I sent for a renewal passport to HK last October, they debitted my account in December, I heard from them on Ist Feb this year saying my face on my pic was 1mm short, they emailed me in Dec but got my email wrong. I have sent new pics and hope to receive my new document shortly, fingers very crossed.
In Uk they recommend not to register a passport as more likely to be stolen
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Where Is My Passport?
Started by JAS21, 2012-02-01 16:39
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46 replies to this topic
#27
theoldgit
Platinum Member Posted 2012-02-05 12:35:28
I would say that by now you should have heard something, or at least had the credit card debited. He has, see post number 21 dated 3 Feb What I don't understand is why you sent it to Hong Kong. I know that the British Embassy in BKK no longer does passport applications, and they recommend that you send it to Hong Kong, They don't just recommend it, if you live in Thailand you are required to apply to the Regional Processing Centre in Hong Kong. Try sending it to the UK, its almost 1/2 the cost & as long as you have a mailing address in the UK. It seems to get turned around a lot quicker than doing it in Hong Kong. The IPS in the UK doesn't process passport applications sent from abroad. If you're outside the UK, your passport application has to be processed abroad by a regional passport processing centre. If you tried to do this you would need to send your original passport to a friend in the UK, not a copy as in an application through the proper channels, you will not have your passport available in Thailand. You could possibly also encounter a problem with Thai Immigration when you regularised your new passport #28
jbhh
Senior Member Posted 2012-02-05 12:35:58
I would say that by now you should have heard something, or at least had the credit card debited. What I don't understand is why you sent it to Hong Kong. I know that the British Embassy in BKK no longer does passport applications, and they recommend that you send it to Hong Kong, Try sending it to the UK, its almost 1/2 the cost & as long as you have a mailing address in the UK. It seems to get turned around a lot quicker than doing it in Hong Kong. He got his new passport 2 days ago... helps to read all posts 
#29
lukchang
Newbie Posted 2012-02-05 14:13:36
Try sending it to the UK, its almost 1/2 the cost & as long as you have a mailing address in the UK. It seems to get turned around a lot quicker than doing it in Hong Kong. The IPS in the UK doesn't process passport applications sent from abroad. If you're outside the UK, your passport application has to be processed abroad by a regional passport processing centre. If you tried to do this you would need to send your original passport to a friend in the UK, not a copy as in an application through the proper channels, you will not have your passport available in Thailand. You could possibly also encounter a problem with Thai Immigration when you regularised your new passport
Hence that why it makes sense to have 2 passports. You send the signed application to a parent, relative or even friend. It is then posted from the UK & returned to that address & then couried over to Thailand. Still cheaper & quicker than sending an applicatin to Hong Kong, Yes you can legally hold more than 1 passport. Whilst some officails even in the Britsh Embassy deny that you can. The only thing that it is illegal to do is to use two passports at the same time. So if you enter Thailand on A passport, you can only leave on A passport.. I've had multiple passports for over 15 years & at one time had 3 all valid and using all three. #30
bkk_mike
Family Man Posted 2012-02-05 18:31:28
I've had multiple passports for over 15 years & at one time had 3 all valid and using all three. Usual candidates are people like workers on oil rigs, or people applying for work visas in countries where they are known to take a significant amount of time to be issued. Not many people outside the oil industry realise that you need your passport to travel to an oil rig, even if it's in UK waters. So if you were on 2-on/2-off, you'd literally need the passport to turn up within the 2 week period if they didn't let you have a second one. Add in that Glasgow is the closest place to Aberdeen for the express services, and the express services aren't exactly cheap, so it's not really a viable option given the number of people involved, even more so for those still based in Shetland. Hence the second passport, (usually the company also pays for it as it's work-related). #31
KKK
Senior Member Posted 2012-02-06 07:14:25
Whilst we're on the subject, has anyone ever paid with of those dodgy Kasikorn Debit Cards or one of their Virtual Credit Cards? And just what is dodgy about a Kasikorn debit card? Mine works fine....and as for their Virtual CC for internet use..what a wonderful idea...works fine...other banks tried it but failed. Only Kasikorn makes it work... GREEN is my favourite color.... #32
theoldgit
Platinum Member Posted 2012-02-06 07:25:29
^^^^ That was a joke, ok I will put it another way, has anybody successfully used one of those wonderful Kasikorn Cards to pay for their new UK Passport from Hong Kong?
