Changes to British Passport Services in Thailand
Applying for a new British passport in Thailand has just got easier. Or at least for those of us who live near Bangkok. And from next month it will be 2,423 Baht cheaper. I just received three press releases from the British Embassy which explains some recent changes:
Changes to British Passport Services in Thailand: From 26 March 2014, British nationals should submit their passport application, in person by appointment only, to the UK Visa Application Centre in Bangkok. The application will then be sent on to Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK for processing. All the information needed to complete the passport application process, including the address and contact details for the UK Visa Application Centre, is available on the GOV.UK website. Those who cannot find the information on the website can call the Passport Advice line on +44 300 222 0000 (operates from 8am-8pm UK time) or e-mail [email protected].
The Visa Application Centre in Bangkok is moving at the end of this month. The press release for that is here. But it is still advisable to click on the link above to check latest details.
From March 31, the UK visa application centre in Bangkok will relocate to bigger and better premises at:
Trendy Office Building,
28th Floor,
Sukhumvit Road Soi 13,
Klongtoey Nua, Wattana,
Bangkok, 10110,
Thailand
The final press release is the good news that the cost of renewing your British passport will go down in April.
Reduction in passport fees for UK citizens overseas: From 7 April the passport fee for customers applying for a UK passport overseas will be reduced by £45 for adults and £28.50 for children. The new fees are as follows: Adult 32 page passport £83.00 Child 32 page passport £53.00 Jumbo 48 page passport £91.00 (Child and Adult). This reduction comes as a result of efficiency savings made over the last 3 years by bringing back the processing and issuing of overseas passports to the UK, whilst maintaining the highest levels of security and customer service.
Well, after waiting 12 weeks now for a new passport and after no reply to an email to the Liverpool HMPO stating my urgency for a new passport, I’ve just written an email to the Passport Office Chief Executive Paul Pugh.
Let’s see if that gets me anywhere!
Get a family member back home to get on to a local MP… Get them to get a team member to get onto the passport office (via their special hotline number) and see where you go. I’m not sure it was what did the job for me as it was due anyway but mine appeared pretty quickly after that
What Beep Beep, educated Idiot thought of this new idea about renewing your UK Passport, at Bang/kok ??????????????
Bet the Rental cost for the new offices are SKY HIGH.
I arrived in Thailand many years ago, with a few years left on my Passport. Renewed my old passport at Wireless Road, No Probs’
Last time I renewed my present passport through a reputable agent in Pattaya.Via Hong Kong at the time. Passport returned NO PROBLEMS
HOLLAND, BELGUIM, GERMANY Require a Finger Print,on Application
What more Proof do you need, when renewing your passport in the Future??????? Reading some of the comments, it appears the Employees at the Dept., don’t seem to have a good Command of the QUEENS ENGLISH
It’s Easier for Illegals to get into the UK,(no paport no address)
I received my new passport from Trendy building a few days ago.
All in all, about 6 weeks, which is in the timeframe they told me the day I applied.
Good for you. I’ve been waiting 11 weeks now :-0
I applied in person on 15th May in Bangkok. At the time the turnaround was 4 weeks. I was told that proof of address was not required as the application and collection are done in person.
On 11 July, 4 days short of 2 months since I submitted the application, I received an email requiring proof of address. I had my employer send a letter to my address. Hope this is proof enough. This has caused me no-end of issues.
what did you get your employer to write in the letter i think i will do that
what did you get your employer to write in the letter i think i will do that.
I just got the firm to state start-date. I really don’t think that the Passport office are interested in the contents of the letter, more interested in the envelope with an address stating your name and address with the postage marks.
I am really pissed that it took to months to inform me that I was missing a supporting document, especially since I enquired and was told proof of address was not required.
having big probs getting proof of address.no bank account and i live in my gf condo.any ideas as my passport will expie soon
Martin,
All you have left is a visit to local government office ( Ampur ), they will give you a letter confirming you live at your girlfriends house. You will need copies of your passport, girlfriends ID card and the blue book for house, you may now need the number one from your village (mayor} to be there. If the blue book is in say her mothers name, she will have to go with you. I have now done it 5 times as I need it for visa. Your next task is getting it translated to English. For passport however I had letters from HMRC.
sorry.should have said my pp has expired and the condo is a rental in her name.should not have let it happen but i have terminal cancer and need to get home for treatment,if i dont need proof of address will sleep easier.
Martin, you need proof of address, if you can’t get you can get a temp passport to get you home, good luck
Go to the British Embassy they will give you the necessary paperwork to go home. You probaly have to show passport and maybe proof of your illness. I wish you well.
If you are established at a more permanent address you can go to your local Amphur’s Offices and they will issue you with a Yellow Book. I have one and very useful it is too for things like making your 90 report or getting a drivers licence.
