jo and paul

Hi all,


I am wondering given the recent Brexit result whether I should renew mine and my family's UK (EU) passports?


Ours expired a few years ago, but we are thinking that if we apply now (as it will apparently take upto 2 years for them to become UK only passports) whether it will be good for us and keep European travel open and easier for the next 10 years??????


We currently have 2 adult EU UK passports expired 2012, and 2 child EU UK Passports expired 2012. We will also be needing at some point to get UK passports for our two children born here in Canada.


Thanks for your thoughts!
Jo

Pulaski

You seem unduly panicked and/or confused.

(i) Britain has not left the EU yet, and it is likely to be around two years before it does leave.

(ii) What your passport says on the cover is irrelevant to your travel, visit, and immigration privileges, and IMO it is likely that British passports that refer to the EU on the cover will be allowed to be used until they expire.

(iii) The question is surely "Do you need a passport?" because you have no choice in what is says on the cover - at the moment British passports refer to the EU on the cover, and at some point around two years from now they will stop referring to the EU on the cover. But either way it is still a British passport, and that is what determines it's validity and usefulness. So if you need a passport, apply for one, if you don't need one then you don't have to apply for one. If you want to wait to apply for a passport until the EU wording is removed from the cover, that is fine too, because you will have identical travel privileges to someone carrying a British passport issued in 2016.

jo and paul

Thanks for your answer Pulaski.
I guess our thinking is that its more beneficial for European travel to have EU on our UK passports......... Our logic being that if we apply for one now or very soon, it will have EU on it as opposed to being solely UK, at which point we may have to pay more for visas upon entering certain countries........
Our thinking may be flawed...... hence the post! :-)

mikelincs

Won't make any difference, once, at some time in the future, we do leave the EU, travel arrangements will/might change, currently we need a British Passport to travel anywhere, we currently do not need a visa to visit EU countries, and that is what might/might not change. It won't matter what is written on the cover of your passport, you will be subject to the rules for all British Citizens. So it's up to you, if you want to get a new passport, if not don't. It might just be useful to have a current passport if you need to make a sudden trip to the UK for any reason.

HKG3

Jo

It is easier to renew British passports expired not that long ago. HMPO may treat some renewal applications as first time applications because the passports in question expired a long time ago. First time application will required someone to counter sign your photo and application form.

https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-pa...ign-what-to-do

Another good reason for you to renew four British Passport just now is the favourable exchange rate after Brexit.

mikelincs

I do wish people would drop the stupid term 'Brexit' Britain has NOT left the EU, and will not start that until next year at the earliest, people voted for the government to start negotiation which would lead to Britain leaving the EU AT SOME TIME. The current PM has stated, quite clearly that she wishes to get bot Scotland and Northern Ireland on-side for these negotiations, so that will mean a lot of wheeler dealing before the Article 50 button is pushed. Now, of course, we have the regions like Cornwall and the North East and West crying about the funding they will be losong, and wanting the UK government to maake up the shortfall, and, of course, we have the £350 million a week promised to the health service by those wanting to leave.

BritInParis

As others have mentioned whether your British passports say 'European Union' on the cover is irrelevant to your status as British citizens within the EU. That will depend on the terms of our exit negotiations from the EU (currently pencilled in for January 2019). It's a good idea not to let British passports go without renewal for more than five years so if you wanted to take advantage of the favourable exchange rate then now would be a good time to apply for the whole family.