(New) passports

Zziggi

Just a quick query...

Neither of my kids have passports and we have been wanting to get them a passport each just so they have one incase they need it (no plans for a holiday abroad). I seem to remember reading that passport prices are going up soon. Is that right? is it october? 1st october by any chance? Also do you have to have all the biometric stuff if you apply after october 2006?

We got the forms here filled in and signed but i haven't got round to posting them. Just wondering if i should get my backside into gear, brush the dust of the forms and waddle down to the post office smart-ish.

Thanks

echo

going up on Oct 5th.got mine back last week and it's biometric now.i should send the forms off now cos from that date,those applying for a first passport will have to go to their nearest passport office for an interview-plus the prices go up again.

Burtie_2

Are you sure it's "biometric"?

I suspect it only has a chip in it.

For biometrics surely you need to apply in person as they will need to take scans etc of eyes/facial features.

Zziggi

Thanks guys, you've told me what i thought; very soon it's a trip to a passport centre (for biometric info) and i'll not only have the inconvenience of a trip to an office but i'll have to pay more for the privilage.

I'm already gone to the post office.....

thanks again

echo

defo biometric with chip on other side of page that the pic's on.they call it an e-passport.comes with a leaflet giving you all the info


http://www.passport.gov.uk/news/news.asp?strAreaNo=320&intelement=1204

arnie&caseysma!

Got my new biometric passport through today with a leaflet with all the essential info on it. Basically teh biometric passport has an electronic chip inside the book on the back of the picture page. The chip stores a copy of your photograph and the personal details printed on the photo page of the passport. There is no extra personal information in the machine-readable zone or on the chip. This is designed to help prevent fraud and forgery bacause as well as the chip there are many other new security features including intricate designs, watermarks, specialist fibres etc etc etc.

There was no reason for me to go to a passport office to get the new passport although in the info leaflet returned with it they say "from Autumn 2006 we will interview all aduls (people over 16) applying for a passport for the first time. In line with new European Uniion standards we are also considering including fingerprints in biometric passports in the future." (Obviously this is why the fees are going up!)

Send your passport applications off tomorrow by special delivery (don't bother getting the post office to check them - I never have and mine have always been ok with the passport agency). If you send Special Delivery they will get them on Thursday and well in advance of the 5th October deadline for the fees. I got mine back today which was only 8 days after I posted it (renewal, granted first passports might take slightly longer but now much - OH was only 18 days when we sent it off in the height of summer last year).

Good luck in getting the new passport before the fees go up!

sassy0scarlett

yeap echo mine is the same i got mine at the end of july didnt need my eyeballs scanning though:eek:

echo

first passports DO take longer cos as soon as they receive the application they send out a form to be signed by a doc/dentist to show where you've lived for the last 3 yrs.daughter applied the day before me and she's bin waiting for her doc to sign the form then she's sending it to me so i can get the dentist to sign it.her former doc won't.she's not planning on going away but didnt want the hassle of travelling miles for the interview.

jodie

I applied for my first ever passport in Feb and it arrived back to me 6 days after I sent it with PO.

echo

jodie

daughter has done hers thru the PO as did i.the passport office told her it's a new thing they've brought out.

BernadetteN

The chip in the new passports does indeed contain biometric information - an iris scan which is taken from the photo you submit which is why the photo now has to be spot on. In future, fingerprints may also be included, but the technology for reading fingerprints and iris scans is not ready for it yet - the iris scans can be done by photo but the fingerprints need the person to be present.

We got our eldest daughter's passport renewed in 7 days which we got back last week. The Post Office service is not worth it unless you really can't understand the form - if you do it yourself and get stuck, there is a helpline which is very knowledgeable and helpful and can talk you through the form and this is much cheaper than the Post Office service.