It is the same as the Blue Book that all Thai’s have which establishes their address and registration on the electoral role. It doesn’t give foreigners the right to vote of course but it does clearly and officially establish their place of residence.
people on previous comments said that they dont need proof of address anymore because you apply and pick up in person now
I had an official email from HMPO requesting proof of address
i take it a letter from my employer would be ok
Hahaha, just realized, I applied APRIL 30th not May. So, you’re right Dave! And probably another month…and I just received an email from Liverpool stating I didn’t include ‘proof of address’ so could I go back to the Bangkok office with the documents!
Just to say, I applied for my new passport on May 30th, and I’m still waiting………
Had to get onto a local MP at home to get mine pushed through quicker. They have a special hot line phone number! Total wait time was nearly 3 months though. April 9th to July 2nd.. Made my trip to Laos with no days to spare…
Could be looking at at least another month Paul 🙁
Two days after I sent my application off, the embassy were offering free 12 month extensions to your existing passports. Sods law.
I got my application sent off on 3rd June. It arrived in Liverpool 5th June.
I *THINK* the money was debited from my account on 9th June. You can never quite tell in the Bankok Bank Passbooks.
Heard nothing back since.
Have to be best man at my friends wedding on August 4th. Not looking promising.
You need to be careful if you are relying on the 12 month extension, as it is not accepted everywhere. There is a list of 50 countries which accept it, few of them being in Asia.
It doesn’t matter anyway, you cannot get a 12 month extension after you have applied for a new passport.
An update- I went down yesterday at 08:30 without an appointment, hoping I could get in. I was told, no, I have to have an appointment, and they currently have a 3-4 week wait just to make the submission, plus at least 9 weeks for the passport. However, if I come back ‘before 3 pm’ I might be able to get in today!
I went back at 2:30 and sure enough, I got to go in and make the submission, which took no time at all! The staff were very helpful and friendly, but not thorough at all.
I was just asked for photocopies of the passport, and the photographs. I said, do you want the address proof? The girl said, if you have it, yes.
My address proof is only bank statements, and my rental agreement, so I am hoping it’s enough, but these young kids don’t really know.
I said- don’t yopu want the credit card payment form too, and the girl said- oh yes, give it to me!
Anyway, fingers crossed!!
F฿฿k it everyone overstay and send HMPO the bill . Bunch of useless tossers .
Payment help pleaseeeeee
My appointment email says bring proof of payment and states the gov website address yet the website states print out payment form
Can someone please help my appointment is 8;30
How do I pay before help !!!!
My view is they just don’t know what they are doing. I printed out the credit card payment form , filled it in and handed it over. No problem.
is it true that you no longer need proof of address to renew your passport?
I wasn’t asked for proof of address when I applied. I think it’s because you now have to collect the new passport in person. They don’t post them any more.
The guidence notes for applying for a passport from Thailand are quite clear and required. There are a number of documents listed you can use. Trendy are only confirming identity. You run the risk of receiving a request from UK for this information. However there is a historic backlog in UK and some security checks may be waivered.
We submitted the paperwork for my daughters British Passport renewal at Trendy House last Monday (June 9). We used her Thai ‘housebook’ entry translated by the Ampur’s office and officially stamped by them for the proof of address.
We were very careful to ensure that all the documentation listed as required was available. In these cases I always work on the basis of giving them everything I can think of whether they say they need it or not.
We requested an appointment by e-Mail and had an answer almost by return. She was in and out of the Visa Office in Soi 13 inside 30 minutes with the documentation checked and a DHL receipt. She keeps her old passport because it still has 2 months to run and she needs to present it when the new one is ready for pickup. I guess they will then cut the corner off to cancel it.
Having seen the photographs in the UK papers yesterday it seems that the backlog is being caused solely by expatriate passport renewals. The majority of the boxes shown were orange coloured (for expats) whilst there seemed to be only 1-2 white (UK) boxes. It proves my point that it was a very silly move to stop British embassies worldwide being able to handle passport renewals themselves – some civil servants bright idea I guess.
Anyway – we shall now wait and see just how long it is going to take for the new passport to arrive in Bangkok.
i agree they should be doing them here. I have a job waiting for me and ill loose it if i cant sort out my new visa on time my passport got stolen so i cant do nothing until i get my new one its rediculous
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/leaked-pictures-reveal-backlog-passport-3673544
That’s where all your passports are.. The orange boxes are the overseas ones.. That is a disgrace over half a million
They are deliberately leaving the overseas ones, because the staff at the passport office are saying ‘it’s not my job’.
The government won’t admit it, but its a form of industrial action, and we are the pawns.
The British Ambassador Mark Kent has just replied to this problem on Twitter saying if you need to travel and don’t have your new passport then you can go to the embassy to get an emergency travel document:
RT @KentBKK: If you need to travel and don’t have your passport please get in touch with Emb about an ETD
That’s all well and good but will it be acceptable to use one in Laos to get a tourist visa and come back into Thailand? And will they be waiving the cost due to their total incompetence? I have already paid for one emergency passport! I’ve followed exactly what I was told to do. I have spent over 300 pounds trying to get my passport! How can I contact the ambassador?
