British Expats

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   Canada (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/)
-   -   Passport Renewal (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/passport-renewal-928317/)

BritInParis Feb 10th 2020 12:08 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 

Originally Posted by adrianj (Post 12804570)
I would go for the cheaper option
not wanting to start an online war... I was a brexit"eer" BTW

There’s no difference in price :)

adrianj Feb 11th 2020 1:31 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 
hey that link was really useful, (I went to UPS btw and they wanted with signature $111 !!)

so that link is really good because it gives me options as to sizes and weights,
if I can get it into a standard envelope size (under 50g) the price is a lot better,

at the moment I had it in a bubble envelope then into a photo do not bend envelope, then I'm thinking, I don't need it protected LOL !

so I put some tape on the edges of the passport to make it skinnier, and looking at various envelope sizes, the thickness is the thing,
UPTO 5mm is regarded as standard letter 5mm-20mm, it's regarded as large envelope, then the price goes up

weight of passport is 34g and width is 3mm, so I have 2 mm wiggle room for the envelope, if I just use an ordinary letter envelope, that should be fine right
no -need for any special ones ?

BristolUK Feb 11th 2020 1:54 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 

Originally Posted by adrianj (Post 12805026)
... if I just use an ordinary letter envelope, that should be fine right
no -need for any special ones ?

I used an ordinary brown envelope that was big enough for the passport. The only special feature was the peel off part on the flap so no licking needed. :lol:

beckiwoo Feb 11th 2020 2:34 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 

Originally Posted by adrianj (Post 12805026)
hey that link was really useful, (I went to UPS btw and they wanted with signature $111 !!)

That is ridiculous!

Makes me want to use CP or mail mine whilst I’m in the UK with Royal Mail Special Delivery option

adrianj Feb 11th 2020 4:11 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 
but licking is the best bit, gives me practice, most the envelopes I've ever licked tend to taste a bit fishy LOL ;)


Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 12805029)
I used an ordinary brown envelope that was big enough for the passport. The only special feature was the peel off part on the flap so no licking needed. :lol:


adrianj Feb 11th 2020 4:14 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 
yeah totally cray cray

between CP and UPS, not a lot of options



Originally Posted by beckiwoo (Post 12805042)
That is ridiculous!

Makes me want to use CP or mail mine whilst I’m in the UK with Royal Mail Special Delivery option


beckiwoo Feb 11th 2020 4:43 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 

Originally Posted by adrianj (Post 12805085)
yeah totally cray cray

between CP and UPS, not a lot of options

Fedex, Purolator, DHL...

other options but probably around the same price.

How does CP work when it gets to the UK, does Royal Mail take over and treat it as tracked/special delivery?

adrianj Feb 11th 2020 4:49 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 
I don't know but now you scared me


Originally Posted by beckiwoo (Post 12805113)
How does CP work when it gets to the UK, does Royal Mail take over and treat it as tracked/special delivery?


Siouxie Feb 11th 2020 5:08 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 
https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/...ubcat=tracking

You can also try some of these international tracking sites - I've used them before to track parcels from China to Canada..
https://trackitonline.org/
Universal Parcel Tracking - Global Package Tracking
https://www.parcelmonitor.com/en/

yakkiebush Feb 11th 2020 1:56 pm

Re: Passport Renewal
 
Hi Folks
i will be also renewing my British passport next week as it expires in May.
now I’m gonna try and do the online thing :ohmy:.
i only have a iPad.no printer.
is a printer needed .im gonna get my better half to take my mug shot and try to upload it.
was wondering how to pay in UK funds as my Visa is Canadian 🤔
this thing has been bugging me for a while now.
im a bit of a thicko when it comes to computers .
ifi did go and get my photo taken .do you need a code number ? And do you put it in with the old one.👍
the more advise the better folks.
cheers
rob

Flipper Feb 12th 2020 3:16 pm

Re: Passport Renewal
 
It'll be converted to UK funds from your Canadian Visa.


