TestaRossa

Just sent off Antonia's renewal to Paris via posta assicurata. I'll let you know how I get on....

37100

Lorna at Vicenza

You didn't use any courier services then?
What about price of return postage?

I'd really like to know how it goes as have to get my own passport done soon.

Margaret M

Does anyone know if I'll have time to get mine done in the UK between 14th and 29th March? It doesn't expire until February 2011 so will that be too soon to do it anyway?

TestaRossa

I used posta assicurata per l'estero. It should be okay and there is insurance to cover the cheque inside which, even though it isn't transferable is still cash in the wrong hands! I can track it through the posteitaliane website too. The fee of €121 for a kids renewal includes the courier of €26 for the return.

Check out ukinfrance website where you'll find passport renewal info relevant to either doing it here or in the UK. I think you have to have less than 9 months left before you can renew though. They tell you on that website though. If you want to do it through the UK I can tell you exactly what you have to do as we did it for my son's passport 2 weeks ago. With the time frame you have you would have to make an appointment to renew in person at one of the passport offices. We went to the one in London. You can only make an appointment 2 weeks before you need it, no earlier. When you make the appointment - you do it over the phone to the Identity and Passport service - they will ask your name, obviously, postcode - you can give your Italian one initially but when they make the appointment they will need the UK postcode of where you will be staying. When you go to the appointment you will need proof from where you are staying that you are staying there. If it is friends etc they will tell you what you need as proof. This is so people can't fly in and out to get a passport... Anyway, only one person is allowed in per appointment, you won't be allowed to take another person past security with you. You can pay the fee in cash or by credit card - check out the site and it will tell you. Once you have had your interview you will be able to pick your passport up 4 hours later or up to a week after that. HTH.

jdr

Less hassle to get it from the embassy.

TestaRossa

What, in Paris???! Seriously, I'm confused!! We can't use Rome anymore, everything has been centralised for those of us in France, Belgium, Luxembourg Italy, Malta, Monaco, Switzerland and The Netherlands!! Apparently we Italian expats are a minor blip on the Embassies radar screen!

Lorna at Vicenza

Were it true it is still SOO SOO much more expensive though.

jdr

We have to use the one in Madrid as the Malaga one stopped doing them, Portugeezers have to send theirs there to.
Cost me 170 0dd €`s, but saves arranging an app in the UK etc whilst over there.

jdr

Yeah but, in the UK you have to add on phone calls to UK to arrange app and paying for the appointment, fares to Embassy, etc, so probably close in costs.

TestaRossa

Okay, take off the phone call - no idea how much that cost to arrange the appointment, BUT Antonia's passport cost €121 plus assicurata of €11.45. Alexander's cost £110.....It would be the same difference for adults too. Agreed it is only worth doing if you are in London etc. for the day. We actually had no choice either as Alex was in the UK and too young to apply for his own passport!

Patty

Blimey Testa - thats really expensive. I'm glad I got my youngest his new passport last time we went home. It was £49 and then I had to pay an extra £35 for extra quick processing - so I mustnt complain
After reading this I think I will seriously try to do mine next time I go home too ! Its £77.50 for an adults in Guernsey.

TestaRossa

Wow! That's good! It cost us about €184 I think to renew through Rome...and the courier was only €14 of that then, it's €26 now!! So it'll come out around €200 for an adults renewal through Paris now.....

Patty

That is daylight robbery

TestaRossa

Luckily I won't have to do it now for another 8 years and they'll probably be chip and pinning us by then!!

And next time Alex needs to renew his he'll be old enough to pay for his own!! Or am I being naive???