Can i contact him via email or would it have to be twitter? Thanks in advance
I think you need to start offering advice for people who do not want to travel but want to renew their visas and continue their life in Thailand.
What should we do when our visas expire and we become illegals liable to arrest, imprisonment and deportation?
Seriously. Please offer sensible advice.
Royce, I am in the situation waiting for my passport so I can extend my visa. I have consulted a lawyer. There is nothing I can do but pay the overstay fine when I do a visa run. Arrest, deportation, or imprisonment is unlikely. Sleep soundly 🙂
Could we not pay for an emergency passport? As long as it’s valid for 2 journeys ie out and back in?
My understanding is I need at least 6 months validity on my passport to enter Thailand and 12 or 18 months validity to get the 12 month visa I need. I think the emergency passport is just to get you back to the UK. That’s not a place I want to go 😉
I understand lol 🙂 I came here on an emergency passport from Australia (although I am talking about UK passport and I am British) they gave me 9 months validity but only valid tor one journey to Thailand as I’d only booked a 1 way flight to Thailand. I will have had 3 months so if Im in a position now as I defo can’t afford to go home and back and my passport is getting sent to Oz but I can’t really go back there either! As long as we can go out and back in on an emergency passport, and get 60 days that’s better than an overstay and surely they’ll have our passports out by then?…. You think lol??? Will have been 5 months by then!!! A#*% holes
Well I’m now more confused than ever….Dave does your post above mean they are being turned around in 10 days ? I’m currently in bali with few pages left and it looks like Bangkok is my best option….but entering on a visa on arrival wouldn’t give me time……unless the 10 day turnaround is true …..getting very anxious ….
No, I’m saying I have read Australian and American passport holders can get theirs turned around quickly. British people have been facing waits of up to,10-12 weeks. So forget it!! I’ve been waiting 9… It still hasn’t even been processed 🙁
UK Passport Office is in meltdown!
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/10/passport-office-photographs-row-delays
I’ve been waiting over 6 weeks now. It’s costing me 500 Baht a day in fines for overstay which I can do nothing about until I get my new passport.
Lucky if you can even look at that link mate! Was blocked by Thai censorship on my notebook! Mate of mine back in the UK is just missing his mates wedding and a holiday thanks to the delays
i will be in your situation soon
I’m just pointing out that compared to US and Australia our passport renewal system is a shambles Nichola….
Now being reported…. Massive delays. Due to job cuts and the relocation back to UK cited as the cause of the problem. (with Hong Kong being considered the biggest problem) US and Australian expats are said to be able to get their passports turned round in 10 days…
Finally ive had an email today saying my passport is there to pick up..
for any of you are waiting , i applied on April 10th.. so its took 9 weeks..
Great news David!
The next question is have you got to apply for a new visa because the one in your old passport isn’t transferable.
Funny enough I extend my marriage extension next week on the 17th June so I’m very lucky that the passport has come just on time.. My new extension will just go into my new passport as normal so there will be no problems.. For others waiting then I feel your anguish as I’ve been worried that it would not arrive on time..
david can i ask you something, on their appointment email they said they would need to have proof of payment first and to pay online did you just fill in the credit card form and hand that in?
also my passport has been lost does anyone know if i fly from phuket can i use a copy of my passport page and the police report as proof of ID?
Hi Cherry..
When I went to Trendy house they gave me a form to fill in . You just put your bank debit card details on there and they debited it out of my bank one week later..
This is wild!
I have emailed for an appointment last Friday, I received an acknowledgement the email was read on Friday.
We are now Wednesday of the following week! No answer for the appointment.
Passport was damaged by flooding and I need urgent replacement as immigration won’t accept it for Visa renewal.
Why can’t we book appointment slots online?
What is this? The middle ages? Subcontracting?
No!, back to the dark ages in my opinion!
Why can’t we go the Consulate in Chiang Mai anymore?
They say the system is more efficient and cheaper! = I am laughing!
Add two return flights from CNX to BKK to your passport cost and 6 to 8 weeks instead of 4 previously.
Bureaucracy at it’s best (or is it worst?)
Sincerely ashamed to be British in this case!
See reply comments above!
Everyone seems to be doing what Brian did. Just turn up at Trendy with with all the paper work and they will see you.
i emailed them this morning got a reply tonight although dont know why they asked for 3 dates they had none of them dates and gave me a date that was 2 weeks earlier
Hi MartinG,
The money was taken out on 26th March, I am aware I cannot travel on the old passport. The renewal procedure when I applied has since changed. Unfortunately I am unable to find out if the replacement will be sent directly to me (as in the old procedure) or to the Wendy House (new procedure).