I ask because whilst my Kasikorn Cards work wonderfully for their advertised online use, nobody can tell me if I can use either of them for this purpose, even the staff from the Kasikorn Call Centre don't know. #33
jacko45k
Advanced Member Posted 2012-02-06 10:20:20
I sent mine off about 3rd January, and it came back within 13 days.
I sent it via DHL keeping the original passport. So there seems to be some issue. I noticed when making all the effort there seemed to be little support regarding chasing it up. Using normal mail is the likely issue. Edited by jacko45k, 2012-02-06 10:20:47. #34
MESmith
Senior Member Posted 2012-02-06 15:01:16
If you post your application to HK by registered mail from Thailand, it's trackable on both Thai & Hong Kong post websites.
#35
digitalchromakey
Sapphire Member Posted 2012-02-06 15:25:12
I sent mine off about 3rd January, and it came back within 13 days. I sent it via DHL keeping the original passport. Using normal mail is the likely issue. #36
techno
Senior Member Posted 2012-02-06 15:33:26
l sent my passport renewal to Hong Kong via DHL on 11 January 2012 and my new passport arrived today 3 February 2012. Not a bad service from IPS but a shame it was expensive way of doing things and was much better and cheaper when the passports where renewed at the British Embassy in Bangkok I paid for my new passport using my Bangkok Bank debit card. I received a receipt from Hong Kong a day after my passport arrived at my home via DHL. The receipt was in Hong Kong dollars and was sent from Hong Kong via DHL.I would always use the courier recommended by the Embassy as the cost between Thai Post EMS and DHL is not a lot of difference. DHL has a special envelope for the Consul-General in Hong Kong for passport applications and l would not trust Thai Post EMS system just save a few baht. However l am dissapointed that there is no tracking system after the application is sent to Hong Kong but maybe that will change when all passport procedures are dealt with in the UK. Just my view #37
ignis
Platinum Member Posted 2012-02-06 15:47:45
On Passports and the time it take.......
Mine is fine over 2 months before next extension, but someone not far from where i live sent there copies off last week Tuesday,, but must go to get a new Visa on the 15th.......... [14 or 15 days.. says on 1x website to allow 4 weeks on another site allow 6 weeks] From what I have read your Passport get cancelled when the application for a new one arrives ? yet the guy says no problem as he has his old passport still valid and 3 pages, so if the new one has not arrived he will go with the old one. Did I read it wrong ? I understood that you cannot travel on the old Passport.as it would have been cancelled ? Edited by ignis, 2012-02-06 15:59:43. #38
ignis
Platinum Member Posted 2012-02-06 15:59:10 Quote I would always use the courier recommended by the Embassy as the cost between Thai Post EMS and DHL is not a lot of difference. I may have got it wrong ? but there is a list supplied by the Embassy on there website, of the locations of DHL... I take it that is the ones to use ? problem for many would be the distance to get to DHL, where Thai Post is everywhere......... If I got the info right then for me would have been over 90 km more to go to DHL, so I used Thai Post EMS, my EMS package arrived in 2 days. so the difference in cost would have been a lot adding an extra 90 km @ about 7.5 km per liter #39
wayned
Senior Member Posted 2012-02-06 16:06:58
You have to use the best method for the area where you live. Not everybody lives in Bangkok, Chaing Mai or Pattaya. If I asked for DHL where I live they would think that I was asking for some new insecticide to spray on the sugar cane. I've always used Thai Post EMS with no problems and tracking is spot on.
Edited by wayned, 2012-02-06 16:07:40. #40
lopburi3
Star Member Posted 2012-02-06 16:20:27
On Passports and the time it take....... Mine is fine over 2 months before next extension, but someone not far from where i live sent there copies off last week Tuesday,, but must go to get a new Visa on the 15th.......... [14 or 15 days.. says on 1x website to allow 4 weeks on another site allow 6 weeks] From what I have read your Passport get cancelled when the application for a new one arrives ? yet the guy says no problem as he has his old passport still valid and 3 pages, so if the new one has not arrived he will go with the old one. Did I read it wrong ? I understood that you cannot travel on the old Passport.as it would have been cancelled ? #41
wayned
Senior Member Posted 2012-02-06 16:40:21
I realize that his passport is invalid for travel. But, I think that the question is can he apply for an extension on his "old" passport before his new on arrives ?
