getting new british passport (British expats in Cambodia)

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clippy
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getting new british passport (British expats in Cambodia)

Post by clippy »

I have until december when the visa is up, to sort out getting a new British passport. mine has run out of pages

anyone done this from cambodia? i've heard the embassy are mostly useless, everything has to be posted back to the UK, theres long delays on everything

any advice welcomed. should i go to the embassy and they can post it via secure mail, and post it back securely and i pick up my new passport at the embassy, when it eventually gets processed and returned?
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Garry.Crabtree
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Re: getting new british passport

Post by Garry.Crabtree »

Yes I did this back in December and the new system actually works very well. You don't need to go or get the British Embassy involved and it goes something like this:

You send your passport and completed forms, photos, including payment details, to Liverpool via DHL.
They will send (again via DHL) your new passport back to you in about a week.
Then a few days later they send you your old passport.

I did this over Christmas and New Year and I got both passports and supporting documents back within 10 days, allowing for public holidays.
According to the proverb: The pun is mightier than the sword
indigo_design
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Re: getting new british passport

Post by indigo_design »

The waiting times have all changed since I did earlier this year as the passport offices in the UK have a huge backlog at the moment. A friend just came back from the UK and while back in the UK for a month looked at renewing his passport. He said there was no way he could get it done as the backlog has topped 500,000. Was told to pay for a special appointment where he would have to turn up at one of the passport offices and they would get it done that day. Unfortunately the soonest appointment was 3 weeks away which was after he was due to fly back here.

If you need a new passport send it off to Liverpool now and prepare for a 3 to 6 month wait.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... tions.html

The government has even started offering 12-month extensions for expiring passports to ease the problem.

List of countries that will accept extended passport (includes Cambodia and Thailand)
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... ports.docx

Edit: Sorry Clippy this option is not possible for you re:
Eligibility

All of the following must apply:

you’re outside the UK
you have a red passport
you haven’t already applied to renew your passport
your passport expired less than 6 months ago or will expire in the next 3 months (or in the next 7 months if you’re in or going to a country or territory that says you must have 6 months left on your passport)
your passport has at least 3 blank pages
Applying for a UK passport renewal from overseas - https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports
clippy
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Re: getting new british passport

Post by clippy »

i had heard the delays were bad, but 3-6 months wtf?

i am supposed to hang in cambodia for 6 months without a passport, what if i get really sick and want to go thailand to a decent hospital? i cant even rent a motorbike or pick up adsense checks from western union, or check into a hotel

i'll go and ask the embassy when i am in phnom pehn. you're probably right though, typical uk chaos, worst embassies around arent they
indigo_design
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Re: getting new british passport

Post by indigo_design »

Hopefully in 3 months but I would be prepared for up to 6 months otherwise you could be stuck here with no passport and have your visa run out. The backlog is over half a million applications plus this is holiday season for the UK and people who are in the UK can ask to have their application put to the front of the queue if they have a flight booked.

As for the embassy in PP unless you have 3 spare pages in your passort and can get a 1-year extension they cannot help you.

It is a case of join the queue and wait.

Maybe someone from the embassy would like to comment on this thread....... :popcorn:

This is where you application will be 'processed'
indigo_design
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Re: getting new british passport

Post by indigo_design »

Noticed this on the other forum
My new UK passport arrived after over 4 month fuckin wait. Left it late to get new passport but didn't expect 4 month wait.
I've got just over 100 days overstay and wanted to check what the script was & explain the UK passport office is in chaos.
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