Originally Posted by nsbarker (Post 9213613)

First off, brilliant forum, British Expats has been a valuable resource in supplying me with information while I apply for a British Passport (I am British by descent).

My question is do I have to supply my original passport or merely a photocopy of it? The Uk in USA site provides conflicting information it seems. Here, if you scroll down to Born after Jan 1 1983 outside the UK it says I can provide a photocopy of an ID ie. a passport. I only need to supply one if I used it to enter the country im residing in, I live and was born in the US so I assume that doesnt apply to me? Then, if you read the Form C1 notes it says you should provide the original copy of your passport, the notes can be found here (see note 5) .


Finally, this is also mentioned:

Warning: If you are sending a photocopy of your passport, unless requested in your application your current passport will automatically be cancelled on the issuing of your new passport. You should therefore not undertake any cross border journey until you have received your new passport. To travel before this could leave you stranded in another country.

If I send them my current US passport I certainly don't want them to cancel it!


Any advice from folks who have completed this process successfully would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Nutmegger (Post 9213798)

I have no personal experience of this, but my reading is that you only need to send a passport if you used one to enter your country of residence, and if you were born in the US and live in the US that isn't applicable. For the ID part, a photocopy is adequate. It does appear, however, that you have to say if have a US passport and give details.

As to the cancellation of a passport, they're talking about canceling a prior UK passport -- no government other than the one that issued a passport has any right to cancel it.

Originally Posted by nsbarker (Post 9213842)

Thanks guys for the responses. My next question is, what should I put down as my reason for not supplying my passport? On the c1 form they ask why your passport is 'not available' if you do not provide one.

Originally Posted by Nutmegger (Post 9213867)

Actually, re-reading Note 5, it is talking about any other British "travel document," not a travel document in general. So you just say no. After all, on the very first page of the form you will be saying that this is your first British passport.

Originally Posted by mwdake (Post 9214518)

When I applied for my daughters first UK passport recently I just sent a photocopy of her US passport and indicated that the original was not sent because it was needed for upcoming travel.

That must of been OK because we never heard anything and the new UK passport showed up after 6 weeks.

Originally Posted by JAJ (Post 9214565)

Send photocopy of US passport.