The Passport advice line and Liverpool office are very unhelpful. I can only get an automated reply from Liverpool stating ‘it will hopefully be with you shortly’. They will only give DHL tracking number 15 days after it has been posted.
My existing passport expires the day after tomorrow. I do not want to be here illegally. This morning I have asked for assistance from the British Consulate in Bangkok as I am at a loss at to what I should do.
I agree the system is in a real mess. It is sad how badly British Citizens are treated by the UK, one reason I live in Thailand.
It may have got “lost in the post”.
Or maybe a Syrian will be arriving soon at Heathrow under the name “Tim”.
It won’t be sent to you..you have to go back to Bangkok to get it..
You can actually just turn up at the office in Bangkok. It doesn’t make any difference if you do make an appointment!
I went there on 30 April, my credit card was debited on 8 May and am still waiting to hear that my passport is ready for collection.
Has anyone had any success in getting a new passport recently?
Went April 10th and still no passport arrived back yet
I applied for a replacement red UK passport over 10 weeks ago. DHL delivered it to the Liverpool office on March 24th. I still have not received the replacement and my existing passport and Visa expires in 2 days on 5th June.
I have repeatedly called the UK Passport advice line but am unable to speak to anyone who basically cares. I’ve explained the situation as best I can, even highlighting the Marshall Law requiring I carry my passport at all time, but to no avail. The best I got are automatic emails from the Liverpool saying quote ‘it will hopefully be with you shortly’!
I will call the UK Embassy in BKK today but am not holding out much hope. My O/A Visa will also expire in 2 days and I suspect I will have to go back to UK and re-apply all over again.
Friends who renewed their passport in February received the replacement in 4 weeks. There was no indication when applying that the passport replacement procedure was having problems. I would have applied earlier if I had known. It is sad that British Citizens are treated so badly by their own country.
Have they debited your credit card? If they have then you can’t travel internationally with it because it is effectively canceled.
You could apply for an emergancy travel document, that will get you back to the UK but that doesn’t help because mean time your new one may arrive at Wendy house.
Have you tried emailing Wendy house [email protected] ?
Some passports are comming through that were applied for in early April.
It’s a real mess.
Has anyone recently received notification that their new passport has arrived? I applied on 30 April and they have debited my credit card. Hopefully it’s just a matter of waiting a little longer.
Word of warning to anyone applying… I have no idea what’s going on at Liverpool but I applied from Australia before coming to Thailand, I traveled on an emergency passport giving them 3 months to sort my passport. They received my ‘declaration form’ nearly 2 months ago. It’s not been dispatched, and I’ve had no correspondence. No idea why I’m paying them. (Considering their providing a service) Shambles… 🙁
I applied on April the 10th and havestillhad no reply.. It’s a total disgrace that they can’t deliver a book thattheybasically only put one page in of your pic and info in 8 weeks.. I’m fuming and also worried as I have to do my marriage extension in 1 week.. A total fking disgrace is what it is..
I don’t have a credit/debit card! How can I pay will they take an International bankers draft in sterling?
The answer appears to be yes, pick up this thread at thaivisa.com.
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719589-british-passport-no-credit-card/?p=7703466
I was told by the passport office uk that you can only pay by credit or debit card. However these are not to hard to obtain from thai banks
this is my problem too ive just got my mum to get me a pre-paid credit card from uk it was 4 pound she is giving me a suppliment card so im going to put the money on that to do it
Hi ,I have read all the posts and wonder if I am the only one who receives new tax codes each year fromUK
Which is proof of address.i am on UK state pension. Some have said it is not needed but I will take anyway.
One thing I am not sure of is I need a new passport for my son who is six and he doesn’t have to go with me but I have read that his two photo’s have to be signed on the back ,can anyone confirm this . Cheers pete
For your information:
http://www.chiangraitimes.com/united-kingdom-and-australia-officially-unveiled-new-joint-visa-center-in-bangkok.html
I applied onthe 10th of April and with no proof of address and still waiting for my passport to arrive.. They have debited my money out of mybank for my passport back in England already.. Also you dont have to go back to pick it up.. somebody else czn do it for you.. Im sending the sister in law to get it..
Hi,
Okay, i will be renewing my passport as i am running out of pages. I have a visa on arrival but will be starting work soon and applying for a B visa and then a Work visa. My question is: what do i do with my old visa? Can i use the old passport until the visa runs out and then apply for a visa in my new passport? Or do i transfer the visa on arrival into my new passport (which i doubt i can)! Any help is appreciated. I’ll be applying in the next two weeks! I can’t fathom how and what i do with the old passport and visa! If i apply for a B visa can i just show my old passport and dates and then apply in the new passport for the B visa! Complicated indeed.
Regards and thanks in advance for any tips and news.
Nathan.
Hi Nathan , Richard seems pretty sure that they no longer transfer visa to your new passport and that you have to apply for a new visa, However just last week immigration official in samut prakan confirmed that I can just transfer my visa to my new passport..
