VFS Global, a complete disgrace and a burn on taxpayers money.

[Formaleins]

How pleased I was to find out that I could apply for a new UK passport here in Chiang Mai at VFS-Global at their new office, how quickly it turns sour!

Has anyone ever tried to renew a passport with t0hese Indian <deleted> employed by the UK? Do these people even exist or is it just a joke? Try e mailing them on their published e mail address, nothing but a useless automated reply that is totally useless. Try creating a user name and password to get an appointment to renew a British Passport - Best you will get is a link for <deleted> Australian Visa applications!

 

Can you believe that the UK Government, i.e. every UK Taxpayer is subsidising this company of retards to the tune of god knows how many million quid every year to provide absolutely nothing? You may as well flush the money down the <deleted>ter or burn it, but to pay these <deleted> for this garbage is a disgrace.

 

Please let me know if anyone has successfully managed to book an online appointment with this place in Chiang Mai and di you ever manage to get a new passport...

 

No wonder people get to the end of their tether and end up walking into these places with a machine gun and a gallon of petrol, it is the least that they deserve!

 

I have e mailed them about 10 times on their published address that is supposed to be for BOOKING AN APPOINTMENT -  I get an automated response telling me the e mail address is only for booking appointments! - I Create a login and password and it takes me to the <deleted> Australian Visa page. <deleted> hell, how much of this <deleted> <deleted> are we supposed to put up with? Sack this bunch of <deleted> and give us back the British Consul, let us go to the useless <deleted> at the British Embassy,

[Mahseer]

Assist Thai Visa will take care of U.K. passport renewal if you get fed up with the other outfit.

[kingofthemountain]

Damn you seem to be very upset

and i can understand why. 

 

Have you tried to contact them from another computer

and from another place? For some reason (I don't know your history)

they could have already registered your IP in their database and

decided they don't want you as a customer.

 

They probably don't want to deal with you and die in suicide attack

by a madman if your passport was lost in the process.

 

Good luck anyway

try the buddhist way

stay calm, drink fresh and enjoy a good relaxing massage

[tgw]

services like VFS are a case of dereliction of duty by consular services.

 

[mfd101]

Still, it's nice to know - from an Aussie's point of view - that the Aussie bit is working smoothly and productively, which is the norm in Oz and can be even in Thailand.

[Orton Rd]

Never bother with them, always get a new passport at home. Same day service if you want and no embassy letter needed when you want to transfer stamps from old to new at Thai immigration.

[cleopatra2]

OP 

did you follow the instructions in the automated response and provide the details requested , name ,3 seperate dates along with 3  times for the appointment.

 

The automated response is as follows

 

Thank you for your email. This is an automated response. This email address is ONLY for booking an appointment to submit a passport application. You'll need to schedule an appointment by email. Include your first name and last name and 3 alternative dates and times from 15:00 to 16:30 hours. You will receive an email confirming your appointment. Please note that the Visa Application Centre will not be able to respond to any passport enquiries, please use the GOV.UK <https://www.gov.uk/> website or passport advice line. Getting help with my passport application? All details on how to apply for a passport and how long it will take can be found at: http://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports How do I get further help? Advice on how to apply for a passport and what supporting documents you need to provide can be found by country at: http://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports If after reading that advice carefully you have further questions you should contact the Passport Advice Line on 0044 300 222 0000 rather than your local Embassy or High Commission. The Passport Advice Line is open at the following times: Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm (UK time) Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 9am to 5:30pm (UK time) Best regards UK Visa Application Centre HM Passport Office Local Service Provider, Thailand

 

 

Once submitted i assume you have to wait for confirmation e-mail.

[Denim]

The government know all about VFS but so far has done little to bring them to task.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/home-office-investigation-complaints-vfs-global-outsourcing-visas-immigration-a9214306.html

 

https://www.financeuncovered.org/investigations/vfs-the-exploitative-dubai-based-firm-fuelling-a-massive-surge-in-home-office-profits-from-uk-visas/

 

Ok...so these articles are focused on visa but it is the same company

 

[Jip99]

What a load of <deleted> being posted on here.

 

For UK passports VfS are simply the handling agents appointed by UKPA to receive passport applications and deliver new passports.

 

The system is straightforward and the instructions are simple. No Indians involved - not that that should matter.

