British Embassy improves turnaround time for some services

[lomuamart]

The turnaround time to get an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry letter has been improved recently,as was mentioned in this thread:
http://www.huahinafterdark.com/forum/vi ... =9&t=15860
Having been up there today, I can also confirm that the same day service is available for proof of income letters. Submit in the morning and collect after 1pm.
The lady actually said that they could turn it around in an afternoon as long as they weren't too busy, but you're obviously taking a chance on that.
Good news for the likes of me who again didn't get the letter using the EMS service. I'm really glad not to to have to get up again at 4am tomorrow. Everything was done and dusted between 8.30 am and 1.05 pm.

[Spitfire]

Good news Mr L and even better if you went up yourself today to find out firsthand. I'm guessing here, but maybe the shifting of passport renewal to Hong Kong has freed them up somewhat, at least in an administrative way, to deal with other consular services for UK nationals more effectively. I doubt the chaos downstairs of the visa application service for non UK nationals to travel to the UK has been lessened though.

[lomuamart]

Visa applications have been outsourced from The Embassy for a number of years, SF.
The consular building is as quiet as anything these days. The old, dreaded interview rooms are still there on the ground floor, but I doubt that they're used in such as inquisitive way any more.
Consular services are taken care of on the ground floor now. I'm not quite sure what happens on the first floor any more.

[Spitfire]

Ah, OK, seems like it's all change then. Must admit Mr L that's it's a few years since I've needed to go to the embassy, you know, once you get on a work permit or yearly renewal, it doesn't chew the space up so much in the passport.

However, I have to go in January as I'm maxed out for space now and have to go for a new one, so useful to know the feedback.

I just remembered that story 6 months or so ago about them sending passports to HK for issue instead of doing it in BBK but hard to figure out when they started doing that as it always says in the passport "Issued by - FCO" which could be anywhere, I suppose.

I've also noticed the price of a new passport...........