I will go to check again on wednesday!
Fingers crossed all goes well for you. I am in the same position as you, kind of. My passport hasn’t expired, just full so have applied for a new one. My retirement visa is valid for another nine months so hope I can get it transferred!
Fingers crossed all goes well for you. I am in the same position as you, kind of. My passport hasn’t expired, just full so have applied for a new one. My retirement visa is valid for another nine months so hope I can get it transferred 😮
update, my visa was transfered but as stated by richard my extension of stay was granted before the end of last year.. If yours was granted after that then you can no longer transfer your visa to new passport.
Thanks for the clarification Richard, good knowledge as always
just to thank all posters VERY much. I’ve not been to BKK yet, but i’m not viewing the whole procedure with as much trepidation as i was a month or so back. I’m in Hua Hin and i’ll try and get there and back via the airport on the fancy coach and skytrain. If i can add anything intelligent later on this and associated visa topics i will. regards jonathan
I have copied all the pages of my passport, 4 pages per A4. Will they accept or be pedantic, one page one copy
I copied 2 passport pages per A4 which seemed to be ok. I doubt it matters how many pages per A4. The important thing is to copy EVERY page! I think there were 16 pages in my passport.
Correction – I copied 34 pages from my passport. Everything except the cover on the outside!There is a copy place on the ground floor if you need it. I had to go there because I didnt bother to copy the text pages! Good luck! It will be fine.
THANKS FOR YOUR FOLLOW UP COMMENTS BY EMAIL.
CHEERS,
STEVEN TAN.
Good news about proof of address.
Next issue for me is will my existing visa and extension still be valid if I carry my old passport with the new one until the next extension is due in Dec?
If I cannot transfer the visa but have to make a new visa application when the new passport is issued I will not have had sufficient funds in the bank 90 days beforehand.
Also my yearly extension to the visa under Married to Thai Spouse currently allows me to extend with 400,000 B. in the bank. Will new application mean it becomes 800,000?
Clint, I’m going to be in the same position as you (retirement visa for me). As visas apparently can’t be transfered,at this moment in time at least, which is crazy, then maybe I can travel with two passports for the next 9 months?!
If I was travelling the world filling my passport with visas and stamps I might be in Thailand for 3 or 4 months when I see the need for a new passport.
I would not have Thai address, driving licence etc.
Would I be allowed to use evidence of my UK address in my overseas application?
We have discovered that you don’t actually need proof of address anymore. You have to apply in person at the office in Bangkok and return about four weeks later to collect ithe new passport. Hope this helps.
Richard, news to me, big sigh!
I wonder if in my case it can be done?(retirement visa)
My passport doesn’t expire until 2017, I just had to renew it due to lack of free pages only only got my visa 6 weeks ago!
Retirement visas – does anyone know if I can apply here in a thailand? If so, where? Surely, I don’t have to return to the UK to apply?
Yes you can, I got my retirement visa while in Thailand but you must be able to show immigration that you have had 800,000 Baht in a Thai Bank for at least 3 months.
The big problem is or it was then that you couldn’t open a bank account without showing the bank that you had some kind of residential visa.
I was lucky in that I had a friend who had a friend that just happen to know a bank manager and so the manager allowed me to open an account and deposit 800,000 Baht. It was just a matter of doing visa runs for 3 months until I could apply for a retirement visa.
I don’t know where you live but you can only apply at your district immigration office. Just ask an expat friend where it is. I renew my one at Phuket.
You can apply at many agencies in BKK for a Retirement Visa. There was an ad for ALS visa service on wireless rd , they charge 10,000 Baht baa
I cannot remember the cut off date, August last year maybe, but any visa renewal before that date can be transferred to new passport. Anything later and you have to submit all your documents again as if your visa had expired.
Not sure that’s correct I am leaving the country in a couple of months for a few weeks holiday, and my passport is full I went to immigration in Samutprakan the BIG MAN there said bring your new passport and I will transfer your visa to the new passport, HIS WORDS.
I own a company and have a workpermit if that makes any difference.
When did you get your last extension for permission to stay. At the end of last year the rules changes so that if your passport expires then so does your visa. If you had your permission to stay before the rules changed then you can move it to a new passport.
That explains it then, yeah got my extension of stay on december 20th 2013 , looks like I just got in there in time.
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Paul
April 30, 2014 at 9:14 pm
Well! I don’t flippin’ believe it!
After all the hassle hunting down ways and taking a lot of time to get some proof of address when I applied for my new passport they didn’t ask for any. All they wanted was a copy of my old passport and 2 photos! I’m a little suspicious but hey if I get my new passport without any delays great!
On another note I was in and out of the Trendy building in 10 minutes!
*************************************************************************
They don’t know what they are doing at Trendy. It’s the passport office in the UK you have satisfy. Mind you if it does work it will make a lot of people very happy. I presume you sent the filled in application form and payment.
