Renewing a UK passport in Thailand

[thecolonel]

i have just visited the Lady in the FB ad, that i posted earlier, at her Office in Soi 94 opp G Hotel Reception

Asked a few questions...

She confirmed that i will get my passport back as soon as she returns from taking it to Bkk with application form, so maybe even same day, but realistically next day

Current wait time for new UK passport is 11- 13 weeks, so can still use current to travel/go to bank/use for ID etc in meantime

Her next appointment at BKK Trendy House is 29 June so i have at least a week to consider my options

i also asked her about travelling on current passport whilst awaiting new one and its a good job i did!

Because from when the new passport arrives in Thailand you have 30 days only to collect and 'activate' it. In order to do that the old one is required to be presented.

So therefore once the process is started one needs to be very aware of when you may be travelling as whilst current passport still valid(provided within date) then the new one must be activated within 30 days otherwise it will be sent back and you have to start again. So need to be in HH approx 11- 17 weeks after application made, or so i am advised.

Cant just go off travelling after application made willy nilly and pick it up whenever you fancy returning

As i say this is what im told, anyone know different?

[Gregjam]

I renewed my British passport myself starting the process in December 2021 and it took the quoted 10 weeks to process. Used my Thai driving licence as proof of my address and downloaded the forms from the UK government website. Throughout all of this I retained my still valid passport and it was cancelled by cutting the corner off when they gave me the new passport.
From an administration perspective it went as expected although it pays to be aware of what May happen during the ten week wait. In my case it meant that my visa extension which had to be done prior to the new passport arriving was only until the expiry date of the old passport (seven months instead of a full year). This will have a knock on effect of me hoping to get back from my next contract before the extension expiry or have to start the process again. It also, combined with COVID travel restrictions at the time, meant I was unable to be in the UK for personal reasons and only travelled once I had the new passport and had transferred the visa extension over to it. This was a simple procedure done at the local immigration office with the form supplied with the new passport, the usual amounts of photocopies and the administration fee.
At no time was I without a valid passport and apart from being the usual tree destroying photocopy fest the process was straightforward. It sounds like the agent is an option if you don’t want to go to Bangkok and what the agent is saying matches my experience.

[thecolonel]

So.... when i get my new passport i then have to got to Immigration to get the visa stamp transferred?

I do see the logic in that, ie its not the concern of the Passport Office

I wonder if Bluport could take care of that, i know they dont do 1 year visa extension but this is simply transferring a valid visa from an old passport to new. More of an admin thing

[HHTel]

Transferring the visa etc does sound like simplicity but when I did mine it took an age with multiple stamps and computer checks. But it has to be done along with 500 baht!
It covered 3 pages of multiple stamps and signatures.

[thecolonel]

Ref the photo(very poor quality - apologies) below I just thought that these 3 points were worth noting

1. Min 2 years rule for countersignatory to have known you

2. If they not UK passport holder you need a colour copy of their main page

3. If they non UK passport the application will take longer



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[sateeb]

/\ My last 2 renewals have not required any countersignatory. I think the rules are that if your appearance has not radically changed it's not needed. I am currently awaiting my renewal, it's passed muster and been sent to the UK for processing.

[HHTel]

ou must get your paper form and one of your 2 print photos signed if you’re applying for a:

first adult passport
first child passport
replacement for a lost, stolen or damaged passport
renewal of a passport for a child aged 11 or under
renewal of a passport if your appearance has changed and you cannot be recognised from your existing passport

https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

[thecolonel]

/\ My last 2 renewals have not required any countersignatory. I think the rules are that if your appearance has not radically changed it's not needed. I am currently awaiting my renewal, it's passed muster and been sent to the UK for processing.

Sateeb, after googling this specific point it would appear that you're correct.

I was going by what visa lady said, and the form she provided had details of the countersignatory to be provided(but I now see in small print... "if a countersignatory is required" )

Not only that but she verbally stated I needed someone know me 2 years and preferably British

When I checked the gov website yesterday my eyes were immediately and only drawn to the 2 year rule ref new passports. I didn't see any distinction reference renewals. My bad!

But I now see, that above that section posted yesterday) the wording relating to renewals and the words circled in the photo below

So yes, based on that I do agree with what you're saying and I will inform visa lady that unless "not recognisable from previous photo" then countersignatory is not required for renewals.

Thanks



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[thecolonel]

Ps to above

I cant attach photo for some odd reason today??