This is a problem in the current method that UK uses in renewing passports where they cancel the old passport before the new one arrives. It might be an inconvenience, but when an American applys for a new passsport he has to pick up his new passport at the US Embassy and the old passport is cancelled. He never has an invalid passport even for travel outside of Thailand. Until he goes to the Embassy and is issued his new passport his old passport is still valid. Like the UK the passports are issued in the US, not Bangkok but are sent to the Embassy to be issued rather than post directly to the owner. Time to take off your black robe and white wig and get real! Had to say it, sorry! #42
lopburi3
Star Member Posted 2012-02-06 18:52:06 Quote but must go to get a new Visa on the 15th. Quote no problem as he has his old passport still valid and 3 pages, so if the new one has not arrived he will go with the old one. #43
onthemoon
Advanced Member Posted 2012-02-06 20:20:25
I realize that his passport is invalid for travel. But, I think that the question is can he apply for an extension on his "old" passport before his new on arrives ? This is a problem in the current method that UK uses in renewing passports where they cancel the old passport before the new one arrives. It might be an inconvenience, but when an American applys for a new passsport he has to pick up his new passport at the US Embassy and the old passport is cancelled. He never has an invalid passport even for travel outside of Thailand. Until he goes to the Embassy and is issued his new passport his old passport is still valid. Like the UK the passports are issued in the US, not Bangkok but are sent to the Embassy to be issued rather than post directly to the owner. Time to take off your black robe and white wig and get real! Had to say it, sorry! This appears to be a problem UK citizens in Thailand have, yes. I am not a US citizen but a fellow EU citizen, and my old passport remains valid until I pick up the new one from my embassy. I suggest you talk to your ambassador about it. #44
ignis
Platinum Member Posted 2012-02-07 07:54:33 Quote The above is from his post so it appears he is talking about a visa trip to me. Yes I think he was talking about a Visa, but could also be a Visa run, never asked, he was saying when he gets his new Passport he will do the yearly extensions, we were talking about new Passports and the H K + UK + BKK websites about Passports and how confusing they were,each site giving different info... Sorry No idea what Visa he has did not ask, he just said in passing his Visa ran out on the 15th, and there was no problem as he had 3 pages in his old Passport which was still Valid.... #45
ignis
Platinum Member Posted 2012-02-07 08:16:07
Wayned........ sounds a better way, of course that would mean any American no mater were they lived in Thailand would have to travel to Bangkok to the US Embassy....
Maybe UKPA should not cancel the old Passport for 4 weeks..... ? Sorry again not the full story, but a last year a English School teacher sent off for a new Passport which did not arrive back in time, he had to go to UK Embassy a get a temp Passport, cost near 5,000 baht and valid for 1 year, he went to get his Visa and had no end of problems, ending up with a 1x entry TR Visa and his work permit with 6 weeks left.... I do know his Passport arrived a week or so later, but had to get another load of paperwork and again leave Thailand for another Visa Non Immigrant, making the costs very high.. Lots can happen in [allow 4 weeks] if you have no valid Passport to hand. #46
wayned
Senior Member Posted 2012-02-07 08:44:36
Unless things have changed recently. Americans due have to collect their new passports in person at either the Embassy in Bangkok or the Consulate in Chaing Mai, wherever they applied, also in person. The process takes two weeks. When you pick up your new passport they cancel your old passport so you never have an "expired" one. When they cancelled my last one they puched two holes threw the passport disregarding the fact that there were "valid" visas still in it, but I never had a porblem using the visas even if they were "holey".
Edited by wayned, 2012-02-07 08:45:47. #47
theoldgit
Platinum Member Posted 2012-02-07 12:31:00
If anybody has been reading the thread from Visa Plus you will recall he challenged the IPS over the high cost of issuing a passport overseas, when they are produced in the UK. He asked that when the applications are made online and sent directly from the UK ,as outlined in the IPS Business Plan,"customers" living overseas could expect to pay the same as those applying in the UK, save for the extra cost of delivery.
They answered something along the lines that whilst they would try to keep overseas prices as close to possible UK prices, there would still need to be staff based overseas to carry out such functions as handing the passport to the "customer" and then cancelling the old passport. So it seems the cost is already built into the system, we are paying for it, but it's not being done. |
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