Renewing a passport

[val douest]

My husband recently needed to renew his British passport: it had five

months to run but he was unexpectedly invited to the USA for a

work-related visit.  Although the arrangement was 'expenses only',

it  required a J-visa which would run for 12 months - longer than

the remaining life of the passport.  The US people were anxious to

proceed with the paperwork as soon as possible but the passport was

needed for several short trips out of France over the next few

weeks so we were reluctant to send it to Paris in case of any

delays.  Careful examination of the passport renewal section on

the British Embassy website presented a solution: my husband took the

passport (together with the completed renewal forms downloaded from the

web, 2 photos - one of which was countersigned, and his French

chequebook) to the British Consulate in Bordeaux.  They made a

certified copy of his passport (at no extra charge) which was sent by

them with the renewal application to the Embassy in Paris, so my husband was able to

keep his passport for use in the interim.  A week or so later we

had a call from Bordeaux to say the new passport was ready for

collection; the consular official clipped the corners off the expiring version

before handing it over along with the shiny new one (which expires in ten years time plus the period still left to run on the old passport).

Just thought this might be helpful to anyone who lives a long way from

Paris and who needs their passport renewed but doesn't want to be

without it.  I guess other British Consulates in France would

provide the same service.

Val

[Polremy]

we were in a similar position during the summer. we will be out of france for six months from the end of october and our passports were due to expire just before before our return. however, my father then became very ill in england and we were reluctant to be without our passport in case we had to go there at short notice. (are you with me so far?). unfortunately our nearest embassy is a long way away - marseilles i think it was. we did phone paris who said that in the event of a family emergency we could be given papers so that we could get to england without passports. however, we wouldnt be able to come back!!! in the end we just had to take a chance and post off our old passports to paris. as it happened, they issued the new ones very quickly indeed - less than a week. mind you, we didnt know that at the time. we waited a month then made enquiries. this wasnt very easy because it is rarely possible to speak to a living person on the embassy phone number. however, paris assured us that the new passports had been posted back to us three weeks previously and suggested we paid a visit to our local post office. it turned out that there had been a remplacant postie at the time who didnt deliver them because there was nobody at home. he had taken them back to the post office and just put them in a box (it really was just a shoebox!) and told nobody. bit scary at the time but it turned out all right at the end. and yes, our new passports are valid until march 2107 so at least we wont have to do all that again for a bit!

[Baz]

[quote user="Polremy"] and yes, our new passports are valid until march 2107 so at least we wont have to do all that again for a bit![/quote]

If that date was correct then you will never have to do it again!!!!   I assume you mean 2017.

Baz

[Will]

The staff at the consulate general in Paris (the Embassy division that deals with all passports for British residents in France) are generally very helpful - if you are within travelling distance, in cases of genuine need (rather than just having forgetten to renew) you can phone them in advance, then take the passport in person to be renewed. As mentioned previously, the major consulates in other parts of France will also be pleased to sort you out. Relying on the French postal service is always a little doubtful, though it works well most of the time.

[Polremy]

oops!

mind you, i do have a very healthy lifestyle.

[Cjlaws]

val douest, that's really good to know.

For anyone worrying about travelling between France and UK without a passport, don't worry. I lost my UK passport a few years ago and it only dawned on me as I drove off towards Calais. A quick visit to my local gendarmerie resulted in a temporary travel document which got me through passport control in each direction with no problems at all.

[julia]

The price is set to rise again for renewal in the UK and I assume that will mean they will be in France too.

[Coco]

[quote user="Cjlaws"]

val douest, that's really good to know.

For anyone worrying about travelling between France and UK without a passport, don't worry. I lost my UK passport a few years ago and it only dawned on me as I drove off towards Calais. A quick visit to my local gendarmerie resulted in a temporary travel document which got me through passport control in each direction with no problems at all.

[/quote]

That's interesting.  My passport has expired and I keep forgetting to renew it.  Spanish guests staying here in the summer were going on to the UK by Eurostar with just their identity cards  - they were convinced they needed no more, as they were within the EU.  I was very dubious but speaking to another guest, a UK policeman, he said that it was true that French people certainly, could get through customs at the ferry ports with their ID cards.  I showed him my carte de sejour and he was pretty confident that as it shows the same sort of info as the French ID card that I would be alright.  Does anyone know if that's true!?!

[julia]

My husband got through Ryanair ticket desk check in with just his Carte sejour without any problem(france-UK) but when he got to security they insisted on his passport, which he had.

If you are planing a ferry trip to the UK , why not phone the port and ask, you have nothing to loose.

[Will]

[quote user="St Amour"]... it was true that French people certainly, could get through customs at the ferry ports with their ID cards.  I showed him my carte de sejour and he was pretty confident that as it shows the same sort of info as the French ID card that I would be alright.  Does anyone know if that's true!?![/quote]

It's true that for travel, within Europe at least, a national identity card has the same status as a passport. The carte de sejour, though, is not equivalent to a full ID card. It depends on where you are and where you are going. I have used my carte de sejour as ID with no trouble at all travelling on the Thalys and booking into hotels in Germany, Holland etc, but the ferry companies are properly clued up and know the difference. I've asked on several occasions, but for British subjects the full passport has always been asked for. So you may get away with it, but I certainly wouldn't depend on it.

