Renewing British Passport?
 

I need to renew my son's UK passport. Does anyone have any advice for getting a countersignatory when we've only been here (the USA) less than a year? I see it says they don't have to be British, but they do have to have known you for 2 years....any ideas? Also does anyone know if it's a renewal you just send in the old passport, nothing else, right?
thanks

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Hi
I'd just blag it !! Find a friend who'll put there name to it and cross your fingers...a local teacher or doctor if poss, although we used our next door neighbor.
What you have to send in will be on the application form....I can't remember as it was a couple of years ago. It didn't take long to get it back though. The pain being that because the kids visas were in their old passports we had to carry both the new and the old when travelling :frown:

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Ah visas, mine are joint American citizens...does that mean I have to send in his American Passport? Sorry to ask on here, but the usual british notes had my head spinnning, or maybe it's just everything else we're dealing with at the moment...... then again it was nice to be reading plain English again!!:D

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Not sure about the US passport, but I wouldn't think you'd need to send it in as it's nothing to do with the UK whether they have one or not...maybe there's a phone number you can call to ask ? All this paper work...a real pain in the backside !:mad:

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

don't even need to bother if your photo hasn't significantly changed all that much since the last passport...

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

No you wouldn't. The UK government couldn't care less.

And they could just use US passport if trips back to blighty were only for holidays.

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

I thought that was a tough one when i renewed my UK passport. Luckily my doctor was willing to sign it, even though I hadn't seen her in a year. And luckily I had been here long enough for it to count.

I agree with Lisa....I'd try to blag it too. although to be fair you should explain the rules to the person :)

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Thanks, but I did say it was for my kid....he's changed a little since he was 2 months old! These kids passport pictures are a bit of a joke - he didn't really look like his photo by the time he was 2years old!

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Just get the photos signed by a doctor or teacher, and explain in a letter. I'm sure your situation is not unusual.

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

So anyone know where I can get UK passport photos done? Everywhere seems to only do standard size 2 * 2 and the website says you need 45mm by 35 mm exactly which is less than 2 by 2 inches.... Kinkos and walgreens both said they can't do it, any ideas?

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

oh renewed his after 6 months of being here, just got the local doc to sign it and date it 2 years. was no problem, went straight through.

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

get your camera out

http://www.epassportphoto.com/

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

I heard that the "Picture People" do a great job on UK passport photos for about $8

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Thanks Ray, I hadn't found this one it looks easy enough!

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

I think Walgreens did my kids and I just cut them down....the photos, not the kids :rofl:

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

I went to a little local photo place and took in the instructions for the photo size....she took normal ones and cut them down for me :)

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

I'm in the same position. Someone mentioned AAA to me as a place to get them, I have yet to call.

I do have a related question. I going to renew my British passport and then I also have to apply for US passports for my kids and get one for me also.

I'm a American Citizen as well.

I was told when travelling to England to use my British passport and then coming back use my USA passport, as it's much easier. Is that a load of BS or is it true ?

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

That is the correct method

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

I just called AAA and they do it for members 2 for $8, but, they also only do 2x2"

Are the passport office very picky about the EXACT size for the photo's ?
I could just cut them down, not sure how Straight they may be :)

Has anyone had a problem with cut down photo's ?

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Now I'm looking at my form again (keep putting it off) and now my head is spinning :)

Note 12 Documents to be produced - "Documents are not normally needed if you are surrendering a recently expired passport etc etc.

Which refers to birth certificate, which is great, I don't have to go looking for that, BUT, what determines RECENT ??

It doesn't ask when mine expired and then say OK no documents needed.

Mine expired 2006 am I good to go ??

I HATE FORMS !! LOL

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

That is not recent ...

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

I also have to renew my son's, it has his birth photo in it and he turns 5 this month :lol: After reading the forms I think I'm sending in his current UK passport (which expires in May) and his consular birth certificate along with the photos and fee. Although I have just read this and am wondering if I even have to send his birth certificate, any ideas anyone?

