyone who applies for a new or "replacement" U.S. passport does the fee for that service is 3700 Baht in Bangkok paid at the U.S embassy. The form letter to change your visa information is just a "free" part of the whole package. But at least you lucky Americans can elect to pick up your replacement passports in Bangkok - which presumably means that you can elect to have them sent to you direct instead. We poor Brits, on the other hand, are forced to make 2 physical trips to a ridiculously-named office building in Bangkok, firstly to submit our applications (which you Americans can do when an Embassy official is visiting your neck of the woods under their outreach program) and, secondly, to collect our replacement passport some weeks (or even months) later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdecas Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Can it be true that the British Embassy provides a service for free? I am staggered if this is indeed the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJAS Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Can it be true that the British Embassy provides a service for free? I am staggered if this is indeed the case. I can confirm that this is, indeed, the case. I personally regard this philanthropic gesture on their part as token compensation for all the hoops which their "friends" in HMPO now force us Brits living in LOS to go through at passport renewal time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfly94 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Amazing anyone have a link? Try searching the British Embassy (Bangkok) website ! Zilch on there as regards the appropriately-misnamed "visa transfer letter", actually. But the With-It Tower Mob do hand you the attached "IMPORTANT NOTICE" when you collect your replacement passport from them - assuming, of course, that you applied for it there! That's progress, but where is the (attached) application form? At least Thai immigration has all the forms numbered that you can download Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i claudius Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I have just returned from the UK, a week before leaving here I phoned the passport office and they gave me a date to go in and a time,I arrived half hour early ,paid my 128 pounds and 4 hours later picked up my new passport ,on arrival here I showed both passports ,no problem,a few days ago I went to immigration here in Pattaya ,the girl filled in a form and I took it to counter 6,come back tomorrow after 10,this I did and I was given my new passport with the stamps in it ,no fuss,no hassle and no charge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfly94 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 so no embassy letter then Claudius? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Whether you need the letter or not depends upon the office you have to use. Pattaya is one of the few that do not normally ask for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHCP Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I have just returned from the UK, a week before leaving here I phoned the passport office and they gave me a date to go in and a time,I arrived half hour early ,paid my 128 pounds and 4 hours later picked up my new passport ,on arrival here I showed both passports ,no problem,a few days ago I went to immigration here in Pattaya ,the girl filled in a form and I took it to counter 6,come back tomorrow after 10,this I did and I was given my new passport with the stamps in it ,no fuss,no hassle and no charge I did exactly the same last summer. The staff in my office checked this out and told me there is no need for a letter from the Embassy here when doing the stamp transfers to the new passport and there was no issue when it was actually done by the staff member, requiring just one visit. I was told the letter only applies for passports applied for in Thailand so based on this and if it is the official Immigration line, the OP should not need a letter if he applies in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UTH001 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I have just returned from the UK, a week before leaving here I phoned the passport office and they gave me a date to go in and a time,I arrived half hour early ,paid my 128 pounds and 4 hours later picked up my new passport ,on arrival here I showed both passports ,no problem,a few days ago I went to immigration here in Pattaya ,the girl filled in a form and I took it to counter 6,come back tomorrow after 10,this I did and I was given my new passport with the stamps in it ,no fuss,no hassle and no charge Udon Thani Immigration charges THB 500 for that free service... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I have just returned from the UK, a week before leaving here I phoned the passport office and they gave me a date to go in and a time,I arrived half hour early ,paid my 128 pounds and 4 hours later picked up my new passport ,on arrival here I showed both passports ,no problem,a few days ago I went to immigration here in Pattaya ,the girl filled in a form and I took it to counter 6,come back tomorrow after 10,this I did and I was given my new passport with the stamps in it ,no fuss,no hassle and no charge I did exactly the same last summer. The staff in my office checked this out and told me there is no need for a letter from the Embassy here when doing the stamp transfers to the new passport and there was no issue when it was actually done by the staff member, requiring just one visit. I was told the letter only applies for passports applied for in Thailand so based on this and if it is the official Immigration line, the OP should not need a letter if he applies in the UK. Whether the letter is needed or not will depend upon the immigration office you are required to go to. Just because one immigration office says it is not needed does not mean the same thing will apply at another office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfly94 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I have just returned from the UK, a week before leaving here I phoned the passport office and they gave me a date to go in and a time,I arrived half hour early ,paid my 128 pounds and 4 hours later picked up my new passport ,on arrival here I showed both passports ,no problem,a few days ago I went to immigration here in Pattaya ,the girl filled in a form and I took it to counter 6,come back tomorrow after 10,this I did and I was given my new passport with the stamps in it ,no fuss,no hassle and no charge Udon Thani Immigration charges THB 500 for that free service... Is this corruption or do they give a receipt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EyesWideOpen Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 You guys are barking up the wrong tree. I did this a few years ago. Thai immigration simply told me to carry the old passport along with the new one. So they check the old passport for the visa, and then stamp you in using the new one. Piece of cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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