SaritaBarcelona

Hi there, my son is a UK citizen, living in Spain, and I need to renew his passport this summer. I am trying to avoid the 102 euro (gulp!) fee to get it renewed in Madrid (should get him a Spanish passport, only 11 euros!). We will be in England this summer for three weeks but I think it is a risk to do it then, as what happens if it doesn't come back on time! My parents will be visiting us soon so could take the forms and the old passport to England and post them off, and then send it back to me here in Spain, but apparently that it is not allowed. Is it really not allowed, or is it an acceptable "loophole"? Anyone done this, any suggestions? And if I can do this, is it necessary to send the old passport (which is still valid) along with the application? I suppose Britain "knows" he is not there, so can see this could be a problem, I'm answering my own question here! Another thing, my (South American) husband has recently been granted Spanish nationality, so could my son have dual nationality British/Spanish? Cheers

EsuriJohn

Dld this yesterday. Your British passport does not have a UK address on it so that is not a problem. However you will need a solid reliable UK address to return it too. They would only know if they check against the Electorial Roll. Don't know if they do this.

You might also need to get a responsible person to sign if the photo is different to the old one might not be easy for a child in Spain. You do have to send the old passport and standard return is 4 weeks but there is a fst 9 day service costs a bit more. They add any unused time up to 9 mths to the new passport.

fionamw

I'd just add: don't think of time-saving and have the photos done here, the very precise requirements will make it less hassle to go to a photographer or booth in the UK
And we encountered a problem in that my OH was taking the application in to have it 'checked' at the post office but without MY signature the whole thing would have gone pearshaped (not married) though don't suppose that particular hiccup applies to you
I seem to remember trawling the form in huge detail and technically it is not allowed but I don't suppose I & we generally are the only ones to do it

EsuriJohn

She will have to have the photos done in Spain since the child is not going to UK before Gran comes out. Also I now realise that a child would not be on the Electoral roll anyway so not a problem go for it but make sure the photos comply.

SaritaBarcelona

Thanks, but I'm probably just going to bite the bullet and pay the humungous fee, what a rip-off!! I'm just a big scaredycat when it comes to officialdom and red tape! Saves my parents all the hassle too. The only thing is the photo if I do it here, does it have to be signed by a British professional, the same as in the UK?

fionamw

afaik yes, chartered accountant, architect, doctor, solicitor, kind of person; (thankfully my OH falls into that category) but do beware the pitfall of PRECISE eye-height requirement etc, cos it'll delay receipt of the passport if you have to resubmit
Some photographers say they conform to UK Passport Agency sizes etc but we found that wasn't *quite* right!!!

SaritaBarcelona

In other words, how on earth am I going to get my boisterous son to sit still long enough to have a proper photo done?! He was just three weeks old when we did the first passport pic, and asleep!!

fionamw

Ditto - six weeks old, swathed in a white sheet to 'cut me out' !! Looked like a very young mummy ! (egyptian, that is)

It's not the sitting still, it's the sitting still not smiling not having your hair across too much of your face not shutting your eyes and all the while being at the right height within the frame of the photo ultimately submitted to Her Majesty's Nitpickers

SaritaBarcelona

I love the example photos they give as not being acceptable!! As if! http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum.../dg_174925.pdf

EsuriJohn

The signitor cannot be a close relative and must have known the applicant for at least 2 years difficult with children I would have thought. They do accept teachers so that may be a line of thought.

I always use the photo booth in Tesco and they accept those but I do screw the seat up a little to line things up

fionamw

I was being a tad facetious about the countersignatory thing - but you're right.
And they must live in the UK. And the list of acceptable professions is much longer than you might think.
And my list of the photo requirements was a long way short of comprehensive, as a swift google will confirm!!

noelrosie

I renewed my UK passport in December and they have tightened up considerably. As fionamw says, eye height, position of fringe etc have to be exact and are measured on a gauge.

We had a German friend (dual nationality) staying with us at the time, and her UK passport also needed renewing. The Post Office checking service would not accept the professional passport photo she had successfully used to renew her German passport in Germany four weeks before!

Make sure that any photo is taken to the exact requirements of UK passport service as it differs from the requirement of other EU countries!

SaritaBarcelona

Right, so how does a 4 year old who lives in Spain have a professional contact in the UK that he has known for 2 years, who can sign his photo?!

EsuriJohn

When I had my UK ID card done I had to go to their office and they made a great fuss just renewing a passport does not seem the same hassle but then I am an adult and have not changed much.

EsuriJohn

Teacher? ask the Embassy or log on to their web page it may explain how there.