Meant to say that in my post that ideally wish to avoid trip to Bkk
But if I use local agent then I'm without passport for up to 13 weeks.
So how do I get money out of bank or send a parcel via Kerry or other such things in the ID obsessed Thailand?
And naturally if you use agent you must accept you ain't going anywhere for up to 13 weeks
Visa - I'm OK for about a year but what happens for 90 day report without passport. Do you get a temporary form stating its being renewed or something?
But if I went to Bkk is it all done and dusted in a day or two?
I sent the passport, photos, and forms via EMS to the agent. The 5,000 payment gets sent via bank transfer to the agent's Thai account when they confirm receipt of the passport.
The passport fee has to be paid with a UK credit/debit card, there is a separate form for that.
The agent should explain the entire process to you, this one in HH may be different from Key Visa.
No idea about the 90 days, I'd just take copies of everything and tell them its being renewed, they may fine you, they may not.
No - going to BKK won't make it any faster, the hold-up is on the UK side as nobody has gone back to work after Covid so there is a massive backlog due to staff shortages and more demand in summer.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
So, re 90day report i suppose one idea would be to wait until the day after report then do the passport renewal. That way you might hopefully get it back in time
Here's another thought, i was half thinking of going to UK for say Sept Oct(nb only half!) If i did then naturally was thinking of going to my local passport office for the day. But what would the passport renewal situation be like there based on your comments? Do you have any knowledge of that from your recent endeavours? It could be that a UK renewal is no easier than a renewal from Thailand, apart from post Uk/Thailand
It will be quicker obviously, but there are still the same delays and staff shortage issues - the problems are in the UK, not Thailand. We've been waiting 2 months for a tourist visa approval decision.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
I did mine myself 2 years ago (but I live only 3 hours away from BBK). Just went down to the Trendy building with the documents and it was easy as... service was fine.
Couple of things though, you'll need a second form of ID other than the passport, like a Thai driving licence or an official document with your address on it (at least I did)... used the Thai driving licence in my case.
As has been mentioned, beware the long waiting times but I've heard that UK passports being renewed from outside the UK are processed a little quicker, though no guarantee on that.
The passport office will give you 10 years from the date the new one is issued and you now longer get any of the time left on your old passport added to your new one when you apply (so, if you have 6 months left when you apply you will lose the remaining time when the new one is issued).
They are pretty anal about the photo, make sure it is within embassy parameters on a white background.
One last thing to consider is that if you leave it too late and have to renew your visa/work permit or whatever and have less than a year left on your passport, then immigration will not give you a year... only up to the expiry date of your passport.
Well, the above was the case when I did it, although more recent attempts by others may highlight new requirements.
Edit - Forgot to mention that I had to pay by credit card and there wasn't another option.
thecolonel wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:09 pm
Top Intel, thanks
So, re 90day report i suppose one idea would be to wait until the day after report then do the passport renewal. That way you might hopefully get it back in time
The 90 day online reporting appears to be working well now.
@thecolonel
You won't be without your passport any longer than it takes the agent to make the application. As it says in the ad the passport will be returned after application and needed again for cancellation when the new passport is collected.
buksida wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:11 pm
It will be quicker obviously, but there are still the same delays and staff shortage issues - the problems are in the UK, not Thailand. We've been waiting 2 months for a tourist visa approval decision.
ok, have messaged family/friends in UK for update on current situation there
hhinner wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:28 pm
@thecolonel
You won't be without your passport any longer than it takes the agent to make the application. As it says in the ad the passport will be returned after application and needed again for cancellation when the new passport is collected.
very good point well made!
i saw that but it failed to hit the target , so to speak!
hhinner wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:28 pm
You won't be without your passport any longer than it takes the agent to make the application. As it says in the ad the passport will be returned after application and needed again for cancellation when the new passport is collected.
Completely different from my experiences when the passport itself is sent away, leaving you without one for the duration (this was my son's so it didn't matter, but a friend also did the same thing with the same agent in March). They send you both the new and the old back via DHL.
Keeping the passport may be an option if you physically go to Bangkok yourself, I've only ever done the agent route because we live so far away and it would involve an overnight stay on top adding to the overall time/$$$.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Spitfire wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:15 pm
I did mine myself 2 years ago (but I live only 3 hours away from BBK). Just went down to the Trendy building with the documents and it was easy as... service was fine.
Couple of things though, you'll need a second form of ID other than the passport, like a Thai driving licence or an official document with your address on it (at least I did)... used the Thai driving licence in my case.
As has been mentioned, beware the long waiting times but I've heard that UK passports being renewed from outside the UK are processed a little quicker, though no guarantee on that.
The passport office will give you 10 years from the date the new one is issued and you now longer get any of the time left on your old passport added to your new one when you apply (so, if you have 6 months left when you apply you will lose the remaining time when the new one is issued).
They are pretty anal about the photo, make sure it is within embassy parameters on a white background.
One last thing to consider is that if you leave it too late and have to renew your visa/work permit or whatever and have less than a year left on your passport, then immigration will not give you a year... only up to the expiry date of your passport.
Well, the above was the case when I did it, although more recent attempts by others may highlight new requirements.
Edit - Forgot to mention that I had to pay by credit card and there wasn't another option.
thanks for very helpful post
But you dont mention how long the process took in total?
How long did you wait for new passport(albeit 2 years ago)?
I will now assume they gave you back the current one on that first visit and you had to return for new one X weeks later to cancel original
(Hence Buksi's earlier reference to two trips to BKK)
thanks to you and all, picture is becoming clearer for me
hhinner wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:28 pm
You won't be without your passport any longer than it takes the agent to make the application. As it says in the ad the passport will be returned after application and needed again for cancellation when the new passport is collected.
Completely different from my experiences when the passport itself is sent away, leaving you without one for the duration (this was my son's so it didn't matter, but a friend also did the same thing with the same agent in March). They send you both the new and the old back via DHL.
Keeping the passport may be an option if you physically go to Bangkok yourself, I've only ever done the agent route because we live so far away and it would involve an overnight stay on top adding to the overall time/$$$.
I assume the agent you used kept the passport for later cancellation and returned it with the new one. VFS return the passport after checking it. The agency in the ad thecolonel referred to is in HH so should be easy enough to get the passport from them if necessary.
