Looking to renew my British passport in the next few days. Wow, quite the surprise when I checked the price, they`ve gone up quite a bit since I last renewed eleven years ago! Not to mention it`s more expensive applying in Washington than the UK anyway.

Mmmmm, anyone done this recently and can give me some idea how long a straight forward renewal might take?

Also, I assume I can leave the countersignature parts blank and also do I need to have the photo(s) signed? I thought with a renewal the countersignature does not have to be done.

Finally, do I need to send my old passport with the application?

Thanks.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/UK_Passport_In_The_US

Renewal could take weeks. Don't book travel until you have your new passport in hand.

If you have a Canadian work permit, remove it from your passport before sending it off. And keep copy of everything, etc.

My daughters took about 6 weeks. I did get the countersignature and photos signed just to be on the safe side.

Normal adult renewals don't need to be countersigned.

Yeah I`m hoping to travel in early November, I should be ok if I get the application sent in now. I`ll get the countersignatures just in case although I don`t look a whole lot different from my pic eleven years ago (just older looking!). Hopefully it will be four weeks as stated on their website so that I can get some tickets booked.

Thanks for the info.

You'll be wasting your time - you do not need countersignatures to renew an adult passport.

Nor do kids, as I said, it was a just in case. Just in case the Passport Officer thought maybe she had changed too much - which she hadn't. An adult one has to be countersigned if there is too many changes.

Kids ones have to be countersigned according to the link below so it's good that you did.

http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/help-fo...tersign-needed

Ah, I must have read that and thought about it at the time and then remembered incorrectly - my kid is 15, so that's why I got a countersignature, it wasn't just in case as previously stated - my bad.

I renewed my still valid passport in 2009. It took about 8 weeks in total. The countersignature, both on form and photos was something that concerned me.

After some research I found that if the passport is still valid, or very recently expired then you won't need a countersignature on the forms. When it comes to the photos, if your appearance has not significantly changed since then you won't need to get the new ones countersigned either. Very handy info to have on both counts.

I photocopied all pages of the passport before I sent it off. I also make sure I sent it fully insured. When it comes to a document like this you simply cannot take a risk.

I sent mine off 2 weeks ago. Still waiting for it to come back. I feel naked without it.

I didnt get mine countersigned. from what i could see I didnt need to. Time will tell.

So to clarify, for a simple adult passport renewal.

I send the completed form
Include acceptable photos
Include payment
Include expired passport.

My passport expired in May 2009, I still look pretty much the same as in my old passport photo so I should be fine without the countersignature?

Send off with UPS or similar and get insurance if not included in the postage?

I`m looking to travel during the first week of November or last week of October. I`ll include that on the date of travel section, hopefully they might see that! Once can hope.

Thanks.

I sent mine to Washington last month and it came back 2 weeks later

For my passport renewal. I sent completed form and 2 photographs. It arrived at the passport off on Friday 3rd Sept. New passport recieved 15th Sept. Less than 2 weeks! I am impressed.

Wow that is good news, hopefully mine will be just as quick. I sent everything off with UPS. It`s supposed to be delivered on Monday.