 

 

[worgeordie]

That's why I sent my passport back to my daughter in the UK

and she did it for me and sent it back.at the time it would

have meant two trips to Bangkok

regards worgeordie

[CanuckThai]

VFS works fairly well, and I can see the need for the service they provide.  I've followed the necessary parameters that various consulates demand, for a slew of countries (visa's for me, and my wife).  Follow the instructions, provide the information requested, pay the fee. 

 

Voila...no weapons required, and keeps the mouth breathing nutters at arms length, from the consulate.

[baansgr]

Yet BKK return your email with appointment within 20 minutes

[Jip99]

19 hours ago, worgeordie said:

That's why I sent my passport back to my daughter in the UK

and she did it for me and sent it back.at the time it would

have meant two trips to Bangkok

regards worgeordie

Despite that being illegal...

[tgeezer]

8 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

Despite that being illegal...

But necessary. The older generation has trouble adjusting to the degradation of the country and its institutions and sometimes the only way is to manage yourself what they are incapable of managing. 

[chrissables]

22 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Never bother with them, always get a new passport at home. Same day service if you want and no embassy letter needed when you want to transfer stamps from old to new at Thai immigration.

Thailand is home. People do live here you know? Or do you think we should fly back to the UK to apply?

[Orton Rd]

1 minute ago, chrissables said:

Thailand is home. People do live here you know? Or do you think we should fly back to the UK to apply?

Up to you

[Dazinoz]

Used VFS in Chiang Mai once to facilitate my Thai born son's Australian Citizenship application. No problems at all. Cant complain.

 

Only issue I had was the security guard at the door asked if I had mobile phone and when I said I did he asked me to turn off and not to use inside. When I went in I counted at least 10 people using their phones in one form or another.

[Scouse123]

22 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Never bother with them, always get a new passport at home. Same day service if you want and no embassy letter needed when you want to transfer stamps from old to new at Thai immigration.

 

I do the same as you. It's funny how some do not plan ahead in these matters and then vent their anger at those of us who do!

 

I am not particularly referring to the OP, although on a different note, I have used VFS in Bangkok without issues for my Thai partner to obtain British visas without incident and a smooth service on the whole. We didn't have contact with any Indians, only Thais.

 

I now have two UK passports but when I had only one and it was getting near to full even though not near expiry, I would take a trip into Liverpool and get a new one, whilst in the UK.

 

It can save a lot of messing when you are abroad for long periods of time.

[gearbox]

23 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Still, it's nice to know - from an Aussie's point of view - that the Aussie bit is working smoothly and productively, which is the norm in Oz and can be even in Thailand.

Why it wouldn't work, the Aussie passports are one of the most expensive in the world, the cost is more than twice the British passport. I have the "frequent traveller" passport, which they discontinued in 2017, and paid for it $382, almost the same type British passport is 85 pounds.

[mfd101]

15 minutes ago, gearbox said:

Why it wouldn't work, the Aussie passports are one of the most expensive in the world, the cost is more than twice the British passport. I have the "frequent traveller" passport, which they discontinued in 2017, and paid for it $382, almost the same type British passport is 85 pounds.

So the cost of an Aussie passport is VFS's fault?

 

I think not. Just the Oz governments of the last 10 years or so working, perfectly sensibly, on a 'user pays' basis. (Why should non-travelling citizens have to pay for your travels & travails?)

[sead]

21 hours ago, cleopatra2 said:

OP 

did you follow the instructions in the automated response and provide the details requested , name ,3 seperate dates along with 3  times for the appointment.

 

The automated response is as follows

 

Thank you for your email. This is an automated response. This email address is ONLY for booking an appointment to submit a passport application. You'll need to schedule an appointment by email. Include your first name and last name and 3 alternative dates and times from 15:00 to 16:30 hours. You will receive an email confirming your appointment. Please note that the Visa Application Centre will not be able to respond to any passport enquiries, please use the GOV.UK <https://www.gov.uk/> website or passport advice line. Getting help with my passport application? All details on how to apply for a passport and how long it will take can be found at: http://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports How do I get further help? Advice on how to apply for a passport and what supporting documents you need to provide can be found by country at: http://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports If after reading that advice carefully you have further questions you should contact the Passport Advice Line on 0044 300 222 0000 rather than your local Embassy or High Commission. The Passport Advice Line is open at the following times: Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm (UK time) Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 9am to 5:30pm (UK time) Best regards UK Visa Application Centre HM Passport Office Local Service Provider, Thailand

 

 

Once submitted i assume you have to wait for confirmation e-mail.

