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If you are a US passport holder currently inside the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Thailand with your passport about to expire, the first thing which you must consider (after of course collecting the required documents) is how to schedule an appointment with the US Embassy in Thailand for the renewal of your US passport.
Renewal of all US passports within the territory of the Kingdom of Thailand fall under the authority of the American Citizen Services (ACS) located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok, justin front of the main building of the US Embassy.
Under US Embassy rules in Thailand, only applicants appearing in person shall be entertained by the ACS, whose office hours are from 7:30 am to 11:00 am and 1:00 to 2:00 pm from Monday to Friday.
Upon approval of the application for the renewal of the US passport, there is usually a two-week processing period.
Step by Step Process for the Renewal of a US Passport
Step 1 Gather required documents
a) In order to prove that the applicant is a citizen of the US, he may bring any of the following official documents (only original copies will be accepted as proof):
– US birth certificate
– Previous US passport
– Certificate of citizenship
– Certificate of naturalization
– Consular report of birth abroad
b) In order to prove his true identity, any of the following documents will suffice, as long as it is the original copy:
– Previous US passport
– Naturalization certificate
– Valid government-issued identification card such as driver’s license, military identification card, and the likes
c) Social Security number
d) Two photographs (must be the same) 2 x 2 inches
Step 2 Complete the passport application form (either the DS-82 or the DS-11 depending on the following conditions)
For Form DS-82, the following criteria must ALL be present:
– The US passport must have been issued when the holder thereof was sixteen (16) years of age or over
– Must have been issued within the last fifteen (15) years
– Passport is undamaged and can be submitted at the time of application
– Passport was issued under the present name of the holder, or there are legal documents that can support any change in name
If any one of these requirements is missing, the applicant must complete form DS-11.
Step 3 Submit the completed application form together with the required documents. Remember to sign the application form in front of the Consular Officer before submitting it with the ACS.
Once approved, the passport may be picked up by the applicant within two weeks from its approval.
Summary
Remember that the US passport is the single, most important piece of document which a US national can possess while he is within the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Thailand.
A US passport is not only a paper document that proves the citizenship of its holder, but more importantly, it gives the bearer thereof the right and privilege to demand assistance from the United States consular officials having authority and jurisdiction over US affairs in Thailand.
Thus, it is a prudent and wise idea to renew the passport promptly, or report it’s lost immediately to the proper authorities to avoid any inconvenience which could result from the delayed renewal or report of loss.
It is also good practice for the passport holder to keep a photocopy of the passport in a safe and separate location from the original passport. Also if you ever lose your US passport you can contact the US Embassy Bangkok.
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