Renewing British Passport at VFS Bangkok - Experience.

[menzies233]

Went to renew my UK Passport today at the Trendy building on Soi 13 today. Had managed to book the first apointment and thought I had everything in order.

Got there early, that is a non starter, they will not allow you to even go up to the floor more than 20 minutes before your time slot - I was booked for 8:50, arrived 8:20 told to come back at 8:30.

8:30 the girl on the ground floor desk checks you on her list and ticks your name off, you are then given a piece of paper with a stamp that lets you go up to the 28th floor.

On the 28th floor they exchange the original paper for a printed ticket, like a queue card number.

Next is the bag search, they made me hand over my cigarette lighter which was locked in a drawer. (They did not have a problem with my keychain which had a Victorinox Mini Swiss Army knife attached)

You then go through a scanner and are waved over with a wand like airport security.

Despite their insistance on punctuality, I was kept waiting 15 minutes past my time slot.

Anyway, they are friendly and polite so it is no big deal. Next you get your queue number called and you have to be swiped into the HMPO section. The ladies in there were very nice and polite, good English etc.

They went through all of my documentation which I thought was all in order (On the Government website it asks you to provide at least one additional piece of proof of identity) I brought with me my LONG British Birth Certificate - NO GOOD!, My UK Photo ID Driving Licence - NO GOOD, My Thai licences for motorbike and car - OK! BUT...... The address on the back of them is in Thai, so now comes the scam.

They made me take the driving licence back down to the ground floor, get a colour photo of the licence and a stamped translation of the Thai address into English - 1 Photocopy and four lines of text......400 Baht!

Went back up and it was pretty straightforward.

All in all a big PITA having to go from Chiang Mai to do this, but as far as the VFS is concerned it is extremely professional and organised.

What really pissed me about the entire trip was my little key chain knife (which is actually a 3/4" blade, nail file tooth pick, tweezer and scissors - which I have travelled all around the world with for almost 20 years through many many airports without a problem.) Was picked up at Don Muang Domestic by some Jobsworth <DELETED> and confiscated! The Toyota key on the same key chain is about twice the size of the knife and I am sure would do a lot more damage, but no, this BASTARD spotted the penknife on my key fob and it was either go back and check in my bag or dump the penknife.

Pissed off as I was was, I dumped the knife, a lot of history went with that, so there you go, I did manage to call the staff "deleted" before walking away, not really compensation but it made me feel better.

[NanLaew]

Why is it always a CNX'er that has 'problems'?

[Kaalle]

You had a pocket knife confiscated at the airport? I presume it was post 9/11? And you where upset about this?

Congrats on the passport anyhow.

[MAJIC]

Dont blame Security at Airports,anywhere around the wourld,blame the ones that make it all necessary, such as ISIS! and other Terorrorists until we no longer have to protect ourselves when travelling by air,then, this is our future! get used to it! a change will not happen over night.

Let's all of us cut back on oil consumption starting now! which is the basic underlying root of all the inherent problems. of the SimpleLife,Camels,Tents,Oasis,Culture different from most of the world? was no problem! but now is,such is the shift of power,which oil wealth can create in a very short time!

Edited October 1, 2015 by MAJIC

[blackcab]

It's a matter of perspective. You think the 400b charge for a certified translation was a scam. 400b is about the going rate. How much would it have cost you to rebook the appointment and travel again? Personally I would be grateful the Trendy staff pointed out your error and helped you resolve the situation.

I can also see that you are upset at having your small knife confiscated at airport security. I'm sure you understand why it was confiscated, and that you have to take personal responsibility for your actions. You took a knife somewhere any reasonable person knows you shouldn't.

Edited October 2, 2015 by blackcab

[Soutpeel]

Dont know why he needed his long birth certifcate for a renewal...its never been needed once you have had your first pp issued...and on the "scam" UK license proves nothing as regards proving an address in Thailand and Thai license correctly would need translating as the address is in Thai, trendy do not have the final say on acceptabilty of documents and one suspects the pp office in the UK is thin on Thai language readers...so it seems to me the OP was ill prepared and doesnt understand the intent of why certain documents are required...but yet he blames someone else and starts howling scam because of his own lack of preparation

As regards the "knife" incident...the less said the better me thinks but calling people ****** who are only trying to their job really shows the "class" of the OP...another quality tourist living in Thailand

and OMG they kept him waiting 15 minutes

Edited October 3, 2015 by Soutpeel

[PREM-R]

Slightly off topic but I notice that one of the documents that is acceptable for proof of address when renewing a passport is "letter sent to you from a central, regional or local government department". I am presuming that would mean a UK government department and that a pension forecast letter from the UK state pension office(Newcastle) would be acceptable, if dated less than one year ago. Has anyone on the forum successfully used such a document as proof of their address? Thanks

[billd766]

Is there a list of documents anywhere that VFS require to renew a UK passport?

