Renewing a passport

[CeeJay]

SWEET 17

Yes, the declaration needs to be completed for renewals if you change your photo because you feel that there has been a material change , and don't forget that if the countersignatory is for a child of 11yrs and under the countersignatory is signing to say they have known the parent who  has signed on behalf of the child and not the child itself.

[mint]

Blast, we haven't been in France 2 years so don't know anybody here who can be a countersignatory.

So, the OH's photo is going to be 10 years older but all other information (apart from our address, of course) remains exactly the same.

I did think that if you didn't need a countersignatory for your photos, then you didn't need a countersignatory for the declaration to say that all the information was correct, etc.........

Oh drat, one more obstacle then to see how we could best get around...Why does everything have to be so complicated?

Grinding of teeth, etc[:@]

Thank you so much for your advice, Ceejay: I do appreciate your coming back to post.

[Clair]

[quote user="sweet 17"]Blast, we haven't been in France 2 years so don't know anybody here who can be a countersignatory.[/quote]

Mr Clair had the same problem when he had to renew his passport, so I called the Paris Embassy and explained the circumstances.

A very helpful lady there said a counter signature for the pictures would not be necessary and indeed, Mr Clair received his new passport a few weeks later.

[mint]

Clair, what a wonderfully helpful woman you are and how good at cheering up downhearted immigrants to France!

What I will do is write a letter explaining the circumstances and offering to get a countersignatory from the UK if they feel one is required.

Do you think I should address it to the "very helpful lady who works at the Embassy"?[:D]

[Clair]

I still wonder why I, a French national, had to call the British Embassy on behalf of my husband, who is a British national... [blink] [:-))]

[Quillan]

Just to say that both my wife and I have renewed our passports by sending them to Paris and on both occasions I have phoned the number given on their website and asked about getting a signature on the back of the photo's. The reply on both occasions has been that if the new photo looks similar to the old one no signature is required. The service was very quick and all the forms were downloaded (as were the instructions on how to complete the forms) from their website. For the photo's we used the cabin thing in the foyer at the local LeClerc supermarket. The web-page we used was

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

If in doubt give them a call. It really is very simple to get a passport renewal in France.

[suein56]

[quote user="Clair"]I still wonder why I, a French national, had to call the British Embassy on behalf of my husband, who is a British national... [blink] [:-))]

[/quote]

Because you are a woman married to an Englishman ... and Englishmen don't do such things for themselves if  they can get someone else to do it for them.

I, of course, speak as a woman married to an Englishman ...

Sue [Www]

 

[Tressy]

[quote user="Quillan"]

Just to say that both my wife and I have renewed our passports by sending them to Paris and on both occasions I have phoned the number given on their website and asked about getting a signature on the back of the photo's. The reply on both occasions has been that if the new photo looks similar to the old one no signature is required. .

[/quote]

Yes I got that answer too, but then I rang again (just to be certain, after a marital dispute) and got the opposite answer, so I got them signed.

The first photo I sent them was rejected for being too bright, but thankfully they accepted the one in which I look just like Myra Hindley without quibbling.[:D]

[mint]

[quote user="spg"]

[quote user="Clair"]I still wonder why I, a French national, had to call the British Embassy on behalf of my husband, who is a British national... [blink] [:-))]
[/quote]

Because you are a woman married to an Englishman ... and Englishmen don't do such things for themselves if  they can get someone else to do it for them.

I, of course, speak as a woman married to an Englishman ...

Sue [Www]

[/quote]

Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who has given me advice and has been so kind and helpful.

Then, I want Sue and Clair to know that I am married to a Welshman and, just so's that they don't think that they're on their own, I can say that I don't honestly think it's to do with the nationality of the man.  It's just a man thing...can't do, won't do.

Who do you see posting on the forum about someone else's passport, asking questions, etc, etc?  Right!! 

[Just Chris]

May I say on behalf of all male readers and participants in these forums, that I strongly protest about the blatant sexism I am reading in this thread.  Hrrummph!!

Chris (Mr.)

[mint]

Well, Mr Chris, why don't you let Mrs Julie come on the forum and give us her point of view, eh?[:)]

[Just Chris]

Erm, well she's a woman, thinks she wears the trousers, and is therefore biased (and hopefully won't read this) !

Chris

 

[Will]

[quote user="sweet 17"]...It's just a man thing...can't do, won't do.

[/quote]

Errr... Just for the record, I have renewed both my own and my wife's passports at Paris.

And if this overt sexism continues I shall have no alternative other than to cancel my subscription to this web site. [:P][+o(]

Disgusted of south Manche

 

[mint]

Will, I suppose that Mrs Will is busying trying to sell houses at the moment and I expect she delegated the passport renewals to you, after giving you precise instructions on how to do it!  Is that not really the case?