[Coco]

That's a shame, especially as we are unlikely to be going anywhere other than France or England for quite some time - I thought I might be able to save on the passport renewal fee for a year or two![Www]

[Wendy]

Just a question, are there any Brit Consulates any further south than Bordeaux?.

[Cassis]

The five British Consulates General in France are situated in Paris, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon and Marseille.

So Marseille is the most southerly (or is Mercator deceiving me?).

Regardless of where you apply, it is processed in Paris, according to the website.

[cooperlola]

Mr Cooperlola renewed his passport by post with the consulate in Paris.  It was back in 10 days.  Not bad really, eh?

[Suandpete]

Don't forget that non-EC citizens living in France are issued with a

Carte de Sejour - but will probably require a visa to get into the UK -

so holding a Carte de Sejour does not prove anything if you are British.

[Quillan]

Two things I know form first hand experience, send your application to Paris its quicker, 3 weeks via the local consulate, 6 days direct with Paris.

The form says you must have a signature on the back of the photos even for renewals but on calling the help line at the embassy a lady said that if it is obvious that the two photos are the same (same hairstyle etc) then no signature is required.

[2360CU]

Having just read through the threads on this subject, I would be grateful for a bit of clarification.  My wife and I intend to retire to France, so will be classed for tax purposes etc as French residents, therefore when our UK passports expire can we still renew via the Consulate in Paris or would we need to obtain French passports?[8-)]

[BJSLIV]

would we need to obtain French passports?

Not unless you plan to take up French nationality.

[Teamedup]

Yes you would have to renew your UK passports, and it costs a fortune from the Consulate, well, we think it does.

[LanguedocGal2]

You will both be able to renew via Paris as mentioned above and also via your local consulates if you are not in a desperate hurry.Not quite sure why you think you may need to get French Passports though.  Are you and your wife French nationals?  Being a resident and a national are two completely different things. If you are not a French national, you will not be entitled to a French passport.

Emergency same day renewals

I know this may not be convenient for everyone but I renewed my passport a couple of years ago using this service.

Simple, quick and efficient.

1) Made an appointment with passport office in Victoria

2) 10 am: handed in my old passport and completed forms.

3) 2 pm: collected new passport and paid.

The only problem I had was trying to get through to those premium rate numbers from France so a family member called and made the appointment.

I don’t know if this service exists in other passport offices in the UK but it should be easy to find out. 

So, don’t worry 2360CU it’s relatively simple but just allow yourself ample time if you are renewing by post, especially during holiday periods.

[2360CU]

Thanks for the responses, answers are much appreciated.

[Quillan]

Use the link below to get you application form and information on how to complete the form, how much it costs and what to do.

http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1059132503646

Contrary to what they say about getting your photo and application signed when renewing your passort you don't have to providing there is no dramatic change between the old and new photo's i.e. it's clear they are one and the same person. If you are unsure then contact the Embassy on the number given and they will tell you this to be true, they are very helpful.

Don't send it to a consulate send it direct to Paris. All the consulates do is post them on becuae it is only Paris that can issue the passport. Via a consulate it took three weeks (that was mine), direct with Paris it took 6 working days (my wife 2 months ago) and we are way down south.

What others have said about French passports is 100% correct.

[Punch]

Interesting thread especialy as my passport was stolen today in Laval (53) . ( Along with carte de sejour, Uk and French bank cards, cheque book(s), permis de conduire, carte vitale, keys, personal family photos, cash ; etc etc).- don't ask- its been a real shi**y day!

Even when I rushed to the Gare to get some new photos done in the booth for the Prefecture, with half an hour before they closed -someone fell under the rush hour Paris -Rennes TGV causing chaos and blocking me in the train station for hours whilst they cleared up (I think she survived by the way - poor woman). I am normally quite upbeat but dealing with the surly uncaring attitude of the Commisariate (sp?) de Police, who were less than helpful made me want to join that poor women under the train.  I've lived here a fair few years now but wished I could have blasphemed at him in my native tongue! Then guess what ? I arrive home to catch Martin Fowler looking like he's about to throw himself under the 1845 at Walford! Blººdy nora!

Anyway - apparently some nice chappy at The Paris Consulate who I have just spoken to tonight advised me to ring back tomorrow, wherby they'll probably sell me one of the new biometric passports at 140 euros! Seriously though I do need it quickly as my mother is quite ill at the moment in the Uk with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, so I may need to travel at the drop of a hat.

I feel better now - feels like I'm in counselling now I've got it off my chest!

Paul.

 

 

 

[Dick Smith]

What a bummer!

I hope it all sorts itself out. Or at least that sorting it out doesn't continue to be a major pain.

[mint]

paul

nothing to say about passports but just want you to know i sympathise.................