For some reason I can’t make an appointment as I can’t get to the Book an appointment page in Bangkok but am re-directed to the UK Gov site to apply for a visa! Can someone please send me a link to the booking page. Thanks!
It is the uk gov website you need to make an appointment in Bangkok.
https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/renewing_new/adult
And the email address as shown there is
[email protected]
Good luck!
I can’t be sure but I think you use [email protected] and just put something like Uk passport renewal as the subject. Then send a message asking for an appointment.
The email address worked for me.
Thanks Martin and Brian. More useful than any Government official or website!
Let us know how you get on.
Hi, so news from the other side. Went to Trendy building to submit documents for new British passport. Once inside, take the lift at the back, find out from the front desk what floor, 28 or something like that.
So, the office services both the Australian and British Embassies. Its busy there. Your appointment will be delayed. Only one counter dedicated to British passport renewal. Be prepared for a long wait. There is a photocopier outside the room in case you missed a few documents. Please remember colour copies of every single page of your passport and sign at the bottom of every page. You can pay with British bank card. Via, mastercard, debit.
Just to add you can’t use your mobile phone in there, so bring a good book for the arduous wait. Some guys infront of me had been waiting 2 hours. No matter your appointment is at 12pm, chances are they will not get round to seeing you until 12.30pm or much later.
Good luck
D
I just got back to Koh Samui having been to the Bangkok passport office this morning. I made an appointment by email for 8.30am. I don’t think it matters whether you have an appointment or not, you are given a note asking you to visit desk 11 when free. There was one guy ahead of me. I waited 5 minutes handed over my passport copies and application form. And that was it. No questions asked, no proof of address required, no hassle, extremely helpful and polite Thai assistant. I missed two pages from my passport so had to go down to the ground floor copy shop and back up to the 28th floor. A two minute wait to hand the missing copies to the assistant. Job done!
It would be helpful to know how to get to the Trendy Building. I used a combination of sky train and moto taxi. The nearest train station is Nana. Just a short walk from there.
Well! I don’t flippin’ believe it!
After all the hassle hunting down ways and taking a lot of time to get some proof of address when I applied for my new passport they didn’t ask for any. All they wanted was a copy of my old passport and 2 photos! I’m a little suspicious but hey if I get my new passport without any delays great!
On another note I was in and out of the Trendy building in 10 minutes!
I think now they’ve got a new process so you have to collect the passport, they need to update the guidance on proof of address. Certainly they didn’t really know or understand the new process when I phoned them. Maybe they like to keep us guessing. All’s well that ends well, I guess 🙂 Happy travels!
Now my next challenge is to get a retirement visa!
Ha! After my new challenge will be transferring my old visa to my new passport! I read in the Bangkok Post lettrrs this week a guy was having problems at immigration with it, they needed a letter of guarantee the passport was genuine and issued by the passport office!
I presume you know you cannot transfer visas any more. You need to apply again. Details on my blog from last year.
As the only credit card I have is a Thai Bangkok Bank visa credit card can I use that card to pay for renewal of passport
That is what I did to renew mine back in the day when I had to send it to Hong Kong.
You have to have proof of an address in thailand.
The required docs for proof of address just say an address in the last 12 months. Doesn’t mention Thailand!
I’ve been assuming that the proof of address is needed for the address to which you want the new passport sent which, for most people, will be the address where they live which, for most people, will be in Thailand.
If this is the case and you specify an address in the UK when you are living in Thailand, you will need someone at that address in the UK to then send the passport to you in Thailand.
If anyone from HM Passport Office UK is reading this, perhaps you would care to comment and put us all out of our misery.
But it doesn’t get sent to your address anymore!! You have to pick it up, same place you apply at the Wendy House!
Thanks Dave! 🙂
Extract from OS_Guidance_Notes_08.13.pdf:
“Getting your passport
Your passport will be delivered to the UK Visa Application Centre where you applied – you must collect it in person.
They will contact you – using the details on your application form – when your passport is ready to collect.
You must bring your existing passport as photo ID.”
No it would not mention Thailand because it is guidance for any application being made from overseas and being delivered overseas.
You have me totally confused as to what you are trying to do. I think it’s best you just go ahead a do it your way and see what happens when you get to Trendy house.
Aha! It’s interesting to see others are confused and frustrated by the new process and the address requirement. I didn’t get any help from two calls on the help line. I’m thinking of going to Bangkok (a one hour flight from samui) and hoping they no longer need proof of address. I have to go back again in six weeks to collect it. Or I could use proof of an old address in the uk!
I just got a new passport, as my old one was almost full, via mail from Liverpool, a couple of months ago. Likewise the proof of address was something that I thought might be a hassle.
But I just sent my most recent, original bank statement and credit card statement, from a different bank. Both Thai banks but show my name & address in English. I also noted on the form that the credit card statement was for the card I was using to pay the passport fee with and so common sense says the address on the statement should be legitimate.
