BristolUK

My passport - the one I already had when I moved to Canada - showed issued in the UK.

My first renewal passport (I've not used it) - when they were doing them in Ottawa - showed issued by FCO. The Foreign and Commonwealth office. This is an indication of it having been renewed outside the UK.

My latest passport, renewed under the 'new' procedures by sending off to the UK, says issued by HMPO.

I'm just curious as to what passports issued to Brits still resident in the UK say.

Do they say "UK" (in which case HMPO gives the same indication of issue outside the UK as the previous FCO did) or do they also say HMPO, in which case my passport may appear to have been issued no differently to other UK residents. (unless there's some other identifier as to issue for an overseas resident)

I'm wondering because I am shortly supposed to show actual Canadian residency and the documents I am asked to supply for this purpose are the original landing document and passport.

I have the original landing doc and my expired passport will confirm my entry date. My subsequent (expired) passport will show issue outside the UK which will support my still being outside the UK at the time of issue.

Obviously CIC will have no records of arrivals and departures for me, further supporting the fact I've been here since 2004.

But now there's a new/current passport that 'looks' as if it's been issued in the UK just like everyone else's, which might weaken my case in the event of any other doubt.

It's not a worry, I'm just curious.

Snowy560

I don't think CBSA log exits but only entries, Bristol. I just looked at my husband's CBSA travel history to check. So I suppose *technically* you could have left Canada and just not re-entered. But you will get your PR photos done from a Canadian studio (with the name of studio/date on the back) so I suppose that proves you are here and didn't leave!

For this reason, I have just got my UK SAR list of entries and exits (as I have only ever been back to the UK) for my own renewal. It is very comprehensive showing my entries/exits, departure airport, arrival airport, airline, times and dates plus the fact that my departures were confirmed. This should match my CBSA entry records.

Of course, this won't help you (I don't think) as yours would show a blank which would mean you had neither entered nor exited the UK. Have you got proof of physical presence that you are intending to submit? The instruction guides cites specific documents, but is there anything else as well?

I suppose if your original landing entry is logged, then your PR photos have been taken in Canada and there are no more entries (which means there couldn't have been any exits), you must have been here all the time ... ?

S

Freshwhyte

My mum got her last passport renewed while she was visiting family in Glasgow, it also says "HMPO" - all UK passports are issued from the same office now so I don't think there is any variance in the issuing office anymore.

Do you have a Canadian drivers license ? Tax forms ? those would also be proof of residency.

Snowy560

It's worth reading the instruction guide carefully. What you are required to submit now (as proof of PP) has changed a bit since 2014 when my husband did it.

S

BristolUK

Even if they don't I might have left and snuck back in Oink has a boat.
This need isn't about PR. Service Canada wants it for Survivors Pension purposes.
I have a ton of stuff I could use, including tax forms, which could conceivably have been handled with me being out of Canada

As I say, I'm not worried. Not having been back to the UK at all does makes some things easy.

It's just that I've had some lousy experiences with Canadian gubmint offices of different types. A passport apparently showing its issue within the UK might just raise a flag that otherwise wouldn't be raised.

CIC might even be aware of the change and not fuss about it but it's not CIC I'll be dealing with.

Snowy560

Sorry I just assumed it was PR card renewal (because I'm in that head space myself! and overthinking it all the time!).

S

BristolUK

Not a problem. Perfectly reasonable assumption to make - or Citizenship.

Snowy560

You can apply to CBSA for your travel history (which will be blank except for your original entry depending on how far records go back ?). It should take about 6 weeks. Would that help whatever you are trying to do?

S

BristolUK

Thanks but there is actually a procedure in place for Service Canada to do that themselves if they're not happy with what I provide. And for the moment, all they want is sight of the landing doc and passport.

It's all part of the reason they say to apply 6 to 11 months in advance I suppose.

Freshwhyte

I doubt it will raise a red flag, CIC is aware that IPS closed down several years ago and has probably been communicated to certain Government department that all HMPO applications are processed in Liverpool now. Though I doubt Revenue Canada is responsible for verifying your citizenship docs and its more than likely delegated to CIC (wishful thinking, )

BritInParis

The last 'FCO' passport (i.e. printed by hand by FCO staff in a British diplomatic mission) was issued in April 2011. All passport printing was then transferred to the UK and the actual processing of overseas applications was gradually transferred from the FCO to the Home Office until the FCO closed its last Regional Passport Processing Centre in April 2014.

The issuing authority for all British passports is now 'HMPO' regardless of where the application has been made from. Up until the beginning of this year the issuing authority was still 'IPS' even though that organisation had been defunct since May 2013.

You used to be able to tell which office had issued the passport by the first digit of the passport number (e.g. 3 for Peterborough, 7 for overseas) and the second digit of an overseas passport could also indicate whether it was a diplomatic or official passport or whether it was a 'look-a-like' passport (BN(O), BOC, BPP, etc..) but all passports are now issued a random nine digit number beginning with 5 so a passport issued to an overseas resident is now indistinguishable from one issued to a UK resident.

BristolUK

Unfortunately the two biggest problems Canadian gubmint has caused me directly relate to a lack of communication between departments, CIC being one of them.

Service Canada, though, not Revenue. My past experiences making me cynical, I'd not be surprised if some Service Canada staff pride themselves on 'knowing' that Brit passports are issued in Ottawa and don't know it's changed twice since.

BristolUK

That's the sort of thing I was hoping for. In my DSS/DWP days we were made aware of certain things like that for Fraud awareness training.
Thanks for the info