Has anyone renewed a UK childs passport recently?

My son is now 12 and I want to renew his UK passport sometime.

We have a UK birth certificate for him plus his old passport but everything else will be in Thai and that will need to be translated somewhere in BKK presumeably as we live in Nakhon Nowhere.

[partington]

Slightly off topic but I notice that one of the documents that is acceptable for proof of address when renewing a passport is "letter sent to you from a central, regional or local government department". I am presuming that would mean a UK government department and that a pension forecast letter from the UK state pension office(Newcastle) would be acceptable, if dated less than one year ago. Has anyone on the forum successfully used such a document as proof of their address? Thanks

Yes this is not only acceptable, but the most ideal document you could have, as it requires no translation, is from the UK government, and even contains your NI number.

I used the same for my passport renewal there about five weeks ago.

[PREM-R]

Thank you for the response, good to know that the pension forecast letter is acceptable. Thanks

[PREM-R]

Is there a list of documents anywhere that VFS require to renew a UK passport?

Has anyone renewed a UK childs passport recently?

My son is now 12 and I want to renew his UK passport sometime.

We have a UK birth certificate for him plus his old passport but everything else will be in Thai and that will need to be translated somewhere in BKK presumeably as we live in Nakhon Nowhere.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/462243/OS_Guidance_Gp2_09.15.PDF

[billd766]

Is there a list of documents anywhere that VFS require to renew a UK passport?

Has anyone renewed a UK child's passport recently?

My son is now 12 and I want to renew his UK passport sometime.

We have a UK birth certificate for him plus his old passport but everything else will be in Thai and that will need to be translated somewhere in BKK presumeably as we live in Nakhon Nowhere.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/462243/OS_Guidance_Gp2_09.15.PDF

Thank you for the link.

In your post #7 you mention proof of address and a letter from a UK authority.

For my son it looks as though a school report should suffice according to annex "A" of the guide.

The alternative is a resident permit and I assume that the blue book for the house is what they mean.

I might send an email to VFS as it is a passport renewal for my son and not a first passport.

[Jip99]

Is there a list of documents anywhere that VFS require to renew a UK passport?

Has anyone renewed a UK childs passport recently?

My son is now 12 and I want to renew his UK passport sometime.

We have a UK birth certificate for him plus his old passport but everything else will be in Thai and that will need to be translated somewhere in BKK presumeably as we live in Nakhon Nowhere.

You won't need the birth certificate Bill.

The old passport satisfies ID requirements and address verification will be for you (as you are applying on your son's behalf). You MAY need a countersignatory unless your son can be recognised from his old photo. (countersignatory automatically required for under 12's).

Lucky you going to Bangkok twice in the space of a few weeks!!

Edited October 10, 2015 by Jip99

[billd766]

Is there a list of documents anywhere that VFS require to renew a UK passport?

Has anyone renewed a UK childs passport recently?

My son is now 12 and I want to renew his UK passport sometime.

We have a UK birth certificate for him plus his old passport but everything else will be in Thai and that will need to be translated somewhere in BKK presumeably as we live in Nakhon Nowhere.

You won't need the birth certificate Bill.

The old passport satisfies ID requirements and address verification will be for you (as you are applying on your son's behalf). You MAY need a countersignatory unless your son can be recognised from his old photo. (countersignatory automatically required for under 12's).

Lucky you going to Bangkok twice in the space of a few weeks!!

Thanks for that info and he has changed a bit as he was 2 for the first passport and he is 12 now. We know a guy at the bank and also a doctor at the hospital who could countersign.

The hotel I stay at in BKK is at the far end of Sukhumvit and about 150 metres from the BTS station and 2 years ago was 900 baht per night including breakfast and hotel parking. Luxury it ain't but the food is good and the room is OK and includes free wifi.