No problem at all and the original statements were also returned to me by courier a few days after I received my new passport.
Thanks – good to know. I was considering getting my Thai bank to send me a statement with my address on it, so now I definitely will. It won’t be the only “proof” I enclose, but it’ll help.
“I gave Immigration a copy of the house paper – tabien baan – where I lived,”
What is a house paper?
Tabien Baan: http://goo.gl/yZOuUY
Thanks for that. I may talk to the woman I lease my bungalow from and see what she can come up with.
I’m looking at same as you it says ‘The courier fee pays for your passport to be sent securely to the UK Visa Application Centre where you applied for you to collect.’ it goes on to say ‘Check which supporting documents you must submit with your application. You must get documents that aren’t in English – including documents showing an address – fully translated by a professional translator.’ it then says check supporting documents table. When you check it, it says you need proof of address. Maybe it’s proof of UK address, I don’t know. Maybe I’m missing something!? They failed to clarify this via the helpline. Whole thing seems pathetic to me. If you get more sense than me pls let me know…
What kind of passport are you applying for?
I am in Thailand applying to renew a red passport for an adult.
Are you doing the same?
I have downloaded the application form “OS_Form_009.pdf” and the guidance notes “OS_Guidance_Notes_08.13.pdf”.
I see no mention of “proof of address” or “apply at the visa centre”.
Can you be more specific where this is mentioned?
OS_Guidance_Gp2.pdf
Identity Documents -> See table A
Table A
Identity, name and address evidence
This might not work but lets give it a go.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-passport-supporting-documents-group-2
Be sure to string the link correctly.
Thanks very much Martin G and Dave. I can see now why there is so much consternation. It was so much easier just to go to the UK Embassy in Wireless Road, hand over the completed forms and get the new passport sent by DHL to whatever address you specified.
Does anyone know if the “UK Visa Application Centre” in Bangkok checks the paperwork and confirms that it is all in order? Having your application sent back after a month as “unacceptable” is, well, not acceptable.
So, thanks to Martin G and Dave, the page with the link to the .pdf file containing “Table A” which specifies the “Name and address evidence” requirements is, for me:
https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/renewing_new/adult
The link is the last of 3 links in the section “How to apply”, sub-section 4.
So it looks like you need to send an Immigration “Address Certificate” which should qualify as the “immigration documents” option, which is the last option in “Table A”.
BUT, you need to get “documents that aren’t in English – including documents showing an address – fully translated by a professional translator.”
Please define “Professional translator”. Will the tuk-tuk driver do?
I wonder if you can get Immigration to produce an English version of their “address certificate”?
I thank Buddha I have 6 years left on my passport but will continue to follow this topic.
Yes, Trendy house do check the documentation although their limited command of the English language wouldn’t fill me with confidence.
“I wonder if you can get Immigration to produce an English version of their “address certificate”?”
The only way Immigration would issue an address certificate would be if you had a tenancy agreement and if you could do that then why would you need a letter from the Immigration department? 😉
I’m still going to push ahead with my bank letter plan and if I can get them to do that then offer them 10,000 baht if they can produce it in English.
First thing though is to get the letter in the first place because if plan 10,000 baht fails I have a cunning plan B in the wings.
An “Address Certificate”, also called a “Residence Certificate”, is a document easily obtained from Immigration. You need one to get a Thai driving license, for example.
The certificate itself is in Thai and will have your name and Thai address on it. You may be able to get one from the Immigration dept. in English, as per the requirements of section 10, page 12 of “OS_Guidance_Notes_08.13.pdf” which can be downloaded using the second of the three links in the section “How to apply”, sub-section 4 of the web page mentioned in my previous post.
When I got my previous two or three certificates – not for passport applications, but driving licenses, etc – I gave Immigration a copy of the house paper – tabien baan – where I lived, a copy of the landlord’s Thai ID card and a couple of colour photographs. The certificates were 300 baht each time.
This subject is discussed in great detail on ThaiVisa.com. Not sure if Mr. Barrow is OK to promote their website. But, if so, the link is:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/713867-changes-to-british-passport-services-in-thailand/
There must be someone official we can speak to who can settle this proof of address problem! UK ambassador Mark Kent?!
In which document is the section that requires a “proof of address”?
(A link to the appropriate page of …
https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports
… would be useful.)
If you go to the link you’ve put, go through the necessary steps it will tell you to apply at the visa centre, and receive new passport there. However if you download the tables in relation to supporting documents it will tell you, you need to provide official proof of address. I don’t get it. And couldn’t get a straight answer out of the frustrating, time-wasting, script reading staff at the helpline. If you annoy them too much by being more knowledgeable than them they tend to revert strictly to their script and get you off their line!
Proof of address is very easy, use your rent agreement or proof of ownership of residents, take it to Thai Immigration, you need one picture fill in a form with copy of passport, visa and the entry form when you entered Thailand. fee about 300 Baht. Immigration will give proof of address.
