Renewing a UK passport

[Jay]

[quote user="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.

[/quote]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Renewingorextendingyourpassport/DG_174097

[bixy]

If you have a parent who was born anywhere in the island of Ireland (north or south) you are entitled to an Irish passport. From memory the cost is something like €65, and it is dealt with at the Irish embassy in Paris. If you are over 65 the passport is free. A certain amount of paperwork is required but nothing too arduous. I now exclusively use my Irish passport when travelling - never had any problem. I will not be renewing my UK passport when that comes up for renewal. In fact, my wife and my children are also entitled to Irish passports but for them it is a more complex process. Possibly this may be of some use to people of Irish descent living in France who want to save themselves a pile of money.

Patrick

[Jazzer]

Hurry up, beacause of the cuts, the intention is to close the Newport passport office. The decision has been announced, but following much opposition it is now in the consultation stage.

[sid]

Jay, thanks for that link; duly noted.

Having read the conditions there are some limitations which would make it more difficult for anyone planning a visit;

"Demand for appointments in all IPS regions is usually very high - you should allow up to two weeks for your appointment date. You can't book appointments more than two weeks in advance."

You wouldn't be able to take advantage of the very cheap early booking air fares for example, because you'd be buying at the last minute.

Still a good alternative if you're already there and staying for a while though.

Edit again: There are some clauses which allow someone else to submit or collect your passport, but you have to be in the country at the time (how do they check??).

[Mikep]

Coming back to your original question, David, one thing you should do is get your passport photos done in the UK. The Passport office is now incredibly fussy about them for the biometric passports (take off your glasses and don't you dare smile!!!). I looked older than my father on mine.

I just renewed mine via the Paris embassy with no problems apart from having to post the forms and photos to the UK first for countersignature. The forms for Paris renewal are different to those used in the UK, and are NOT available to print off - you have to write in and ask for them. You might want to buy a stock of stamps!

[andyh4]

All the forms are available on line Mike

 

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

 

 

 

 

[sid]

[quote user="Mikep"]Coming back to your original question, David, one thing you should do is get your passport photos done in the UK. The Passport office is now incredibly fussy about them for the biometric passports (take off your glasses and don't you dare smile!!!). I looked older than my father on mine.
I just renewed mine via the Paris embassy with no problems apart from having to post the forms and photos to the UK first for countersignature. The forms for Paris renewal are different to those used in the UK, and are NOT available to print off - you have to write in and ask for them. You might want to buy a stock of stamps!
[/quote]

I left my glasses on! [Www] The guidelines say to remove glasses if possible; there must be no reflection or glare from the lenses, they mustn't be tinted, and the frames mustn't hide the eyes. I can't see the instructions in the photo booth without specs. The photos were accepted.

The forms ARE available to print off; that's exactly what I did. for renewal it is the same form as UK 

Go to this link http://ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/what-passport/renewing-passport/steps-to-renew and go to "What form do I need to fill in" and you'll see a link to download form C1. There is also a form to download for the credit card payment authorisation. It's in the links I provided earlier.

 

 

 

[David]

Thank you everybody for all your very helpful replies.  In particular thanks to all those who kindly provided links to the relevant sections.

Mike - did you have to send the forms to the UK for countersignature?  Could you not have got your local Maire to countersign them?

I now have to decide whether to go back to the UK or not.  Unfortunately we have just returned from the UK, which is when we discovered that our passports were nearing the end of their life, and we have no plans for any immediate return.  Thus we will probably renew through Paris.

Again many thanks to all.

David

[mint]

Unless the procedure has changed since 2009, the answers are as follows:

No countersignature necessary with regards to the forms

No verifying signature on the photos necessary unless your appearance has changed significantly

And, no, a signature from that most ubiquitous of French ladies, MARIE, is UNacceptable.  There is a list of people whose signatures ARE acceptable on the conditions attached to the form.

[pachapapa]

MARIE, is UNacceptable

But I do believe that engineers are very acceptable.[;-)]

But I get a lady magistrate up the road to sign my applications (shizophrenic).

[mint]

Hi, Pacha, I guess I lost my sense of humour for a minute back there![:P]

Do you think they accept the signatures of chateau owners?[:D]

[David]

Apologies sweet17 for my typo of Maire which I have now corrected.  Thought your comments about ubiquitous French ladies was a bit harsh for a simple typo.

So can the Maire countersign the forms?

David

[idun]

No and unless you have changed radically, then new photos do not need countersigning anyway, as has been said.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Mikep"]Coming back to your original question, David, one thing you should do is get your passport photos done in the UK. The Passport office is now incredibly fussy about them for the biometric passports (take off your glasses and don't you dare smile!!!). I looked older than my father on mine.
I just renewed mine via the Paris embassy with no problems apart from having to post the forms and photos to the UK first for countersignature. The forms for Paris renewal are different to those used in the UK, and are NOT available to print off - you have to write in and ask for them. You might want to buy a stock of stamps!
[/quote]

There is of course always an exception to your rule that photos must be done in the UK.