[Will]

Sorry to go against the stereotypes, but I renewed mine (and arranged to collect it from Paris as I am always on the move and needed it quickly) - all done with no female assistance I might add. And, as Mrs W's was coming up for renewal, I did the business for her while I was at the consulate, so that her shiny new passport could arrive shortly afterwards in the post. It seems hard to believe I know, but some of us males are perfectly competent, and a few of us can even multi-task [;-)]

[mint]

Will, you are that rare entity, the one male in a million who can do the things that all us females can do without even thinking about it!  Tell Mrs Will from me she is a very lucky woman indeed!

[Bluecat]

Mrs Ern here

At the risk of deviating from the entire thread, thought I'd just throw my support into the pot for those men that "will and can do".  After more than 40 years, Ernie's learnt that it's easier to do whatever is needed for the easy life so I have no complaints.  Seriously, he's a good lad and has improved with age.  I think it all hinges on me never giving him lists of things that need doing; I have my ways but won't divulge in public as it'll give the game away to him. 

 

[mint]

No, Mrs Bluecat, you keep your secrets to yourself and you keep Erns on his toes!

[Will]

It does raise an interesting side issue. In those tests you see in magazines and the various other pointless exercises you can do to see how male/female you are I always come out as having a brain that's more female than male (not sure that I ought to mention that in such macho company). And this seems to be proved by the various tests you can apply, such as the relative lengths of your fingers, to show how much testosterone you were exposed to in the womb, which apparently governs your 'maleness', i.e. competitiveness and spatial abilities.

But I do agree with Sweet 17 and have some sympathy with Ern, because I would agree in a lot of cases, us men don't need to think for ourselves. We often get advice and suggestions about how to approach our various tasks.

Aplogies to the moderators, because this has sod all to do with renewing passports. [:)]

[cooperlola]

Aw, come along, this is fairly straightforward isn't it?  If he doesn't renew his own passport, then he can't leave the country.  If he doesn't cook every other night, then he'll starve every other night.  If he doesn't clean his study he'll have to put up with the mess.  If he doesn't do the washing, he'll have to wear filthy clothes.  It isn't rocket science.[:D]

[AnOther]

Ruddy 'ell, didn't realise 'er indoors was secretly keeping tabs on me but sweet of her to jump to both my defence and (some) of our species [kiss][kiss] squidgypoos [:$]

Will, couldn't agree more, if there are several more or less equal ways of going about a task, such as renewing passports for instance ([;-)]), then it can be beneficial to do it the way the OH suggests or would like it done.

To expand on 'improving with age' I think us men can be likened to a good bottle of wine, much better if left to stand and breathe a bit [:D]

 

[mint]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

Aw, come along, this is fairly straightforward isn't it?  If he doesn't renew his own passport, then he can't leave the country.  If he doesn't cook every other night, then he'll starve every other night.  If he doesn't clean his study he'll have to put up with the mess.  If he doesn't do the washing, he'll have to wear filthy clothes.  It isn't rocket science.[:D]

[/quote]

Might have known, Coops, that you'd have it all organised!  ....and sorted!

[Chancer]

An update on my passport renewal holiday in the UK.

I went over with a soon to expire passport with the sole aim of renewing it in person at Victoria and returned as a clandestin with an expired one!

Tha passport office would not allow me to book an appointment more than 7 days in advance so I waited until I arrived in case of ferry probs etc, called on Monday hoping for Tuesday appointment, told all booked up due to strike the 3 following days, plenty of appointments available the following week.

No problem, the next Friday will do, "sorry - computer says no! cant make booking any more than 7 days in advance" I was advised to book one for the Monday (when we would be in Cornwall) phone to cancel and get one for the Friday, I did as asked.

Later that week the Daily Mail (I believe) headline read "millions to lose their holidays due to passport office fiasco" - you can guess the rest, there was a stampede of personal applications and they could not give me an appointment for a further 10 days at the earliest. - Intersting how the computer now says "yes"!

We cut our losses and returned, I thought that my best chance would be the Norfolklines 2am boat but was a bit peturbed to see that the Douanes have now been displaced to the Dover ferry terminal (as per Eurotunnel system) and in fact I had to get past them  before even checking in, no problems, passport and girlfriends carte d'identite checked but no comment made.

I now await a visit from Sarkos repatriation squad, if I am offered money to join the bus home like the ones I saw on FR3 I may be tempted.

[AnOther]

You're one unlucky SOB JR [:D]

 

[Iceni]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

To expand on 'improving with age' I think us men can be likened to a good bottle of wine, much better if left to stand and breathe a bit [:D]

[/quote]

No, Ern, most men cannot improve, we have been perfect from day 1 (I have anyway).

John