32 Comments

1. I understand that you now get a letter with your new passport which means you no longer need to visit the Embassy and can take it straight to Immigration.

2. Thanks for the update George. That will make it much easier in the future and means you avoid a trip to the Embassy too.

3. Thanks Richard very useful – wish I’d have know this before I went to t embassy! As I read somewhere just go t embassy.

   • Hi, No problems. They seem to have changed this process so many times recently. Now it should be easier to get your visa transferred than in the past.

4. Hi Richard
   I have heard that your Credit/Debit Cards must be with English Banks.
   Can you tell me if this is correct?

   I only have Debit cards with Thai Banks.
   My BKK Bank Debit Card works fine on the internet.

   Cheers

   • Hi Chris,

     I used my UK Debit card and when asking about payments they said I could use a Thai credit card.

     I guess the payment is processed electronically so the problem with the BKK Bangkok card , if it is like mine, is that it requires SMS codes to be put in before making a payment online.

     I think the best option is to email them BangkokHMPO@vfshelpline.com to confirm .

     Richard

5. Hi Richard

   Many thanks for their email address.
   They tell me I can use Thai Debit or Credit Cards.

   Not sure but maybe they receive the fee in Thailand
   first.

   Thanks again

   Chris

   • Hi Chris,

     Thanks for letting us know. It’s good to see you can pay by Thai debit card, much easier for many people.

     Richard

6. Does the letter that is now claimed to come with the new passport have to be first translated into Thai before Immigration will accept it?

   • Hi Phil,

     No the document just needs to be presented in English and immigration will change your visa.

     I guess the British embassy contact Thai immigration initially to tell them about the new passport number. The letter is just the formality that you need to present.

7. Thanks Richard though I’m not sure how the British embassy are involved and why HM Passport Office would send details of my new passport to the embassy.

   Chris you appear to have been lucky to have received a response from VFS as I have just emailed them and received an auto-response where they say their email address is only for booking an appointment and will not be able to respond to any passport enquiries.

   Included in their response was a link and also a UK telephone number if further help is needed which in my case concerns supporting documents.

   But for me it was of no help as I’m well aware of the link which didn’t answer my question which is why I emailed VFS for clarification and I also know the number for the UK Passport Advice Line which I will only use as a last resort.

   I have asked VFS a very simple question which is if using a bank statement emailed monthly to me by my UK bank would be acceptable as proof of address so all I need is a yes or no.

8. Correction; I meant to say “…a bank statement mailed monthly to me…”

   • The proof of address just needs to show your address in Thailand – it cant be a UK address as they will make you apply in the UK for a new passport unless you have lost yours in Thailand.

     The proof can be of any type – TRUE VISIONS bill etc so bank will be acceptable. Just make sure everything is in English.

     I guess the embassy just had too many requests for forms to approve passport changes so they now automatically include it in a passport renewal which in the end saves time for everyone.

9. Just received confirmation from the Passport Office that my UK bank statement is acceptable for proof of address.

10. Since my full name is not on my bank statement ( only the initials of my first & middle name )I emailed the Passport Office giving them details and asking if my name as shown on my bank statement was acceptable.

    They quickly responded saying “The supporting paperwork should show your full name as completed on the application form” so I have contacted my bank requesting they put my full name on future statements.

    This is something to watch out for and hope this information will be of use to anyone planning to renew their passport and especially for those people who will be using a Thai document as their proof of address.

    • Thanks for letting us know that Phil. I know many people have to make 2 trips to the centre as they don’t provide correct proof of address so this information will help many people.

11. My Residence is in my Ladies name – all my personal Correspondence I receive at my Postal Address which is a P>O>Box at the local Post Office – all Utilty Bills etc are in my Thai Ladies Name – will Bank Statements sent to my P.O Box serve as proof of Address?

    • You need to prove that the address is in Thailand and with a PO Box that may prove difficult.

      Send an email to BangkokHMPO@vfshelpline.com to check but I would think they will ask for another form of proof. It might be worth getting your phone / internet/ TV provider to send you a letter in your name showing the full address for just one month.

12. I’ll be going through the process within the next few months, so it’ll be interesting to see what is accepted.

    I don’t have a UK bank account, so will have to use my Bangkok Bank debit card. (It works for foreign online transactions, so I’m hopeful that will work).

    As for proof of address, I’ve got nothing, so I’m currently going the drawn out process to obtain a ‘Yellow Book’ and have to also ‘hope’ this will be enough.

    • Your Yellow book will be fine but you will need to get it translated into English. There is a translation office at the Trendy Building on the ground floor who will do this for you. The cost will be around 500 Baht for them to do it within an hour.

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    • Good news for those living outside Bangkok as I have just discovered a company in Pattaya which takes away the need to travel to Bangkok to renew your passport.

      On their website: Key Visa can take away all the hassle of renewing your British passport in Thailand for a service fee of just 5000 baht which includes document checking, photocopies, taking the application to Bangkok and collecting the new British passport when it is ready.
      Even if you live away from Pattaya then we can still help, just send your documents to us via EMS and make the payment into our bank account. When your new passport is ready we will send it to you via EMS for just an additional 100 baht.

      https://www.keyvisathailand.com/services/renewing-uk-passport-thailand/

      • Thanks for the info Phil.

        It is an option and I guess when you factor in time, travel costs etc it might be worth 5,000 Baht to some people. I would be wary that you do not need to be there to present your passport as I had to sign documents when there so I would still say it is much better to go in person to avoid any problems.

14. hi Richard, I have family in Thailand but I travel to and from the uk I’m not registered in Thailand but am in the uk I have thai family, is a 5 year thai licence sufficient enough

    • Hi Matt,

      I guess you mean as proof of address in Thailand? A Thai driving licence is acceptable but it needs to be translated to English and clearly show your address. I would also suggest including a TM30 from your landlord or from your family if one of them owns the house just to further confirm the address.

      I am not sure how long you stay in Thailand / UK each time but it might be easier to do the renewal in the UK and use the express service when you are next there.

15. Very helpful

16. Hi Richard,

    I need to renew my 9 year old son’s passport. What proof of ID or address do I need for him? and does he have to travel to BKK with me when applying or receiving passport? I also hear that there is an office now in Chiang Mai, Is that correct?

    Many Thanks

    Geoff.

    • Hi Geoff,

      I’m not sure about Chiang mai to be honest. I didn’t hear in the news or from anyone…

      ID can be his previous passport or birth certificate.

      As for the address I doubt your son is registered to an address so I would bring your proof of address such as work contract, utility bill etc along with his birth certificate showing you are his father.

17. Why the hell do I a British Citizen have to go for an appointment to renew a passport, last time I sent all the documentation to UKPA and they sent my new passport, or do they think we all lie here.

    • Less money spent on facilities here for UK citizens and outsourcing means this is the new process.

18. As I understand it the current renewal process for me, living in Chiang Mai, is to book an appointment at the Embassy in Bangkok. Go there with all the forms, documents and fees to submit my application and then come back in 6-10 weeks to collect my British Passport. Is that correct?

    • You can do that but there is also a a few agents you can use on cm to do this but they aren’t officially linked to the UK passport service.