British Passports - Turnaround Times

Her/His Majesty's Passport Office.

HMPO (Oct 7): Thank you for your email. I have passed your email on to the Passport Office for a reply. They will contact you within three working days.

ME (Oct 21): It has now been 14 days and I have not had a reply. Please could you look into this.

HMPO (Oct 21): I have passed your email on to the Passport Office for a reply. They will contact you within ten working days.
 
Her/His Majesty's Passport Office.
ME (Oct 21): It has now been 14 days and I have not had a reply. Please could you look into this.

HMPO (Oct 21): I have passed your email on to the Passport Office for a reply. They will contact you within ten working days.

:p reply >>> Happy Halloween! lol
 
Her/His Majesty's Passport Office.

HMPO (Oct 7): Thank you for your email. I have passed your email on to the Passport Office for a reply. They will contact you within three working days.

ME (Oct 21): It has now been 14 days and I have not had a reply. Please could you look into this.

HMPO (Oct 21): I have passed your email on to the Passport Office for a reply. They will contact you within ten working days.
You believe it when you see it. Back of the queue 15-17 weeks!
 
My wife submitted the new passport applications for our two daughters on the Monday morning. She was advised that she would know when they started processing the applications back in the UK when her credit card showed the fees had been debited. Usually after 2 weeks. It was quite a surprise to see the credit card had been debited on the Thursday morning, 3 days after submitting the applications. :)
 
3/4 days to take the money is quite normal. The financials are not done where the new passport is processed. Having taken the money papers are sent to the processing centre and join the queue. There are no updates provided, other than perhaps a general one which might indicate a longer overall delay than previously suggested. VFS know nothing until they receive the new passport.
 
3/4 days to take the money is quite normal. The financials are not done where the new passport is processed. Having taken the money papers are sent to the processing centre and join the queue. There are no updates provided, other than perhaps a general one which might indicate a longer overall delay than previously suggested. VFS know nothing until they receive the new passport.


Just to add that the card transaction is processed by HMPO in Liverpool. As Nick says, this kick starts the process.

Nomad, I presume that the credit card used was yours?
 
Just to add that the card transaction is processed by HMPO in Liverpool. As Nick says, this kick starts the process.

Nomad, I presume that the credit card used was yours?

HMPO Liverpool could do with a kick start. 4 bloody weeks (estimated) to respond to an email!
 
Just to add that the card transaction is processed by HMPO in Liverpool. As Nick says, this kick starts the process.

Nomad, I presume that the credit card used was yours?
No, I have not held a credit card for the past 15 years or longer. It is my wife's credit card although we treat it as a shared card although repayment at the end of the month is a little one-sided. I pay the bill!
 
No, I have not held a credit card for the past 15 years or longer. It is my wife's credit card although we treat it as a shared card although repayment at the end of the month is a little one-sided. I pay the bill!
A Thai credit card?

I am only pressing you because I heard of difficulties with Thai cards
 
A Thai credit card?

I am only pressing you because I heard of difficulties with Thai cards

I was told, albeit by Andychondriac, that in order for a Farang to obtain a Thai credit card, it will need to be linked to a separate bank account and the limit of the card will be fixed at the balance of said bank account.

I don't have a Thai credit card and I cannot see the point in having one under those regulations. I've had Amex, Barclaycard, Access and Mastercard in the past but they were more trouble than they were worth.
 
I was told, albeit by Andychondriac, that in order for a Farang to obtain a Thai credit card, it will need to be linked to a separate bank account and the limit of the card will be fixed at the balance of said bank account.

I don't have a Thai credit card and I cannot see the point in having one under those regulations. I've had Amex, Barclaycard, Access and Mastercard in the past but they were more trouble than they were worth.


Indeed.


That is why I was seeking clarification from @nomad97
 
Indeed.


That is why I was seeking clarification from @nomad97

I did experience a situation in Perth, W.A. many years ago where the receptionist in a hotel would not accept my Kasikorn debit card. In the bar later, I mentioned it to the barman (a university student) who told me "Just tell them that it's a Visa credit card".

Next day I told them it was a Visa credit card and lo and behold the bill was settled.

[Otherwise, I would have had to have found an ATM to obtain the cash].
 
A Thai credit card?

I am only pressing you because I heard of difficulties with Thai cards
She has both Mastercard and VISA issued by Bangkok Bank. We have never had any difficulties using the cards and, last October, the VISA card was used to pay for my new UK passport too.

I agree with @Yorky, having a UK credit or debit card became a pain in the proverbial when they started using courier services for new/replacement cards or passwords some 15 years ago. If I remember correctly, I had to drive all the way to Khorat to pick up a new card as the courier, DHL or similar, did not cover Surin. Soon after that event, I binned my two debit cards.
 
She has both Mastercard and VISA issued by Bangkok Bank. We have never had any difficulties using the cards and, last October, the VISA card was used to pay for my new UK passport too.

I agree with @Yorky, having a UK credit or debit card became a pain in the proverbial when they started using courier services for new/replacement cards or passwords some 15 years ago. If I remember correctly, I had to drive all the way to Khorat to pick up a new card as the courier, DHL or similar, did not cover Surin. Soon after that event, I binned my two debit cards.

Final part of the interrogation @nomad97 , does Mrs Nomad have to keep covering funds in a separate account to match the credit limit?......(as per Yorky's post).
 
Final part of the interrogation @nomad97 , does Mrs Nomad have to keep covering funds in a separate account to match the credit limit?......(as per Yorky's post).
No! She has a 20,000 baht limit and that has always been enough for her/our monthly needs. Before you ask, she has never asked for a higher limit although, with her track record, I see no reason why a higher limit would not be granted.
 
No! She has a 20,000 baht limit and that has always been enough for her/our monthly needs. Before you ask, she has never asked for a higher limit although, with her track record, I see no reason why a higher limit would not be granted.

Thanks Nomad.

The card limit is not of interest. Discovering whether she had to have 20k cash cover, in a separate account, was of interest.

I have also come across the requirement that Yorky was advised of (by Andychondriac) that cash cover was needed. Maybe this is an anti-Farang approach.......
 
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