General Chat

the proceedure to getting a new passport mine ran out 5 yrs ago do i need to get my birth certificate and new photo,s signature x

Here in Aus. our post offices take the photos.

S x

THanks both, i did my stepsons a few yeas back 4 times they sent the photo back must remember to clean my wiskers xx

You will have to go for an interview somewhere at a time convienent to them not you, just gone through this with my daughter, everyone who applies now has to be interviewed, had to travel 70 miles for my daughters.

puss when my passport ran out 2 years ago, went to postoffice and filled out the section to renew. asked the manager about existing photo as passport was 10 years old. he suggested getting a new one. so i did, got my neighbour to complete form and took it back to po. i paid extra for them to check it rather than it being sent back incomplete and within 2 weeks, new one duly arrived. the po took my passport and app form and sent it reg post.

how long before you need to use it bearing in mind the weather delays and xmas post?

thanks again, florence may 13th should i be doing it now x

McB, when did this change, does the interview apply to new applicants as well as renewals. living on an island it would cost me nearly £300 to get to glasgow passport office and who would be expected to pay that, it sounds ridiculous.

are you saying you cannot apply by post any more. if this is the case then lorraine, sorry for the incorrect info, i didnt know the rules had changed.

With Christmas and New Year coming up it wouldn't hurt to get in early. You've got plenty of time but at least you won't worry about it.

S x

ok thanks, its given me ideas so thanks as soon as i can i will get to a post office in shrewsbuy if it still exists think its in whsmiths now , yeah phpoto 15 yrs old lots of change in appearance xx nite and thankyou xx

The rule here is that you have up to 2 years after your passport expires to renew it - after that you have to have the interview. Of course it may be different in the UK

S x

Yes Claire it's her first passport so sorry for missleading anyone else Florence, she had an absalute nightmare getting it, PO checked application as well. They wanted her mums origanal birth cert, she hasn't got it, they made life really difficult for us.

You don't have to go for an interview to renew an existing passport...I renewed mine last year, though i did have to jump through hoops a bit as my old passport was 'damaged', had to supply birth cert, and a referee to confirm I was who I claimed to be.

Ironically although they exhaustively checked I was 'me' for my passport, they accepted me as son's mother with no evidence other than his birth cert and his ( first passport) came two months before I finally got mine lol.

Thanks again for help and advice x

Hi
Sorry if I'm repeating advice but if you go to this website you can fill in details and the passport office will send you the forms with the relevant bits already filled in.
If it's a renewal it's fairly straight forward.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_4018268
I've just done this and now all I have to do is get photo and send it off.
Hope this helps
Von

Given the original question "how do I renew my passport", a lot of the advice being given is confusing. Von's last post is the one to read.

1. You do not need your birth certificate for a renewal.
2. You do not need to have an interview.

You send off your old passport with the completed form and a new photo, and provided you look something like you did on your old photo and all other details tie up they send you a new one.

Do check how you are supposed to appear in the Photos, if you have a new one taken. I've heard all sorts of things, like hair back from face, no glasses. Hopefully this is incorrect, but needs looking into.

To clear up on some of the other points raised.

1. "Original" means that you have to send the actual document - not a photocopy. It does not mean you have to send the cert you were issued with when you were born. If it is lost, simply obtain a replacement from the GRO / Register Office and send this.

2. Children do not have to have an interview, as stated, but the name of a parent who is already a passport holder must appear on his or her birth certificate. If the parent is not already a passport holder or is not named on the child's birth certificate then they may need to provide additional documentation and identification.

3. Double check you photo is compliant. Examples of what is or isn't are provided with your application. Speaking to friends and relatives, this is the most common reason for rejection. Don't assume that photos taken by a professional photographer are correct either. My grandsons was done by Jessop and was still rejected. They did provide a replacement for free, though.

And for anyone wondering about the procedure where you need to get a new passport because yours is full, but not yet expired?........you must get a new passport, ie renewal, and pay the FULL amount, even if you had 6 years left on your old passport - thanks to rip off Britain!!
When I complained about this, I was told it's my problem if the pages are full, not theirs. So very helpful of them (UK Passport Office)I.

Mrs Angry of the desert, LOL, aka grumpy old woman,
K

thanks again xxx