Lorna at Vicenza

I came across this by accident and I thought I'd let everyone else know too as this is the first I have heard of it and certainly haven't seen this info mentioned in any newspapers etc.

On 3 June, the passport service for British Nationals in Italy will move from the British Embassy in Rome to the Western European Passport Service, based at the British Consulate in Paris.

By the way ...... postage services have also gone up to 21 euro as we will have to use a courier service to get our applications to Paris and our passports back from there!

TestaRossa

What!!! I wonder if this is due to the incompetence of the staff in Rome or just cost cutting!! I've got to renew both kids Passports next year, should probably put the application in now......!

Lorna at Vicenza

here's the link to the whole blurb ...........

http://ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk/en/passp...sport-in-italy

LivingHere

I had a read of the website and the service looks better. You can pay by credit card which is a bonus for me as it means I wont have to queue at the bank.

Lorna at Vicenza

Paying by credit card is a plus as banker's cheques used to be fairly expensive. No idea how much they are these days.

The extra postage annoys me though. I might just take a trip to the Liverpool office if I go back to Yorkshire with the kids next summer and save myself a load of money.

37100

This begs the question as to why if we have to send them to Paris, can't we just send them to the u.k?

TestaRossa

That's a very good point! The reason for doing them where you live I'd because you get them verified by a resident of the country who knows you and then the embassy in that country does any checks! Do we need to know someone in france now? so why not the uk??

Mr Posh

would it not be chreaper to fly back to the UK get the job done fill suitcase with goodies bring the back to Italy sell them to Italians for a profit "cash only" and hay presto you have made money as well as getting passaport re-newed

Lingua21

Tried the link, but requires a server name and password. Any clues please?

Lorna at Vicenza

How strange. I just got that too but I never did before.


Anyway ....... try this one .....

http://ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/

Lorna at Vicenza

I think I'll fly back next summer and just go down to the Liverpool passport office. I'm sure my Dad will take me there.

Any goodies brought back in the suitcase will be for me me me though

DaveLovesDee

I've read threads in other BE forums which have said about us in Canada now having to send ours to Washington DC (USA), and New Zealand Expats having to send theirs to Canberra (Australia).

I think all of western Europe either already do, or will soon have to, send their renewals to Paris. It looks like the FCO are reducing the number of places they have to issue passports from worldwide. Hopfully they're not closing embassies and consulates as well.

Lingua21

Many thanks.

Mike.

tuscanliberty

Having just renewed my sons passport in the nick of time through the consul at Rome I made another discovery.
Due to the change over,his passport was delayed but when I tried to enquire the only way was by phone to a Uk call centre, where I had to supply my credit card details before I was connected to somene who could help. Surely the hefty passport application cost should cover this as it was their delay after all. I was dismayed at this brutal approach.

DaveLovesDee

No, the credit card is for the cost of you actually speaking to someone.