British Passport Processing Thailand Changes WEF 8th March 2010

With effect from the 8th March 2010 British passports will not be processed at the British Embassy in Bangkok. Instead applications will be sent to a new regional office in Hong Kong.

The British Ambassador in Thailand, Quinton Quayle has recently posted information on the British Embassy Bangkok web site.

Although currently there is limited information on the web site more is promised. In the meantime applications will continue to be dealt with at the embassy in Bangkok.

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Northern Cyprus-Property Ownership-Court Ruling

Having spent a few very happy years living in Cyprus as a British serviceman and visiting the island subsequently on family holidays I think its fair to say I have a certain love for this jewel in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In my younger days as a soldier stationed near Famagusta I was able to roam freely on the island in both Greek and Turkish sectors. Of course all this changed with the subsequent invasion by mainland based Turkish forces although visits to Northern Cyprus were still possible via Turkey.

Over the years many British expatriates have settled on the island both in the Turkish north and the Greek Cypriot south. But now with the warming of relationships between the two communities, EU membership and a genuine desire for reconciliation being sought it seems that British expatriates living in the Turkish sector may be living on borrowed time, particularly if they have purchased land and built second homes.

A recent ruling in the District Court in Nicosia has ruled in favour of a Greek Cypriot who fled to the south of the island following the Turkish invasion leaving behind land which he legally owned. The land having been subsequently sold by its Turkish occupiers to a British couple.

You can read the full story "British Couple Lose Cyprus Holiday Home Battle" in the Telegraph.

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Benefit Reduction for UK Expats

Quite a few British expats now find themselves subject to yet another UK Government crackdown. This time its not pensions but benefits in the form of welfare handouts that are being targeted.

While the British government refuses to pay certain allowances to British expats living in the EU it continues to pay welfare benefits to migrant EU workers based in the UK.

"The European Court of Justice ruled in 2007 that benefits such as the disability allowance were “exportable” and should continue to be paid even when an individual leaves his country of origin and moves to another member state. Yet despite the ruling, the UK Government has stuck with its policy of withholding the payments – prompting a warning from the European Commission that unless Britain falls into line by the end of this month, ministers will be dragged back into court and forced to defend their decisions." Read more...........(Telegraph)

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