But HHTel post above shows the key wording



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[GroveHillWanderer]

An interesting statement after (I think it was) spitfire said they are pretty anal about the photo:

a device that takes digital photos (like a smartphone, tablet or digital camera) and someone to take your photo

I used a selfie that I took with my smartphone for my passport renewal earlier this year. I was a little worried in case they didn't accept it, but it worked perfectly well.

[GroveHillWanderer]

So yes, based on that I do agree with what you're saying and I will inform visa lady that unless "not recognisable from previous photo" then countersignatory is not required for renewals.

Thanks

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Like @sateeb, I didn't use a countersignatory on my renewal - again, no problems.

[thecolonel]

So yes, based on that I do agree with what you're saying and I will inform visa lady that unless "not recognisable from previous photo" then countersignatory is not required for renewals.

Thanks

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Like @sateeb, I didn't use a countersignatory on my renewal - again, no problems.

Thanks for double confirmation guys

I'm a bit miffed with visa lady, she had me running round like a headless chicken yesterday afternoon trying to find a Brit whose known me min 2 years to sign a form that says it's a criminal offence to make a false statement!

She really should know better

Anyway, onwards and upwards

Thanks

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[thecolonel]

My agent assured me that during application process not only would i get my current passport back but that i could travel to another country on it too(just needed to be back for collection 'window' of 30 days from arrival of new one)

Was involved in some FB chatter yesterday with some guys(one Aussie i think) who strongly believe you cannot make foreign travel during whole application process

I have been around the net and UK passport site and im still not seeing it in crystal clear words whether i can or not

One section said dont leave the UK, but im not in UK

Also this ....

Do not book travel until you have a valid passport - your new passport will not have the same number as your old one.

But im told my current passport is valid until new one is collected and then corners are cut. So what is the defintion of "valid".They need to make that clear

What im not seeing is .....once you apply to renew your passport, you will NOT be able to travel internationally until your new passport has been collected and your old passport has been cancelled. During renewal process your current passport can only be used for identification purposes only and not for travel to other countries

Something like that ....

Has anyone on here travelled to another country while applying or can clarify in anyway?

This is important to me as i may wait until i know im going to be here for 4 months solid but equally ideally id like to get this done and out of the way now

Concerned re Agent doesnt really know the full details (as she was wrong about countersignatory for renewal)

TIA
Confused.com

[sateeb]

/\ I must say that I was a bit concerned with your initial post. Am I right in assuming that you have not had previous dealings with this agent? With an important document like ones passport I would never engage the services of an untested agent, hence the reason I used Key Visa in Patts. It was no great hardship for me to travel down there and return to collect as I don't trust the Thai postal system(previous bad experiences with EMS).

The countersignatory mishap with the agent would have been a massive red flag.

I'm sure in the end all will be well, as for travelling with your soon to be replaced passport I wouldn't risk it without first contacting the Embassy Bangkok.DocumentaryServices@fcdo.gov.uk

[hhinner]

My agent assured me that during application process not only would i get my current passport back but that i could travel to another country on it too(just needed to be back for collection 'window' of 30 days from arrival of new one)

Was involved in some FB chatter yesterday with some guys(one Aussie i think) who strongly believe you cannot make foreign travel during whole application process

I have been around the net and UK passport site and im still not seeing it in crystal clear words whether i can or not

One section said dont leave the UK, but im not in UK

Also this ....

Do not book travel until you have a valid passport - your new passport will not have the same number as your old one.

But im told my current passport is valid until new one is collected and then corners are cut. So what is the defintion of "valid".They need to make that clear

What im not seeing is .....once you apply to renew your passport, you will NOT be able to travel internationally until your new passport has been collected and your old passport has been cancelled. During renewal process your current passport can only be used for identification purposes only and not for travel to other countries

Something like that ....

Has anyone on here travelled to another country while applying or can clarify in anyway?

This is important to me as i may wait until i know im going to be here for 4 months solid but equally ideally id like to get this done and out of the way now

Concerned re Agent doesnt really know the full details (as she was wrong about countersignatory for renewal)

TIA
Confused.com

https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/ove ... enew/adult

You can’t travel with it after you’ve applied for a new one - but you will be able to keep your existing passport for ID purposes.

Seems clear enough. I expect that at some stage during renewal your passport details are updated in one or more databases which foreign immigration services may have access to.