Passports

[Gardian]

Just read a piece in last weekend's Sunday Times.

The gist of it was that new applicants will, from 26/3/07, be required to attend personal interviews at a 'local' centre, etc, etc.  I make no particular comment on that, however, it also said that this requirement will be extended to renewals from 2008 /9.

It's early days and only Press talk, but if true, it'll mean a special visit back for more than a few of us eh? 

[Hoddy]

"It's early days and only Press talk,"

It's more than that. The centre in Loughborough has already applied for planning permission. I don't imagine it's the only one.

Hoddy

[andyh4]

[quote user="Gardian"]

 

It's early days and only Press talk, but if true, it'll mean a special visit back for more than a few of us eh? 

[/quote]

 

Why?

Can't the embassy and consulates speak?  I think you will find they will also be conducting the necessary interviews.

[Llwyncelyn]

Dear Gardian my brother at the grand old age of 79 has just applied for his first passport to come to see us here in France.  The too wanted to do a 'personal interview' but unfortunately there was a backlog and a few minutes later they told him we have some discretion here so lets forget it......................

[Bugsy]

How does this work for people like us, i.e. living here. As I understand it, applications for a new passport are currently sent to Paris. Mine is due for change in 2008 and I've been advised that it would be worth applying early to avoid this biometric overkill. ?

[cooperlola]

Are you asking how to renew Bugs?  If so, we just downloaded the renewal form from the passport office website and sent it off with the photos, cheque etc to Paris (taking a colour photocopy of the back pages first in case we needed them for id), and 10 days later, bingo, new passport.

[Deimos]

The UK gov has so many plans these days. Like most other plans they have I'm sure this will continue until the have spent vast sums of money preparing - at which point it will be dropped and all the money spent planning wasted.

One good thing is that loads of private consultants will be paid vast sums of (UK) tax payers money to write reports and provide management advice. Don't know about this idea but there are so many of these being started, paid for and dropped these days I just glad I don't pay UK tax any more.

Ian

[Bugsy]

[quote user="cooperlola"]Are you asking how to renew Bugs?  If so, we just downloaded the renewal form from the passport office website and sent it off with the photos, cheque etc to Paris (taking a colour photocopy of the back pages first in case we needed them for id), and 10 days later, bingo, new passport.[/quote]

Thanks for that. I was wondering though about whether it was worth applying early, to avoid having to, presumably return to the UK, for a stupid interview.

[cooperlola]

I assume, Buggs, as said above, that if this does happen, we'll have to go to Paris or wherever, not the UK.  Don't suppose it has been thought through to this extent yet.

[Will]

It's yet another case of publishing, or rather emphasising, half of the information in order to make a story.

The Sunday Times article was based on nothing stronger than an internal Home Office memo about ways of gathering data for Britain's proposed ID card system - which of course is far from certain in itself. So please do not panic, chances are it will never happen, and even if it does then the consulates will surely continue to deal with passports for non-residents, who will probably not need ID cards anyway.

[Russethouse]

Am I missing something ? The word new is in italics in the original post, I guess those of you in Fance have a passport  [;-)] and you will just be wanting to renew ?

[Will]

Yes - the article, and the original post, mentioned that it was to apply to renewals from 2008-2009. If it applies at all, which I very much doubt.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Russethouse"]Am I missing something ? The word new is in italics in the original post, I guess those of you in Fance have a passport  [;-)] and you will just be wanting to renew ?[/quote]

Except, perhaps, those born here about three months ago who have yet to apply. [:)] Though how much sense they'll get out of her I cannot say.

[Russethouse]

LOL ![:D]

 

[Russethouse]

Isn't there a limit as to how early you can apply to renew your passport ?

Is this the article : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2496768.html

[mint]

i think you can apply up to 6 months early but that may have changed since i last had this info

it seems to be the case that lots and lots of so-called legislation nowadays get put about BEFORE any of the details and implications are sorted out

[Deimos]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

Isn't there a limit as to how early you can apply to renew your passport ?

Is this the article : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2496768.html

[/quote]

[Deimos]

Seems to be a problem with the forum software in that I'm trying to respond to RH's post (quoted above) but anything after the post is ignored (edited it loads of times, etc.)

Anyway, what I was saying about renewing passports early was:

I think if it became rather tatty and worn-out (e.g. from having to carry it around all the time in a foreign country) then, provided it was still clearly your passport without bits missing, etc. then they would replace it early (at the same cost as a normal replacement). I'm also sure that a passport could become damaged but recognisable without too much "encouragement" if necessary.

But I've not tried any of this so am not talking from experience.

Ian

[Cat]

[quote user="Deimos"][quote user="Russethouse"]

Isn't there a limit as to how early you can apply to renew your passport ?

Is this the article : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2496768.html

[/quote][/quote]

testing

EDIT: I'm not sure what happened when you tried Deimos, but it seems to be working Ok now (for me at least).

[Andyphilpott]

Looks like it.

Makes you smile (or grimace) when you think that there are also proposals to cahrge motorists by the mile so as well as the high cost of a passport you will also be 'fined' for travelling up to 80 miles to get it!!

The thoughts of emigrating from the UK are of increasing frequency with no compelling argument to stay other than a desire to hand over all my hard earned wealth, such as it is, to a load of grasping good for nothing bureaucrats.

Andy

[Benjamin]

When you look at a passport application form and see all the different "classes" of people who may or not be eligible to obtain a British passport then you can see why personal interviews for some of those people may be obligatory.

I would seriously doubt  if a  native of the British Isles would be included in this process even if this rumour were ever to come to fruition as othres have already opioned.

What really gets me is when UK government  double announces forth coming expenditure  as in  "  We're increasing spending  (as if it was their own money to begin with)  by £600  millions ".

Six months later it's "We're increasing spending by £800 millions " without admitting that this is only a further £200 millions over that already announced.

Sorry, I digress

[andyh4]

You can certainly apply for a replacement passport over 6 months before it expires since many countries will not permit you to enter unless your passport has at least 6 months left on it.  Nearly fell foul of this myself.

 

In addition, and not widely known, you can legally hold more than one valid UK passport.  In the '80s we had a rep working the USSR, Israel and Saudi Arabia amongst others - he had 3 passports all issued in HM's name.

[Bugsy]

Extract from the Passport Office Website.

When should I apply?

You can renew a passport up to nine months before it runs out. If you do this we will put a credit on your new passport for the unused time (in whole months) that was left on your old passport the day the new one was issued.

Non-UK residents

If you do not live in the UK, you may apply in person to renew your passport whilst visiting the UK. In order to do this, you need to make an appointment at a passport office and you must provide an address in the UK to which the passport may be posted. You should call our Adviceline on 0870 521 0410 to make an appointment at one of our offices. We can offer a Fast Track one week service or a Premium same-day service. Please note the Premium same-day service is not available for first passports, extensions to a passport, or to replace a lost, stolen or damaged passport.