UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

Am trying to get UK passports for my twin girls. Used the online website, completed all information and made my payment. Thought I was home and dry!

Then tried to print the declaration page out which states very clearly do not resize. So I didn't resize and it cuts off the top of the form - barcode is intact, but my girl's first names are missing.

Phoned the advice line, you need to print out on A4. Well, I'm in the US I don't have A4 paper. Response - oh crumbs, not sure what to suggest.

We did come up with a solution for me to send in the document with the top portion cut off, along with an explanatory note - I can just see this causing delays...and with past precedent on delays in issuing passports (especially first time) would like to avoid this...

Any advice on how I can get around this, tried printing on legal, but it keeps reverting to letter...

Have a colleague going to the UK on business next week, seriously considering getting him to print out on A4 while he is over there

Lottie

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

I'd just scale it to fit and go ahead.
(Or do you think they'll have a jobsworth measuring paper size for rejection?)

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

This.

I went to their Newport office for rapid processing. I only had 1.5 hours between trains (otherwise another hour wait), but my appointment was half an hour after arriving. I asked if I could go in early and they said no.

Come back 25 minutes later and they eventually let me in. Went upstairs where there were half a dozen staff members sitting at the booths with nothing to do, and just one other customer on the entire floor. "Quiet today?" I ask. "Pretty normal" was the response. There was absolutely no reason why I couldn't have been dealt with earlier but the jobsworths weren't having any of it. :thumbdown:

I had to run to get the train and made it with seconds to spare.

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

It's something to do with how they read the information into their system and you have to print at actual size and not scale. This instruction is bolded capitals and the first instruction on the page - sigh - and I was so excited when this went online!

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

That's nuts. a decent system should have the flexibility to deal with variations.
(I know..all comments about govt aside.)

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

Bit extreme, but you can get A4 paper at Staples and probably Amazon...spot pricey at about $10 a ream though.

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

When I left the UK I had 'my whole house' shipped. I have a huge stack of DL envelopes, A4 paper, A4 laminating pouches, etc.

I can send you 10 or so sheets if it helps.

That is presuming your print driver has the option to print A4. Mine does, not sure if all do...

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

I just mailed mine off on Tuesday, the site said A4 or Legal which is the standard here so I used that. As a former civil servant myself I'd say it's safe to assume the person on the advice line is a muppet.

EDIT: Pretty sure I did it to fit to paper too as it's my default setting, I guess I'll find out if it's an issue or not in the next few weeks.

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

I suspect that US letter is within acceptable parameters, because the difference between letter and A4 isn't great (especially if you can reduce/ minimize the margins).

I believe, but don't know for sure, that the "do not resize" instruction is to stop people reducing an A4 form to A5 i.e. a dramatic change in size.

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

Oh dear! Yes I came across this problem last week when all my paperwork was a different size to the other half's when filing for my visa! I would really hope that something as small as that would not cause a problem for you!

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

I would scale to fit letter. Its the declaration page, they have the data, they are concerned td barcode and signatures are not too small when they scan it. A4 and letter are of negligible difference in scale.

Eta I said I would, I renewed in 2007 and certainly had no A4, but I don't remember the issue arising, so perhaps I did.

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

Er... didn't have this problem with mine, printed fine on 8.5x11. They seem to have scaled it so it will work on either. Even says on the website to use A4 or letter size. Sure it's not just a crap printer?

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

To follow up on this, I'd sent mine via USPS so it only arrived there last Tuesday, I checked the status today and it's been dispatched so it looks like using Letter rather than A4 doesn't cause any issues at all so I stand by my Muppet claim.

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

That's weird I did not have this problem and I renewed my passport in June. What I did have issues with in terms of paper is they requested I sign my signature page again because the paper I used was not the correct quality. I signed on the paper they provided and sent it back only to have them send another signature page for me to sign again. After that third one I got my passport.

Re: UK on-line passport - printing frustrations
 

What printer do you have? And what PDF program are you using?