J.porter

It's a renewal I'm doing. That's what she said so I will see. I guess the only thing they could do is refuse me the new passport if they look at the old one when I go to the appointment and say by the stamps I'm living in spain and should have applied in a different way... Either way I'm entitled to a replacement passport so I dont see the problem.

VEDShappy

As an aside, does anyone know whether digital passport photo's taken in Spain have the codes referred to?

Jon-Bxl

Another aside is there an 'earliest date' to apply for a renewal, please? My pp expires at the end of the year, but I will have to have an operation shortly. Date tba This will mean at least 6 weeks of post-op stuff meaning I wont travel internationally .... ergo no need for a pp. A good time to apply and enough time to get it if there are the delivery/ turnaround times we often hear about.

I suppose this means the new pp will have an overlap with the old, so I won't have a full 10 years from the old ones ones expiry date, but I see it as an opportunity to reduce hassle, if I am allowed to apply months before expiry.

Thanks
Jon

UKMS

You can renew a passport at any time but they will only add on 9 months, so the optimum time is 9 months before expiry and then you don’t lose anything.

Jon-Bxl

Wow that was quick.... Thanks!!

I Didn't know about the 9 month add on, so its a done deal to apply early, and I wont 'lose much' (if anything).
​​​​​
Thanks again
Jon

Mark604

I just made a post and it disappeared, maybe it'll turn up but apologies if there ends up being a duplication.
I was going to say there is the thing about if you have a passport that is over ten years due to taking advantage of the extra months and you are getting to the end of that, the thing about entering countries where the regulation is the passport has to have been issued in the last ten years.

christmasoompa

That’s no longer the case, it changed years ago - https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ne...er-than-expec/

HTH

UKMS

Cheers ! .... My bad ...... but you can still renew it whenever you want you just lose the unexpired months

Notdunroamin

New passports are for exactly 10 years from date of issue, have been since 2018.

Notdunroamin

You're worrying over nothing, stamps in a passport only show that you entered or left a country, they say nothing about where you live - which DOES NOT MATTER!

I refer you back to post #6

Jon-Bxl

Oh well it was good whilst it lasted.. thanks for your answer AND the various inputs, I had a feeling that I would lose the time as mentioned in my post but the debate has made it clear.

Also, importantly, that there is no rule on how early you can renew.....

Jon

Notdunroamin

When you fill in the form you are asked why you need a new passport.

There is a tick list which includes renewal/name change/lost/stolen/damaged etc. but no 'because I fancy it' so if attempting to renew prematurely you will have to give a reason in the box provided. I would guess that your answer there could have an impact on whether the passport office will entertain your application or not.

One 'workaround' for that I've heard of, particularly handy if you have been out of the UK for a while and no longer know anybody from their list of acceptable persons to countersign your application and one of your photos, is to report your passport lost which will result in it being cancelled meaning you automatically require a new one, you then conveniently 'find' it and present it at your appointment

UKMS

You don’t need a workaround you would tick renewal. Everyone has to renew early whether that be weeks or months, unless I’ve missed something it doesn’t specify that you can’t renew before X months. Many countries require minimum 6 months validity on a passport, which with processing delays forces you to apply at least 8 months ahead if not more. If someone has a busy travel schedule (where they can’t be without a passport) they could easily justify applying 12 months ahead to be safe.

Notdunroamin

Not really, if you don't need a passport then you can just let it expire.

In any case what I said was "I would guess that your answer there could have an impact" not that it would

UKMS

I think you know very well what I meant ........ But if it needs spelling out "Everyone (who needs a valid passport) has to renew early whether that be weeks or months."