Renew UK passport - any Phuket agents ?

[LivinginKata]

My UK passport expires in 3+ months so I am making plans to renew. I thought we DHL to Liverpool passport office (before was Hong Kong - sigh sigh). But now I find I have to use the official UK agent in Bangkok (Suk 13), I don't mind flying up to process the supporting paperwork & photo, but then I have to fly up again to get the new passport (with old passport in hand).

 

Question - any board member doe this recently and has any tips and is there a Phuket agency that can handle this hassle ?  I know it's a long shot. Thanks.

 

 

[dabhand]

I have heard that Key Visa of Pattaya can arrange for a UK passport renewal by mail. This appears to include both the application and collection actions. Their fee is quite chunky - Bt5,000 - but if it saves 2no trips from Phuket it may be seen as reasonable.

 

https://www.keyvisathailand.com/services/renewing-uk-passport-thailand/

 

I have no connection with KV other than being a satisfied customer from a few years back when they arranged my UK pension letter.

 

[LivinginKata]

39 minutes ago, dabhand said:

I have heard that Key Visa of Pattaya can arrange for a UK passport renewal by mail. This appears to include both the application and collection actions. Their fee is quite chunky - Bt5,000 - but if it saves 2no trips from Phuket it may be seen as reasonable.

 

https://www.keyvisathailand.com/services/renewing-uk-passport-thailand/

 

I have no connection with KV other than being a satisfied customer from a few years back when they arranged my UK pension letter.

 

 

Thanks for that. Another member messaged me about Key Visa. I'd rather deal face to face in an office with a Phuket agent. It's not so much about cost more about lost time and hassle.   

 

Edit - plus I don't want to send my passport to an unknown place. Passport stays in my sweaty mitt :)

Edited August 15, 2017 by LivinginKata

[pagallim]

I did this back in April (passport expired in May).   Quite good service from VFS, the UK Embassy agent in BKK.   They're quite centrally located, in the Trendy Office building in Sukhumvit Soi 13 (a block from the Nana BTS).   Quite quick turnaround, with the passport ready for collection within 3 weeks.   First visit was a day visit, up in the morning, did the passport paperwork, nice lunch, and afternoon flight back to HKT.   Second visit I timed for a Sunday to catch the last day of the BKK Motor Show, overnight hotel, and picked up the new passport on the Monday morning.   No hassles on either occasion.

[LivinginKata]

3 minutes ago, pagallim said:

I did this back in April (passport expired in May).   Quite good service from VFS, the UK Embassy agent in BKK.   They're quite centrally located, in the Trendy Office building in Sukhumvit Soi 13 (a block from the Nana BTS).   Quite quick turnaround, with the passport ready for collection within 3 weeks.   First visit was a day visit, up in the morning, did the passport paperwork, nice lunch, and afternoon flight back to HKT.   Second visit I timed for a Sunday to catch the last day of the BKK Motor Show, overnight hotel, and picked up the new passport on the Monday morning.   No hassles on either occasion.

 

 Thanks pag - yes I got all the Trendy details and email to make appointment. I guess it a day trip away 2 times. Trouble is wife wants to accompany me and 'go shopping' plus stay a few days each time ... sigh sigh

[pagallim]

I stayed overnight at the Adelphi Suites, which is on Soi 8 very nearly opposite Soi 13.   Very good rooms and an excellent buffet breakfast.   Not cheap but recommended if you're staying for a few days.   Less than 100 metres from Nana BTS.

[pagallim]

Just remembered I took a short video of the Adelphi room:

 

 

[LivinginKata]

Nice suite pag, but the condo we stay at in BKK is better but further up the Suk numbers.  Mind you no breakfast service. Might check out the Adelphi.

Edited August 15, 2017 by LivinginKata

[schlog]

Reading this i will not complain more paid today here on hkt 8419 baht for new passport lol.

 

Sofitel is my favorite @ suk 13. Club is worth the money and the cheese room at Voila is worth a teardrop of joy.

[madmax2]

With a australian passport and visa you can use a courier service to return your passport and visa

Surprises me it cannot be done with a british passport or visa, you use the same office and service company in Bangkok 

[KarenBravo]

At Trendy, you must make an appointment and show up personally for the application.

Your new passport can be picked up by someone else if you sign a few forms.

[Jip99]

3 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

At Trendy, you must make an appointment and show up personally for the application.

Your new passport can be picked up by someone else if you sign a few forms.

 

Not quite true; you can authorize a 3rd party to present the application.

[LivinginKata]

2 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

At Trendy, you must make an appointment and show up personally for the application.

Your new passport can be picked up by someone else if you sign a few forms.

 

Correct  - but as I understand it the person picking up the new passport must show the original old passport.  No matter as I see now that I must show up Trendy 2 times ... oh well 

[LivinginKata]

1 minute ago, Jip99 said:

 

Not quite true; you can authorize a 3rd party to present the application.

