Luca Logi <[email protected]> wrote:

    > Frank Hucklenbroich <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > > Even when you apply for a passport you don't do that in person, but by
    > > post. You simply send the form and two photos (one countersigned by some
    > > official who knows you for a while), and they mail you the passport.
    >
    > Note the fine point: countersigned by some official.
    >
    > I know a British fellow, married to an Italian woman and living in
    > Florence. Some years ago, his passaport expired and he applied for a new
    > one in Florence British consulate. He was given a form and he had to
    > find some officials that know him since a while to countersign his
    > requests.
    >
    > Government officials would be good, as well as priests and professionals
    > such as lawyers and physicians. But he knew few officials here to
    > countersign his form.

Sorry- this isn't the case. Basically, anyone you know with a job (or
maybe even without) could sign for you- it could be a work colleague,
anyone. I got a musician friend to do it for me last time, while living
in the US. For my first UK passport (I was still at school) I just got a
teacher to sign it.

When I applied for the new passport, I called for the forms to be sent
to me, sent of my stuff, got the passport three days later.

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

"chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn"
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1guc4gm.1nhp8461oxg18rN%this_address_is_for_s [email protected]...
    > Luca Logi <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> Frank Hucklenbroich <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> > Even when you apply for a passport you don't do that in person, but by
    >> > post. You simply send the form and two photos (one countersigned by
    >> > some
    >> > official who knows you for a while), and they mail you the passport.
    >> Note the fine point: countersigned by some official.
    >> I know a British fellow, married to an Italian woman and living in
    >> Florence. Some years ago, his passaport expired and he applied for a new
    >> one in Florence British consulate. He was given a form and he had to
    >> find some officials that know him since a while to countersign his
    >> requests.
    >> Government officials would be good, as well as priests and professionals
    >> such as lawyers and physicians. But he knew few officials here to
    >> countersign his form.
    > Sorry- this isn't the case. Basically, anyone you know with a job (or
    > maybe even without) could sign for you- it could be a work colleague,
    > anyone. I got a musician friend to do it for me last time, while living
    > in the US. For my first UK passport (I was still at school) I just got a
    > teacher to sign it.
    > When I applied for the new passport, I called for the forms to be sent
    > to me, sent of my stuff, got the passport three days later.

The list of people who can countersign a passport application
is so large as to include almost everyone.

From the official web site

Accountant
Articled Clerk of a Limited Company
Assurance Agent of Recognised Company
Bank/Building Society Official
Barrister
Broker
Chairman/Director of Limited Company
Chemist
Chiropodist
Christian Science Practitioner
Commissioner of Oaths
Councillor: Local or County
Civil Servant (permanent)
Dentist
Engineer (with professional Qualifications)
Fire Service Official
Funeral Director
Insurance agent (full time) of a recognised Company
Journalist
Justice of the Peace
Legal Secretary (members and fellows of the Institute of legal secretaries)
Local Government Officer
Manager/Personnel Officer (of Limited Company)
Member of Parliament
Merchant Navy Officer
Minister of a recognised religion
Nurse (SRN and SEN)
Officer of the armed services (Active or Retired)
Optician
Person with Honours (eg OBE MBE etc)
Photographer (Professional)
Police Officer
Post Office Official
President/Secretary of a recognised organisation
Salvation Army Officer
Social Worker
Solicitor
Surveyor
Teacher, Lecturer
Trade Union Officer
Travel Agency (Qualified)
Valuers and auctioneers (fellow and associate members of the incorporated
society)
Warrant officers and Chief Petty Officers

Keith



----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

Keith W wrote:
    >
    >
    > The list of people who can countersign a passport application
    > is so large as to include almost everyone.
    >
    > From the official web site
    >
    > Accountant
    > Articled Clerk of a Limited Company
    > Assurance Agent of Recognised Company
    > Bank/Building Society Official
    > Barrister
    > Broker
(snipped)

No candlestick maker?

PTravel wrote:
    >
    > You visit your embassy or consulate, spend hours convincing the consular
    > official that you are, in fact, a citizen of your country. You then pay a
    > substantial fee, and wait, sometimes for many days, for the new passport to
    > issue. During this time, you're paying for extra days in a hotel, missing
    > transfers to other cities and countries, etc.
    >
It happened to me in Nice, two years ago, on my last day. In fact I was
within a few hours of travelling to the airport.

I didn't do any of the above, after a couple of hours with the police to
get an incident report for insurance purposes, I just went to the
airport, told my story to the Easyjet helpdesk, who arranged for my
return to the UK, with a minimum of hassle. I just needed a very short
interview with immigration at Gatwick and I was home dry.

The Reids wrote:
    > Following up to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn
    >
    >
    >>There was only one 'approved' shop in Manchester for the
    >>photographs, run by a very surly man. A lot of people make their own
    >>photographs now, apparently.
    >
    >
    > I just use one of those self service booths.

I make my own with my Pentax digital, and Photoshop 8. Never had one
refused.

