Good time of year for passport renewals

gremlin

No probs Moonmoney

Yes the smaller ones dont seem to carry forms like that ( and the driving licence ones) but we got ours in a larger one.

Hope you find one quickly - but if you cant and wanted to fill one out online it really doesn't take that much time, although I agree with you it does seem a bit long winded filling in online only for them to send the forms to you for you to complete and return.

zagfles

Moonmoney wrote: »

Thanks Gremlin That'll do me then - I'll pick up a form from my main post office tomorrow, snow willing.

Been in two small post offices but both had long queues and no passport forms available for just picking up so I was wondering if the online way was the only way.

I found online easier since you don't need to queue at the PO, and the form comes with most sections filled in which reduced the chances of making a mistake and needing a new form!

Another tip is to try to time the renewal so it's processed just before the date in the month your passport expires. Since it seems new passports are always valid for an exact number of months, ie the expiry date is always the same date as the issue date, and unused months in the old passport are rounded up. Eg if your old passport expires on 5 Sept 2013, and the renewal is processed on 1 Mar 2013, it'll be valid till 1 Oct 2023 (or 1 Oct 2018 for a child). OK bit trivial but we've gained a few months between us, accidently rather than timing it.

Moonmoney

Hello Is it possible to get your old passport back after applying for a renewal?

I'll be sending my old passport in with my renewal form but wondered if there was a way to ask for the old one back - stamped as cancelled or whatever - to keep out of interest for the stamps/visas in it.

Thanks

zagfles

Moonmoney wrote: »

Hello Is it possible to get your old passport back after applying for a renewal?

I'll be sending my old passport in with my renewal form but wondered if there was a way to ask for the old one back - stamped as cancelled or whatever - to keep out of interest for the stamps/visas in it.

Thanks

You get it back automatically. Sometimes VISAs in an expired passport are still valid and can still be used in conjunction with your new passport - I used my US VISA in an expired passport for many years.

Moonmoney

Quick update to finish my posting - I handed in two separate renewals, not fast track or anything else, into the Durham passport office this Monday and received one back yesterday (3 days later) and the other today (4 days later). We've also received both old passports back as well.

So many thanks to all of you and also to the Durham passport office staff :T

aliasojo

Just renewed daughter's. Was back in 8 days.

Surprised at the new photos though. The new format doesn't seem as clear as previous versions imo. Obviously clear enough for them so who am I to wonder.

Moonmoney

zagfles wrote: »

You get it back automatically. Sometimes VISAs in an expired passport are still valid and can still be used in conjunction with your new passport - I used my US VISA in an expired passport for many years.

Hi Zagfles

That's useful and something I didn't know - that you can use a current visa in an expired passport. That is now stored away for future use

Learn something new on here everyday

Moonmoney

Hi Aliasojo I agree about the photos, neither of the two shown look as clear as they did in the old passport format.

Been trying to feel the microchip in the new passport but it must be really thin!!

Mind you the design on the stamping pages are quite interesting

smudge56

The photo shows up clearer on screen when the passport is put into the reader @ the airport.
Be careful not to get the page wet at all - it turns green and the data disappears.

grumble_100

Hi, my son is 15. he is 16 on July 5th and his child passport expires on July 30th. If we want to apply for a renewal now, can we apply for an adult passport? (The passport website mentions "a few weeks")