Renewing UK Passports in Thailand

There is nothing new about the British Government keeping us Brits on our toes, and so it should not have come as a surprise when they first required us to renew our passports from Hong Kong and now through Bangkok. As of the 26th of March, 2014, all UK passport renewals or Thai babies’ first UK passport applications have to be through their Global partners, VFS Global, located in Bangkok.

This can be a real bind for most because decisive details on how this should be done can be vague and for the older generation making appointments via the Internet is not always an option. But the good news is Key Visa Thailand can take the hassle away for you and the details can be found by contacting our office or on our informative website. Our service includes document checking, color photocopies, making the appointment to submit the passport application, taking the application to Bangkok and collecting the new British passport when it is ready.

Step 1

1. Never leave your passport until the last minute! Make sure you have a minimum of 9 months to one year validity left when you apply for a new passport.

2. Never wait until you have nearly run out of pages in your old passport! When you are over half way through the passport order a new UK passport. Why put yourself under pressure?

Step 2

3. You should start the process by downloading the application (OS) form, for overseas applications, and complete it, making sure you do not forget two major things, 1.The British Passport application should be completed in black ink only not blue 2. If you are applying for a first babies passport make sure you complete the back page of the form and have a counter signature on the form preferably by a British citizen who knows you and has done for approximately 2 years and also make sure they countersign one of the passport photographs. If you are over 16 years of age and you look similar to the old passport photograph then a counter signature is not required. The box guidelines on each page of the OS application form will explain how to fill in the form.

4. You then download the credit card form from either our website or the British Embassy website and fill it in with the correct details. Payment will be deducted from your account by the passport office in the UK at the HMPO and do not worry it is very secure. If you live in Thailand and do not have a credit or UK debit card then maybe you have a friend or family who can assist with their card it does not have to be your name. If you have a Thailand credit card not a standard debit card this can also be used.

5. As part of our service Key Visa will then make an appointment via e-mail with the HMPO office in Bangkok and we then will receive your application appointment within three days.

6. Key Visa staff will then take your application to Bangkok and submit the paperwork and bring back your old passport and the receipt back to our office in Pattaya so the old passport is available when ever required only a copy is taken by the HMPO and your original passport stays in Thailand. When the new passport is ready it is collected from Bangkok and the old passport and the new UK passport are issued to you.

You can find all the procedure and documents required on our website www.keyvisathailand.com or you can contact 038 422131