Mike O'Sullivan <[email protected]> wrote:

    > The Reids wrote:
    > > Following up to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn
    > >
    > >
    > >>There was only one 'approved' shop in Manchester for the
    > >>photographs, run by a very surly man. A lot of people make their own
    > >>photographs now, apparently.
    > >
    > >
    > > I just use one of those self service booths.
    >
    > I make my own with my Pentax digital, and Photoshop 8. Never had one
    > refused.

Just to be clear, I was talking about US passport photographs. The
criteria for these are much stricter than UK passport photographs. FWIW,
doing it yourself is probably not a bad idea in the UK, as a lot of the
new photo booths available are very poor quality.

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Mike O'Sullivan <[email protected]> wrote:

    > PTravel wrote:
    > >
    > > You visit your embassy or consulate, spend hours convincing the consular
    > > official that you are, in fact, a citizen of your country. You then pay a
    > > substantial fee, and wait, sometimes for many days, for the new passport to
    > > issue. During this time, you're paying for extra days in a hotel, missing
    > > transfers to other cities and countries, etc.
    > >
    > It happened to me in Nice, two years ago, on my last day. In fact I was
    > within a few hours of travelling to the airport.
    >
    > I didn't do any of the above, after a couple of hours with the police to
    > get an incident report for insurance purposes, I just went to the
    > airport, told my story to the Easyjet helpdesk, who arranged for my
    > return to the UK, with a minimum of hassle. I just needed a very short
    > interview with immigration at Gatwick and I was home dry.

Oh- that's a heartening story. I suspect it might have been more
complicated if you'd been in, for example, outside the EEA.

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

"Mike O'Sullivan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > PTravel wrote:
    >> You visit your embassy or consulate, spend hours convincing the consular
    >> official that you are, in fact, a citizen of your country. You then pay
    >> a
    >> substantial fee, and wait, sometimes for many days, for the new passport
    >> to
    >> issue. During this time, you're paying for extra days in a hotel,
    >> missing
    >> transfers to other cities and countries, etc.
    > It happened to me in Nice, two years ago, on my last day. In fact I was
    > within a few hours of travelling to the airport.
    > I didn't do any of the above, after a couple of hours with the police to
    > get an incident report for insurance purposes, I just went to the airport,
    > told my story to the Easyjet helpdesk, who arranged for my return to the
    > UK, with a minimum of hassle. I just needed a very short interview with
    > immigration at Gatwick and I was home dry.

I suspect British immigration is imminently more reasonable than its US
counterpart. As I understand it, you will not be allowed to board the plane
to the US without, among other things, a valid passport.

On 31/03/05 23:00, in article
1gub6ar.1xujxzluosszkN%this_address_is_for_spam@ya hoo.com, "chancellor of
the duchy of besses o' th' barn" <[email protected]> wrote:

    > One doesn't renew a passport that often I suppose, but would it not have
    > been easier by post? My partner did that with his US passport renewal a
    > few weeks ago in the UK, and from sending off the old passport with the
    > application form etc., it only took 10 days until the new passport
    > arrived. There was only one 'approved' shop in Manchester for the
    > photographs, run by a very surly man. A lot of people make their own
    > photographs now, apparently.
`

US applications are recycled back to the US now, I believe.
My wife renewed her US passport a year or so ago. Years ago
it took a fairly short time as the Paris Embassy, a couple
of hours at most, maybe less. Or we came back the next day.

The in-the-door-out-the-door-time of renewing our French passport
was about 20 minutes at the local mairie of the 6th.

My wife had her US passport stolen in LA and it was a bitch getting
it replaced. They wanted her birth certificate. Fortunately she was
born there but then getting the birth certificate was a bitch.
The LA county officials wanted to mail it to her home address (in Paris)!
Catch 22.

In the meantime I tried to get the Paris embassy to help out since
her passport was issued in Paris. They refused. I had the number
and gave them that. Years later when I renewed my US passport the
American Embassy asked me about my wife, why she was not renewing.
I said "the passport was stolen and you were informed". No record.

Bravo, les gars.

Earl

"PTravel" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    > "Emilia" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected] .54...
    >> "Kato" <[email protected]> wrote in news:rDy2e.18405$C47.2554
    >> @newssvr14.news.prodigy.com:
    >> > Lately, I've been hearing that most people now only carry a copy of
    > their
    >> > passports while walking around on vacation. While leaving the
    >> > original in the hotel safe or hidden well in the suitcase. Is this
    >> > wise?
    >> >
    >> > Am I missing something by carrying the original around?
    >> I would strongly advice you not to leave your passport (or other
    > valuables)
    >> "well hidden" in your suitcase. Professional thieves already know
    >> where these hidding places are. I suggest you leave it in the hotel
    >> only if you have use of a safe.
    >
    > I leave mine in carryon bag, which can be locked. I think that
    > passport theft is most likely to be committed by hotel staff, who will
    > have access to the safe. However, in all my years of travelling
    > around the world, I've never once had anything stolen from my hotel
    > room. On the other hand, though none were ever successful, I've been
    > subjected to pickpocket attempts on 1 or 2 occassions.
    >
    > I never carry my passport with me when I'm out of the hotel. I carry
    > a color photocopy of the first page, and have a scan available for
    > download from the internet. Also, in all my years of travel, I've
    > never been asked to produce my actual passport, except at airports and
    > hotels upon checkin.


