Can you photocopy a passport ?

bigman3

I went into Staples today to photocopy a passport. I always do this before travelling.

To my surprise I was told that Staples are not allowed to photocopy passports.

So I phoned up a helpline number and a chap reckoned it was because of the current climate and how photocopied passports could be missused.

I fail to understand how anyone could missue a black and white photostat of a passport. Could I board a flight with it ? Is photocopying a passport an infringement of copyright ?

Anyway I went to a local shop and copied it there.

Even the FCO suggest you take a photocopy.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1098377476175

lush_walrus

Its easy to see how someone would use a b & w copy of your passport, all of the information they need to forge a brand new one is on there, your passport no, your name, your everything is on that one last sheet.

Add a new photo to a home made passport and bingo!

Not always do those who steel passports want the person who they have stollen it from to know that it is missing, the perfect situaiton for them is for you not to notice and then not to cancel it. So if a thief can get hold of your details, copy it and put the original back all the better.

Stapples can not be seen to be part of anything like that, nor can anyone who knows the risks of copied passports. If you do it its a whole different thing.

Bossyboots

We photocopy them at work, but only if the holder brings them in person. Some of our local banks are asking people opening new accounts to bring in certified photocopies of their passports for their files.

bigman3

lush_walrus wrote:

Its easy to see how someone would use a b & w copy of your passport, all of the information they need to forge a brand new one is on there, your passport no, your name, your everything is on that one last sheet.

Add a new photo to a home made passport and bingo!

Not always do those who steel passports want the person who they have stollen it from to know that it is missing, the perfect situaiton for them is for you not to notice and then not to cancel it. So if a thief can get hold of your details, copy it and put the original back all the better.

Stapples can not be seen to be part of anything like that, nor can anyone who knows the risks of copied passports. If you do it its a whole different thing.

Why would someone need a black and white photocopy to forge a brand new passport. Could they not get the details they need off the original ?

santana-mx3

lush_walrus wrote:

Its easy to see how someone would use a b & w copy of your passport, all of the information they need to forge a brand new one is on there, your passport no, your name, your everything is on that one last sheet.

That's true.

lush_walrus wrote:

Stapples can not be seen to be part of anything like that, nor can anyone who knows the risks of copied passports. If you do it its a whole different thing.

But when the passport holder takes the passport in to Staples him/herself, why would this be a problem? Or do you mean Staples don't want to risk getting the blame at a later date if a member of their staff was found to be involved in passport forgery or didn't check that the passport really belonged to the person who brought it in?

santana-mx3

bigman3 wrote:

I went into Staples today to photocopy a passport. I always do this before travelling.

When reading this initially, I assumed it was your passport. On reading it again, I notice you mention "a", rather than "my" though you could still be referring to your own.

So was it your own passport (as I originally assumed) that you had problems with or, for example, your partner's?

Assuming it was your own, I do find it very surprising that they don't allow you to copy it.

alanrowell

Just scan it into a computer & print it out. It's alwasy useful to have a few copies so that you don't have to deposit your passport with people when they need your details

I suspect that Staples can't photocopy passports by law - probably something to do with copyright.

barbie_babe

i copyed my son in my local spar shop .

rotate

I tried to copy my son but he kept wriggling and I could not get the lid shut.

FTD

rotate wrote:

I tried to copy my son but he kept wriggling and I could not get the lid shut.

Maybe barbie meant spar now do a cloning service next to the bean shelf!

FTD

spottydog

Recently had to get a number of copies of my passport certified and didn't have any problems either getting them copied or getting them certified by a solicitor.

I always keep a scan of our passports password protected in a webmail account just in case they get stolen abroad and I have to go to the embassy plus a photocopy of them as proof when abroad (so I don't have to carry around my original and worry about it being nicked).