Note 9 – Documents to be produced
Photocopies of birth, marriage or naturalisation
certificates or registration documents are NOT
acceptable for passport purposes.
The following page shows which documents you should
produce with the application. Please study it carefully and
make sure that you submit the right documents. Documents
are not normally needed if you are surrendering the child’s
recently expired, unrestricted previous British passport
showing the national status as British citizen, British
Dependent/Overseas Territories citizen, British Overseas
citizen, British subject or British protected person and all
other details are the same.
Note 10 – How to submit your application

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

[QUOTE=denzil75;6144910]I also have to renew my son's, it has his birth photo in it and he turns 5 this month :lol: After reading the forms I think I'm sending in his current UK passport (which expires in May) and his consular birth certificate along with the photos and fee. Although I have just read this and am wondering if I even have to send his birth certificate, any ideas anyone?

I'm in the same boat, I'm not sending in his birth cert or consular thingy, just his UK passport which expires in May. I've just ordered photos thru' epassportphoto.com for $4.99
I think we need a different job to keep renewing all these passports!!:lol:

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

[QUOTE=mumof4;6145752]I'll do the same and I'll take a look at the photo link. We are looking at moving back to the UK in a few years, I've told hubby we have to be back before 2012 that's when mine and my other son's expire, it'll cost us a small fortune renewing them over here! :)

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

You do not need to send in birth certs. if you are surrendering a passport that has just expired or about to expire. They will return your old passports to you with the corner cut off...need to carry these with you along with your new passport when travelling abroad if they have your US visa in them....clear as mud huh ? :)

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

ok i'm going to sound like a real newbie here but I can't find form C1 in a pdf that I can fill out on my pc. Also I'm in Michigan where do I file the C1 to Washington or Chicago ?

TIA
Jan

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

http://www.britainusa.com/consular/c1form04.pdf


its just a print out Job .. though

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Right ... so i'm trying to get my name changed on my UK passport, do I reallly have to send them ALL previous marriage and divorce certs or just my last divorce cert and marriage cert ? Now I sound mad ... i've been married and divorced twice before hence the question.
Also ... countersig .. what the heck ? i dont do church , not currently seeing a doctor, not in any professional groups ... where are they expecting me to majic a signature from ?

This is turning into a debacle, apart from the form being as clear as mud i'm beginning to think that its easier to carry my birth , marriage, divorce certs with me and hope for the best

Jan

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Tell me about it!!


http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=526425


Photos Walgreens do them. :D

Sending mine tomorrow with:

Divorce papers original
Old passport.
Original marriage cert.
2 passport photos unsigned.

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Did you read the instructions
http://www.britainusa.com/consular/c1notes04.pdf

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

I think she did and so did I they are not clear.

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Seems quite clear to me ..and Im stupid ....

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Ray it's not

If you go to my thread you will see which questions are unclear!

Plus what fee?? look at them too is it $220 or $265 I think it was.

Do we have to have signed photos?? because we are sending in the old passport.

Birth cert yes or no...

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Ok ..are you renewing or changing name

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Your going to guide me through this aren't you ;)

Changing my maiden name to married name (even thou I am divorced)

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Umm ..that could construed the wrong way

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

What do you mean I kept my married name when I divorced all my documents are in my married name except my passport thats why I going to send the divorce papers..

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

Ok so my latest photo bears absolutely no resemblance to the hippy on my last passport so I checked the list of acceptable countersigs ...

doctor ... wouldnt know me from adam
bank officer ... cant even remember the last time i walked into my bank
JP ... the one who sent my son to jail 3 years ago ? No
Minister .. as previously stated .. dont do church
lawyer ... you mean the nice folks 300 miles away who called to let us know our foreclosure was complete and we had 6 months to get out of the house ?
School teacher ... no kids in school
police officer ... even with this being a small town I'm not known to any local police officers
Previous employer .... ran off to Costa Rica to avoid tax evasion charges ...

ok so seems like i've exhausted most of the possibilities .... if anyone has any suggestions i'd love to hear them.

Sorry to sound so negative but I'm ready to pull my hair out over this !

Jan

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

difficult ..I had the same problem for my country ..
I used a notary public in the end ....

Re: Renewing British Passport?
 

The question must be ..why did you not change your passport when married ..just trying to cover the obvious