And hope it doesnt go Into your spamfolder

[NanLaew]

On 1/16/2020 at 1:47 AM, kingofthemountain said:

Damn you seem to be very upset

and i can understand why. 

 

Have you tried to contact them from another computer

and from another place? For some reason (I don't know your history)

they could have already registered your IP in their database and

decided they don't want you as a customer.

 

They probably don't want to deal with you and die in suicide attack

by a madman if your passport was lost in the process.

 

Good luck anyway

try the buddhist way

stay calm, drink fresh and enjoy a good relaxing massage

Yeah, and go easy with all that <deleted>

[NanLaew]

48 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

Only issue I had was the security guard at the door asked if I had mobile phone and when I said I did he asked me to turn off and not to use inside. When I went in I counted at least 10 people using their phones in one form or another.

You sure that was the VFS office and not some local airline?

[NanLaew]

20 hours ago, Jip99 said:

What a load of <deleted> being posted on here.

 

For UK passports VfS are simply the handling agents appointed by UKPA to receive passport applications and deliver new passports.

 

The system is straightforward and the instructions are simple. No Indians involved - not that that should matter.

 

 

Agreed. If the OP knows there are Indians involved, then he's obviously googled more than is good for him. If he feels the Indian involvement is worthy of mention and blames that for the situation, then he is simply showing his own prejudices.

[Moonlover]

 

39 minutes ago, sead said:

And hope it doesnt go Into your spamfolder

Not checking ones spam or junk folder is probably the most common cause of people thinking that they haven't received a reply to an inquiry.

 

'rant, rant rant, oh, there it is!'

[davemos]

On 1/16/2020 at 8:10 AM, mfd101 said:

Still, it's nice to know - from an Aussie's point of view - that the Aussie bit is working smoothly and productively, which is the norm in Oz and can be even in Thailand.

O had a similar experience as the poster I'm Aussie but try doing the appointment as an Aussie then sort when you get there.They are rude and ignorant but persevere.

[NanLaew]

1 minute ago, davemos said:

O had a similar experience as the poster I'm Aussie but try doing the appointment as an Aussie then sort when you get there.They are rude and ignorant but persevere.

Don't forget to mention that the 'rude and ignorant' people referred to are NOT Indian.

 

Thanks!

[LivinLOS]

20 hours ago, CanuckThai said:

VFS works fairly well, and I can see the need for the service they provide.  I've followed the necessary parameters that various consulates demand, for a slew of countries (visa's for me, and my wife).  Follow the instructions, provide the information requested, pay the fee. 

 

Voila...no weapons required, and keeps the mouth breathing nutters at arms length, from the consulate.

Me also..

 

I found VFS 100% efficient, low wait times, constant updates and frequent updates and communication through the process, and generally 100x better than your usual government provided service (had hell with uk passport office multiple times, and in my work have to deal with mountains of eu and uk bureaucracy). 

I actually felt having a VFS local to me a huge advantage to my lifestyle and choice of being here (wife gets a lot of visas). 

[chessman]

I used VFS in Bangkok to renew my passport and everything went very smoothly, easier in fact than last time I got a passport in the UK (and it was quicker too).

 

Keep trying OP, maybe you caught them on a bad day. Make sure you send them the three appointments times... they replied very quickly with my first choice after I had done that.

[Moonlover]

21 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

21 hours ago, Jip99 said:

What a load of <deleted> being posted on here.

 

For UK passports VfS are simply the handling agents appointed by UKPA to receive passport applications and deliver new passports.

 

The system is straightforward and the instructions are simple. No Indians involved - not that that should matter.

 

 

22 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Agreed. If the OP knows there are Indians involved, then he's obviously googled more than is good for him. If he feels the Indian involvement is worthy of mention and blames that for the situation, then he is simply showing his own prejudices.

Quite so. If @Formaleins has never received an appointment, he's obviously never been there, so why does he assume the are Indians working there?

 

And as a aside, I've encountered Indians many times during my working life and have always found them to be excellent administrators. The Middle East relies very heavily on them.