DigitalNomad93 Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 (edited) Hello, As I was enjoying the Songkhlan festival yesterday I managed to absolutely soak my UK Passport that has my student visa stamps in. I have like another month before I have to re-visit the immigration office to get another stamp again but the last stamp is completely faded and the ink has blurred. Also my passport photo has pretty much faded out although my details remain visible. I'm just wondering what I should actually do in-regards with my visa and passport and will I have to return to the UK? Any help is greatly appreciated. Edited April 14, 2016 by DigitalNomad93 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asiantravel Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 hmmmmmmmmm you are a student and you took your passport with you out into the Songkran festivities knowing what to expect ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 You need to obtain a new passport and then visit immigration to transfer stamps into the new one. Your current passport is not valid for anything but return to the UK if photo is damaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigitalNomad93 Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 hmmmmmmmmm you are a student and you took your passport with you out into the Songkran festivities knowing what to expect ? Yeah I know I'm an idiot for doing it but I did it and now have to deal with the consequences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigitalNomad93 Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 You need to obtain a new passport and then visit immigration to transfer stamps into the new one. Your current passport is not valid for anything but return to the UK if photo is damaged. I would need to go the UK Embassy in Bangkok to get a new right? Would I actually need to return to the UK just for a photo because surely I can get passport sized photo's here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritTim Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 You will need to get the passport replaced. See https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/renewing_new/adult for details of the process. In the email asking for an appointment, make clear that this is urgent because of passport damage, and ask if they can provide an appointment at short notice. If you can get an appointment within a week, there is a fair chance of getting the replacement within about 3 weeks after that (though this is not guaranteed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritTim Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 One other thing I would bear in mind. When you apply for the replacement passport, normally the photos do not need endorsement. However, if you are not now easily recognizable in the photo from your old passport, I would play safe and get one of the photos endorsed as explained in the guidance notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 You need to obtain a new passport and then visit immigration to transfer stamps into the new one. Your current passport is not valid for anything but return to the UK if photo is damaged. I would need to go the UK Embassy in Bangkok to get a new right? Would I actually need to return to the UK just for a photo because surely I can get passport sized photo's here? My point was passport is no longer valid for normal travel with such damage - but would likely allow travel back to UK without replacement. Yes photos should be available but be sure to observe the requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eclipse Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 Yes you can get the photos here but they have to perfectly match the requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigitalNomad93 Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 Okay thank you for your replies. I'm more than likely not going to receive my passport back in time for my next visit to the immigration office. What should I do in-regards to that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 Okay thank you for your replies. I'm more than likely not going to receive my passport back in time for my next visit to the immigration office. What should I do in-regards to that? The most recent post indicate the average time to get a new passport is 2 to 3 weeks from the date you apply. If you don't have it by the time you need to go to immigration they may be able do your extension in your damaged one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigitalNomad93 Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 I need to send my passport back though correct in order to receive a new one? If I don't have the passport back in time then I'm stuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donnybay Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 If you make your application now at Trendy building Bangkok, good chance you will get a new passport back in time, mine recently took 11 days from application to collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiBiker Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 I once put my passport through a washing machine and it survived unscathed enough that I used it for several more years. I'm sceptical that a water pistol could do such harm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossy Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 I need to send my passport back though correct in order to receive a new one? If I don't have the passport back in time then I'm stuck. No, there's a special exemption for Thailand. You just send colour copies. Read the instructions linked to previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritTim Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 I need to send my passport back though correct in order to receive a new one? If I don't have the passport back in time then I'm stuck. That link I provided you should have made clear that, applying from Thailand, you do not need to send your passport in. You need to copy every page (including blank ones) and cannot use the old passport for travel. However, you retain it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnatong Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 I need to send my passport back though correct in order to receive a new one? If I don't have the passport back in time then I'm stuck. UK passports are not sent back when applying from Thailand. Open the link and follow the instructions https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thanyaburi Mac Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 If for some odd reason your new passport doesn't arrive back in time, one option might be to apply for an Emergency Passport, and take that one to Immigration for processing. Mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritTim Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 If for some odd reason your new passport doesn't arrive back in time, one option might be to apply for an Emergency Passport, and take that one to Immigration for processing. Mac While I could never imagine using an emergency travel document for other than emergency travel, I am curious. Can an emergency travel document be used for this kind of purpose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 If for some odd reason your new passport doesn't arrive back in time, one option might be to apply for an Emergency Passport, and take that one to Immigration for processing. Mac While I could never imagine using an emergency travel document for other than emergency travel, I am curious. Can an emergency travel document be used for this kind of purpose? Yes it can. Normally done when a passport is lost or stolen and a person needs to get an extension to avoid going on an overstay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayk Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 I once put my passport through a washing machine and it survived unscathed enough that I used it for several more years. I'm sceptical that a water pistol could do such harm. Where does he say it got soaked from a water pistol? Do they only use water pistols in Thailand during songkran? Have you never seen people throwing pails of water onto people during Songkran? What am utterly ridiculous ending to an otherwise perfectly good post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigitalNomad93 Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 **** UPDATE / ENDING TO THIS ****** Hello everyone, I'm just posting to let everybody know that I know have everything sorted now and I have a new passport and all the visa stamps in the new passport. I'll explain what I had to do below incase anybody else has the shocker that I had. Go to this link - https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports and fill out your relevant information and then download the form(s) under the "How to apply" section. Just follow the instructions on the form(s) they are pretty self explanatory - FYI you will need 2 passport sized photos with 1 of them being a counter-signatory. Also you will need to colour photocopy every single page of your passport. You'll also need to fill out the bank form so that they can take the cost of the passport from your account. You'll then need to go to your school and ask for a certified enrolment certificate. Once you have completed those steps you will need to put everything together (application forms, photos, school enrolment certificate and all the photocopies of your passport and also your damaged passport). - I also attached a cover letter explaining the situation and that I needed a passport ASAP. You'll then need to email the UK Passport office asking for an appointment to lodge your application - mine was in Bangkok so I emailed this address [email protected] and they replied fairly quickly. Once you receive confirmation print it and go to the application centre and lodge your application. You will receive a DHL tracking number so you can follow your application on its way to wherever its going. In my case I had to wait 2 weeks for an email from the application centre and then I went and picked up my new passport. So by now you've got your new passport and you can't whipe that smile of your face, but hang on my fellow warrior your shocker is not over yet! We still need to get those visa stamps on your new passport... lets do it! Go to your school and get them to take photocopies of your new passport and your old one and tell them the date that you will be going to extend your visa / transfer your stamps. Your school will book the date and take everything with you (school paperwork, photocopies, passport photo(s), you go to the immigration office and then go to the information desk and tell them you are transferring visa stamps. They'll give you another form and then just fill that in and go and get your queue number and wait for the officer to do it for you. KABOOM! Complete! All in all it took me 22 days. Hope this helps anyone who has the same disaster as I did. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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