Twitcher1958 Feb 13th 2020 12:17 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 

Originally Posted by yakkiebush (Post 12805350)
Hi Folks
i will be also renewing my British passport next week as it expires in May.
now I’m gonna try and do the online thing :ohmy:.
i only have a iPad.no printer.
is a printer needed .im gonna get my better half to take my mug shot and try to upload it.
was wondering how to pay in UK funds as my Visa is Canadian 🤔
this thing has been bugging me for a while now.
im a bit of a thicko when it comes to computers .
ifi did go and get my photo taken .do you need a code number ? And do you put it in with the old one.👍
the more advise the better folks.
cheers
rob

Just take a photo on your iPad and try to upload it - I did a test one last week by myself and it wasn’t acceptable and told me so. Just get to that step which is early in the process so you can see - if it’s no good, you won’t be able to proceed with the application

Bucks_Family Feb 13th 2020 8:43 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 
I've just applied to renew my UK passport using their online service. I took my own photo on my phone and uploaded that.
That part of the process was fine, the biggest headache I've had was caused by CanadaPost. I sent my old passport back to the UK using their Registered International option (tracked and signed for on delivery).
Cost of that service was $26, and estimated delivery time was 3-7 days.
I completed the online application on 9th January, posted my old passport on January 16th, and it disappeared. No trace of it beyond an initial scan in Calgary on the 16th. I complained about it on the 31st January, and was told that because it was an international item, they wouldn't even start looking for it until 30 days after posting.
I informed HM Gov that CanadaPost had lost my old passport en route, which they noted on my renewal application, but they told me that I now had to submit a new, written application form and send a new set of photos. I was about to go through all that cr*p this week, when lo and behold my old passport was scanned in Quebec on February 6th! 3 weeks to cross Canada!!
It was signed for in the UK on the 10th, and today (13th) my new passport has been dispatched.
Full marks to the UK gov for their speedy handling of their bit, zero marks to CanadaPost for sellotaping my envelope to the back of a homing snail and directing it to Quebec.

So for those wondering about processing times for online renewals - here's my timeline from the UK gov's application tracking site:

Application history
Passport printed and sent 9:26pm on 13 February 2020
Application approved 2:17pm on 13 February 2020
Application being processed 8:11am on 12 February 2020
Documents received 9:26am on 11 February 2020
Application received 6:03pm on 9 January 2020
Application submitted 6:03pm on 9 January 2020

Now we'll see how long it takes for whomever is delivering it at this end to find my mailbox.

BristolUK Feb 13th 2020 11:06 am

Re: Passport Renewal
 
Not to pick on Bucks family but it seems to be the case that nobody trusts national postal services not to lose mail while courier services are pictures of efficiency. :nod:

It's an attitude prevalent in the UK as well as Canada. Anyone can mislay something which turns up later.

Personally, whether in the UK or Canada, in my experience it's only ever been the courier companies who leave parcels out in the rain and in Canada's case the snow as well. Royal Mail/Canada Post have never done that to me.

On one occasion the UK courier company posted a card through my door telling me they left the parcel in the rubbish bin to the side. Fortunately it wasn't garbage collection day. Here we found a box on our back deck one day, quite by accident. Canada Post has never done anything like that.

The annoying habit of a card being left saying there was no answer when you know damn well you were home and nobody knocked or rang the bell...that happens with Couriers too.

I dunno...maybe Canada Post has issues in bigger cities. :unsure: I've not had one problem with them in 15 years here.

Bucks_Family Feb 13th 2020 2:45 pm

Re: Passport Renewal
 
Oh I'm sure that their percentage of lost or delayed mail is well within what they claim to be acceptable limits, given the number of items they handle daily.


Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 12806390)
Anyone can mislay something which turns up later.

But we're not talking about where my daughter left her Starbucks rewards card last week, this is a federal enterprise whose sole concern is moving items, and I mean simple items, from one place to another. They took three weeks to move my envelope between two places in Canada. And given the tracking information, or lack of it, I can only presume it sat in Calgary for 19 days then it took two days to get it to Montreal. And this wasn't their cheapest postal option, I chose their middle-priced option.


Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 12806390)
I dunno...maybe Canada Post has issues in bigger cities. :unsure: I've not had one problem with them in 15 years here.

We've been here (Calgary area) for over 6 years now, and we've had numerous issues with Canada Post being slow in delivering international items, both to and from the UK. I'll grant them they have yet to actually lose an item, but as a family we long since gave up posting Christmas and birthday items with them, with no guarantee when they would be delivered. I just use Amazon UK & Moonpig for my relatives' gifts, and they use Amazon CA for ours. Intelcom are the preferred delivery service for Amazon Prime around here, and I've ordered things at 9pm one night and they've been delivered by 10am the next morning. No national mail system - UK or Canada - would achieve that.

I should, of course, reserve judgement until my new passport arrives. HMPO are using a delivery company they refer to as "DX delivery services". Never heard of them..


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