Passport Renewal

Ezio2025

Emmia said:

subjecttocontract said:

Last time I renewed I used the Post Office service which was excellent. They fill the form for you, take the photo, handle the postage, do everything, no hassle, no problems. I'd highly recommend it. Think it was £109......easy to check cost online.

For a renewal I found it very easy (and cheaper) to do it all online myself.

Ezio2025 said:

RandomTourist said:

Post Office is excellent. When I renewed, I got the first confirmation text message as I walked out of the door!

Yeah looks pretty good! 

I just had a look at the Driving License renewal service too & they can get that done also - both done together works out at £132 & they’ll even sort the address change on the Driving License!  

I'd do the passport, then the driving licence slightly later (a few weeks) as the photo uploaded for the passport can be reused for the driving licence. 

I renewed both last year and waited for my passport to come back, which took about 10 days in February, before updating my licence.

Good advice will save me paying the photo fee twice 👍🏼 thank you! 

la531983

Emmia said:

subjecttocontract said:

Last time I renewed I used the Post Office service which was excellent. They fill the form for you, take the photo, handle the postage, do everything, no hassle, no problems. I'd highly recommend it. Think it was £109......easy to check cost online.

For a renewal I found it very easy (and cheaper) to do it all online myself.

Very much this.

I could maybe kinda understand why in the old days of paper forms people might want a human to look over it, but very difficult to do an online renewal "wrong".  Not very money saving to pay more for it in a Post Office....

Ezio2025

la531983 said:

Emmia said:

subjecttocontract said:

Last time I renewed I used the Post Office service which was excellent. They fill the form for you, take the photo, handle the postage, do everything, no hassle, no problems. I'd highly recommend it. Think it was £109......easy to check cost online.

For a renewal I found it very easy (and cheaper) to do it all online myself.

Very much this.

I could maybe kinda understand why in the old days of paper forms people might want a human to look over it, but very difficult to do an online renewal "wrong".  Not very money saving to pay more for it in a Post Office....

Yeah this is a good point - I guess without the post office charge & getting the photos done yourself (assuming they cost between £10-£12 as @lr1277 suggested). That’s still a £4-£6 saving without the time it takes to visit the post office & the fuel for trip 

thanks! 

flaneurs_lobster

RandomTourist said:

Post Office is excellent. When I renewed, I got the first confirmation text message as I walked out of the door!

Question if I may about the PO passport renewal service and ID photos, does the service include providing you with hard copies of the photos and/or an online address to download digital copies for other uses? 

(Both available at Max Spielmann (aka Timpsons) concessions at Asda stores)

Emmia

flaneurs_lobster said:

RandomTourist said:

Post Office is excellent. When I renewed, I got the first confirmation text message as I walked out of the door!

Question if I may about the PO passport renewal service and ID photos, does the service include providing you with hard copies of the photos and/or an online address to download digital copies for other uses? 

(Both available at Max Spielmann (aka Timpsons) concessions at Asda stores)

I used a Photo-Me booth at a mainline station - I got both 4 printed photos, and a code for the photo to be added to my online application. I also downloaded the photo and have used it a couple more times for other things needing a photograph.

Edit: in case it's helpful Photo-Me seem to have a booth finder tool on their website.

https://www.photo-me.uk/

Ezio2025

Emmia said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

RandomTourist said:

Post Office is excellent. When I renewed, I got the first confirmation text message as I walked out of the door!

Question if I may about the PO passport renewal service and ID photos, does the service include providing you with hard copies of the photos and/or an online address to download digital copies for other uses? 

(Both available at Max Spielmann (aka Timpsons) concessions at Asda stores)

I used a PhotoMe booth at a mainline station - I got both 4 printed photos, and a code for the photo to be added to my online application. I also downloaded the photo and have used it a couple more times for other things needing a photograph.

How much was it to use the PhotoMe booth? 

Emmia

Ezio2025 said:

Emmia said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

RandomTourist said:

Post Office is excellent. When I renewed, I got the first confirmation text message as I walked out of the door!

Question if I may about the PO passport renewal service and ID photos, does the service include providing you with hard copies of the photos and/or an online address to download digital copies for other uses? 

(Both available at Max Spielmann (aka Timpsons) concessions at Asda stores)

I used a PhotoMe booth at a mainline station - I got both 4 printed photos, and a code for the photo to be added to my online application. I also downloaded the photo and have used it a couple more times for other things needing a photograph.

How much was it to use the PhotoMe booth? 

I think prices vary by location, but my photos (London) last year were either £8 or £10

flaneurs_lobster

Ezio2025 said:

la531983 said:

Emmia said:

subjecttocontract said:

Last time I renewed I used the Post Office service which was excellent. They fill the form for you, take the photo, handle the postage, do everything, no hassle, no problems. I'd highly recommend it. Think it was £109......easy to check cost online.

For a renewal I found it very easy (and cheaper) to do it all online myself.

Very much this.

I could maybe kinda understand why in the old days of paper forms people might want a human to look over it, but very difficult to do an online renewal "wrong".  Not very money saving to pay more for it in a Post Office....

Yeah this is a good point - I guess without the post office charge & getting the photos done yourself (assuming they cost between £10-£12 as @lr1277 suggested). That’s still a £4-£6 saving without the time it takes to visit the post office & the fuel for trip 

thanks! 

Does the PO service not include sending off the old passport (by secure mail?)? That's another extra cost to add.

Emmia

flaneurs_lobster said:

Ezio2025 said:

la531983 said:

Emmia said:

subjecttocontract said:

Last time I renewed I used the Post Office service which was excellent. They fill the form for you, take the photo, handle the postage, do everything, no hassle, no problems. I'd highly recommend it. Think it was £109......easy to check cost online.

For a renewal I found it very easy (and cheaper) to do it all online myself.

Very much this.

I could maybe kinda understand why in the old days of paper forms people might want a human to look over it, but very difficult to do an online renewal "wrong".  Not very money saving to pay more for it in a Post Office....

Yeah this is a good point - I guess without the post office charge & getting the photos done yourself (assuming they cost between £10-£12 as @lr1277 suggested). That’s still a £4-£6 saving without the time it takes to visit the post office & the fuel for trip 

thanks! 

Does the PO service not include sending off the old passport (by secure mail?)? That's another extra cost to add.

Posting your passport back yourself is free.

It has to be, otherwise people won't do it.

flaneurs_lobster

Emmia said:

Posting your passport back yourself is free.

It has to be, otherwise people won't do it.

Really? I thought the renewal process wouldn't complete/new passport issued until old passport received?