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StavvioD
Joined: 31 Aug 2009
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 Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 10:29 pm Post subject: Getting a british passport via Hong Kong |
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Hello everyone,
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I'll be needing a new British passport pretty soon, as I plan to travel around South-east Asia where I will need more visas than I have space left in my passport.
I know now that all passport applications in the region are processed in Hong Kong. I know I can make an application whilst in Thailand and only have to send off a copy of my passport instead of the real thing - which I am quite apprehensive about but I will run the risk of it taking more than my 28 day tourist visa in Thailand to get my new one.
However, I was wondering if it would be possible to actually visit Hong Kong and apply in person. Would I be right in hoping this might only take a few days?
Thanks |
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b-class rambler
Joined: 25 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon May 27, 2013 4:48 pm Post subject: Re: Getting a british passport via Hong Kong |
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| StavvioD wrote: |
However, I was wondering if it would be possible to actually visit Hong Kong and apply in person. Would I be right in hoping this might only take a few days?
Thanks |
No, I don't think that would work, I'm afraid.
Although the Hong Kong consulate is the place that processes all applications from East and South-East Asia, the actual passports themselves are made and dispatched from the UK. That's why they say that it'll take at least 4 weeks. Because you have to courier your documents to Hong Kong, they carry out whatever checks they do, they then send the info to the UK for the passport to be made and it's sent from there.
AFAIK, the only way you can get a passport renewed either on the same day or within a week is back in the UK. The same day service requires you to go in person, but the week service can be done by post, I believe, although only to/from UK addresses, obviously. But if you've got family back in the UK whose address you can use and who can send off your documents & application and then express mail the passport to you, that might save you about a week on the time it'd take via Hong Kong.
My experience of the HK Consulate is that they do process it well within they time they say it'll takes and if your docs are all in order, you could get it all done in 3-4 weeks, I reckon. And like any British Consular Office, they'll definitely have your money off you in impressively quick time. When I used them earlier this year, I got a text from the Korean post office that my express mailed package to the HK Consulate had arrived. And then, just 15 minutes after that, I got a notification text from my credit card company that HK$1300 had just been paid to "British Consul Hong Kong"! |
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StavvioD
Joined: 31 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Tue May 28, 2013 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.
What exact documents did you need? Will I need my bith certificate? |
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b-class rambler
Joined: 25 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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| StavvioD wrote: |
Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.
What exact documents did you need? Will I need my bith certificate? |
Nah, for a straightforward renewal all you need is the photos & application form, all duly signed or countersigned as appropriate plus your existing passport.
Plus the money, of course. And it is more than the HK$1300 I mentioned above. That was for a child's passport and the courier fee for getting the passport and other stuff back to me. For an adult one it's over HK$1,800 for the 32 page passport, or about HK$2,200 for the 48 page one.
Those ridiculous charges are another reason to consider the option of getting it done via the UK, if you can. The 1 week fast track service within the UK is about 100 quid (=HK$1,180) for a 32 page passport. |
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Capo
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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| I had my PP renewed in in Korea (via Hong Kong) 2 years ago. I couriered my stuff to HK and it came back 2 weeks later. |
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