The photographer in the boutique in the concourse of HYPER U in Parthenay will undertake to produce compliable passport photos for UK passports.

I have got the T shirt. Takes about 20 minutes.

In the case of rejection he undertakes to retake the photos at no cost.

[Jay]

[quote user="pachapapa"]

[quote user="Mikep"]Coming back to your original question, David, one thing you should do is get your passport photos done in the UK. The Passport office is now incredibly fussy about them for the biometric passports (take off your glasses and don't you dare smile!!!). I looked older than my father on mine.

I just renewed mine via the Paris embassy with no problems apart from having to post the forms and photos to the UK first for countersignature. The forms for Paris renewal are different to those used in the UK, and are NOT available to print off - you have to write in and ask for them. You might want to buy a stock of stamps!

[/quote]

There is of course always an exception to your rule that photos must be done in the UK.

The photographer in the boutique in the concourse of HYPER U in Parthenay will undertake to produce compliable passport photos for UK passports.

I have got the T shirt. Takes about 20 minutes.

In the case of rejection he undertakes to retake the photos at no cost.

[/quote]

We have biometric passports and I took the pictures myself and printed them out on my Canon inkjet, absolutely no problem. I also know several people who have used the local supermarkets here for the photographs without any problems whatsoever.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Jay"][quote user="pachapapa"]

[quote user="Mikep"]Coming back to your original question, David, one thing you should do is get your passport photos done in the UK. The Passport office is now incredibly fussy about them for the biometric passports (take off your glasses and don't you dare smile!!!). I looked older than my father on mine.
I just renewed mine via the Paris embassy with no problems apart from having to post the forms and photos to the UK first for countersignature. The forms for Paris renewal are different to those used in the UK, and are NOT available to print off - you have to write in and ask for them. You might want to buy a stock of stamps!
[/quote]

There is of course always an exception to your rule that photos must be done in the UK.

The photographer in the boutique in the concourse of HYPER U in Parthenay will undertake to produce compliable passport photos for UK passports.

I have got the T shirt. Takes about 20 minutes.

In the case of rejection he undertakes to retake the photos at no cost.

[/quote]

We have biometric passports and I took the pictures myself and printed them out on my Canon inkjet, absolutely no problem. I also know several people who have used the local supermarkets here for the photographs without any problems whatsoever.
[/quote]

In france passport applications are done at the local mairie; some of the larger communes have their own biometric passport equipment; much to the chagrin of local photographers who regard it as disloyal competition.

Another factor is that in france there is little difference between the price at a professional photographer and the photomaton cubicle; indubitably more reliable.

[Jay]

[quote user="pachapapa"]

Another factor is that in france there is little difference between the price at a professional photographer and the photomaton cubicle; indubitably more reliable.

[/quote]

Not as cheap as DIY though!

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Jay"][quote user="pachapapa"]

Another factor is that in france there is little difference between the price at a professional photographer and the photomaton cubicle; indubitably more reliable.

[/quote]

Not as cheap as DIY though!
[/quote]

little difference between the price

mine @ photographer was cheaper than the photomaton at Leclerc.[:)]

I expect to shop) on saturday and would be only too pleased to research the prices as of 09/04/11....it could save you some centimes.

Personally I find the photographic quality paper very expensive for an ink jet.

[Jay]

[quote user="pachapapa"]

Personally I find the photographic quality paper very expensive for an ink jet.

[/quote]

Depends where you shop - put it on the list for next time you are in the UK or get it sent by post. I pay £1.40 for 20 sheets of glossy A4.

[bubbles]

Where do you get them from, Jay.

That's a very good price.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Jay"][quote user="pachapapa"]

Personally I find the photographic quality paper very expensive for an ink jet.

[/quote]

Depends where you shop - put it on the list for next time you are in the UK or get it sent by post. I pay £1.40 for 20 sheets of glossy A4.
[/quote]

Not planning to go to UK anytime soon and certainly not this year.[:)]

Still got 2 x 25 Kodak Picture Paper, 190 g/m2 , print on both sides.

I find Kodak Everyday Picture Paper just not quite the quality required.

Do passport photos require Photographic Paper rather than Picture Paper and more specifically would they require Kodak Ultima Picture Paper 270 g/m2 or the trade equivalent?

[andyh4]

Not sure what they require but judging from my OHs new passport the image is now scanned into the passport - in which case the paper is not as high importance as the quality of the image - OHs was not good (but obviously acceptable) and the result in the passport looks totally washed out.

[Jay]

I used Pro-Jet gloss photographic paper, 210gm. I think Andy is right, it's the quality of print that counts and of course the finished photo must meet their requirements. I took a high quality digi photo and cut out the head & shoulders then made it the right size using Photoshop.

[Rabbie]

When I renewed my british passport in December I just used photos from the machine in our local supermarket. It was accepted without any problems.

[Jay]

[quote user="bubbles"]Where do you get them from, Jay.

That's a very good price.[/quote]

http://www.svp.co.uk/index.php?q=A4+Glossy&nav=5