.. Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Looking for the scoop on this at the current time since procedures seem to change a lot. I need to get mine renewed soon and I do not really want to do it by mail. Why? I feel uncomfortable sending the old passport in the mail and therefore being without one for x days/weeks. Can I just have it done at the embassy? Can I keep my old one while I wait for the new one? None of this is clear per the embassy web site and I forgot to ask when I was there last. Sarisin? Anyone? Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaronTT Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 I'm pretty sure that if you apply at the Embassy, they send it out of the country for processing. Lots of anti-counterfeit measures now put in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCgringo Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 One day I went to the passport office in LA to get my well used / abused passport renewed, the passport had gotten wet and the photo was falling off, but I had used it that way for years. This was before 9 / 11 They took my passport , would not return it , and I could not use it ad ID to get another one ! What a pain in the ass, I had to go get a copy of my birth certicicate and start over again I did finally convince them to make a photocopy of the first page so I had a passport number as reference. I lost all the info in the passport, all the dates I crossed borders in Europe etc. So make a photocopy of anything important before you hand over your passport , you may never see it again OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gummigut Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 Okay, here's the gospel. They WON'T take your passport other than to make photocopies when you submit your application. They DO enforce the restrictions in terms of white background and the size of the head on the photo (you'll find the requirements in the PDF files online regarding passport applications. I wouldn't fill the online PDF file though. Get the one from the window at the Embassy). After you submit the application they WILL give you your passport back. So you can still fly in and out whatever. When you PICKUP your new passport, they will want the old passport. They will then stamp cancelled on the old passport and put holes in it and return it to you with the new passport. You'll then have to get your visa and latest sticker transferred at immigration. Painless and Suan Phlu. Extremely painless in my case as I almost asked the window at the information booth for her number but the guy working next to her didn't look at me to nicely so I didn't How do I know this is the gospel? I did this about a month ago! They say it takes 2-weeks and they take your phone number. The issue date on my passport was about 1-week after I submitted the application. I went on the morning that 2-weeks was up and my passport was ready (though they DIDN'T call me). Who knows when they actually got it, but it was in my hands 2-weeks after I submitted the application. On a side note, the US Embassy and Thai Immigration was a pleasure. Submitting the application took about 15 minutes from me entering the consulate to leaving. A couple of minutes of that was for me to find the cashier's window!!! Picking up the passport and transferring my visas took less than 15 minutes at the Embassy and Thai Immigration. The officer at the US Embassy though was slightly irked that I didn't fill out any of the voluntary information on the application like who to contact for emergencies for example, but she did take the application (guess anyone at the Embassy can figure out who I am now, though that ain't all that hard to find out ) Hope that answers any and all concerns! <<burp>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted August 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 gummigut said:Okay, here's the gospel...<<<snip>>> U da man G! That is *exactly* the info I needed. Thanks! :bow: gummigut said:On a side note, the US Embassy and Thai Immigration was a pleasure. Submitting the application took about 15 minutes from me entering the consulate to leaving. A couple of minutes of that was for me to find the cashier's window!!! I have to say that when I went to the Embassy a couple of days ago, that was also my experience. Very friendly (even at 1:59PM!), efficient and an absolute pleasure to deal with, both the Thai gal and the farang consular officer. And I too got lost trying to find the new cashier's window LOL! Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCgringo Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 well whatever "gospel" you use I know they took mine , here in Los Angeles and would NOT give it back to me. I never got it back and had to fight to even get a photocopy of the first page, as they say "your milage may vary" OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted August 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 Maybe because yours was damaged? I certainly would not be happy at all if I did not have possession of some kind of valid travel document when in a foreign country! And I am even more of a wanker when I am unhappy than I normally am, so I "pity da fool" who tried to do that to me LOL! Anyway, mine is just full and nearly expired (7.5 months to go), not damaged. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 Gummi done said it all. Biggest pain was the change in passport photo size and style. I always used a photo of me looking halfway civilised, dressed in a suit and tie and pretending to be respectable. Now they want just one big close up of your head, looking a bit like a jack o' lantern. I had to walk a block or two to a shop that is doing a land office business in taking photos of the folks who go to the Embassy with the traditional style photos! They post the thing to the States, but it comes back saying it was issued in Bangkok. I renewed mine late last year and the postage was free. Now they buggers make you pay for it yourself. Big surprise is that the US passport is now in English, French and Spanish! Used to be just English and French. Sign of the times ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 Flashermac said:Big surprise is that the US passport is now in English, French and Spanish! Used to be just English and French. Sign of the times ... French??? And no arabic yet? :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCgringo Posted August 7, 2005 Report Share Posted August 7, 2005 as I said at the beginning mine was renewed in Los Angeles and was damaged. But I would still make a photocopy of any important pages before I turned it in for renewal , you never know ! , and I was un-pleasantly suprised when they would not return mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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