passport renewal question

butterbear

Hi all

My passport ran out in 2007 :eek: I am determined to have some sort of foreign trip next year and am wondering if I have to get a new passport or can renew the very outdated one I have. Is there a time limit for renewing passports?

Thanks in advance for all advice or suggestions

SW17

I'm assuming it's a standard UK passport for a British Citizen. If your passport expired in 2007 you will have to get a new one, but the Passport Office considers it a renewal if all of the following apply:

- your expired passport was a 5 or 10 year passport and is a purple passport (ie not an old-style blue one)
- the passport is not damaged or defaced (normal wear and tear to cover probably ok if no pages are torn)
- your name and nationality status are the same as on the previous passport.

Assuming your last passport has never been cancelled by the passport office (they would have sent it back to you with the corner cut off), you will need to send it to them with your application. The renewal is a lot easier if you still have the old passport to send, if not you might have to report it as lost, extra forms and extra time.

You should be able to find most info you need in the guidance notes on gov.uk. Section 1 covers whether it's a renewal, change etc. I think my advice is correct, but best to check with the official source to be sure.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/309596/Guidance_notes_4_14.pdf

You can also contact them by phone or online query form, details on the gov.uk website. You can complete the application form online, but you have to then print and send manually with photos and any supporting docs.

butterbear

Thank- you

I did look at the government website but confused myself!!

I do have my old passport and my name and status are the same, the address is different but that the only change, I will sort it this afternoon.

Thank you so much for you response.