UK passport renewal procedure looks easy

[Edd.Turner 100]

Hi all,

 

My passport runs out in January 2011, and it's time to get a new one.

 

Digging around on the web reveals that the consulate in Dusseldorf is what I need, and all I require is:

 

'Renewing your passport

 

If you are applying to renew your passport you must provide:

 

Your current passport or

Your old passport – the passport that has expired

Further documentation is not normally required'

 

(from the top of this page).

 

This sounds crazy simple and short - can anyone confirm that it's true? Of course I could ask them, as they have a helpline, but at 69ppm +VAT and call charges, frankly, I'd rather not.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Kind regards,

 

Edd

[swimmer 3,706]

(1) Biometric photos (from that link: "All passport applicants must provide 2 identical passport photographs that...")

(2) The fee.

(3)Completed application (I think some UK citizen, possibly in a specific field, has to verify it).

 

All the basic verification (DOB etc) wil have been done the first time you applied. It's just a new version. All they have to do is verify you are the actual person on the passport (and thus still alive etc).

 

Last time I did it, it was fine.

[sillypoint 346]

Download C1 Form and C1 Notes from here - they have all the information you'll need

[HEM 11,066]

 

(3)Completed application (I think some UK citizen, possibly in a specific field, has to verify it).

 

Last renewed mine 2 years ago. Since there is a distinct lack of British citizens around here (particularly "upstanding" examples) some "suitable" German citizen will do. This is where my pal the Notar comes in handy (he doesn't charge - but then I help him with the software in his glider).

[redlawrey 593]

Just be careful with the photos you take as they're very hot on making sure they are right! Use the notes for that!

[Guest]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA++++++++++++++++++ will renew again!

 

Seriously though yes it is very easy, although the advantage to doing it in the UK is they can "check & send" in the post office so you don't waste your money if you've got something wrong.

[robinson100 12,792]

I'm due for renewal early next year too, so have already been looking into how best to do it.

Form C1 seems to be right for me, and then I need two identical photos (- gonna be a problem as I am NOT photogenic!), and my old passport - managed to do it right ten years ago, so expect to still be able to now

(oh, and the fee, of course!)

[koala 470]

Make sure you get the pics right, I think the German requirements for biometric pics are slightly different to the UK ones, leading to potential grief if you're not on the ball at the photographers.

[Edd.Turner 100]

Renewing a possport is quite easy, compare though these instructions:

 

 

Note 8 – Section 10 – Countersignature

When you have completed the form, someone who has

known you personally for at least two years should complete

and sign Section 10. That person should be a British citizen,

other British national or Commonwealth citizen who is a

Member of Parliament, Justice of the Peace, Minister of

Religion, Bank Officer, Established Civil Servant, or

professionally qualified person, e.g. Lawyer, Engineer,

Doctor, School Teacher, Police Officer or a person of

similar standing. Procedures include a check on the

authenticity of countersignatories.

If you do not know a British national or other Commonwealth

citizen locally with these qualifications, a citizen of the

country in which you are residing may complete and sign the

form, provided he/she has a similar standing in that country

has known you for two years and the Consul considers

his/her signature to be acceptable. A member of your family

should not countersign. (See also Note 10,

‘Photographs’). In certain cases you may be asked to

produce further documentary evidence of identity.

and:

 

 

Countersignature of the form and photographs is not necessary for those people over 16 renewing a passport, unless your appearance has changed significantly since your previous passport was issued.

(from http://ukingermany.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/what-passport/renewing-passport/steps-to-renew#photos)

 

I'm giong without countersigning as I don't know anyone who fits the description on this list...

[Guest]

 

Make sure you get the pics right, I think the German requirements for biometric pics are slightly different to the UK ones, leading to potential grief if you're not on the ball at the photographers.

 

They are, I had mine renewed about 2 years ago and had to give the German photographer the exact details I had obtained from the Düssseldorf Embassy website. They actually did have a little booth there to take photos...

 

I downloaded the documents, had the pics taken, had the stuff verified by a friend of mine who is a "Bürgermeister" mayor.

 

Then sent the lot to Düsseldorf and got my new passport 10 days later cost me about 189 €!

[Kazalphaville 1,813]

Can back up the last post. I did exactly the same and it was worth it to save all the hassle of possibly not getting the photos right. Luckily I work in an international school so I had plenty of British citizens with professional status to countersign for me. Shame I can't countersign my own but can do it for others so if anyone in Cologne needs a countersignatory at any time, give me a shout. For the price of a couple of beers, I can pretend I've known you for a couple of years ;-)

[Katrina 4,522]

I got my photos done in the photobooth at my local Meldeamt - I look terrible but they took them.

You may want to take the exact details to a proper snapper to save yourself 10 years of UGH.

[Guest]

 

if anyone in Cologne needs a countersignatory at any time, give me a shout. For the price of a couple of beers, I can pretend I've known you for a couple of years ;-)

 

How many beers? :D

[Kazalphaville 1,813]

Depends on how nice you are ;-)

[NewFromOz 61]

I renewed mine a couple of weeks ago. Yes it is that easy. What was even more amazing was that I received my new passport 4 working days after I submitted the request, and I wasn't even in a rush!

 

In fact, if your appearance is still very similar to that in your current passport I don't think you even need to provide new photos. Mine isn't, so I did. Any place which does photos should know exactly what the requirements are for a UK passport picture, just tell them that is what you need.

[Edd.Turner 100]

As an update, it was that easy - forms filled in, Credit Card manadate filled out, _unsigned/unverified_ photos sent off, and 3 and a bit weeks later, I got my new passport.

[kaffeeundkekse 0]

Hi everyone,

 

I need to renew my passport soon too (i.e. in the next few days). Am confused about the countersignatory part of the application. The consulate website says this:

 

Countersignature of the form and photographs is not necessary for those people over 16 renewing a passport, unless your appearance has changed significantly since your previous passport was issued.

 

But lots of people on his form have spoken about going to notaries etc. to get their forms and photos signed - I'm at a loss for a countersignatory, do you think I'll get away without one then?

[Wheel 404]

You don't need one unless you have changed appearance a lot. They will compare with your last photo.

[robinson100 12,792]

You only need to get somebody "of standing in the community" to counter-sign - somebody like your GP or priest could do it, or maybe you know somebody with a "Doctor" title?

As for the photos, be careful to get them done with a white background, and exactly how it says on the form - a friend of mine who urgently needed his passport renewing had to send in a second set of photos as the first ones weren't up to standard.

As I mentioned somewhere else on TT, you can get a British passport renewed up to six months before it expires without losing out on any of the time it is valid for.

I got mine renewed in January ´- it took exactly a week to get there and back!

[Wheel 404]

Countersignatories need to be British or Irish citizens and to have known you for two years. This can be problematic for expats since the population shifts a fair bit.

 

 

The application form asks the countersignatory to enter their current British passport number (Irish passport numbers are also acceptable). This is so the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) can check their identity.

Passport agency page.