I've also never had anything stolen from a hotel but there is not point in
tempting fate (or hotel staff! ;o) I always carry my passport with me.
Even sometimes when I'm in my home country. Who knows when I'll feel like
crossing the border.

Donna Evleth <[email protected]> wrote in
news:BE722B01.6087%[email protected]:

    >> From: [email protected] (chancellor of the duchy of
    >> besses o' th' barn)
    >> Newsgroups: rec.travel.europe
    >> Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 17:19:22 +0100
    >> Subject: Re: carry passport or copy
    >>
    >> Keith W <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>
    >>> "irwell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >>> news:[email protected]...
    >>>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 13:55:39 +0100,
    >>>> [email protected]
    >>>
    >>>> We have just finished booking two hotels in London
    >>>> on the internet. One because booking ahead is essential
    >>>> to ensure a room and (2) to get a decent rate.
    >>>> Both bookings require Credit Card confirmation and
    >>>> also require a photo ID at check-in.
    >>>
    >>> I have NEVER been asked for a photo ID in a UK hotel
    >>
    >> Indeed- wouldn't it be a rather eccentric request- given that not
    >> everyone in the UK is in possession of one! I think the poster's
    >> 'avin a larf!
    >
    > Here in France, foreigners used to have to fill out a "fiche" with
    > passport number, home address, etc. This does not seem to be the case
    > any more. Our foreign accent used to invite this in France, but when
    > we were in Normandy last weekend, no one offered us a fiche to fill
    > out. The credit card was what they wanted. French hotels used to
    > accept checks (a few still do) but most want credit cards, and forget
    > the fiche.


In Paris last weekend, I was asked to fill out a form at the hotel but I
was not asked for a passport nor to write the passport number on the form.
I remember standing there wondering if the person at reception would want
to see my passport but he didn't ask & I didn't offer. The form did ask
for home address, nationality and where you were born. The last two I found
strange considering they didn't confirm this information by looking at the
passport! So, why ask?

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    > Jens Arne Maennig wrote:
    >
    >> EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:
    >>
    >>>Jens Arne Maennig wrote:
    >>
    >>
    >>>>That's one of the advantages of living isolated on an island: You just
    >>>>don't fall into other countries by chance.
    >>>It's a little difficult to do that if you live in the U.S., too!
    >>
    >>
    >> Even if that might be new to the majority of US citizens: They have
    >> Canada in the north and Mexico in the south.
    >
    > True, but it's a bit difficult to "fall into" either of them
    > by chance! (Unless you live nearby in one of the border
    > states.)

Seriously! The majority (by far) of the US population doesn't live near the
border of Canada or Mexico!


    > Additionally, they tend to
    >>
    >> a) travel
    >
    > But the percentage who travel outside of their own country
    > is depressingly small.
    >
    > and
    >> b) occupy foreign countries
    >
    > That being the exception of course - but hardly travel from
    > choice, on the part of those actually doing the "occupying".
    > (And I don't think passports are required of an invading
    > army, are they?)

I was just thinking the same thing!! Has there been an invading army who
had to stop at border controll to have passports checked before continuing!

Earl Evleth <[email protected]> wrote:

    > On 31/03/05 23:00, in article
    > 1gub6ar.1xujxzluosszkN%this_address_is_for_spam@ya hoo.com, "chancellor of
    > the duchy of besses o' th' barn" <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > > One doesn't renew a passport that often I suppose, but would it not have
    > > been easier by post? My partner did that with his US passport renewal a
    > > few weeks ago in the UK, and from sending off the old passport with the
    > > application form etc., it only took 10 days until the new passport
    > > arrived. There was only one 'approved' shop in Manchester for the
    > > photographs, run by a very surly man. A lot of people make their own
    > > photographs now, apparently.
    > `
    >
    > US applications are recycled back to the US now, I believe.

Yes, they are. 10 days is still pretty fast though- especially as they
said it would take 15 working days.

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...

Oddly enough, I think I had to fill in my passport number in Munich the
other week.

I can't remember the last time a hotel asked for photo ID/passport, but
I think it might have been in Barcelona last year.

Iain

Iain Bowen <[email protected]> wrote:

    > In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
    > says...
    >
    > Oddly enough, I think I had to fill in my passport number in Munich the
    > other week.

Yes, I did too in Berlin last month- but as is often the case, they
didn't check it.

    > I can't remember the last time a hotel asked for photo ID/passport, but
    > I think it might have been in Barcelona last year.

Snap- last time I was asked for a passport at a hotel which they
actually _looked_ was in Barcelona last year.

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk