Renewing a UK passport

[David]

I understand that requirements for renewing UK passports have recently changed, for example the Bordeaux office will not now accept passport renewals.  I have done a search but I cannot find any recent posts on this matter.

Both my wife's and my passport expire this summer and we have to renew them.

We are resident in France and would be grateful for updates of what needs to be done for the renewal process.  If necessary we could return to the UK, as cost is a significant matter.

Many thanks in anticipation,

David

[idun]

We always had to send our renewals to the Paris consulate and as you say, very very expensive these days. That is since the Foreign Office took over, the Home Office prices were the same as for those living in the UK.

There are still extra costs involved if you go and pick it up at a Passport office in the UK, but it does work out far cheaper.

[pachapapa]

Indeed the whole thing has changed and a 48 page Passport costs € 193; not including TNT delivery charges.

All on the link below, updated february 2011.

Good Luck!

http://ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/how-to-apply/france

[Bob T]

You don't have to get a passport. Mine ran out nearly two years ago but is still accepted as a form of identification here in France. You only need a new one if you intend to visit the UK.

[krusty]

[quote user="Bob T"]You don't have to get a passport. Mine ran out nearly two years ago but is still accepted as a form of identification here in France. You only need a new one if you intend to visit the UK.
[/quote]

What about if you want to go to the USA ? [Www]

[idun]

I was always lead to believe that we had to have a  passeport en cours de validité  when we lived in France. Where does it say that we don't have to?[8-)]

[AnOther]

An in date passport is not required to enter the UK but obviously will present problems if trying to get on a plane to fly there.

TBH, required or not, if you have family or close friends in UK a decision to not renew your passport could prove a regrettable one. You can renew whenever you like, not just on expiry, so for anyone who's passport is due to run out in the next year or two, and who plans or expects to be visiting UK before that, why not take the opportunity to renew then.

[Bob T]

[quote user="idun"]

I was always lead to believe that we had to have a  passeport en cours de validité  when we lived in France. Where does it say that we don't have to?[8-)]

[/quote]

I thought that we had to wear a hat at all times in France, where does it say that you don't have to?

[idun]

I do believe if you checked at your local prefecture that a foreigner would have to have a passport en cours de validite. It is your ID and now the carte de sejour are no longer obligatory I would say that it was important to have an up to date form of ID, even obligatory.

IF you wanted to take french nationality you would have to get one AND then you would have to give your finger prints to get a french ID card.

And the hat, well, any nonsense you learn is your own concern and nothing to do with being a foreigner in a foreign land.

[sid]

David

To answer your question you can look here http://ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/what-passport/renewing-passport/steps-to-renew

and here; http://ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/how-to-apply/france 

We've just renewed ours within the last month... Expensive!

If you're planning on a trip to UK and are likely to stay for a week or so it'd be cheaper to apply there, BUT you need to give an address for the new passport to be sent to, and be there to sign for it - you can't collect the new passport from the office like you used to be able to.

If it's a straightforward renewal just complete the forms and send off to Paris (registered mail) together with your new photos. If your appearance hasn't changed significantly (for example, I now look much younger than I did 10 years ago [:D] ) you don't need to bother getting the photos counter-signed. You have to pay by credit card... no cheques accepted now, and you have to pay for the return courier (TNT). The cost is 160€ for a 32-page passport (EACH!!) plus 18€ for the return courier (one-off payment). You can include upto 5 applications in one envelope.

 

[Bob T]

My point was that you must do what IS written down and not what is NOT written down. I would not comply with any regulations that you believe either, unless you can show us where it is written down chapter and verse.

[LEO]

[quote user="David"]

I understand that requirements for renewing UK passports have recently changed, for example the Bordeaux office will not now accept passport renewals.  I have done a search but I cannot find any recent posts on this matter.

Both my wife's and my passport expire this summer and we have to renew them.

We are resident in France and would be grateful for updates of what needs to be done for the renewal process.  If necessary we could return to the UK, as cost is a significant matter.

Many thanks in anticipation,

David

[/quote]

I would return to the UK to renew my passport, without a doubt.

[Jay]

[quote user="LEO"][quote user="David"]

I understand that requirements for renewing UK passports have recently changed, for example the Bordeaux office will not now accept passport renewals.  I have done a search but I cannot find any recent posts on this matter.

Both my wife's and my passport expire this summer and we have to renew them.

We are resident in France and would be grateful for updates of what needs to be done for the renewal process.  If necessary we could return to the UK, as cost is a significant matter.

Many thanks in anticipation,

David

[/quote]

I would return to the UK to renew my passport, without a doubt.

[/quote]

Why when it is so easy to renew from Paris? It has to be cheaper than returning to the UK for an extended stay.

When we renewed ours it only took a week for the new ones to arrive - no problem.

[LEO]

What cost?

[Jay]

[quote user="LEO"]What cost?

[/quote]

Could you give some sort of clue in your post as to what you are talking about?

[LEO]

Hi Jay,

You wrote;

Why when it is so easy to renew from Paris? It has to be cheaper than returning to the UK for an extended stay.

When we renewed ours it only took a week for the new ones to arrive - no problem.;

 how much did it cost you to get to Paris, stay over, then pay for the passport!

[Jay]

I didn't I sent it in the post, why would I want to travel to Paris and wait for it? I don't think you can even do that.

By cheaper I meant that it must be cheaper to renew from Paris (by post) than to return to the UK (plane or ferry, petrol etc....) and wait round for a week or so till you receive your passport (in the post), assuming you have an address to have it sent to.

[sid]

Leo

It costs 338€ to renew 2 passports by post here in France, applications posted to Paris. In fact you HAVE to post them, you can't just turn up at the Embassy.

To renew in UK costs about half this amount (I haven't got the exact figure to hand), BUT you have to travel over there (both of you if it's a couple applying as in our case), and be prepared to stay for a week or ten days in order to receive the new ones. So a) it's more expensive when you factor the travel/accommodation costs (unless you already plan to visit) and b) it takes a lump out of your free time here. I don't like to go back to UK in any case; I much prefer being here [:D] so for me it's a no-brainer, grin and bear the cost. Done now for another 10 years.

[idun]

If I were Leo, since the prices changed, then I would hop skip jump over the channel and get them done there. But, for us, unless it all came together beautifully that we could renew whilst on holiday it would not have been worth our while to go back to get ours done.

 

[LEO]

Hi Sid,

£78.00 in UK. each

I am there at least twice a  year as,  I still have my house there, so for me it will  also be a   no-brainer!

[powerdesal]

As far as I know, all UK renewals overseas are now via Dusseldorf.

UK will renew on a same day service for (I think) about 129pounds each. it takes about 4 a hour wait.

I may be wrong on price though.

[sid]

[quote user="LEO"]Hi Sid,
£78.00 in UK. each

I am there at least twice a  year as,  I still have my house there, so for me it will  also be a   no-brainer!
[/quote]

Ah well, I don't have a house in the UK. [:)] As I said, if you plan a visit (or are there at least twice a year !! [8-|] ) it makes financial sense to do it in the UK. I think the charge for French residents is a rip-off!

Unless I misunderstood, the original question was about renewing for people living here in France? Anyway, you make your own decision based on your personal circumstances, I merely gave the latest information based on my experience a few weeks ago.

I don't know why these threads always turn into arguments about "this is best" or "that is best"; I'm sure the OP can make his own mind up if we just state the facts as we find them.

[LEO]

Well said,Sid.

[sid]

Powersdeal, I couldn't find this service. As far as I can see you have to do it by post now. Years ago we could turn up at the nearest passport office (in our case Liverpool) and get a new passport in a couple of hours. Maybe it's the new security measures?

If you could post a link for the details of the same day service I'd be interested; I would have used it, because as it happens we did make a visit in January and it would have been convenient. We would be able to point other people here in the right direction too, but at £129 it is less of a saving and more about convenience.

[powerdesal]

Sid, I dont have a link but, we phoned last september to the passport renewal service and requested an appointment at Newport wales for renewal. Excellent service, we had an appointment on the next Saturday, travelled from France on Friday, arrived Passport office at 1000AM picked up passports at 1400 same day. As it happened we were in UK for a couple of weeks but we could have been back in France next day if necessary. Stayed overnight at Premier Inn at Newport and had excellent dinner at resto next door.