 

But as I understand it they must present my original passport - no way I give my passport to an agent to take to BKK and back..

[Psimbo]

I find it ridiculous that they cannot EMS the new passport back, 2 trips to Bkk is ridiculous. Even using a budget airline the cost, in addition to what is effectively a double cost to UK renewal is huge.

 

I am exploring another (perfectly legal ) option as I am on a different passport at present. Interestingly from leaving Phuket to arriving back at the Post Office took ten days, not a number of weeks. I even got an email from the staff at the Embassy confirming that the paperwork was in order and the application was being processed.

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

But as I understand it they must present my original passport - no way I give my passport to an agent to take to BKK and back..

But then why are you looking for an agent?

[LivinginKata]

11 minutes ago, stevenl said:

But then why are you looking for an agent?

 

Sigh Sigh steven ... an agent who can witness my original passport, authenticate. and give back to me. Unlikely and I have given up on that idea .... Ok mai

[billythehat]

6 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

 Thanks pag - yes I got all the Trendy details and email to make appointment. I guess it a day trip away 2 times. Trouble is wife wants to accompany me and 'go shopping' plus stay a few days each time ... sigh sigh

Quite expensive now (£84 a year ago) and they’re a chipped document too which is supposed to expedite your process when coming through the UK immigration. The system doesn’t always work and you then have to join the 5 mile queue to go through the standard channels…

[Jip99]

5 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Correct  - but as I understand it the person picking up the new passport must show the original old passport.  No matter as I see now that I must show up Trendy 2 times ... oh well 

 

I used to use passport renewal as a reason to have a couple nights in Bangkok.

 

Going twice is a pain though so I used a local (Buriram) agent and they arranged payment, submission, collection and delivery by EMS.

[stevenl]

10 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Sigh Sigh steven ... an agent who can witness my original passport, authenticate. and give back to me. Unlikely and I have given up on that idea .... Ok mai

Ok, got it.

 

Wise to give up on that idea since it does not meet the requirements.

[LivinginKata]

Update - so I traveled up on 12 Sept. Paid only 2,200 baht return on AirAsia. Excellent service at Trendy Agent. New passport back to just 10 days later. I will pick up later this week. 

[Psimbo]

Mine went to the UK on 4 Sep by hand, along with online renewal form and photos (stamped in to Thailand on another passport at present).

 

New passport sent to UK address within 8 days of receipt, arrives by hand next week. Job jobbed and perfectly legal with no trips to Bangkok.

 

Total cost 85 quid plus UK postal rates.

 

As a bonus I renewed my driving licence at the same time and that is headed out as well. Not that it affected me this time but if you have one of the more recent passports you can apply for a new licence online and DVLA will access your picture held by the passport office.  Big Brother is out there and 7 quid cheaper than a postal application!

[xylophone]

Looks like I'm a bit late on this one LiK however for the record I did use Keyvisa in Pattaya and all seems to be well with passport being delivered to me today (hopefully!). 

 

Good service from these guys if anyone wants to know.

[brewsterbudgen]

14 hours ago, Psimbo said:

Mine went to the UK on 4 Sep by hand, along with online renewal form and photos (stamped in to Thailand on another passport at present).

 

New passport sent to UK address within 8 days of receipt, arrives by hand next week. Job jobbed and perfectly legal with no trips to Bangkok.

 

Total cost 85 quid plus UK postal rates.

 

As a bonus I renewed my driving licence at the same time and that is headed out as well. Not that it affected me this time but if you have one of the more recent passports you can apply for a new licence online and DVLA will access your picture held by the passport office.  Big Brother is out there and 7 quid cheaper than a postal application!

Are you sure this is legal?

[Psimbo]

 

21 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Are you sure this is legal?

Am I sure is legal? Absolutely, otherwise I would not have done it and then posted about it.

 

Thank you for your 'concern' though. 

[LivinginKata]

2 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

 

Am I sure is legal? Absolutely, otherwise I would not have done it and then posted about it.

 

Thank you for your 'concern' though. 

 

Yes, because you seem to have 2 passports. One still here in Thailand that keeps you legal here. Members should read posts more carefully.

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, Psimbo said:

 

Am I sure is legal? Absolutely, otherwise I would not have done it and then posted about it.

 

Thank you for your 'concern' though. 

No problem.  Always good to see other solutions offered.

[LivinginKata]

On 8/15/2017 at 2:25 PM, pagallim said:

I stayed overnight at the Adelphi Suites, which is on Soi 8 very nearly opposite Soi 13.   Very good rooms and an excellent buffet breakfast.   Not cheap but recommended if you're staying for a few days.   Less than 100 metres from Nana BTS.

 

Thanks for that tip pag.  Stayed there for the night with wife. Quite a squalid Soi 8 but Adelphi is an oasis of luxury. I would rate full 4 star. I booked a full suite that was impressive with a good value for money price. Breakfast buffet was the best I have had in along time. Well deserves it's Agoda 8.5 rating.