As I can’t provide official proof of address then the only option is for me to fly all the way back to the UK and get it in person. This is ridiculous!!
If you have a Thai bank account you could get them to send you a letter comtaining the details of your account including your address.
Not much help though if you don’t have a thai bank account.
I was told by the official helpline that wouldn’t be sufficient…
Bummer.
That was my plan. I think I’ll try it on anyway, I know it worked for someone else.
I’ve got 5 compressed spinal lumber segments and I’m medicated up to the eye balls. If I have to go back to the UK I’m going to buy a sleeping bag and camp at the airport.
Should be fun causing them as much crap as I possibly can. Food may be a problem so I will have to do a little begging.
Haha give em hell if you have to. But as you say it may be Ok to use. I was getting different advice every time I called them! One advisor told me they may consider Thai partners address, a letter and ID from them. But warned they may accept, but they might not?! Pathetic
I went to the visa office in Soi 13 today. I took my old passport in and they told me to come back in 4 weeks to pick up the new one. Nice sports bar called the sportsman http://www.sportsbarbangkok.com right next door serving full english breakfast from 9am too! food was top notch and made the trip up from pattaya a lot more bearable
What a load of tosh. Many people may have to spend hours getting to Bangkok only to find they may have made some trivial mistake that can’t be fixed without going all the way back. All but one of the staff have any reasonable command of the English language. They may have to spend at least one night at a hotel and many may be of ill health. I won’t go on because your post is so daft it beggars belief. The whole thing is not a fun day out but a bl%$dy nightmare. Then they have to go through the whole thing again to pick up the new passport. There should be no need for the first visit or proof of address. It could be sent in by post and any problems sorted out via email or phone.
You should only have to present yourself when picking up the new passport.
Hi Steve. Did you need to prove your address? If so, what did you use? Best wishes, Brian
How did you get the appointment or did you just walk in without an appointment? I’ve tried sending the email to them but it’s bounced back several times
I managed to get an appointment by email. It took a few days to get a reply and then they offered me an appointment the following day at 9am. Too late to book a flight from Samui. I’m making another for next week. Now that they require you to collect the passport in person, I’m going to work on the basis that proof of address is not necessary as I don’t have a fixed address.
Interested how you paid for your renewal.
What type of ATM Card did you use. UK or Thai Visa?
Many thanks.
AFAIK you have to pick up your new passport from the VFS office usu\ing your old one as ID, So I fal to see how “proof of address”is required.
Well considering it’s only just changed, then obviously you are right. However, trying to get a solid answer out the helpline was a nightmare. A few days after the changes I was categorically told I would need proof of address. No way round it. No proof, can’t apply. Cost me a fair bit extra due to their incompetence
Will a copy of rent agreement be sufficient as proof of address?
What about letter from bank also?
Rent agreement pretty much no. Bank defo no… The requirements are on the government website. Calling them isn’t much help either. I’ve had 2 different answers. The one said a letter from a thai partner including their Id/passport would be ‘considered’… I called again to say this wasn’t sufficient. Was basically told if you can’t provide it you can’t do it. You need letter from health care, employment, taxation office, visa people or parents death certificate. It’s ridiculous. My best chance is to give my address in Australia where I won’t be living and don’t want it sent to but can. Just about cover their nonsensical criteria. Then get my mate to express forward it to me!! I appreciate I could have sorted it out before (2 years ago) but my plans and circumstances have changed! They have me jumping through hoops but are not content!
I have a yellow “housebook” that records me as a foreign national resident at my address in Thailand. It was issued by my local Ampur’s Office. It’s the same as the blue housebooks that Thai nationals use as proof of address. You’ll need to get the relevant pages translated and stamped but it definitely acceptable. We just renewed our daughters British passport using this as proof of address.
By the way, she gets to keep her old passport which still has two months to run. A copy of the passport (all pages signed) was sent to Liverpool.
I don’t see how this helps. Unless you can pick up your new passport from Bangkok using your old one as ID then there is no point in applying through that office. You should be able to send all your paperwork to the UK and give the Bangkok office as your pick up point. The old one could canceled at the same time you pick up the new one.
Too right! Does anyone know how I can prove my address in Thailand? Atm it looks like I have a better chance of applying now,in Australia and having my mate forward it to me… Still going to struggle to prove current address here!
Wow, good news from the UK Passport Office! Incredible. I hope it stays this way until I need to renew in 2021.
And, as I used to live in Sukh Soi 13, I should be able to find the place quite easily. 🙂
Only the third change in the process since December. Nice work team!
So how will this affect the rather ridiculous ‘proof of address’ section of the renewal process? Is it even needed anymore?
Ahhhhh don’t get me started on the proof of address! Of course I want my new passport sent to an address I won’t be residing at. How can I prove my address.. I’ve spent hours on the phone to the helpline. I think they just want me to spend a fortune on emergency passports